I swapped my Bose and JBL speakers for this floating Turtlebox – and it’s seriously tough

pros and cons

Pros

• Loud
• Easy carry
• Extremely durable

Cons

• Expensive
• No companion app

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Portable speakers with waterproof designs are more common than not these days, but for those with ultra-rugged lifestyles, speakers from Bose, JBL, and Beats might not be tough enough. Turtlebox, a maker of speakers for the super-outdoorsy, returns with the Cub, a compact version of its flagship Original (Gen 3) speaker.

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At $330, the Turtlebox Cub is more expensive than some competing speakers of similar dimensions, but with great audio, an industrial frame, reverse USB-C charging, and a 14-hour battery life on deck, is it worth the money? Let’s find out.

It’s louder than it looks

The Cub’s greatest asset, like all Turtlebox speakers, is its extremely rugged design. However, Turtlebox doesn’t completely neglect sound quality in favor of another specialty. The Cub gets plenty loud for its small stature, with a strong bass response and clear highs. The Cub projects low and high frequencies especially well, but mids can get lost to distortion at high volume. To be fair, while on a boat, hiking, kayaking, or at a pier, midrange clarity may be the least of your worries.

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The Cub features one 1.3-inch titanium tweeter and one 4.5-inch woofer, powered by a Class D digital amplifier, which is the real workhorse that delivers amplified audio in a small frame. According to Turtlebox, the Cub can reach up to 118 dB, which is about as loud as it gets in a stadium during a concert or an NFL game. Pretty loud, but about as loud as JBL’s Charge 6.

The Cub’s speaker array is a purposeful choice. Titanium is a stiff material that promotes clarity in higher frequencies, which can be hard to hear in noisy outdoor environments. Titanium is also highly durable, which is Turtlebox’s whole thing. For a small speaker, the Cub sports a large woofer and, when powered by an efficient Class D amplifier, can reproduce loud, boomy bass.

The Cub’s loudness will come in handy when environmental noises, such as a boat engine, crashing waves, or a rowdy group of your best buddies. Still, as with any Bluetooth speaker, maxing out the volume significantly reduces the Cub’s advertised 14-hour battery life.

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Speakers like the Sonos Play or Marshall Middleton II deliver a warmer sound with smoother highs, but don’t hold up as well physically in messy, unpredictable outdoor environments. I wouldn’t recommend any of Turtlebox’s speakers for critical listening, nor expect their look and sound profile to promote cozy, portable listening indoors.

Still, the Cub would make a great companion in workshops, car garages, sheds, or other indoor/outdoor areas where heavy objects may collide with the speaker.

Taking durability to new heights

Compared to other mainstream speakers that can easily develop scuffs, scrapes, scratches, and dents from seemingly innocuous bumps, the Cub’s strong ABS plastic and stainless steel construction can withstand rougher handling.

I took the Cub to several backyard cookouts this summer, and it made an excellent tabletop speaker for a midsize gathering. However, for those participating in more hard-core outings, the Cub’s tie-downs and rubber feet promise stability during hectic day trips.

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The Turtlebox Cub has an IP67 durability rating, making it dust and water-proof. The Cub’s counterparts from Bose, Sonos, Beats, JBL, and more also sport an IP67 durability rating, but what sticks out to me is that Turtlebox tested the Cub (and its other speakers) for fresh and saltwater ingress. 

Saltwater is corrosive to most Bluetooth speakers; once dried, residual salt can damage speaker grilles, circuit boards, and the rubber and adhesives that hold the speaker together. Turtlebox opts for marine-grade stainless steel to hold its speakers together and weather-resistant speaker cones, both of which enhance the speaker’s strength against the elements.

The Cub also floats in water, so you can keep the music going while taking a dip. Speakers like the Bose SoundLink Plus also float, but Bose’s buoyancy is strictly for easy retrieval and should be removed from the water immediately. Still, when you’re spending $330 on a speaker, you should take care of it. When you expose the Cub to saltwater, rinse it with clean water afterward to flush it out. 

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Like other modern Bluetooth speakers, the Cub features a USB-C port for reverse charging, which is great for charging your phone while sitting by the pool.

Turtlebox doesn’t have a companion app, so there’s no way to adjust the Cub (or any other Turtlebox speaker’s) EQ or general settings. The Cub supports grouping with an unlimited number of other Turtlebox Cubs, Rangers, Grandes, and Originals (Gen 3) via Party Mode.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Turtlebox Cub‘s combination of small stature, loud volume, and unique durability defines its desirability. If your outdoor adventures are generally limited to laidback hangs by the pool, on the patio, or in the park, you may be overpaying for Turtlebox’s upgraded durability. In that case, you can easily get by with options like the Sonos Play, JBL Charge 6, or Bose SoundLink Plus.

However, if you want Turtlebox’s extreme durability for a lower $250 price, the Ranger is a solid option. It’s not buoyant like the Cub, but it is dust and waterproof, and features reverse USB-C charging and Party Mode. The Ranger has strong magnetic side mounts, so you can easily stick it on a truck, golf cart, four-wheeler, or boat.