Top Best 6 waterproof radio in December 2021

Okay I have multiple speakers!

Clip 3

ZoeeTree D12

W-King D9

But I take my JBL GO 3 absolutely every where. Perfect for beach walks, hikes, bike rides, etc.

Also JBL GO 3 has very little latency. I watch netflix and youtube without lagging issues.

Out of the 10 speakers I bought this year this 30 dollar speaker is actually my favorite to to take along my daily adventure with my favorite REGGAE jams.

C port charging. About a full works day of music. So I've used the battery from 11am- 8pm comfortably untiyit died late in the day. No complains. And I'm also the Biggest JBL HATER.

Love this little thing. Finally they made something to loop around a carabiner hook. The ones built into the "Clip" broke easily. The speaker sounds amazing for its size and weight. Great for hiking & biking. Especially for the $29 sale price!

I live this speaker I take it everywhere, great sound and size. Battery pretty durable

Sound is great also the color and its easy to carry everywhere. Worth buying for.

Great little portable speaker sound just right for personal use. The battery last longer then the 5 hours .I've fully charged it and the battery lasted 9 hour i was blown away. Don't think about it just buy it . Its worth it.

Great to travel very light weight.

I was really impressed by how great this JBL Go 3 sounds and it’s really easy to pair with my ipad -iPhone! Plus it’s water and dust prof.

This is a great buy! Relatively inexpensive for the great sound that comes out of this thing, and it’s really nice to know that it’s pretty durable and waterproof. We took it kayaking and paired it with my Apple Watch so neither of us had to worry about losing our phones in the river. The Bluetooth connection was solid, even from kinda far away. Really happy with this purchase!

This speaker brings the mid tier experience with a lower tier price. If you want something that's portable and strong, this is it. The battery life is standard, running a little low sometimes depending on how loud the music is on average, however its worth the price. I'd definitively grab it on a sale though, this speaker at $30 or lower is a steal. Personally, for a great experience in the jbl speakers range I'd recommend the charge 4. This speaker definitively slides around and the position of the sound is ideal only when it's facing straight up. If you're on the go thats a different story as the loop is terrific.

The Soundcore Select 2 by Anker is the latest in the line of Anker Bluetooth Speaker audio products. This sleek speaker features two 1.6” full-range speakers, with matching passive radiators. The speaker features Bluetooth 5.0 & NFC, an IPX7 rating, 20 hours of playback, USB-C charging and what I think is its best part ‘PartyCast’.

PartyCast? Well, it is the ability to pair up to 100 speakers to create a multi-speaker environment. You pair your primary speaker via Bluetooth to your audio device source (phone/tablet/projector/computer). Once paired to the primary speaker, the pairing process for secondary speakers is quite simple. On the main primary speaker hold the Bluetooth button for two seconds, wait for it to flash white, then press the Bluetooth button on secondary speakers for 2 seconds, and it instantly pairs. Add additional speakers to the primary speaker in the same process, up to 100 speakers are supported.

Even if you do not have the use for the nifty Partycast technology, the fact that it is present and available gives you several options for the future, though the use of it for L-R channels is not possible, but creating a larger sound stage is. That said the Bluetooth pairing process is incredibly simple. From the moment you turn it on, with its jazzy tunes telling it’s now on, to the speaker connected to Bluetooth tune, the process is very intuitive and easy to do.

The overall sound quality from this diminutive speaker is amazing. While the sound is directional, the quality is good. The bass output from the passive radiators makes a significant difference to the quality of the sound, providing enough low end to make it not sound tinny. Should you need to enhance the sound further, the Soundcore app will allow you to fine-tune the experience.

The soundcore app, available in your phone or tablet’s app store allows you to upgrade the firmware, make adjustments to the equalizer settings, and even see the battery life. I found not too much difference in the various preset equalizer settings, but there is a manual setting should you feel you need to tweak it to your own tastes.

The equalizer settings include voice, treble boost, balanced and soundcore signature. For my type of listening, the default soundcore signature optimized version was sounding good to my ears. The speakers do miss a lot of the highs, and moving to the treble boost did not bring the high-hats into focus. That said, for small 1.6” full-range speakers driving the sound, the audio quality is more than adequate.

One of the nice things about the Soundcore Select 2 is the IPX7 rating, which means sounds by the pool aren’t going to affect the device life as it is waterproof. Taking it to the beach may pose a problem, as it is not ‘dust’ proof though. That said, I’d rather have waterproof over dust.

The build quality of the speaker is very good, it has a solid rubberized anti-slip coated that is a fingerprint magnet. It’s got some weight to it that helps keep the low-end rumble from rattling the cage. The on-device controls are large and easy to identify by touch even when you are not looking. The device comes with a removable wrist strap to help you hang it around the place. I found the dedicated multi-function “soundcore’ button in the centre of the button stack to be a bit of a hassle at times and quite hard to press. The difference between one press, two press or press and hold could be more distinctive. That said, one buys a speaker like this to listen to music, and likely most of the play controls would be done on the source rather than on the speaker.

So what are the use cases of such speakers? Well technically it can go anywhere you want. I took a bicycle ride and attached it to my bottle holder. I also have used this as an external speaker to my computer via Bluetooth, negating the use of my headphones. There are several uses for a Bluetooth speaker, as such, your use case may involve camping and hiking. Whatever it may be, the soundcore select 2 will provide you hours of entertainment.

Pros:

Good full-range sound & a great battery life

PartyCast is a feature worth exploring when you have a larger group

Solid build quality for a rattle-free sound.

Waterproof IPX7 rated

Cons:

None that I can find…

BUILD QUALITY/AESTHETICS:

I’m a basic guy which makes me a fan of simple yet practical. Which is exactly the type of look this speaker was going for. It is shaped like a brick, is trying to get some style points with a grill on the front, and tap into its crime fighting alter ego by going Batman style with the matte black finish. It is covered in a matte black rubber which picks up fingerprints like a boss. The front has minimal branding with a small Soundcore logo on the bottom of the grill, on the back you have a chamber to help with bass with a bigger Soundcore logo. On the left-hand side, you have a place to attach a strap, if that’s your jam, and on the right, you have the USB charging port. On the top you have your controls, and I almost forgot about the bottom. Where the legal information that nobody ever reads is, along with four itty bitty rubber pads. It has good weight to it without any flex. In true brick fashion, if someone needed some music in their life, you could just throw this guy through their window, and it would probably make it out unscathed. But please don’t do that. I’d rank build quality a 10/10. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder on this one, so I’ll leave that rating up to you.

CONTROLS:

Going left to right you have the power button, volume down, multipurpose button (in the shape of the Soundcore logo), volume up, and Bluetooth with NFC tag. Each button is large, with raised rubber, and takes severe force to press with short travel, and a mild click. The buttons are the same color as the rest of the device, which makes them perfect for blending in when in low light situations, but also have a mild gloss to them to help make them pop when moving the device. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

When you press the power button it will jingle, the LED next to the power button will turn white, and the LED to the right of the Bluetooth button will start to blink blue. There will be a second jingle to tell you the Bluetooth is in pairing mode. If you have an Android phone and NFC just put this guy on the right side of the speaker near the NFC tag and you’re paired. If you have an iPhone like myself, you need to go into your Bluetooth settings. It will jingle again when it is paired. This guy really likes its jingles. If you hold down the power button for two seconds it will power off with another jingle. Since we have already paired a device when you power it on you will get the power on jingle, Bluetooth jingle, and then last the connected jingle. This takes about 10 seconds. I would have liked it if they just got rid of the power on jingle and pairing jingle and just gave me one when they connected to shorten the whole process up.

Volume down and volume up are self-explanatory.

The multifunctional button when tapped plays/pauses. There is a slight delay (about a second) with this. If you double press it will skip forward, if you triple press, it will skip backward. I found double and triple presses to be kind of difficult as actuation force is strong, with small overall travel, and a very weak click. Leaving me very unsatisfied If you hold it down, your voice assistant will come up.

Last, is the Bluetooth button. If you tap it, there will be a jingle, and then when paired it will jingle again. When held it will activate the PartyCast system which allows you to pair over 100 speakers together. They say this works on ANY speaker with PartyCast. For this guy at least this means BOTH speakers will be playing the same thing and is NOT a stereo pairing which is a bit of a bummer.

I have two Soundcore speakers and they both happen to support PartyCast, so I figured what they hey, why not try it out. Once I figured out how to correctly pair them it was simple and found that it further elevated the sound by a noticeable degree. If you adjust the volume on the master device, it will increase the volume for all speakers. If you turn off the master device, it will turn off all devices. Last, if you tried to adjust the sound on a slave device nothing would happen.

The way I did it, was I turned on my Master Device (The Select 2 in this example), paired it to my iPhone, and then held down the Bluetooth button for two seconds which switched the Bluetooth LED from a solid Blue to a flashing White. I then turned on my Slave Device (Flare 2 in this example) and held down the Bluetooth button for several seconds which changed the LED from flash Blue (as it wasn’t connected to a device) to a flashing White. They then automatically paired to each other at which point the Master Device Bluetooth LED was flashing White, but the Slave Bluetooth LED was solid. The first time I tried to do this I wasn’t doing it correctly and it wouldn’t work. But when I follow this formula, it works every time and is quick.

SOUND QUALITY:

The sound quality is excellent for the price and size and hits way above its weight class. I did go into the Soundcore App and switched it from “Soundcore Signature” to “Balanced” which improved vocal clarity without reducing the other sounds. I also left Bass Boost ON as it added to overall sound and with it off made it feel a bit anemic. When it comes to Bluetooth speakers, I break them down into two ratings. The first is for music and the second is for multimedia.

For the first, Music, I found that they sound airy, with good balance, and good detail. Highs, mids, and bass mostly equal where one doesn’t overpower the other. Mids (vocals) can come across as slightly muddy which reduced my enjoyability for multimedia but did just fine for vocals. Sounds were natural with a mild amount of processing. Soundstage was small but with the BassUp DSP it provided nice enjoyable bass while filling up the room with sound. Imaging was limited where you could tell vocals and instruments apart but not where they were located. I didn’t notice any bloat or brightness and only mild congestion, muddiness, harshness, and sibilance. I wouldn’t suggest critical listening with this but it makes a good companion for your shower, while golfing, or next to a pool.

PROS:

The design while simple works well, with simple intuitive controls, good build quality, and small shape that can fit just about anywhere. Sound quality for the size and price are great which the DSP helps with. It has good battery life with an IPX7 rating, and you can sync it to any device that has PartyCast technology. You can use the Soundcore App to adjust the EQ. Music sounded good, but I found multimedia wasn’t as strong.

CONS:

Aesthetic design is in the eye of the beholder, buttons are a bit hard to press, especially when hitting multiple times. Sound was better for music than it was for multimedia due to voices coming across as muddy. PartyCast system has a method to the madness and while it elevates overall sound also causes some issues and can be further perfected.

CONCLUSION:

Ankor Soundcore devices continue to impress me with their excellent sound quality, great build quality, DSP, battery life, and IPX7 rating. However, they could still improve on making their buttons more satisfying to press. This has a simple design that I personally like and easily blends into any environment with its basicness. But some may not like that or overlook it altogether. For me I recommend it for music listening but not so much for multimedia use as I’ve found other speakers in this price range to do it better.

What’s In the Box

*Soundcore Select 2

*usb-c cable

*detachable shoestring strap

*quickstart guide

Anker doesn’t need an introduction. The company is well known in the consumer electronics world for its high quality portable phone chargers and computer peripherals. Among them are their bluetooth speakers. The latest offering from Anker, the Soundcore Select 2, shows that a good quality bluetooth speaker can be had without spending a small fortune.

You can tell that Anker didn’t spend much R&D money on aesthetic design. The Soundcore Select 2’s design is mundane, in fact rather downright unattractive. You could easily overlook it on a retail display, next to all the sexy, flashy speakers. For all intents and purposes, it is a black colored 17.8 oz. brick with a speaker grille in front to protect the 16 watt dual drivers and dual passive radiators.. The exterior is wrapped in a thick, high grade rubber material that can stand drops, scrapes, and bumps. It is well sealed to give it an IPX7 waterproof rating. The Soundcore Select 2 is well prepared to go on all your silly selfie adventures, be it the swimming pool party or a hot and humid hike through the rainforest.

Up on top of the speaker are all the buttons you’ll need. Power on/off, volume +/-, Bluetooth connection/NFC, and the multi-function button. The buttons themselves are rather large that it’s hard to miss. It has a single usb-c charge port to one side and a place to attach the shoestring strap on the other side. It sits atop a non-slip rubber base.

Enough on how it looks. You’re more interested in how it sounds, right? Well, the audio quality has exceptional presentation especially coming from a budget bluetooth speaker by a company without a well established history in audio products. Let’s start with the dual passive bass radiators. Anker’s BassUp Technology is at work here. The bass is tight and punchy; there when you need it without dragging down the audio spectrum. The dual drivers put the mids and vocals front and center, and are able to produce enough high end notes. You’ll need to download the Soundcore App to get to the 9 band equalizer which allows you to create and save different equalizer profile settings for the different types of music you listen to. Or you can simply use one of the Soundcore’s preselected audio profiles. Equipped with 16 watts of power, the Soundcore Select 2 can get loud and easily fills a room.

I also compared the audio from the Soundcore Select 2 to some of the higher end wireless bluetooth speakers (which shall remain nameless) that I own just for a comparison of audio quality. The Soundcore Select 2 came close in audio quality to those speakers costing twice as much or more. However, the Soundcore Select 2 did lack some detail and clarity that some of the more expensive bluetooth speakers are able to achieve. When listening to music, there was definitely less separation between the vocals and instruments from the Soundcore Select 2. When there are several instruments playing simultaneously on the audio track, the Soundcore Select 2 is a little muddy. I am not complaining, however. For the price point of the Soundcore Select 2, this thing sounds fantastic!

Other things I really like about the Soundcore Select 2 is that it has a usb-c connector for the charger. Type C is pretty much standard today, but you’d be amazed that some companies are still using the micro-usb for its connection. I also like that the speaker has a 20 hr playtime, which easily gets me through the day without having to anchor it to a wall outlet.

What I find gimmicky about the speaker is the Party Cast feature which allows you to link more than 100 speakers for synchronized music. I don’t think most folks would buy multiple Soundcore speakers so that they can play music in sync. I think they would rather be able to purchase one additional Soundcore speaker for a wireless stereo pair. The Soundcore Select 2 sadly does NOT have stereo pairing capability. This is where I feel the engineers at Anker missed an opportunity to capitalize, and consequently this is a major disadvantage of purchasing the speaker.

It is best to install the Soundcore app to get the most functionality out of the speaker. From the app, you’ll be able to download the latest firmware, adjust the audio with the equalizers, use the app to turn off the speaker, turn off the annoying musical jingle whenever the speaker powers on/of or makes a bluetooth connection, and set an auto timer to power off the speaker automatically when not in use.

I also tested the speaker with video content. There is imperceptible audio/video lag. Audio is in sync with the video.

The speaker has a built-in microphone enabling it to be used as a speakerphone. Folks on the other end of the call heard my voice clearly.

Should you buy this speaker? The Soundcore Select 2 pumps out excellent audio well above its price point. It is safe to say that this is a value speaker, you definitely get more audio quality than what you pay for! Apart from its mediocre design and inability to pair two speakers for stereo sound, the Soundcore Select 2 is one that you should give a try.

The Anker Soundcore Select 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker surprised me with a strong, clear musical sound that is usually only enjoyed from much larger speakers with a lot bigger price tag. At roughly 6.75” wide by 2” tall and 2” deep and weighing 12.6 ozs, this portable speaker is very easy to move around. After carrying it with me for a few days, I have decided that this is absolutely the perfect small portable speaker. Not only does its 5.0 Bluetooth function pair instantly with my iPhone, iPad, and laptop computer, it paired instantly every time it came within close proximity to the Bluetooth of all of these devices.

The Soundcore Select 2 has and delivers on several features. Built in are two 1.6” full range speakers and two Passive Radiators. Together these dual drivers and passive radiators produce a very powerful 16 W crystal clear sound. Soundcore’s BassUp Technology is another big plus that adds to producing this incredible sound. The BassUp technology uses an in-house tuned digital signal processor that analyses and intensifies the bass in real-time. However, if one desires, the Base feature can even be toggled off through the Soundcore app.

The Soundcore app provides the opportunity to customize and create one’s sound preference by use of a digital Equalizer. Customized sounds can be created, or one of the four preset equalizer choices can be selected (Voice, Soundcore Signature, Treble Boost and Balanced). All sounded great to me. Also, through Soundcore’ s app all features of the speaker can be controlled. This includes the digital equalizer, the choice to have Bass or not, and even the firmware updates as needed.

Using the included USB-C type charging cord, on one charge the Soundcore Select 2 has played over 20 hours. This is a pretty good amount of time to receive from one quick charge. When you consider the battery’s longevity and the fact that the speaker is rated IPX7 waterproof, it instantly becomes a great speaker for outdoor entertainment. IPX7 waterproof technology is a waterproof rating given to technological products which can handle being submerged in water at a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 minutes without creating any damage to the product. This particular speaker is also endowed with Soundcore’ s PartyCast technology. The Soundcore PartyCast technology enables up to 100 speakers to be linked together in a synchrony of music and lights. With the IPX7 body, the battery life, the ability to control the speaker by use of the app and the Soundcore PartyCast technology, there is no doubt that this is a great speaker for pool parties and other activities around water.

Included in the box is the speaker, a type “C” charging cable, and a detachable strap. I highly recommend the Soundcore 2 Speaker if you are in the market for a small portable, waterproof speaker. Its exceptional characteristics and ability to deliver such a great sound from such a small package, coupled with its very affordable price point makes this one, hands down, a great choice.

Small, compact and sleek looking form caught my attention but the sound really is the biggest selling point for the Soundcore Select 2!

Quite frankly, I was willing to settle for a smaller sound due to the form but was happily surprised I didn’t have to!! It sounds amazing! I ordered a second one just now before writing this review. You can connect up to 100 of these speakers!!!

After playing some music from different genres (which all sounded incredible) I downloaded the app. Now everyone has an app...my blender, my tv, my hover board ect....some good and some not so good. Soundcore surprised me again with theirs. Easy, well laid out and thoughtful. They have a “community” with a “conversation”, “Gallery”, “insider testing”. And of course “music”. When I get truly excited by a product I like dive into the product ecosphere and Since I was so impressed with the Soundcore 2, I really started playing around with their app. I love the playlists they put together for the gym and EDM ect. New stuff I have not heard. Pretty cool.

Back to the sound quality again... Just amazing. Your can customize the EQ or use some of the preset ones to get the sound just to your liking!!

I also am impressed with the battery life...20hours is what they say!!! I have charged mine and been playing music on and off again all week with plenty of power left! That's a day of tunes for sure and then some! The Bluetooth is rock solid as well and it connects effortlessly!

Water proof as well which is nice for the pool, beach or a nice jetted bathtub!

I really love this speaker!!! A room full of sound from such an easily portable and sleek little speaker. So cool!

Anker Soundcore Select 2 Bluetooth speaker pumps out clear, strong sound from a small, inexpensive package. Best of all, it’s only $50 at Best Buy! It’s not just the sound. There is a companion app chock full of useful features, not the least of which is a power button IN THE APP that powers down the Soundcore Select 2.

**WHAT’S IN THE BOX**

• Anker Soundcore Select 2 6-5/8” L x 2-1/8”H x 2-3/16” D

• Charging cable – USB-C into the device to USB-A for connection to your charging source

• Wrist strap

• Simplified quick start guide and warranty

**THE SETUP**

Instructions call for powering on with a press of the raised power button, which puts Soundcore Select 2 into pairing mode. Next, pair with your device, which, for this evaluation is my iPhone. Start playing. Note that this product is Bluetooth only, there is no jack for hardwiring from a device. Pairing mode is always available with a long press on the raised Bluetooth symbol on the top of the speaker.

Next, download the Soundcore mobile app. Once finished and launched, I was able to first check for a firmware update. There was, and I did. The app interface is uncluttered. From the app there are choices of available music provided by Lüm, Soundcore’s official music streaming partner. Lots to play with here!

I chose music from my music library. My go-to music for evaluating audio products is an Eagles Live album.

Anker provides the ability to electronically link more than 100 compatible speakers in a “Partycast” chain sending single-source synchronized sound to the group. There can be a mix of LED and non-LED speakers. For those speakers with light-show LEDs, let the party begin!

Soundcore Select 2 is specified with up to 20 hours of playtime, depending upon how hard it is driven.

Exclusive BassUp technology is an in-house tuned digital signal processor that analyzes and intensifies bass in real-time, and it is quite effective, activated through the app.

Calls routed through the Select 2 can be heard clearly through the speakers.

**PUT TO THE TEST**

• Power on

• Connect to computer or phone using Bluetooth

• (Optional) Connect other Soundcore compatible speakers for seamless sound from over 100 connected devices!

• Launch the Soundcore app

• (Check for firmware update)

• PLAY music from a music app or from the Soundcore app choosing music from Lüm

• (Optional) Adjust EQ from within the Soundcore app

Custom EQ can be created and saved in the app. Note that BassUp is not available when using custom EQ settings. Several pre-set EQ settings are available.

Loud & clear, sweet stereo sound comes from dual drivers and passive radiators. IPX7 waterproof technology (which means it can even be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes) so it can go wherever you go, even around water.

**CONCLUSION**

This reviewer is mightily impressed, not easily done. So small, yet so powerful. With plenty of power, crisp, sweet sound can be heard and understood beyond a 30-foot radius. My audience was in pleasant disbelief that the volume of quality sound came from this little speaker.

Remember, this speaker is Bluetooth only and cannot be hard-wired from a source.

**WARRANTY**

Anker Soundcore Select 2 comes with Anker’s 18-month parts and labor warranty

Overall this speaker is very purpose driven. It doesn't provide room filling sound and you won't be dropping this on the back of a pickup bed to start up a party. What it does do, it does well which is to provide a nice personal bubble of sound. Putting it in a backpack side pocket means you can keep the volume down low enough to not overwhelm everyone you meet but still hear your music clearly. It's perfect to attach to a bicycle and have motivational music going as you pedal. I can imagine my brother-in-law will steal it to utilize in his golf cart to listen without anyone on the next hole hearing.

The normal caveats apply in that the bass is lackluster, but it's still audible. Fairly common for such a small form factor. Now the update from the prior version adding IPX7 is super welcome. Putting this on the side table next to the pool is a huge use case and now you don't have to worry. Probably makes it perfect to take rafting or kayaking also. Didn't have another Anker to try partycast, but I'm super glad it's included nowadays as that functionality seemed to be hit or miss with older speakers. I can see myself picking up a second one and giving them out as pairs as a present with increased stereo sound.

Ultimately I'd say this is probably the best speaker I've encountered sub $80. Build quality is great with a rubberized surface, aforementioned water proofing, and the sound quality is definitely clear. As an added bonus, the mic when connected to bluetooth worked as a great conference tool when my earbuds died. Call quality is pretty good and they were able to hear me clearly on the other end.

Let me start by saying WOW. This speaker's sound is amazing, I couldn't believe it. The power and the bass from this little thing left me with no words. I put it next to my phone 12 max, they are almost the same size. The quality of the sound and the bass by default are amazing. I downloaded the soundcore app and it was a game charger. The soundcore signature mode sounds even better. I tried the other 3 modes available but soundcore signatures mode was the winner. This speaker is nicely built and seems to be very durable thanks to it’s rubery construction. Paring it was very easy,I just turned it on and it was automatically on pairing mode. If you are looking for something compact that can deliver this power bass, you are safe with this product. It comes with a strap, USB type C charger cable but no brick.

When I turn up the volume more than half, I no longer hear anything well.

Great sound. Although I have an earlier smaller unit that is able to stay connected to my device while not playing for over 10 hours. This one disconnects.

Loud, great for the price I payed and don’t let the small size fool you. I used it during our family BBQ and everyone was happy with the music and easy connection to my phone.

Love this speaker! Sound quality and the ease of setting it up and using magnificent. Very user friendly. I highly recommend!

Bought this to use on the boat while fishing. Have gotten it soaked. Its been trashed around, and its still going strong.

This portable speaker is easy to pair, and provides great sound. Excellent use on the patio without all of the wiring.

I like that it has a different light you can change depending of kind of music. It sound very good.

I like that it has a different light you can change depending of kind of music. It sound very good.

Love it. I brought two for my back yard. They link together.

The volume control is a dual function control. To acess the 1/4 inch socket you need to push the knob in and the Mic indicator will light. The included microphone is very resistant to feedback. You can use bluetooth or a direct cable connection for background music then turn on the microphone switch to voice announce. Ran the speaker on max volume for 2 hours for one event. Only used half the battery according to the charge indicator. Very good tone.

Great to use at a drive-in theater or playing music from phone while talking over with the mic. Connect phone with either Bluetooth or Mini Jack. Control Device with phone is great, don't have to crouch down in front of speaker to operate. Using the USB port to charge phones is handy!

Love the radio function the most. I can take it outside when I grill and back inside when I’m finished.

Excellent sound. Enjoyed pairing with IPhone and MAC. Will do Karaoke during parties.

Easy to use. If you have a setting were people will ve speakinf and you don't want to have them shouting- this is for you

I use it for work it's convenient and has good volume

Awesome loud radio. I bought this for my workplace which is really noisy and it’s great to have a radio I can hear.

I own a Sangean HRD-14 pocket radio shared between my office and bedroom so wanted another to prevent from having to move it from room to room. The Sangean price seems to fluctuate wildly lately, so when I saw this Insignia FM HD radio was on sale it seemed perfect for my bedroom setup. Sensitivity is about the same as the Sangean using the telescoping antenna at full extension, with both radios needing to be on the window sill for solid reception in the bedroom. I prefer the radio to be on my nightstand, and the external pigtail allowed me to do so. Since the telescoping antenna is disabled when the pigtail is inserted the telescoping is able to he collapsed and stored neatly in the tabs behind the top of the radio. The external antenna connection is IMHO the best reason to purchase this radio, especially for those living in fringe reception areas where it could even be connected to a good outdoor antenna. I plan to do some experimenting myself with an antenna in the attic. This is not an option for any other HD radio even close to the Insignia's current sale price, or even at the original MSRP. The Sangean portable regretfully does not have an external antenna connection, and for solid reception must have the radio placed on the window sill for stable reception. The Insigia, by using the supplied pigtail antenna plugged into the back and dropped behind my night stand allowed solid reception of WFAE HD2 Charlotte Jazz channel with the radio placed exactly where I wanted it on the night stand. WFAE HD1, 2 are equally good reception, as well as many other FM HD channels in and around Charlotte. The radio is simple to operate and program the presets, and sounds very good even through the built in speakers (yes, it is stereo too), I will use mainly with an external headphone amp and "cans", but didn't expect it to sound as respectable as it does through its internal speakers, so will use it just on its own as well as with headphones. I find the styling is unique, looks cool, and of good design that has a wider base than i expected to keep the radio very stable. The Insignia HD radio is much better than I expected from a $60 HD radio, and at close to half that on the current sale! Very good build quality, although I would have liked to see the battery compartment in a 2x2 side by side configuration, but now im just nit-picking : p This is an excellent tabletop FM and FM HD radio (no AM, not an issue for me) that has so far exceeded my expectations in every way. Get one on sale now while you can...not many choices out there for portable or tabletop HD radios being manufactured with many modela apparently becoming discontinued. I hope this one isn't destined for that fate as well. Great job Insignia, thank you for a product that has exceeded my expectations in nust about every way I can think of!

This radio is not an easy one to use. Complicated.

Picked this up to use as an emergency radio, and if the power goes out and I need some tunes, it will get the job done.

Pros: One of the few consumer radios that still available on the market with an HD Radio tuner built-in. How much that will matter in a 5-10 years, I don't know — HD Radio never really caught out with consumers because of the expensive licensing requirements for the technology needed to decode HD signals (which is controlled and licensed by the company that makes TiVo — really, look it up). The tuner on this model appears to be sensitive enough to pull in stations from 30 miles away, even when inside and with a few terrain blocks. Display is nice and clear, gets bright when tuning and then quickly dims after you've settled on a station. Has a preset function, but I've never used it. Runs on 4 AA batteries which are pretty widely available. Includes an AC adapter for daily use.

Cons: Runs on 4 AA batteries, which means it probably won't last more than a few hours, given everything it does. Even though it can pick up a good signal on most stations that are around 30 miles away, I'm not getting all the stations I could get compared to when I'm in the car. Radio has a pretty glossy finish, which makes it a fingerprint magnet and might scuff easily over time. Not extremely durable either. No Bluetooth, which won't matter to people who want a radio to just be a radio, but thought it's worth mentioning since Bluetooth seems to be everywhere.

Audio: Volume gets nice and loud. Quality is decent — not audiophile quality, and some cheap headphones crank offer better fidelity, but if you're someone who just wants a radio playing in the background (say, at work, or while on a remote job, or a garage or kitchen), it's plenty fine. Also good for people who listen to a lot of spoken word content like NPR or sports radio, especially when tuned to an HD station.

Features: It has an FM tuner only. There's no AM radio, but most mainstream AM radio stations (like all news or sports talk) simulcast on a secondary FM HD radio signal. Many AM stations are also starting to simulcast on traditional analog radio, so even if it's not offered in HD, you shouldn't feel like you have to go without. When tuned to most FM stations and nearly all HD stations, part of the display will provide subcarrier information, like the station's call letters, currently playing artist/song/program, etc. Radio also includes an aux jack for hooking up to a phone or MP3 player.

Durability: It's not. It's just not. Yes, it's portable, but if you take it everywhere you go (i.e., you're a contractor who likes having a radio on at different jobs), it will scratch and scuff over time. Beyond cosmetic imperfections, it should still operate just fine.

Overall, this is a great radio for people who live in an area with a good selection of FM radio stations that are transmitting HD signals, like to listen to music in the background and aren't looking for pure audiophile quality (but still want a good sounding radio, which this is), like listening to spoken word content and want a battery-backup device for emergencies or the occasional power outage. It's a great daily driver for background radio listeners, especially with the included adapter, and a good option for emergencies, too (just make sure you have a stockpile of AA batteries).

I always tell people, never buy a portable FM radio unless it’s an HD radio. If you live in a major market/city where every FM station has an HD Channel, but this radio. Many of their HD Channels rebroadcast their AM signals and/or present special programming, like 106.7 KROQ in LA has their ROQ of the 80’s format. KOST rebroadcasts KFI, and K.Earth 101 rebroadcasts KNX.

When they originally released this particular radio, it was...ok. Insignia, a Best Buy brand, did a great job with upgrading this radio, fixing issues they had with their old one. For an example, when tuning into a save station on the presets, before you would have to start at the beginning every time. With the new and improved version of this radio, if you’re at a station that you’ve saved in preset #4, when can continue from to move forward to the next station or backward.

Play with the radio, and you’ll love it.

Wanted a replacement for my kitchen radio that had radio station pre-sets since I like to go between various music types and found this FM/HD radio with pre-sets. I was pleased since I could now listen to the oldies HD-2 stations I like in the whole house (I have an HD radio in my bedroom). A plus is that the radio can run on batteries so it can play music and keep you informed in a power outage. It's lightweight, so you could carry it around if needed. The small minus is that it does not the AM band.

For the price, this is good value for money if you are specifically looking for a radio that can receive HD Radio signals. I also like that even though it is battery-powered, the external power supply is included in the box.

This radio also has some modes that aren't documented in the manual that make it VERY useful for test/engineering purposes.

Split mode:

This mode is used for calibrating the time-delay alignment at the transmitter site. Because of the interleaving, FEC, codec, buffering, and other processing delays in the digital audio path as compared to the instantaneous nature of the analog path, the digital path is delayed. It is thus necessary to delay the analog audio by a suitable amount at the transmitter so that as the reception varies, the radio can switch back and forth between analog and the digital simulcast seamlessly without any listener discomfort or annoyance. The NRSC-5 specification states that the difference between the analog FM audio and the HD1 digital audio simulcast shall not exceed 68 microseconds. This mode allows you to calibrate this by putting both signals on one output that you can record with a computer and then visualize the waveform (and relative delay) in an audio editor program

To enter split mode, press and hold MEMORY and HD SEEK (-) at the same time. After 3s, "CH:Normal" will appear on the screen. To toggle split-mode, press MEMORY again. "CH:L-HD R-FM" will appear on the screen.

RSSI, manual gain, CINR, SNR:

This mode has to do with measuring the strength and quality of the incoming signal and overriding the automatic gain control. This can help you fine-tune the antenna for tuning in radio stations that have a weak signal where you are located.

To enter this mode, press and hold MEMORY and HD SEEK (+) at the same time. After 3s, "m>XXX rssi:xx" will appear on the screen. To change the gain control, use PRESET (-)/(+) buttons. To see CINR/SNR, press MEMORY. "C:XXX Snr:xx" will appear on the screen.

PBlock, PBit, P3, P2, P1 packet counters:

This is used to verify that the radio is or is not receiving digital data from the transmitter, and if so, which programs it is receiving data for. This mode is likely most helpful for the people who wrote the firmware, but could also be helpful for tuning in weak stations.

To enter this mode, press and hold MEMORY and VOLUME (+) at the same time. After 3s, "PBlock:xxxxxxxxx\ntot:xxxxxxxxx" will appear on the screen. To cycle between PBlock, PBit, P3, P2, P1, press MEMORY. Total packet counter remains on the screen at all times.

Clear presets:

Press and hold MEMORY and SOURCE at the same time. After 3s, "Restart ...." will appear on the screen. The device will clear all stored presets.

Exiting any of these menus to return to normal operation requires a soft power-cycle by holding down the power button. It is NOT necessary to remove the batteries or unplug the power supply.

At the time, I was looking for an AM/FM radio, and I failed to look at the fine print. If this is what a customer wants, it certainly appears to be a good quality receiver for the price. I wish the description was in bolder print on the carton prior to purchase, as I have little use for this FM-only radio. I would not recommend the radio due to its limited FM reception.

HD radio works. Now I may bring FM 103.7 hd2 home, from my car radio.

I wish this type of HD radio may bring more information like current time, and more information of what it's broadcast on the LCD display while it's tune to a HD radio channel

I live in a low area of Redondo that gets poor electronic wave reception. Old radio would only pick up a few stations and they would fade in and out. Jenson gets more stations and much clearer. No stereo or thumping base but if you still listen to Rock & Roll, you probably can't hear the difference either. Great for use in the garden.

I bought this to send to my dad, who is in a nursing home. I checked the specs before purchasing and it said there was a headphone jack so I bought a pair of inexpensive headphones too. My dad loves music but can't see well enough to work an iPod or similar player, thought this would do the trick and he could listen as loud as he wanted to w/headphones. When I received the radio there was NO headphone jack! it's an AUX jack to hook in an MP3 player or similar. So now I have to return headphones and/or radio. Very frustrating.

Very basic. Bought it as a gift, but the person understandably wanted one with a digital display. Still not bad for the price if you aren't in need of something fancy.

very cue little radio. Sound quality is only fair but fine to shave by in the morning.

The radio is very It has only one problem the battery because is not A AA o AAA It no esay to get code C

My little Jensen portable AM/FM radio is exactly what I was looking for. It’s lightweight & so easy to use.

The store associate was extremely helpful as he listened to what I needed.

Our previous radio for listening to Rush Limbaugh was a battery-only; plus reception was so-so. This radio with shore power PLUS batteries works both in the house and in the camper. This made is a good buy.

I initially got it to listen to BAseball. I actually like it better than TV. -- Not as good as in-person though. This little unit is PERFECT. Great tuning - AM needs no antenna and what little FM I used required only that it Stand it up -- not pulling it out at all. An excellent buy.