Tribit StormBox Blast 2 review: thumping sound at a reasonable price

Portable Bluetooth speakers have been popular for more than a decade, but in the last two to three years, ‘party speakers’ or Bluetooth boomboxes have seen a surge in interest. In the post-pandemic era, as people travel more and host house parties, demand for high-quality speakers has grown significantly. Although the segment is dominated by names like JBL and Blaupunkt, online reviews consistently highlight Tribit as one of the best-rated brands in this category.

This made me particularly curious about the StormBox Blast 2, the company’s current flagship speaker. It succeeds the original StormBox Blast, which debuted back in 2023. For context, the first-generation model currently holds an impressive 4.6-star rating from over 3,000 Amazon reviews. Naturally, the StormBox Blast 2 has a high benchmark to meet. After spending a couple of weeks with this boombox-style speaker, here are my thoughts.

Built like a tough cookie

The first thing you will notice about the StormBox Blast 2’s design is that it looks more like a traditional boombox than its predecessor. With a rounded trapezoid speaker grille, the design gives a strong throwback to a familiar style. The customisable LED lights on the sides and around the drivers add to the overall mood-setting appeal.

There are passive radiators on the sides that help the speaker extend the bass response.

On top of the speaker, you will find several physical control buttons along with a battery level indicator. These buttons include Power, Bluetooth, Volume Up and Down, Light Effects, XBass mode, and Stereo plus Party mode pairing. The Blast 2 measures 47.6 x 19.3 x 25.9cm and is noticeably heavier than the earlier model. While the previous version weighed around 5.45 kg, the Blast 2 comes in at 7.15 kg.

Thanks to the built-in handle, the speaker is reasonably convenient to carry. However, the weight does make it a bit difficult to move around frequently. If you are transporting it in your car to a friend’s place or taking it on a trip, you will manage without trouble since there is little manual carrying involved. But if you plan to walk around with it for casual listening, you may want to reconsider.

At the back, you get AC and Type-C charging slots, two mic inputs, a Type-A port to charge other devices, and an AUX jack. Volume knobs for the mics allow you to adjust each microphone independently, and there is a dedicated knob for adding reverb.

The rubberised base keeps the Blast 2 firmly in place wherever you set it. This helps especially outdoors, ensuring the speaker does not topple on uneven surfaces.

Another detail that makes the Blast 2 suitable for outdoor parties is its IP67 rating, which means it is waterproof and offers strong dust resistance. While the previous model was also waterproof, the improved dust protection makes it easier to take to the beach without concern.

In terms of build quality, the speaker feels solid. It is primarily made of plastic with touches of rubber and metal, giving it a robust feel.

Ideal sound for parties, but much more on offer

The StormBox Blast 2 brings substantial power on paper. It features an 80W subwoofer with diamond-shaped reinforcing ribs, two 45W mid-range drivers, and two 15W silk dome tweeters. The total output is rated at 200W, which reduces to 180W when running on battery. For comparison, most speakers in this price range, including the first-generation StormBox Blast, typically offer 160W or less.

With such powerful drivers, the Blast 2 delivers a punchy sound with impressive clarity and detail. The mids are clear, the highs are crisp, and the bass is where the speaker truly stands out. Turning on XBass noticeably boosts the low frequencies, resulting in a fuller and more impactful bass response. It produces the kind of thump expected from a party-oriented speaker.

Like many boombox-style party speakers, the Blast 2 does not offer much stereo separation. The soundstage feels concentrated, which limits the width you hear in tracks. Since the drivers sit close together, the device cannot achieve the left-right separation that two separate speakers would provide.

I tested the speaker both outdoors and indoors. While I expected it to perform well, I was still pleasantly surprised by its output. In terms of overall sound quality, particularly the mids and bass, it can easily compete with, if not outperform, other outdoor speakers in its price bracket.

Indoors, I also appreciated how well it handled acoustic-style tracks such as ‘Zaroor’ by Aparshakti Khurana and ‘Back To You’ by Selena Gomez, along with more layered songs like Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’.

I did not have microphones on hand to test its karaoke capabilities, but if you enjoy karaoke sessions, this speaker is equipped to support them.

Choose your sound and lighting

To give you more control over the audio, the Blast 2 supports the Tribit app, available on both Android and iOS. Through the app, you can adjust the volume, choose from EQ presets, or use the detailed equaliser to fine-tune the sound to your preference. The EQ presets include XBass Off, XBass On, Blast Traditional, X-3D Mode, Audio Book, Rock, and Jazz.

Beyond sound controls, the app also lets you customise the three lighting presets through a dedicated section. There is a surprising amount of flexibility here, and if you enjoy adjusting light effects, you will likely find this feature enjoyable.

Good for partying the whole weekend

The company claims a battery life of up to 30 hours when the speaker is used at 50 percent volume with XBass and the lights turned off. In my usage, the speaker lasted close to 40 hours, mainly because I did not need to push it anywhere near 50 percent volume while indoors. Overall, the battery performance was quite satisfying.

The speaker supports both AC and Type-C charging, although AC is considerably faster. Using AC, you can charge the device from 0 to 100 percent in about 5 hours. Charging through the Type-C port takes roughly 12 hours for a full charge.

Solid choice!

The Tribit StormBox Blast 2 is a strong option and a significant upgrade over its predecessor. With a 200W power output, IP67 dust and water resistance, and Bluetooth 5.4 support, it introduces meaningful improvements that make it a competitive offering in its price range. The XBass feature also enhances its appeal, especially for party environments. The only real trade-off is portability, as the speaker is heavier and larger than the previous model. While this may not bother most people looking for an outdoor party speaker, it could feel a bit excessive for some users.

If you can look past the added weight and size, the StormBox Blast 2 serves as a highly capable Bluetooth speaker suitable for use in almost any weather condition. It is currently available for as low as Rs 25,999 on Amazon, and at this price, it delivers value that is difficult for competing brands to match.

Editor’s Rating: 8.5 / 10

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