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Braven Six Series Bluetooth speakers now shipping, three choices for on-the-go audio, USB charging
Jawbone's Jamboxes may be the first gizmos that jump to mind if you're searching for wireless, on-the-go speakers, but they're not the only options out there. An outfit by the name of Braven has been teasing its own Bluetooth-enabled Six Series stereo noiseyboxes since April, and now it's officially ready to ship them off. Aside from pumping out wire-free audio, each unit can be used as a portable USB charger for your various gadgets. You'll have a choice between the aluminum-encased 600 ($150) and 650 ($190) models, while the 625 ($180) variant features a ruggedized, shock-absorbing enclosure and a water-proof bag for the more adventurous of you out there. You'll get anywhere from 12-20 hours of charging depending on the model, but each features the same internal setup for sound: two three-watt speakers paired with a dual passive bass radiator. You'll find more details on the specs of each model and your color options in the press release after the break.
BRAVEN 600 Bluetooth speaker: Stylish, powerful, and it could be yours
Today is the day that BRAVEN's new SIX series of Bluetooth speakers hits the market, and in case you're curious about this new noisemaker, we've got a full review for you right here. Be sure to stick around until the end of the post, because you can enter to win a new BRAVEN 600 (US$149.99) of your very own. Design The BRAVEN 600 is a multitasker. Not only is it a Bluetooth wireless speaker that can be daisy-chained to other members of the SIX series, but it has a built-in 1400 mAh battery pack for charging up your iPhone when it's running low. It's also a speakerphone, and it packs all of this functionality into a nice-looking anodized aluminum case. That case can come in either mountain ash (kind of a nice silvery tone) or bright Moab red. On one end of the case is a USB port for powering your favorite electronic device, an audio out port, and a battery check button. At the other end is an audio in port (used in conjunction with the output port for daisy-chaining), a micro-USB port for charging the BRAVEN 600, and buttons for turning the volume up or down, enabling the speakerphone capability, and turning the speaker on and off. %Gallery-158299% All of this is packaged into a clear plexiglas box with amazing shelf appeal. Inside that box is a charging cable, an AC adapter the size of the one that comes with the iPhone, and a daisy-chaining cable. Charging the BRAVEN 600 takes about four hours. Functionality Pairing the BRAVEN 600 with an iPhone is an easy process; you simply slide a toggle up to turn Bluetooth on, after which the speaker emits a rather impressive synthesized tone to get your attention (there's another tone indicating that Bluetooth has been turned off). Next, you press and hold the speakerphone button for five seconds. The BRAVEN 600 appears on the iPhone's list of Bluetooth devices, and you tap the device name to pair the two. The BRAVEN 600 also appears on the list of AirPlay devices. As expected, this Bluetooth device works well when paired with a Mac. It appears as both audio output and input devices. After that, it's time enjoy your music, and you will enjoy it thoroughly. As opposed to many of the Bluetooth speakers I've tested over the year, the BRAVEN 600 actually sounds like an audiophile-quality speaker. There's a lot of depth to the sound from this device; the bass really kicks, yet treble tones don't get lost in the process. I listened to a variety of tunes from my iPhone, and all sounded great. On the other hand, I wasn't as impressed with the speakerphone capability. According to my fellow TUAW blogger Erica Sadun, it sounded like I was talking with a bagful of cotton balls in my mouth. That was what she sounded like to me as well -- the iPhone's built-in speaker phone provides much better sound quality for phone calls. I also wasn't too happy with the BRAVEN 600's abrupt handling of the call. Many Bluetooth systems I've tested, both for cars and home, do a nice job of fading out of music that is playing when a phone call comes in. With this speaker, there was just an abrupt jump to the ringtone. As I only had one BRAVEN 600 to play with, I wasn't able to test the daisy-chaining capability. However, I think it would be incredible to listen to music from a pair (or more) of these speakers. I liked the fact that I could press and hold the volume buttons on the speaker to have them act as previous / next buttons when shuffling through music or playing a playlist. Conclusion BRAVEN's new SIX series of Bluetooth speakers looks like it will be a winner. The BRAVEN 600 is joined by the 625S (shock-resistant, has a built-in LED flashlight, made for outdoor use) and the 650 ($189.99, more capable than the 600). I'm actually sad that I have to give this away to a TUAW reader, but it's a product that I would happily spend $150 on. Pros Excellent build quality and design Music / movie sound quality is impressive Built-in battery pack can charge mobile devices Speakers can be daisy-chained for even more volume Easy Bluetooth pairing process; no pairing code required Cons Speakerphone capability is sub-par Who is it for? Anyone who wants excellent music sound quality from a portable Bluetooth speaker. Giveaway And now it's time to give TUAW readers an opportunity to win a BRAVEN 600. To enter, fill out the form below completely and if you're the winner, we'll notify you via email. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before June 17, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected and will receive a BRAVEN 600 Bluetooth speaker valued at US$149.99 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Braven Six Series hands-on
Remember those Braven speakers from a few weeks back? Well, guess what, the trio made an appearance here at CTIA and we finally got to put our shaky, caffeine-fueled hands on them. The Six Series of Bluetooth boxes is (going from left to right in the image above) the 600, the 650 and the 625s. Both the 600 and 650 are crafted from the same aircraft-grade aluminum and are all but indistinguishable at a glance. The lone physical differentiator is the numerical labeling in the bottom right corner. Both have a pleasant heft and a matte finish that makes them feel like decidedly high-end products. And, at $150 and $190 respectively, they're priced that way too. The 3W speakers and dual passive subwoofers were perfectly pleasant sounding and got surprisingly loud -- drowning out the crowded showroom floor with relative ease. The only issue, predictively, was that the low end started to distort as the volume was cranked -- particularly on the 600. We were even able to daisy chain them through a mini stereo cable (though not turn them into a stereo pair via Bluetooth), clearly irritating Braven's booth neighbors. The 625s is a slightly different beast. It also features an aluminum speaker grille, but the rest of the casing is wrapped in shock-absorbing rubber. It felt quite a bit lighter, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, since the company appears to think you should use this as a flashlight (hence the LED attachment). The unit even has a drybag should you decide to take it with you kayaking. We were even able to jack our iPhone in to the USB port for a bit of juice before heading back out on the floor. For more check out the gallery below. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
Braven Six Series speakers offer Bluetooth audio, wired charging
When is a wireless speaker not a wireless speaker? When you can also plug your phone into the speaker to charge it up in a pinch. That's the hook with Braven's new Six Series speakers, anyway, which come in three different varieties that each pack a USB port that lets you either charge your smartphone or daisy chain multiple speakers together. Ranging in price from $150 to $190, the three different models all also boast similar features across the board, but differ in construction, with the top-end 625s offering a rugged housing (not to mention a built-in LED flashlight), while the 600 and 650 each sport an all-aluminum design -- battery life also varies a bit by model. If the speakers look a little familiar, it's because Braven is the company formerly known as Spar, which offered some similar speakers under the Zephyr name. Hit the source link below for a closer look at each model.
