It’s a second date for me and Philips‘ made-for-outdoors Bluetooth speaker, the Shoqbox. And boy, it sure left me in tears.
Size comparison (left-right): bottled water, Philips Shoqbox, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, canned soda
But before we dive into the juicy tidbits as to why, let’s start off with some technical details:
- Sound System: Stereo, 2×1-inch speakers (4w), Built-in Mic
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 (A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP), 3.5mm line in
- Controls: Volume knob, Motion sensor, power button
- Battery: Built in rechargeable lithium (Up to 8 hours)
- Size: 72x68x179mm
- Weight: 0.488 kg
Shoq-ingly Loud
Don’t let its size fool you. This baby’s loud, SERIOUSLY loud! I set it up in our dining room at full volume and, even with the doors closed, I could hear it two rooms away.
And unlike others that tend to break under pressure (read: maxed out at full volume), the Shoqbox remained calm and composed when pushed to its limit, churning out beats like hell without sounding hellish, regardless of music genre.
Box contents: Philips Shoqbox, USB cable, two-prong USB cable (USB, microUSB), wall charger with 3 interchangeable plugs, documentation
Shoq-ingly Durable
So, is the 8 hour battery life true? In our test, non-stop playing (at full volume), it didn’t quite reach 8 hours. It did, however, come pretty close. It lasted for 7 hours and 30 minutes. And that’s all via Bluetooth! I’m sure it’ll last even longer if you’re playing via a wired connection.
But wait! There’s more!
To help prolong its battery life while on the go, it automatically goes into sleep mode when no music is playing for three minutes, and turns itself off after 15 minutes of non-use.
Shoq-ingly Tough
While testing it out, I got to witness first-hand – and unintentionally, might I add – just how tough the Shoqbox really is. I placed it on top of a six-foot-high cabinet for two reasons (1) it’s a great vantage point so it can broadcast its tunes throughout the entire room without any hindrances, and (2) to keep out it out of reach of the children in the house.
Clockwise (beginning from top left): volume control knob, plugged line-in port, motion sensor, microUSB charging port
What I didn’t realize was, due to the vibrations created from its deceptively powerful speakers, it was slowly inching towards the edge with every passing minute. And BOOM! The inevitable happened. It fell to the tiled floor with a loud thud, the type of thud that made you fear the worst. To my surprise – and delight – though, the Shoqbox was unscathed, proving this bad boy is indeed one tough cookie that won’t crack easily.
Shoq-ingly Perfect?
Sadly, no, but again, it did come close, pretty close actually. I only have two complaints with the Shoqbox. The first one: It’s difficult to know the status of its battery life.
Don’t get me wrong though. There’s a way to know if it’s already low on juice. Its power button – which lights up Blue when on, Red when charging – will blink alternately Blue and Red when battery is low already and needs charging.
Power button: Red means charging, Blue means its On, Alternating Red and Blue means it needs charging
But it’s a tiny tiny tiny button, that, if you don’t make the effort to take a look at it, you’ll easily miss it. And to make it worse, the LED indicator is embedded. Meaning, you won’t be able to see it when viewed from side or at an angle. You’ll really need to look at it to see it.
The other one?
Its steep, steep, steeeeeep asking price of nearly Php12K. The Philips Shoqbox is, without question, one of the priciest Bluetooth speakers we’ve ever reviewed to date and out now in the market.
Verdict
There are no two ways about it. The Philips Shoqbox is one delectable and impressive piece of portable Bluetooth wizardry. It sounds and looks great, and it’s built like a rock, giving you piece of mind while you lug it around in your bag or even, if you wish, in the trunk of your car.
If it were seriously a date, the Shoqbox would be the type you’d gladly bring home and introduce to your mama, and you’d happily look forward to marrying someday. Yes, it’s the for keeps type.
But you’ll need moolah to get this baby, and with a retail price a shade under Php12K, it clearly *sob* isn’t for everyone <wipes tears from eyes while waving goodbye to the Shoqbox>.
SRP Php 11,995
Availability: All leading appliance stores
LIKES
- Portable in size, big in sound
- Tough as a tank!
- Can also double as a speakerphone
DISLIKES
- EXPENSIVE!
- EXPENSIVE!
- EXPENSIVE!
