INTRODUCTION

   With the Christmas vacations literally just around the corner i think that we're all looking for ways to enrich and improve our time away from home and work and what better way to do that than to pack useful gadgets along with us? Personally i always have a wide selection of gadgets i like to bring along with me when i visit my mountain lodge/cottage during Christmas such as portable battery packs, Bluetooth wireless speakers and Bluetooth headsets. This year however i decided to equip that place with some extra things so I’m also looking to get several LED candles, outdoor LED solar lights and indoor LED motion sensor lights with me. That being said many of you have recently asked us whether there are any new weather resistant Bluetooth portable speaker models in the market that we recommend getting and so today we'll be testing the latest one released by TDK called the A34 TREK MAX.

   TDK Life on Record, a leading global brand with a rich audio legacy, is dedicated to personalizing and enhancing audiophiles’ ever-evolving digital music lifestyles. TDK Life on Record audio products are carefully crafted to focus on performance, marrying a clean, striking design with the precision and flexibility of modern technology. This world-class line of premium audio products delivers a warm, authentic, high-fidelity entertainment experience. The TDK Life on Record logo is a trademark owned by TDK Corporation and is licensed exclusively to Imation Corp., a leading global developer and marketer of brands that empower people to capture, save and enjoy digital information. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

   The brand new TREK MAX A34 is actually a improved version of the highly awarded A33 weatherproof Bluetooth speaker which we had with us last year so if you liked that you will definitely like the A34 even more. So compared to the A33 the A34 also features an IP64 certified weather resistant housing (full protection against dust and splashed water) with two 1.5 inch full-range drivers, one 2.5 inch subwoofer and two 2.5 inch passive radiators (total output remains the same at 15W for all) and supports Bluetooth version 2.1+EDR with A2DP, HFP, HSP and AVRCP. However the A34 comes with 3 very noticeable differences including support for NFC compatible devices (Near Field Communications), play/pause/next/previous media buttons and a larger battery pack that gives it up to 8 hours of playback (compared to the 6 of the A33 that's a 33% increase). Of course it goes without saying that we don't expect any significant difference in the audio quality department since TDK has used the same speaker configuration but that's not really a bad thing since the A33 was very good overall and is still one of the best Bluetooth speakers to have ever passed from our lab.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Two large product pictures are placed at the front and top of the box along with the company logo and the main product features.

All of the product features are listed at the rear and bottom of the box in 10 languages.

Two foam spacers, a synthetic cover and a piece of cardboard are used to keep the contents of the box safe during shipping.

With the A34 TDK also packs its AC power adapter, 3 power plugs (EU/USA/UK), warranty paper, registration paper and the user manual in several languages.

THE A34 TREK MAX

The 1.24kg heavy TREK MAX is available in Black, White and Red editions and measures 241mm in length, 50mm in depth and 98mm in height.

As usual we placed the speaker right between the largest and smallest Bluetooth portable speakers we've tested to date to get a better idea regarding its size.

Compared to the A33 the A34 is almost identical in size so nothing has changed here.

Typically TDK has once again placed their logo on a round metal plate at the front.

From left to right at the top we see the NFC spot (where you can just touch your compatible device to pair it with the A34), on/off button, volume control buttons, Bluetooth button (also used for pairing), answer/end calls button, previous/next buttons and the play/pause button (all buttons have their very own LEDs).

At the rear of the A34 you can see the 2 passive radiators just like with the A33.

On the right side of the A34 we find a rubber cover in place.

This cover is used to protect the on/off power button, DC in, auxiliary 3.5mm audio input, and the 5V @ 1A USB charging port.

The device sits on two rubber feet placed on both ends.

The volume control of the A34 is pretty much the same as the one used in the A33 so these 5 LEDs light up gradually according to the volume level.

CONCLUSION

   The thing that troubled me when i started testing the A34 TREK MAX was that it was classified as a weather resistant Bluetooth portable speaker which is quite different compared to the weatherproof classification of the A33. Luckily both speakers withstood water from light rain so this must be a different way of saying the same exact thing. With that out of the way the A34 performed the same and perhaps slightly better compared to the A34 since we did feel it reached higher volume levels. Bass was good just like with the A33 and it offers very good mids and highs even at maximum volume without even the slightest audio distortion. Of course the source and type of audio used plays a significant role in that but after listening to several tunes from heavy metal to pop, rock, jazz and R&B we didn't encounter anything strange so we really doubt you will. The new media navigation buttons are a very nice touch (wish other speakers had them too) although i can't say i care much for NFC since it's not always successful (besides i prefer the regular Bluetooth pairing). TDK claims that the new rechargeable battery pack they've used gives the A34 up to two hours of playback more compared to the A33 but our sample shut down shortly after reaching 6 hours of playback at almost full volume so best case scenario we got 1 hour more (still 6+ hours is more than sufficient). The microphone is also the same used in the A33 (we didn't spot any differences when on both ends) but much like most speakers out there are times during which your voice may sound very distant.

   TDK offers quality without asking for much in return (at least not compared to some other manufacturers out there) so we didn't expect the A34 TREK MAX to have a hefty price tag attached to it and it doesn't since you can currently find it for USD149.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 118Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Now this may sound strange but if you have no need for the IP64 certified housing of the A34 TREK MAX then you might want to scout around for the A73 which i consider slightly better in terms of volume levels (although the quality of its housing is not the same) and design since it can blend easier (for example under your TV set) and should retail for much less now (compared to back when we tested it). Overall however the A34 TREK MAX is an improved A33 and when you further improve something very good it becomes almost excellent and that's why it gets our Platinum Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Size
- Weather Resistant Housing (IP64 Certified)
- Design
- Audio Clarity
- Volume Levels
- Bluetooth & 3.5mm AUX Input
- Previous/Next/Pause/Play Buttons
- NFC Compatible
- Volume LED Bar
- Speakerphone
- Rechargeable Battery (Lasts Well Over 6 Hours)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Bluetooth V2.1 (Effective Wireless Range Compared For Example To The A26)