Truth be told, portable and wireless speakers will not come any better than the Eton rugged all terrain portable wireless sound system. This one comes with robust features like solar chargeability, ability to charge your smartphone and of course, the ability to blast music all around the patio and the pool area. There are many innovative wireless speakers in the market today, but none of them can beat the Eton rugged all terrain portable speaker. This one is going to redefine how people listen to music while they are on the go.
Table of Contents
Portable or Bookshelf
Portable or not? That is really up to you. You can use it outside in the hot months and make use of the solar power and when there is no shine, you can keep it on the bookshelf and listen to loud music for a straight 8 hours, powered by the lithium ion battery. It is an all terrain, meaning that it can be used in all weather. It has IPX splash proof rating, but do not go letting it get into the water carelessly.
Power Source/battery life
It can be powered by solar during the day. The Eton solar wireless system comes with a solar panel that can generate huge quantities of energy to keep you listening to the loud music all the time. In addition, this speaker has a USB port for charging and therefore it can be plugged into any power source, including computers and laptops. It uses solar power or AC charging. With its inbuilt lithium battery, you can have 8 hours of uninterrupted music and Bluetooth connectivity.
So you have power in sunlight….all day and when the sun goes down, you get 8 hours of battery life….so you get many hours, plus the ability to charge your other devices to boot…pretty awesome feature!
Wireless Standard: Bluetooth
The Bluetooth connection could hum a little when you pause the music, but you can be assured that all the time you will be connected, the music play will be flawless. The streaming will run for hours on end without interruptions.
Eton Rugged Rukus Controls
At the top of the speaker, just before where the solar panel starts, you will find the LED battery indicators. Immediately behind them, there is a bank of controls for the volume, the power button, the battery inquiry and the Bluetooth pair button. The volume button is elongated, with the + and – signs on opposing sides.
Will you get some bass from this speaker? Of course, but this does seem to fade with distance and with low volume. Therefore, do not expect too much low midrange and bass because they are not there. Otherwise, you will enjoy great clarity and crystal-clear music.
Speakerphone
There is no speakerphone features with this speaker.
Ease of Set-up
If you are smart, just drain the battery first and then give it a full solar charge of 5 hours as recommended by Eton. Only then will you be able to know whether you got real value for your money or not. To get started, you will see the power button in the panel above the speakers. You can use the button with the battery icon to see the status of the battery. Volume and Bluetooth buttons are clearly indicated.
Stereo Separation
Stereo separation is merely the the separation of sounds through a left and right speaker. When listening to the music you may hear the drums through the right speaker and the guitar through the left, this separation mimics the spatial separation within the studio where the music is recorded. You do enjoy a nice stereo sound as these 1.5 inch drivers deliver, but as with most small speakers this dissipates as you move away from the speaker.
Wireless Range
Since you will be keeping your smartphone device close by for charging, the wireless range does not matter much. However, it is 30 feet for kicks, same as is allowed by other Bluetooth enabled devices.
Eton Rugged Rukus Design
From its name, the design is rugged and drop damage resist. It is ruggedized to withstand splashes, not lake swims and to stand falls of up to one meter.
The front of the speaker is actually metal. This makes sure that the pair of 1-inch drivers are well protected. The side and the bottom are made of ruggedized plastic that is splash-proof and can stand reasonable drops.
Then there is the prizewinner in the Rugged Eton wireless speaker, and that is the 20 square inch solar panel. The manufacturer says to charge for 5 straight hours in direct sun until battery is full. The speaker comes in black and in green or actually the carrying handle is black or green.
Sound Quality
If you are looking for heavy midrange sounds and bass, you could be slightly disappointed, but what is that compared to the rest of the wonderful, crystal clear sound that you are going to enjoy from this system? There is no passive bass ports or radiators with this system, but you will be pleased as overall, the sound quality is amazing. Whether you play reggae, soul or massive productions like metal, nothing will escape the output.
Dimensions
Just 5.9 by 1.8 by 6.5 inches
Features
- 20 inch squared solar panel for charging in direct sunlight
- Auxiliary port for use with the devices that are not Bluetooth enabled
- USB charging for smartphone
- Built-in lithium battery
- Four LED indicators that show when battery is charging, when it is low and when Bluetooth is on
- Solid hard plastic casing that protects against falls
- Two 1 inch drivers inside
Accessories
Rugged Rukus
USB charging cable
User manual
Pros
- Solar power panel (20square inches of cells)
- can also charge your cell phone or other device with a
- AC charging
- Auxiliary input for devices without Bluetooth enablement
- Easy to use
- Pairs easily with any Bluetooth device
- Ruggedized design
- Very protective casing against splashes and accidental drops
- 8 hours of battery powered playback
- Crystal-clear sound
- Can be used in the patio, or when going hiking or fishing. Can be strapped to the back
Cons
Micro USB cord for charging your device not included
Poor/minimal bass for the serious listeners….most folks according to the reviews really like the sound.
Eton Rugged Rukus Consumer Reviews
With its lack of bass, still, many people rated this product highly, as the 1.5” speakers do have decent bass, with most giving it a 5/5. It seems as if the solar cells sold them all, that and the ability to charge one’s smartphone. However, having DJs in our midst, and the fact that without a bass port or bass radiator the sound quality does not deserve a 5 rating in our opinion. we cannot give it a 5 out of 5 rating. We give it 4.8 stars out of 5.
Price
We like the ruggedness of this great sounding speaker. We like the fact you can use natural light to power this speaker, plus other devices if need be. You can take it anywhere and it will hold up. You know when you are outside, camping…or just living enjoying life you want a product that can take some licks and keep producing……this speaker also sounds great in the outdoors.
