The Braven BRV-1 is a combination of rugged good looks and a functional speaker…. kinda like this reviewer (except for the functional speaker part!). The Braven BRV-1 is great for an activity that expose you and your listeners to water or being dropped. The speaker is water resistant per IPX5 which means it can be exposed to rain or water jets (or a shower) without fear of it getting damaged.

The speaker has solid sound performance, but there are other bluetooth speakers that louder. However (and as seen in the video) the speakers that are louder seem to be tuned on the higher end of the frequencies – which definitely makes them louder but also a more tinny type of sound. So there is a trade off the Braven may sacrifice a bit of sound volume but it makes it up by having a more rounded overall frequency response.

Notes-

– Dual 3W speakers (6 watts total) with a bottom port for bass resonance. I mentioned that the sound performance relative to the other speakers featured in the video – but on its own it does a have a good clean sound. The bass is not overly deep (because of the size of the speakers drivers), but it is enough to round out the rrequency response. The additional bass works it way into the mid-ranges so the Braven BRV-1 certainly does not sound “tinny”

– Can be used as an external 1400mAh battery pack.

– Water Resistant per IPX5 which means that it is water resistant but not completely water proof (it can not be submerged)

– Can be used as speakerphone – I rarely use bluetooth speakers as a speakerphone, but if you have the need it will work.

– The bluetooth pairs easily and has a solid range (about 30 feet)

– Has a really cool look – probably the best looking bluetooth speaker on the market (in my opinion)

– Very portable – weighs about a pound and is shaped like a (about) half of a brick, so it will easily pack away in a backpack.

– Rechargeable battery will power the speaker for about 12 hours at lower volumes – at peak volumes it will be less.

FInal Verdict – I like the Braven BRV-1 for traveling and use outdoors. I would have preferred if had a little more power (perhaps 6W per channel – 12W total), but as a whole it makes an attractive option for anyone hiking, camping, or just traveling. If you are in the market I would definitely recommend that you check it out.

4 to 4 1/2 Stars

Please Note – I received this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

My first impressions on the Sony bluetooth speaker was somewhat negative. I thought that it was too large and I was not impressed with the fact that it isn’t rechargeable. Once I turned it on I was not blown away by the maximum sound volume…. but the more I used the speaker my opinion started to change. I noticed that while it is not the loudest portable bluetooth speaker that I have listened to it is one of the better sounding speakers on the market. And while the speaker is a larger than some of the other speakers – it is very easy to operate.

The one thing that is a bit odd… is that it kinda looks like a purse. This is not a bad thing, but from a distance it really does look a little like a black purse!

Notes-

– Features two front facing drivers that are ported. This allows the speaker to have a very even sound performance and while the bass is not deep it is very clean.

– The sound performance, and while other speaker are louder they use a bright high end to allow for more sound volume. That is not the case with the Sony Bluetooth – it may not not overly deep bass but it also does not overcompensate on the high-end with an overly bright bass. To my ear the Sony has the cleanest overall sound.

– The Sony uses both bluetooth and NFC for pairing with your devices – however, the NFC can only be used with Android devices.

– Is not a rechargeable (uses 4AA batteries or it can be plugged into an outlet) – some people will applaud the fact that it does not rechargeable (because they feel that rechargeable speakers are disposable)….others like having the freedom that rechargeable batteries may give you.

– While it does look a little bit like a purse it does have a unique (and cool) look.

– While the Sony is portable it is too large to fit in a standard backpack… so it perfect for moving around your home or yard it is too large for air travel.

– Works as a speakerphone

Final Verdict – I like the Sony Bluetooth Speaker it has solid sound performance at a very attractive price. If you are looking for the loudest sounding bluetooth speaker this may not be your choice, but if you are searching for something that good sound performance at a decent price then give this one a look.

4 1/2 Stars

Please Note- I received this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily

At times it is real handy to use a wired connection. In the case of connecting HDTVs, Sling Media Slingbox PRO-HD SB300-100, and other media devices a wireless connection can be both slow and a little unpredictable. In some cases, especially Blu Ray Players and some HDTV’s require an actual hard connection to the internet.

My first attempt to hard connection was the Sling Media SlingLink Turbo Powerline Kit ( SL200-100 ) and it worked, but the speeds were mediocre at best. AT best I ranged in the 2-4mbs range. I then upgraded to the Netgear Powerline AV 500 I am able to attain speeds over 20mbs! Please note that it is still much less than the 500mbs that is advertised, but that is due to the limitations given by my ISP provider – I am still able to watch full 1080P HD movies while using 20mbs (and even less) so it is not much of a worry.

Extra info-

– SUPER EASY installation – The installation can be done in two minutes and by anyone…. If you can’t figure out how to install the Powerline you probably will not know how to use the device you are connecting to either.

– This generation of the NetGear Powerline 500 is less than 50% the size of the previous generation. This may not sound important, but it does help improve the overall look.

– Great speeds – much faster than my Sling Media Turbo Link and slightly faster than my RCA Powerlink

– Remember the Powerline 500 needs to be plugged directly into your wall outlet and not into a power strip or extension cord

– Homes with older wiring may have issues

– It actually with the [[ASIN:B00486TLQ6 RCA HDP50 Powerlink Internet Media Kit]]meaning that you can have one of each plugged into your wall outlet and it will pass the signal between the two!

– It will work with older generations of the Netgear Powerline 500, and (surprisingly) it works with the RCA brand of adapter.

Final Verdict –

I am very happy with the Netgear Powerline 500 – it works well with Netflix and allows us to stream in full HD. In my opinion it is significantly better than the Sling Media SlingLink Turbo Powerline Kit and slightly better than the RCA HDP50 Powerlink Internet Media Kit so it is an easy 5 star recommendation

4 1/2 Stars

Please Note – I received this product for reviewing purposes

Check out the Adventures of The Assistant and Wiggles! It is our animated series featuring the Assistant, her Dog Wiggles, and science experiements! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLQ9unpi4OHbJtfVcfgDIoyZw75FHF-E #Familyfun #Familyfunforeveryone #Theengineeringfamily