iHome Go+ Grip Bluetooth Speaker
Company: iHome
Model: iBT3
Price: $39.99, less on some online retailers
The iHome Go+ Grip Bluetooth Speaker is a lightweight, portable speaker that has become my go-to Bluetooth speaker. At under $40, it should be your go-to speaker, too.
The iHome Go+ Grip Bluetooth Speaker (Go+ Grip), weighs in at just one third of a pound, with a solid base to keep the speaker from falling over. Charging and AUX ports are covered so as not to allow moisture or dust inside.
I’ve used a few Bluetooth speakers over the years, and the biggest problem I had with all of them was pairing. Sometimes a voice would give me pairing instructions; other times I would have to find the speaker in the Bluetooth list, press the name while holding down a button on the speaker and pray the connection would be made. And stick. Pairing the Go+ Grip with my iPhone and iPad was the most straightforward I’ve ever experienced. I was listening to music through the speaker in just seconds, rather than minutes. A huge win! Once the Go+ Grip is paired to a device, it automatically connects when the speaker is turned on. So simple! Genius!
The Go+ Grip is also a speaker phone. To receive a call press the Bluetooth button. Press the power button to end the call. In my testing, most callers said my voice was clear and they had no problems hearing me. However, occasionally I sounded like I was in an echo chamber. Keeping the phone close by alleviated that issue.
The Go+ Grip User Guide states that the speaker should work within 30 feet. I found it to be much less, more like 15 feet. But realistically, how often will your device be more than a few feet away while in use?
One thing that I found disappointing at first is that the volume of the Go+ Grip is connected to the device. Increasing or decreasing the volume on my device increases or decreases the volume on the speaker, and vice versa. Other speakers I have work the same, but the speaker itself can increase the volume a little further. To be honest, with the amount of sound that emanates from this speaker, increasing the volume even more will rarely be a necessity.
If you’re a cyclist and have a bicycle mount the Go+ Grip can be attached by the tripod mount on the back of the speaker. The Go+ Grip is made to be used outside; bring it to the beach, on a hike, or to the pool. It’s splash resistant, so a little water won’t hurt it.
Finally, and most importantly, the sound quality is great. Even at very low or very high volume the sound fills the room without distortion. Listening to podcasts was just as enjoyable.
Will the iHome Go+ Grip Bluetooth Speaker replace your home stereo sound system? No. Will it became you favorite portable Bluetooth speaker? Absolutely! With it’s eight plus hour battery life, the iHome Go+ Grip Bluetooth Speaker will add music to your day, all day.
MyMac.com Review Rating: 9 out of 10
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