Soundboks was founded in 2015 in Copenhagen, Denmark, by a trio of passionate young friends trying to find the perfect outdoor party speaker - something that the vast majority of the population, including most audio manufacturers, never imagined was even needed. When Soundboks made it's debut, audioXpress followed the story because the project was made possible by using one of the first commercially available solutions to leverage the new efficiencies and increased power of a new Class D amplifier platform - then introduced by a Denmark-based startup, Merus Audio.
The battery-powered gigantic speaker was a very effective proof of concept to show how the company's patented multilevel audio amplification technology could provide a high power, high efficiency, compact and extremely light solution that was able to make this whole crazy portable speaker concept a reality.
Effectively, the Merus combination of multilevel switching topology and dynamic power management pushed the boundaries of efficiency and allowed Soundboks to evolve from a first-generation proof-of-concept, to a commercially viable shipping product in its second - and extremely successful - iteration.
The whole idea of Soundboks could only be conceived within this very specific universe where such a product was even imaginable, and surprisingly... desirable. But Soundboks pull it off with a hybrid PA-cabinet that used swappable battery packs, and relied on a primitive Bluetooth module. Amazingly, Soundboks even created a whole line of accessories to fit its users' raving lifestyle.
Meanwhile, its amplification partner also evolved surprisingly well, with multiple agreements established in the consumer electronics industry - which was naturally looking for such level of efficiency to power battery-operated designs - immediately followed by an acquisition deal sealed with Infineon, the German semiconductor powerhouse, where the highly efficient Merus range of multilevel Class D amplifiers continues to thrive.
Now in 2021, with offices in Copenhagen and Los Angeles, Soundboks is building a global following and the company announced the much improved, "re-imagined" Soundboks speaker, the third-generation of the world’s first Bluetooth Performance Speaker. Meanwhile the term party speaker turned into a thriving reality, particularly in Asia, and is highly disputed by Harman, Sony, and countless others, all of which combine complicated ugly speakers with colorful LED lights, while Soundboks offers a minimalistic tower of power.
And with many in-person events still on hold due to COVID-19, the new Soundboks' audio capabilities are now promoted instead to provide a front-row seat to enhance virtual entertainment at home - where of course, sound quality matters way more. "As people continue to minimize interaction and stay safe during the pandemic, the Soundboks will help consumers feel more connected with the ability to transport to any event virtually through premium sound quality," says Jesper Thiel Thomsen, CEO of Soundboks.
That is an idea that the company hopes will appeal during the pandemic. And for that, it certainly helps that this streamlined third-generation design continues to benefit from Infineon's Merus amplification, now with improved fidelity also supported in newly selected drivers using a 2.5-way configuration, updated fast-pairing Bluetooth 5 technology, and a much more user friendly control and connectivity panel.
The completely redesigned Soundboks speaker is able to offer concert-level volume at 126dB, enabled by 3x 72W RMS Merus Audio eximo Class D amplifiers, two 10" woofers, one 1" horn-loaded compression driver (the previous version used a tweeter), custom reflex port, advanced DSP with bass enhancer, a splashproof, spillproof, and dentproof with shock-absorbent corners cabinet, and replaceable colored front grills.
The wireless connectivity will be also one of the main benefits of the upgrade, with the new Bluetooth 5 module and a new TeamUP connection, which uses a dedicated SKAA wireless network to connect up to 5 (total) nearby Soundbok speakers, courtesy of the Eleven Engineering proprietary technology. For input sources, apart from wireless Bluetooth streaming, the new Soundboks features a panel with 2× combo microphone/instrument (XLR, 1/4") inputs and one 3.5mm stereo input. There's also a 3.5mm stereo output jack.
Being fully portable and able to blast party-sound with no need for AC power, the Soundboks weighs 34 pounds (15.4 Kg) and is the only Bluetooth speaker with a removable battery that can last up to 40 hours on a single charge (mid-volume). The swappable 12.8V, 7.8Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs (Batteryboks - $149 each) now feature a reinforced ABS casing with a 5-step LED battery-life indicator and heavy-duty DC-connector. They recharge fully in only 3.5 hours (they can be charged in place) and feature a complete monitoring and protection system.
With this much improved design, Soundboks promises that users will be able to enjoy the full impact of rave-level sound directly in the comfort of their homes - whether for listening to virtual concerts, live games or re-creating workout classes from home. "The New Soundboks was designed to help listeners 'Break Through the Noise' — to exceed experiential limitations and recreate your own entertainment indoors or outdoors," says Thomsen.
The New Soundboks is available for purchase online for $1,129 plus tax, and there is a “Soundboks” app free to download on any mobile device, allowing full sound customization.
www.soundboks.com
