INTRODUCTION

   How many times have you wished you could listen to your favorite songs while at the beach or even while in the comfort of you bathroom? I'm well aware that although the first part seems quite natural to some people the second may not (at least not as much) but personally whenever i find the time to dive in the bathtub i always like to have some short of music playing in order to relax (either by using one of my smartphones or my tablet). Well the obvious and easiest way to accomplish that is by using a portable wireless speaker however although the market is filled with countless models there aren't really that many which combine good audio clarity with plenty of volume and even less also feature a rugged/weatherproof enclosure. Almost a year ago a company called Tech-life sent us their BeatBlock Premium Bluetooth Wireless Speaker which at the time offered a very good bang for the buck. Well Tech-Life seems to be well aware that they need to upgrade their products to keep themselves in the game so they are back with a buffed version of the original called the BeatBlock WET.

   Tech-Life was founded in Newport Beach, CA by two lifelong friends with a passion for technology and a common goal of producing high quality life-enhancing products with cutting edge design and robust technology. We have become a leading technology company by maintaining our commitment to four pillars of success; Innovation, Quality, Design, and Life! Every new product is created by unconventional innovation and with expanding technology in mind. Innovation is synonymous with technology, and it is no accident that "Tech" is our first name: it is our first thought. The founders of Tech-Life come from extensive and complementary backgrounds in engineering, logistics, audio/video technology, and product development. These diverse skill sets deliver a perfect harmony of Quality construction and purposeful Design, ultimately responsible for creating products that will enhance your life! Again, it is no accident that "Life" is our last name: it is our most important value. That is the Tech-Life way!

   Just by taking a close look on both the original BeatBlock and the new WET version you will see that Tech-Life has focused more in the appearance department since although the basic design (and size) remains the same there are quite a few aesthetically pleasing changes. Specs-wise however things are not as clear since both models have many similarities including the same specification drivers (50mm/20Hz-20KHz/4Ohms), the same power output (2x3W) and the same 1500mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery. Tech-Life states that this time over they have used better quality components to increase audio clarity and bass levels but that's just about it. Unfortunately since the original BeatBlock has earned a permanent spot in my mountain cottage i couldn't strip both units down to see if what Tech-Life says is valid (i probably will eventually) but what i could do is use it for almost two weeks to see how it performs right next to several other portable speakers and I did.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Tech-Life didn't change just the product but also the package since the WET arrived in a black elegant box with the BeatBlock name written in red letters.

The top of the box opens as seen above to reveal the speaker placed beneath a thin paper sheet.

In the box you will find the BeatBlock WET portable Bluetooth speaker, carrying cloth pouch, 3.5mm to 3.5mm TPE flat cable, USB to micro-USB charging cable, instructions manual, warning paper and a thank you note.

THE BEATBLOCK WET

The rubber coated BeatBlock WET is almost identical compared to the original (slightly wider yet lighter) and measures 165mm in length, 52mm in width and 63.5mm in height with a weight of 346g.

To showcase its size we placed it right next to our favorite and roughly twice as large A33 portable speaker by TDK.

Once again the front and sides of the unit have the same honeycomb design but this time over the pattern is slightly different and the product name is placed slightly higher compared to the activity LED.

At the top of the device we find the volume control buttons and a large button with the Bluetooth logo on it. This button can be used to pair the device, to pause/play media and to answer/end calls.

The 3.5mm auxiliary port along with the power on/off LED switch and the micro-USB port is placed on the right side.

Turning the device around we see a very small sticker with its basic specifications on it.

Just like with the original the BeatBlock WET sits on 4 hexagonal rubber feet and behind the perforated space is a passive bass radiator facing downwards.

CONCLUSION

   Remember when i said that the original BeatBlock was very good at the time of its launch? Well the new BeatBlock WET is equally good (perhaps slightly better but since i don't have the original here i can't say with certainty) with very clear audio (even at max volume), plenty of bass and very good volume levels (for its size) but when placed right next to the massive (and more expensive) TDK A33 the fight just doesn't seem to be fair (david and goliath comes in mind). Of course when placed next to the smaller A26 the BeatBlock WET does very well and in some cases it even sounded better and louder but when there are portable speakers around like the A33 (some even larger) if plenty of volume is your thing then the only thing you need to do is just take a look and grab the largest possible speaker. That's not to say that the BeatBlock WET is bad since it's actually the exact opposite but i just would also like to see something larger and more powerful from Tech-Life capable of covering even the most demanding of consumers out there. The rubber enclosure looks and feels great and does a good job in keeping the interior safe from water regardless of where it comes from (don't try from bellow however) but that was never an issue even with the original BeatBlock. Moving to the 1500 mAh Li-Ion battery just like with the original BeatBlock it never even hit the 9 hours mark but we never expected it to since the majority of time we used it with the volume turned all the way to the max but even 8+ hours is more than plenty. The built-in microphone also works fine although as with many other portable speakers the other person may preserve you as being far away.

   Unfortunately since Tech-Life’s presence is still mostly limited in the USA you can pretty much grab the BeatBlock WET Weatherproof Bluetooth Speaker only from there for a current price tag set at USD99.99 (Amazon.com) which is actually the exact same one its predecessor had at launch. It really goes without saying that if your budget exceeds USD100 then you can certainly find something better like the excellent A33 by TDK or if you really don't care about the price you can get always opt for the brand new and massive SOLEMATE MAX by Jabra but up to USD100 the BeatBlock WET by Tech-Life with its weatherproof exterior housing, 1500mAh battery, very good audio clarity, plenty of bass and the very good volume levels is a very tempting offer and that's why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Metal Frame/Rubber Exterior)
- Design
- Audio Clarity & Quality
- Plenty Of Bass
- Very Good Volume Levels
- Battery Life (Over 8 Hours At Maximum Volume)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- No Next/Previous Media Button
- EU Availability