Sbode Made a Baby Boom Box: Chicka Boom Boom

Hey hey hey! Just got back from camping in Utah to find a bunch of cool new stuff on my desk. Let’s talk about the first in the lineup: From our good friends at SBODE: the SBODE S6 is half of a TWS Bluetooth, SD Card, FM Radio speaker thingie. Let’s check it out.

In the Box

The SBODE S6 BlueTooth Speaker comes in a nice box with all the details and features displayed in the graphics. Within is the SBODE S6 Speaker, a micro USB cord for charging purposes, and the instruction booklet. Unlike many similar devices I’ve reviewed lately: this booklet is printed with large, easy to read print. I thank you, my eyes thank you: SBODE cautions that when charging use a 1 watt 5 volt charger. Using lower power USB chargers or a low power computer port will increase and extend charging time significantly. The device already requires 4 hour charge time to get 6 hour play time, so it’s important to have a high power charger. I have been using the device for 3 days and the voice prompt just mentioned that I need to recharge it now and an orange light is blinking while it’s still working. 6 hours might be a low estimate, or counted at full volume. The SBODE S6 is a handful at 3 x 3 x 4.2 inches and one pound. There are two 40 mm full range speakers contained within as well as two 71mm low end Bass radiators at top and bottom. Don’t be surprised when these are moving with the music, that’s exactly what they are designed to do. It’s sharp looking in black waterproof IPX6 cloth, and the resonating cones have lovely silver covers with the SBODE logo displayed on each. There is also an integrated lanyard to hang the speaker when needed, or possible. The lanyard is very useful in busy places like office snack areas, or kitchens. Just hang it on the handle of one of the cupboards and enjoy the music while the S6 unit stays safely out of the way. SBODE also suggests using it in the shower, and the lanyard is how I hung it in mine. It was wet, very wet, water running and dripping over the device, with no problems. I was able to use the buttons and operate the FM mode, Bluetooth mode, and Memory Card mode perfectly. Sure I’m a skeptic when it comes to waterproofing electronics. I dropped so many cell phones in the toilet since 2002, I have a right to be apprehensive. Call me crazy but SBODE has done it right.

Details, Details

The SBODE S6 Bluetooth Speaker is more than just a 12 watt Bluetooth speaker: It also has an integrated Micro SD card slot good for up to 32 gig cards. It uses voice prompts to keep you on track, and like all bluetooth speakers it is also a capable Bluetooth speaker phone. The one feature on this reasonably priced Bluetooth speaker which made this old school dog happy was the FM Radio. Sometimes I just want to listen to the radio. Commercials, local news, weather, and all. It also features a 3.5 mm Aux Input for direct connection with older devices.

What’s your function?

Let’s talk about function: You can see 4 buttons running down the face of the SBODE S6. They are in order from top to bottom, Power, Plus, Minus, and Play/Pause. Like every bluetooth device I’ve ever operated, each button has multiple modes and uses, depending on what, when, and why you are pushing the buttons. On this multi purpose unit, even the power button has multiple purposes: Long push turns on/off the unit with a voice prompt. SBODE has integrated the voice prompts in almost every aspect of the speaker, except for “full volume” which is still the annoying BEEP that everyone uses. Short presses on the power button scrolls through the various features. Bluetooth mode comes up when the unit is first powered up, and it’s ready to pair immediately: just start up the bluetooth mode on your various devices, and look for SBODE S6 and connect. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it was no problem on my various test devices, iPads, Androids, Kindle Fires, and my Samsung Galaxy phones were all able to easily find, and connect to the SBODE S6. Note: when powered up, the SBODE S6 will reconnect to the last device if the bluetooth is still active. If you are changing devices remember to shut down the BT on your previous device first. Second feature on the Power button is FM Radio Mode: Then Bluetooth Mode, in you insert a Micro SD Card, you can utilize Memory Card mode, and finally with the patch cable connected, you can move to Aux mode. Note: when the SBODE S6 powers up it’s always at 40% volume to save your ears and according to the manufacturer: to stop scaring people with sudden loud sounds.

Plus/Minus

The next set of buttons are the ubiquitous +/- buttons. They also have different purposes in different modes. In Bluetooth mode these buttons on the SBODE S6 are used to switch between the Speaker and your cell phone or to play the next or previous track/file in your connected device. In other modes these buttons are used to switch between next and previous FM stations, next and previous Track when playing music in Bluetooth modes with long presses, and increase/decrease unit Volume with long presses on these buttons. I will discuss FM mode and Track mode buttons in more detail when discussing those specific functions later. It can also be used to pair the speaker with another SBODE S6 for True Wireless Stereo, if you happen to have two speakers of the same model.

No Play No Pause

In Bluetooth mode, this button is used with short presses, to connect or hang up calls, a long press to reject calls, or to disconnect the SBODE S6 from the Bluetooth device completely so it can be paired with other devices. In Aux mode, a long press mutes the speaker, while the source will continue to play so be warned. The play/pause button can also be used to pair the speaker with another SBODE S6 for True Wireless Stereo, if you happen to have two speakers of the same model. Once again I will talk in more detail about FM mode and Memory card mode in those areas.

Aux Aux

3.5mm cable and connect your SBODE S6 to any audio source including TVs, tablets, Phones, and just about anything you might own including many children’s tablets and toys. Note: the volume buttons effect the unit at this time, and the Play/Pause button will mute the speaker, while your source device will continue to play.

No Static at All

The FM mode of the SBODE S6 is worth speaking about in detail. One, I love radios. I have loved radios since I was a young boy in Chicago listening to AM crystal radios to hear the Cubs play in Wrigley Field. Although the SBODE S6 is limited to FM only, it’s not a disappointment, it’s a lot of fun! Once you have used the Power button to get to FM Mode, you should press the Play/Pause button (long press) to enter search mode. I played with this function a lot: it’s easy to restart and I found if you put it where it’s going to play, it will find great connections to the stations. There was little noticeable static, and that was only when moving the radio around my office building to test reception so I attribute that to known reception problems in that building, and why I test radios there. If they work well here, they will do so anywhere. Note: when moving to different locations more than 75 miles from your last location you should rescan for local stations again. In this mode the SBODE S6 +/- buttons are used to skip to next/previous stations, or Volume level.

Chip Ahoy! 

Being able to load a 32 gig micro SD card into the SBODE S6 speaker is a huge delight. The SBODE S6 speaker once again functions as expected in this mode: +/- is used to skip tracks, skip folders, or adjust volume. Because of the skip folder function I suggest creating a music file chip where you have created the folders you want to hear. Mine are filled with ripped CDS, which are already in file folders for each album, so it’s easy to switch flavors. My drop new songs here “STUFF” folder contains over 15 gigs of songs in all genres, in one folder and that’s a mess to listen to in alphabetical order. That’s the only complaint: The SBODE S6 does not have a SHUFFLE button, which for people like me who listen to classical as much as Atomic Death Metal, is so necessary for enjoyable mixed up random selection after selection. How you ripped, or recorded, or acquired the files makes a huge difference in the volume levels available for the SBODE S6 speaker so be warned. If you were listening to Chopin at full volume and Ned’s Atomic Dustbin shows up next, you might blow your own face off.

ET Phone Home

Every Bluetooth speaker, earbuds, or headphones I have reviewed or owned, have the connectivity purpose: making and taking phone calls are at least as important a feature as enjoying music in many environments for some people. I am not one of those people, but I will always give you an honest appraisal of that feature, since this is the Connected World and I am just an observer. The SBODE S6 is no exception: as well as a multimedia sound device, it also functions well as a portable speaker phone. Use it to answer calls, reject calls, or even move the calls back to your cell phone, or call the last number back. When making phone calls, it was clear and loud enough to hear in pretty much any environment at the start up volume. Those folks with which I spoke, or called me didn’t think I was talking from inside of a large box, which is a problem with some speakerphones. All the buttons operate as indicated while in phone mode. 

Sounds About Right

At the end of the day, pretty waterproof boxes with multiple inputs and connections really only have one purpose: clear reproduction of the music or voices and if you’ve read any of my previous articles, you know that’s my number one concern. How does it sound? Depending on the input, depending on the source, the SBODE S6 can get loud, really loud. 

At low levels, or high levels, there is clear, crispy sound with singing highs and full bodied mids, and at times, thumping low end sound. Of course, since most of the low end comes from Bass resonators, more volume drives more low end, recognize that fact, and enjoy the SBODE S6 for what it is: a good sounding, multi media mini boom box with a lot of flexibility. The speaker offers Bluetooth connectivity with good sounding speakerphone ability, FM Radio which finds all possible signals in your area so you can keep in touch with your community, a well thought out Micro SD card player, with only one missing element in my mind: Shuffle. You can’t beat the SBODE S6 at the present price point. I only wish I could have had the opportunity to hear the S6 speaker paired with a companion so I could report on this speaker’s TWS (True Wireless Stereo) ability. With an IPX6 Waterproof rating I had no qualms using it in my shower, and it performed excellently while wet. I give the SBODE S6 Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker a 9.5 out of ten for a great price, some great flexibility, only one complaint. See you soon!

*Average price is based on the time this article was published

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