HomeTechnologyNewsPowerful, but imperfect – Review Geek

Powerful, but imperfect – Review Geek

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Ratings:
7/10
?

  • 1 – Absolute Hot Trash
  • 2 – Classify warm garbage
  • 3 – Very flawed design
  • 4 – Some advantages, many disadvantages
  • 5 – Acceptably imperfect
  • 6 – Good enough to buy on sale
  • 7 – Excellent, but not the best in its class
  • 8 – Fantastic, with some footnotes
  • 9 – Shut up and take my money
  • 10 – Absolute Design Nirvana

Price: $60

Tribit speaker attached to a tree
Justin Duino/Review Geeks

The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 has impressive audio quality for the size, as long as you don’t play it at maximum volume. The long-lasting battery, flexible tether strap, and water-resistance rating make it a good choice for outdoor use. Just don’t rely on its ability to charge your phone.

There are plenty of portable Bluetooth speakers on the market, but with such a price range, you might be wondering what it’s worth. The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 offers a lot of value for its price thanks to its excellent sound quality that is not compromised for portability.

This is what we like

  • Dynamic and energetic sound quality.
  • IP67 waterproof rating
  • Low price for audio quality
  • party/stereo modes

And what we don’t do

  • Audio quality drops at high volumes
  • Multi-function button confuses commands
  • Power Bank was finicky, then stopped working

Review Geek’s expert reviewers get right down to business with every product we review. We put each piece of hardware through hours of real-world testing and benchmark it in our lab. We never accept payments to endorse or review a product and we never add other people’s reviews. Read more >>

A speaker for the outdoors

  • Dimensions: 4.1×3.9×1.6in (10.4×9.9×4.1cm)
  • Weight: 1.12 lbs (508g)
  • Resistance to water and dust: IP67
  • Bluetooth range: Up to 120 feet
  • Bluetooth version: 5.3
  • Battery duration: Advertised as 12 hours but expect more

Tribit set out to design a speaker that could thrive alongside adventures. Many of the built-in features are particularly useful for those in less-than-ideal environments.

For starters, the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 has an IP67 waterproof rating. This is a must for speakers you plan to use outdoors, as you never know when the rain will catch you. While it won’t withstand long periods submerged underwater, it can handle pretty much any other water-based scenario it might find itself in.

Tribit speaker strap wrapped around a tree branch
Justin Duino/Review Geeks

The StormBox Micro 2’s built-in bungee strap differs from any other connection method I’ve ever interacted with on a speaker. This tear resistant strap has an amazing amount of flexibility and strength. It’s limited to what can be attached, but it spread more than I expected.

When trying to secure the speaker to a 4.75-inch-circumference railing, the strap gave a bit of a drag, but eventually caught. Once you make that connection, it seems pretty secure.

If you’re packing it for a trip where you don’t want the speaker secured to the outside of your gear, the simple and compact square shape makes it easy to attach to just about anything.

Great battery life, disappointing charging

Tribit StormBox Micro 2 charging a smartphone
Hannah Stryker/Review Geek

The company’s stated battery life for audio playback is 12 hours. To test this, I listened to various genres of music at 65% volume. After listening for eight and a half hours, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 still had 70% battery left. It’s safe to say that the 4700 mAh/3.6 V battery will last you through a day of travel.

I was really excited about this speaker’s ability to double as a power bank. Unfortunately, this feature did not last long.

After testing the speaker’s IP67 waterproof rating, it no longer emits power. To clarify, I only tested it within the conditions an IP67-rated device can be subjected to; nothing beyond that. I was still able to use the USB-C port to charge the speaker, but when I plugged my phone into that same (and only) port, it no longer puts out the 10W it claimed.

Even when the power bank feature worked, it was inconsistent. My phone would charge for a few seconds then disconnect. Those few seconds of loading were lovely, but then I was left sorely disappointed.

For me, it was more than a gimmick feature; it was a safety net. Having the peace of mind that you won’t have to deal with an emergency with a dead phone is something I didn’t take lightly. Promising me this and then not delivering corrupted my view of the entire product. I would rather not have this feature at all than have a false sense of security.

If its charging function works, I would rely on this speaker for power backup only, as there is no guarantee that it will continue to work. Do not go on a day trip with your phone at 30% with the intention of using the charging function. I recommend you bring a dedicated battery bank.

Respectable audio quality

Back of the Tribit speaker where the bass comes out
Hannah Stryker/Review Geek

With the breadth of audio performance ranges in this size of speaker, it’s hard to know what to expect. The StormBox Micro 2’s audio can be summed up by saying that you get a full sound within most of the volume range, and the bass packs a punch for its size.

Bass is projected out the back of the speaker instead of the front. I expected this to muddle the audio as the sound waves bounce back to the speaker, but this isn’t a problem until playing above 70% volume.

You get some extra richness in the bass when connected to something that doesn’t cover the rear output.

There’s a lot of detail in the audio, but again, that’s only up to a certain volume. Vocals and bass seem to peak at 70% volume. Anything past that begins to cloud.

The StormBox Micro 2’s 10-watt power output gives you more volume than the previous model’s 9-watts. While this sounds good, there aren’t many times where I would recommend playing this speaker at full volume due to muddy sound quality. The extra power plays into having more dynamic audio than the original StormBox Micro.

The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is on the higher end of audio performance for the size, and it’s definitely one of the best options you can find at the $70 price point.

The most functional multipurpose button

Tribit speaker attached to the handlebars of a bicycle
tribute

There are many commands included using the multifunction button on the speaker. Since the play/pause button is arguably the most important, it’s a good one to press once.

If you’re cycling with your Stormbox Micro 2 strapped to your handlebars, it’s super convenient to be able to skip songs with just a button. Pressing and holding activates your voice assistant, double-pressing skips to the next song, and triple-pressing takes you to the previous track.

It is quite common for the speaker to emit a different command than expected. If you’re trying to skip a song by pressing twice, it often only registers a single press and therefore pauses the music. It doesn’t just mess up a fraction of the time; it’s a gamble whether you’ll get the result you want.

The nice thing about this set of commands is that anything that can be done to the speaker can also be undone. If you accidentally skip a song you were enjoying while trying to go to a previous track, you can jump back to the right song without ever taking out your phone.

Fortunately, this button quirk is not a problem in talk mode. Here, a long press answers a call while a long press rejects it. The speaker always seems to do hold commands well, so there’s little risk of rejecting a call he wants to answer or vice versa.

Connectivity modes

If you have two of these speakers, you can connect them in party mode or stereo mode. Just be sure to note that this can only be done with two speakers of the same model. You cannot pair a Stormbox Micro 2 and an original Stormbox Micro.

Party mode allows you to spread out the speakers to cover more ground. The same audio will play through both speakers, so you can use two of these little speakers to keep an entire backyard party lively.

It is activated by pressing the Bluetooth button on one speaker for five seconds and then pressing the Bluetooth button on the other speaker for just one second. Once a speaker says “party mode”, you know the pairing was successful.

Stereo mode sets one speaker to the left audio channel and the other to the right, creating a more dimensional audio experience.

To set the speakers to stereo mode, they must first be connected in party mode. From here, tap one of the speakers’ Bluetooth buttons and you’ll hear an audio beep to confirm it’s in stereo mode.

How the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 compares to the competition

Tribit StormBox Micro 2 next to the JBL Clip 4
Hannah Stryker/Review Geek

The closest comparison on the market is the JBL Clip 4. Both were designed to be taken on the go and both have IP67 ratings.

While it’s easier to interface with the clip on the JBL, it’s more restrictive in terms of what you can plug in than the Tribit. The flexible nature of the Tribit strap allows it to follow the contours of the most complex attachment surfaces.

When it comes to sound quality, both are near the top of the leaderboards for the price.

At full volume, the JBL Clip 4 sounds clearer than the Tribit. That being said, from low volume up to 70-80% volume, the Tribit sounds more dynamic.

Should you buy the Tribit StormBox Micro 2?

If you like listening to music while you’re out in the world, yes, consider the Tribit StormBox Micro 2. It’s lightweight, waterproof, easy to attach to your gear, and the sound quality is fantastic for the size. Remember to limit the volume to around 70-80% to maintain audio integrity.

In terms of the charging capacity of the phone, just try not to get your hopes up. Even if it works at first, know that it’s not very reliable.

You may still enjoy this speaker if you are not the type who likes outdoor activities. The Tribit StormBox Micro 2’s Party and Stereo modes are great for hanging out in the backyard.

Whether you’re biking, hiking, or just like to sit around a campfire, consider this speaker. Just be sure to weigh the pros and cons when considering how you plan to use it.

This is what we like

  • Dynamic and energetic sound quality.
  • IP67 waterproof rating
  • Low price for audio quality
  • party/stereo modes

And what we don’t do

  • Audio quality drops at high volumes
  • Multi-function button confuses commands
  • Power Bank was finicky, then stopped working

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