iMore Verdict
You can tell that the Motion Boom Plus is designed to go out and about from the moment you see it. It’s a big speaker with big presence that might not be audiophile quality, but has all the character where it counts. Mostly in the volume control.
Pros
- +
It’s really, really loud
- +
No really, super loud
- +
Sounds pretty good too
Cons
- -
It's still a little heavy to sling over your arm on walks
- -
Feels a little plasticky
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If you’re looking for an outdoor speaker that goes to ungodly volumes, you might think you have to grab one of those large, upright things that are covered with RGB lights and sound like it's playing music down a tube.
Thankfully, there are other options out there that sound good and are super rugged: Like the Soundcore Motion Boom Plus.
A large speaker with a big handle and an arm strap in the box, the Motion Boom Plus is a massive Bluetooth speaker that keeps the weight down and the sound up. It goes loud, and you know what? It doesn’t sound too bad either.
I don't just use audio gear, I love audio gear. I want to make sure that all my music sounds its absolute best, from the smallest tinkle in a quiet symbol to the loudest crunch of a palm-muted guitar. I put my ear for detail to use every time I test a piece of gear, but I also understand that you're going to need to temper your expectations for cheaper stuff. If I've said it's good, I really mean it.
SoundCore Motion Boom Plus: Price and availability
The Soundcore Motion Boom Plus is available from the Soundcore site, where you’ll pay $179/£169. Sometimes there are discounts as well, so you can save a little bit of cash when you buy one.
You can also get one from most big box retailers, such as Amazon or Best Buy. There may be promos there as well, but the full price will be the same at $179/£169.
Soundcore Motion Boom Plus: What I liked
Let's get one thing out of the way first: I think, for an outdoorsy rugged speaker, it looks fairly restrained. It might not be refined – this is still a monster outdoorsy rugged speaker, but it looks a lot less ‘in your face’ than you might expect. It feels sturdy in all the right places too, with the rubbery buttons making you think it could survive a dip in a stream or a large pond. Maybe not extended periods during some whitewater rapid kayaking, however. So no Lou Reed while you do your extreme sports.
Those rubbery controls work very well, and they’re nice and big so that you can hit them with gloved hands. There are volume controls, a Bluetooth button, another button to control the bass output (which is fun), and then a button that lets you connect two of them together. If you’re mad.
Because this speaker goes LOUD. Like, really loud. The decibel meter on my iPhone went haywire when I tried to find out, and my ears screamed at me to turn it down. Which is rad. It’s loud because there’s some impressive power to the drivers.
There’s a total of 80w of output here, with a pair of 10w tweeters surrounded by two 30w woofers for some seriously impressive volume. It might not be concert big, but it’ll power your party in the woods without any issues at all.
It’s loud because there’s some impressive power to the drivers. There’s a total of 80w of output here, with a pair of 10w tweeters surrounded by two 30w woofers.
Because this speaker goes LOUD. Like, really loud. The decibel meter on my iPhone went haywire when I tried to find out, and my ears screamed at me to turn it down. Which is rad. It’s loud because there’s some impressive power to the drivers.
There’s a total of 80w of output here, with a pair of 10w tweeters surrounded by two 30w woofers for some seriously impressive volume. It might not be concert big, but it’ll power your party in the woods without any issues at all.
The sound that goes very, very loud is also pretty good. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not HiFi quality, but it’s big, beefy, with plenty of punch across the range. Don’t expect delicacy here, but you’ll easily have a great time pumping out Lil’ Nas X’s Industry Baby at full whack. It’s got detail where it counts, and bass for days.
Pressing that bass button does make it a better listen for the home as well, making it perfect for listening both home and away. It won’t replace your Soundbar, but it’s great for when you want to listen to some songs in your bedroom, when you’re at barbeques, or even when you’re in the outback.
Battery life is good at 20 hours, although that will drop if you plan on maxing the volume all the time. You can use that battery to charge your phone as well, which is helpful for when you don’t have a plug nearby. There’s a line-in socket too, so you don’t even have to use Bluetooth. These are all locked behind a very thick rubber door, giving the speaker IP67 water resistance, so no need to worry about it falling into the pool.
Soundcore Motion Boom Plus: What I didn’t like
There’s really not much – if you’re after one of these, then you know what you’re looking for. The only thing I would say is that it’s a little bit plasticky, with materials that don’t feel the most premium. Not that you’re going to be bothered while you’re blasting your favorite tunes in the wilderness.
It is light, but I’m still not sure I would like to walk any super long distances with it. You’ll feel it soon enough. Although, again, if you want something this big, it’s unlikely you’ll find anything lighter that sounds as good or goes as loud.
Soundcore Motion Boom Plus: Competition
Something this big that you can take out and about? Absolutely nothing comes close. There’s the Treblab HD Max that we’ve tested which is cheaper, but it's actually heavier and doesn’t sound anywhere near as good. It’s also not even remotely as loud.
Soundcore Motion Boom Plus: Should you buy this?
You should buy this if:
- You want the loudest speaker for under $200
- You want something super rugged
- You plan on going out and about with your Bluetooth speaker
You Shouldn’t buy this if:
- You want the best, at home sound quality
- You want premium build quality
Soundcore Motion Boom Plus: Verdict
The Soundcore Motion Boom Plus is a surprising speaker. It goes very loud, yet does so without sacrificing sound quality or battery life. It’s a great speaker, and if you want something to take on your next camping trip, you’ve found it.
Loud.
Loudness isn’t everything, but it certainly helps give the Soundcore Motion Boom Plus plenty of character. That character only gets the better you know it for, as the surprising sound quality makes you realize that it’s more than just a volume dial.
