For the final review in this series of personal, portable, Bluetooth speakers, it seemed prudent to include at least one of the more expensive, presumably fancier, feature-rich models to see what is gained by spending more than $100. That’s where the $149 Braven 600 comes in. Let’s take a look to see what you get for the money, shall we?
The number one thing, and this is a big one, is battery life. Somewhere inside the seamless, machined, aircraft-grade aluminum chassis resides a 1400mAh 3.7v Lithium-Polymer battery that can provide up to twelve hours of playback according to Braven. So far, this claim has proven to be a bit on the conservative side. Other than the initial charge that is required between taking it out of its packaging and actually using it, the 600 has not been charged in three weeks. During those three weeks, it has been used approximately an hour per day, five days per week, both as a speaker and a speakerphone. I suspect these results are not typical and are subject to change as time goes on, but I could be wrong.
In addition to its outstanding battery life, the 600 has an impressive list of features:
- two 3 watt speakers that provide (rather negligible due to the distance between the speakers) stereo playback and decent bass response right up to the limit where things get a bit buzzy
- built-in noise canceling microphone for making and taking phone calls wirelessly which is nice but the Logitech UE Mobile Boombox does it better for only $99
- a USB out port for charging other portable devices which it does very quickly
- AUX in and out ports for daisy-chaining
- audio playback controls for volume and track changes
All in all, the Braven 600 is a formidable contender in the ever more crowded Bluetooth speaker market. Its combination of features, clear, loud playback, and one of the longest lasting batteries at any price make it worthy of your consideration. If you want one for yourself you can find them here or, (oddly enough) at SFO - International Terminal A, Gate A6, Terminal 3, Gate 76 & 86.
Full disclosure: This speaker was provided at no cost for the purpose of testing/reviewing. To think otherwise would be silly.
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