FUGOO SPORT BLUETOOTH
WIRELESS SPEAKERS TEST SERIES
BY BRIAN HARTMAN LONG-TERM
REPORT August 30, 2014
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HERE TO SKIP TO THE FIELD REPORT CLICK
HERE TO SKIP TO THE LONG-TERM REPORT
TESTER INFORMATION
NAME:
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Brian Hartman
|
EMAIL:
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bhart1426ATyahooDOT com |
AGE:
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46
|
LOCATION:
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Westfield,
Indiana |
GENDER:
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M
|
HEIGHT:
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5' 9" (1.75
m) |
WEIGHT:
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145 lb (65.80
kg) |
I have been backpacking for over
20 years throughout Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and most recently in Western USA.
In addition to backpacking I enjoy family camping with my wife and kids and
being outdoors in general. I would describe myself as a mid-weight backpacker.
I use fairly light weight equipment and gear but still like to bring more than
the bare essentials with me while on the trail.
INITIAL REPORT
PRODUCT INFORMATION &
SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Fugoo Year of Manufacture:
2014 Manufacturer's Website: http://www.fugoo.com/ MSRP: US
$199.00 Dimensions: 2.3 x 7.4 x 2.9 in (59 x 187 x 73 mm) Listed Weight:
1.1 lbs (519 g) Measured Weight: 1.2 lbs (540 g)
Audio: -Six
proprietary, custom designed acoustic drivers including two 28 mm tweeters,
two 39 mm woofers and two 43 x 54 mm passive radiators -Drivers face all
directions with an 8-degree upward tilt for better dispersion -Sound pressure
level (SPL-A): 95db @ 0.5 meters (1 ft 7 in) -Full range frequency response:
60Hz - 20KHz -Supports aptX codec for high-quality Bluetooth stereo
sound
Connectivity: -Bluetooth 4.0 for wireless connectivity up to 33
feet -Bluetooth low energy for remote control -Audio/video remote control
profile (AVRCP 1.4) enables control from your audio device and the
optional remote control -3.5 mm stereo input for wired
connection -Micro-USB for charging and
updates
Microphone: -Omnidirectional microphone with echo
cancellation -Full-duplex capable speakerphone mode -Digital signal
processor for wind and background noise reduction
Power: -Up to 40
hours continuous play at 50% volume -Built-in lithium-ion rechargeable
battery -Charged via USB or international AC adapter (included) -Battery
life displayed on supported devices
Update Software
Compatibility: -Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, XP -Mac OSX 10.5 and
higher
Environmental: -Operating temp: 14 - 131 F (-10 - 55
C) -Storage temp: -40 - 158 F (-40 - 70 C) -IP67 rated: dustproof and
waterproof to 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) for 30 minutes
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
As seen in the photo to the left, the Fugoo
Sport wireless speaker arrived in excellent condition, packaged inside a neat
retail case. Included in the case were the speaker core in its sport jacket, an
AC adapter and USB cable for charging the battery, a 3.5mm audio cable, and an
accessory bag. Fugoo also included a bike mount, normally a separate accessory,
for testing purposes.
Upon removing the speaker from its packaging, I
immediately noticed how small and sturdy it was. It easily fit in the palm of
my hand and felt much heavier/robust than I anticipated. As noted on the retail
case, Fugoo has designed a product which touts several unique features including
its rugged design, interchangeable cases which Fugoo calls 'jackets', great
sound quality, 40 hr battery life, and wireless remote.
RUGGED DESIGN:
Based on their dustproof, waterproof and shockproof specs Fugoo's speakers are
designed to be tough. In fact, I'm not aware of any other portable Bluetooth
speakers on the market today that tout these kinds of specs. The speaker
itself, or the 'core' as Fugoo refers to it, is IP67 rated. The IP67 rating
means that it is fully sealed against dust and can withstand being submersed in
3 ft (0.9 m) of water for 30 minutes. The same seals that make the core dust
and waterproof also protect it from dirt, sand and snow. In fact Fugoo uses
non-corrosive materials and connectors so that the speaker won't rust even when
exposed to salt water. Now that's tough! Although I'm certainly not planning
to drop the speaker in a stream during testing it's comforting to know that it
should be able to endure wet weather and general outdoor abuse. In addition,
Fugoo claims that the speaker can survive a 5.5 ft (1.7 m) drop since it's made
with specially reinforced case materials, shock-mounted components, and impact
absorbing end caps.
|
Photo coutesy of Fugoo | INTERCHANGEABLE JACKETS: Another unique feature of
Fugoo's speakers is their two-part design which consists of the inner 'core',
the actual speaker, and an outer 'jacket' or case that provides additional
protection and gives individuality to the speaker. The speakers are offered in
three different models (Style, Sport and Tough) which are defined by their
corresponding jackets as seen in the photo to the right. The Style jacket is a
slim and stylish design that is the lightest of the three; there is also a
sportier and more durable Sport jacket model as well as an ultra-ruggedized
Tough jacket model which is made out of strong aluminum reinforced composite
resin and rubberized construction. Per the manufacturer, the three jackets
easily slide on and off the core and are interchangeable such that additional
jackets can be purchased at any time to change the look and ruggedness of the
speaker. Although I personally am not that concerned what color or style
'jacket' I have, I think this feature will be popular with a lot of people if
marketed correctly. In this regard it's nice to know that no matter which
jacket is wrapping the core, the speaker's audio quality remains the same.
|
Photo coutesy of
Fugoo |
To the left is a photo of the
Fugoo Sport with its two parts, the speaker core and the Sport jacket. The
Fugoo Sport jacket is made of a waterproof durable cloth that is bonded to a
fiber-reinforced resin shell, which in turn is wrapped in rubber trim to protect
the speaker if it happens to fall.
SOUND QUALITY: Fugoo
touts the exceptional sound quality of their speakers and they provide a list of
audio specs that are quite impressive. The speaker core contains six
symmetrically-placed drives including two neodymium 28 mm (1.1 in) tweeters, two
neodymium 39mm (1.5 in) midrange woofers and two 43mm x 54mm (1.7 x 2.1 in)
passive bass radiators. The tweeters deliver the highs, while two mid/sub
drivers provide the midrange and two passive radiators help bring out what Fugoo
describes as "full, rich" bass. Together these six drivers are reported to
deliver a clean 95 db sound pressure level, which Fugoo says is enough to "fill
large rooms and outdoor areas with rich immersive sound". This experience is
helped by the fact that the four active drivers are spread out around the core
so that sound emanates from the speaker in all directions. Fugoo also notes
that the drivers are positioned symmetrically so that the speaker won't 'walk'
across the floor and at an 8-degree upward tilt for better sound dispersion.
In addition to the features above, Fugoo incorporated a digital signal
processor which automatically adjusts the bass, mid-range and highs for dynamic
equilibrium as the volume is turned up or down. The end result of this, which I
will listen for during my testing, is better sound quality in quiet indoor areas
and fuller sound in open outdoor spaces.
One problem that I've had with
other wireless speakers is interference. There's nothing worse than trying to
listen to music with popping, hissing and signal loss going on in the
background. The source of the interference can come from microwave ovens,
cordless phones, a satellite dish or even wireless cameras etc. In addition
it's possible for Bluetooth devices to negatively affect the speed of a wireless
router or even cause it to drop out periodic. As it turns out, Fugoo claims to
have eliminated this issue with their Core-X technology which makes the
amplifier to speaker path completely digital. Their theory is that the digital
pathway prevents interference from cell phones and other radio sources from
getting amplified. As my house is full of electronic devices, I will be
listening closely to see if this technology works as
described.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: As for additional features, the Fugoo
Wireless Speaker boasts an impressive 40-hour battery life and can fully
recharge via its micro-USB port in around 3.5 hours. I will verify Fugoo's
claims regarding battery life and recharge time during field testing. The
speaker also has on-board volume and music button controls as well as a built-in
mic for speakerphone functionality with Siri and Google Now.
|
Micro-USB port & 3.5mm speaker
input |
|
Power and Bluetooth buttons |
|
Speaker controls on
top |
ACCESSORIES: If all that isn't enough,
the Sport and Tough speakers have a mounting socket on the bottom that can be
connected to one of three optional mounting accessories. The accessories
include a bike mount, multi mount and strap mount that let the speaker be
attached to a bike, pole, backpack, tripod, or even strapped on to something
like a basketball goal. Since the bike mount was included with my shipment,
I'll test it on my mountain bike. The Fugoo Sport is not only wireless and can
play music from any Bluetooth-equipped iPod, smartphone, tablet, or PC from up
to 30 ft (9 m) away, but Fugoo also offers a waterproof remote. The remote has
volume up/down, song forward/reverse and play/pause buttons and can also
activate Siri and Google Now remotely. It can be worn on a lanyard around the
neck or strapped to a wristband. The backside of the remote also features a
nifty built-in bottle opener. What more could you ask for!
READING THE INSTRUCTIONS
The Fugoo Sport came with a startup guide that
briefly described how to charge the speaker, turn it on/off, pair the speaker
via Bluetooth, and how to initiate other general functions. The guide also gave
quick instructions on how to change/remove the Sport jacket.
TRYING IT OUT
After anxiously waiting 3.5 hours
for the Fugoo Sport to charge, I unplugged the USB power cable and pressed the
power button on the speaker. The Fugoo immediately responded 'Speaker is on,
pairing mode, use the Bluetooth settings on your device to connect'. Next I
turned on Bluetooth pairing on my iPhone and almost instantly the Fugoo speaker
appeared as a device on my discoverable screen. When I selected it, the speaker
responded 'Pairing successful, connected'. Finally, I went to the music app on
my iPhone and selected a song. Voila!! My family room was filled with music.
Pairing the speaker with my iPhone was straightforward and took less than one
minute. As for how the Fugoo Sport sounds, I'll provide those details and more
after my next few months of testing.
.
SUMMARY
So far I really like the Fugoo
Bluetooth Speaker. It feels solid and well built and it has several unique and
innovative features that will be fun to test.
This concludes my Initial
Report. Please check back in two months for my Field Report.
FIELD
REPORT
FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
During the past two months I've
taken the Fugoo speaker on two family camping trips and have used it regularly
around the house for all kinds of activities including: exercising in my
basement, working in the garage, playing basketball in the driveway, lounging in
the hot tub (until the weather got hot) and playing softball and soccer with my
kids in the back yard. I even used it to play music on my back patio for a high
school graduation party. And, when I'm not using this speaker, chances are that
one of my three teenagers is.
1. On this family camping trip we hiked,
fished, launched model rockets, played in a small creek and sat around the
campfire each night listening to tunes. The terrain was hilly with lots of open
and forested areas to explore.
Location: Franklin County, Indiana (IN)
Type of Trip: Camping Distance: 5 mi (8 km) Length of Trip:
2 nights Backpack Weight: 32 lb (14 kg) Sky and Air Conditions: Mostly
sunny Precipitation: None Temperature Range: 66 F to 75 F (18 C to 23 C)
2. My second camping trip was to
Oldenburg, IN with my mom, dad and brother. During this two-day outing we spent
most of our time lounging around our campsite. My pack was fairly light on this
trip as my parents brought the food and drinks.
Location: Oldenburg, IN
Type of Trip: Family camping Distance: 1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Length of Trip: 1 night Backpack Weight: 22 lb (10 kg) Sky and Air
Conditions: Partly sunny with brief but heavy rain storm in
evening Precipitation: 0.4 in (1.0 cm) Temperature Range: 70 F to 78 F (21
C to 25 C)
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
The Fugoo has performed
exceptionally well during the past two months of Field Testing. It was simple
to setup, has awesome sound quality, is exceptionally durable and has great
battery life. What's not to love! Oh, and it's a blast to play too (quite
literally).
Initial Setup - The Fugoo speaker was a cinch
to setup as described in my Initial Report. When I first paired it to my
iPhone, it established a device name called 'Fugoo Speaker' on my phone's
Bluetooth settings page, and ever since then it automatically connects to my
phone as soon as I turn the speaker on. My son has an older model iPhone, my
oldest daughter has an Android phone and my younger daughter has an iPod and all
three of them were able to connect to the Fugoo as quickly as I did, with no
help from dad. The only problem they had at the beginning was getting my phone
to disconnect from the speaker so that they could connect with one of their
devices, but that issue was quickly resolved once they gave in and read the
directions. Using the Fugoo as a speakerphone for phone calls has also been
incredibly simple to do as no additional setup is required once the two devices
are paired and connected.
Sound quality - For its size, the Fugoo
speaker delivers fantastic sound quality both indoors and out. It does this
despite the fact that it only weighs about 1 lb (0.45 kg), is battery powered
and is streaming music wirelessly via Bluetooth. Indoors, the speaker offers
impressive bass and treble as well as a balanced tone that makes it easy to
listen to for long periods. In a quiet room, it has crisp full sound and is
easily able to reproduce deep lows and bright highs with good overall vocals.
Outside, with the volume turned up, it can effortlessly fill a patio or driveway
with music for everyone to hear. And despite its small size, there's no need to
sit directly in front of the speaker to enjoy as the cross mounted drivers
spread the sound out in all directions. In fact for my daughter's graduation
party, I simply set the Fugoo on our back patio for instant tunes and rave
reviews. One thing I found is that music sounds best when the speaker sits
lower, given the fact that the drivers have an 8 degree tilt which projects the
sound upward. My son and I even took the speaker to the soccer fields for an
afternoon kick around. We knew the wide open space would be a huge challenge
for the Fugoo but it did a decent job in a setting where speakers two or three
times its size would have trouble.
The quality of sound I experienced
while using the Fugoo as a speakerphone during phone conversations was
excellent. I had no problem hearing whoever I was talking to and they had no
problems understanding me, even when the speaker was sitting several feet away
from me. In addition, connecting and disconnecting from the speakerphone for
private conversations was very simple.
Durability - I've had no
durability issues with the Fugoo speaker during this test period. It survived
dirt and mud while I was mountain biking in a local park and it got rained on
quite heavily on two different occasions. The first time was during a brief
downpour while camping in Oldenburg and the second time was when it happened to
be sitting out on my back patio table during a thunder storm, oops. The only
time I really worried about the Fugoo's safety was when I accidentally knocked
it off its perch with an errant shot while playing basketball in my driveway.
Luckily it survived despite some nicks, scrapes and a few tense
moments.
As a testament to its ruggedness, whenever the speaker looked
really dirty, I simply rinsed it off with warm water from a faucet per the
manufacturer's instructions and it was as good as new.
Battery life -
Fugoo claims this speaker can get up to 40 hours of battery life at half volume.
I found that to be true the first couple times I used it but now I get 25 to 30
hours of life on a full charge. Of course there are a lot of factors that go
into battery life and so it's hard to say why I am experiencing this drop off.
I will continue to monitor the situation and try to quantify my observations
over the next few months.
Bluetooth range - Fugoo claims a range of 33
feet (10 m) for Bluetooth connectivity, and I found the distance they quoted to
be accurate both indoors and out. In fact, while standing on my driveway with
my phone connected to the Fugoo and playing a song, my daughter was able to
carry the speaker almost 45 feet (14 m) away before it cut out. I found the
indoor range to be slightly shorter but still quite good at 30 ft (9
m).
Bike / handlebar mount - After several attempts mounting the speaker
to this accessory, I am having problems getting the slide mechanism to lock in
place. I've only tried securing it a couple of times but have already noticed
that the metal tab is worn down to shiny metal from rubbing so I think there's a
clearance issues between the metal tab that locks the mount in place and the
speaker housing. When the speaker is not attached to the mount, the slide
easily latches so this confirms my suspicion. I will continue to evaluate this
during the next test period.
SUMMARY
The Fugoo is a terrific speaker
in my estimation based on its ability to do a number of things really, really
well. It sounds great indoors and out and has well balanced and natural tones
even at high volume, a remarkable achievement for a speaker of its size. Its
sound quality, portability, durability and battery life make it a favorite of
everyone in my family.
This concludes my Field Report for the Fugoo
speaker. I will post my Long Term report in approximately two months so please
check back for further information.
LONG-TERM
REPORT
LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND
CONDITIONS
My Long Term testing of the Fugoo
speaker included a solo backpacking trip to Oldenburg as well as various day
hikes throughout Central IN and a 22 mi (35.4 km) bike ride a few weekends ago.
And, as usual, the Fugoo was used extensively in and around my house, from the
basement to the garage and in the backyard as well as the
driveway.
Location: Oldenburg, IN Type of Trip:
Backpacking Distance: 18 mi (29 km) Length of Trip: 2 nights Sky and
Air Conditions: Partly sunny with brief but heavy rain storm in the
evening Precipitation: 0.4 in (1.0 cm) Temperature Range: 70 F to 78 F (21
C to 25 C)
Location: Cool Creek Park, Westfield, IN Type of Trip:
Day hike Distance: 3.5 mi (5.6 km) Weather conditions: Partly
sunny Precipitation: 0 in (0 cm) Temperature: 72 F (22 C)
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
During my past two months of
testing the Fugoo speaker has gotten a ton of use. In addition to backpacking
it gets plenty of use around my house and neighborhood from my entire family.
My kids especially love it. Imagine that, three teenagers interested in a
great-sounding Bluetooth speaker, who would have thought? The fact is that I've
given up storing the Fugoo in my office because it's never there when I go to
look for it. We now keep it in the mudroom closet when not in use; although
it's spent several nights on the back porch and quite frankly many other places
in and around the house as well. For those times when I can't locate it I
simply put my phone in pairing mode and walk around the house listening for the
words 'pairing successful'. That is, of course, presuming it's turned on and
the battery isn't dead.
In terms of performance, not much has changed
since my last report. The Fugoo jacket remains rugged and impenetrable.
Battery life seems to be holding steady at 25 - 30 hours, although I can't rule
out the possibility it's higher, due to additional 'on time' that I'm not aware
of. Did I mention I have three teenagers? While on my multi day solo trip I
found the battery seemed to drain slower, most likely due to the fact that I had
the volume turned down so as not to disturb wildlife in the area. While
backpacking 'on trail' I simply placed the speaker in one of the mesh water
bottle pockets on the side of my pack and it seemed to do ok there for the most
part. However, I wasn't very comfortable keeping it in the mesh pockets while
scrambling up hills and thru brush due to concern that it might fall out and get
lost. For this reason, I wish there was a simple lanyard hanger built into the
Sport jacket so I could secure it to the back of my pack with a cord. That
would give me peace of mind, especially during times when I have the radio
turned off for a few minutes and wouldn't necessarily know or hear that it fell
out.
Finally, my experience with the bike mount remains sketchy. I
continue to use it but have resorted to securing it with a zip tie since the
latch mechanism doesn't lock in place.
SUMMARY
As long term test results have
affirmed, the Fugoo is extremely well made and has great sound quality and
battery life. It does everything required of a Bluetooth speaker and so much
more. I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to family and friends and in fact
have already done so. It's really that good!
This concludes my Long Term
Report and this test series for the Fugoo speaker. Thanks to Fugoo and
BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this device. This
report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org
Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
Read more reviews of Fugoo Corporation gear
Read more gear reviews by Brian Hartman
|