Skip to main content

Braven’s new BRV-X is part portable speaker, part roadie

bravens new brv x speaker wants roadie moab brvx front v1 edit
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Check out our review of the Braven BRV-X speaker.

Braven has built its sterling reputation in the portable speaker community with constant innovation, elegant-yet-sturdy design, and above all, excellent sound. That winning combination appears to have been utilized to its full potential in Braven’s latest creation, the rugged and extremely versatile Braven BRV-X Bluetooth speaker.

Conjuring images of dirt bike back flips and cases of Red Bull, the new BRV-X is designed to be the ultimate outdoor audio companion. Taking the lead from its rough-and-tumble little brother, the BRV-1, the larger and more powerful X is cloaked in IPX5-rated armor to resist the elements, and its 5200mAh battery also serves as a handy power station on your adventures, able to charge mobile devices, as well as larger gear such as an iPad, goPro, or digital camera.

As for its audio performance, the BRV-X promises powerful, high definition sound, and also boasts some cool innovations such as an on-board switch to adjust for indoor or outdoor environments. The speaker is also outfitted with Braven’s TrueWireless tech, which allows the speaker to be paired with a companion BRV-X for true stereo separation.

Other features for the speaker include a claimed 12-hour battery life, a noise-canceling speakerphone, ‘custom HD drivers’ with an omnidirectional passive radiator, and a heavy-duty strap to keep you hands-free as you wander the wild.

Of course, all of that weather-guarded versatility doesn’t come cheap. The Braven BRV-X is priced at a cool $230, so it will have to rock out some heavy performance to make it worth your while. Still, if you’re looking for a piece of stalwart gear that will keep the tunes pumping no matter where you roam, Braven’s latest creation should deliver.

We haven’t gotten a chance to hear the BRV-X for ourselves yet, but we’ll have our hands on one soon, so check back with us for a full review. If you can’t wait till then, you can pick up a BRV-X for yourself now.

Editors' Recommendations

Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
Pantheone’s Obsidian smart speaker puts Alexa in a sharp new body
Pantheone Obsidian in white being held by a woman.

Looking for a smart speaker that doesn't look like a smart speaker? Look no further than Pantheone Audio's Obsidian. The Australian company is no stranger to creating speakers that double as works of art. Its debut product, the $2,750 Pantheone I would look at home in a gallery, and the $1,399 Obsidian makes a similar statement, only on a smaller, portable scale.

For its smarts, the Obsidian (which comes in black or white) leans on Amazon Alexa, but it's also a well-featured wireless multiroom speaker that can connect via Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, or Bluetooth, plus it has a 3.5mm analog audio input for sources like turntables. In addition to an on/off switch, there are illuminated front touch controls for Alexa, playback, and volume.

Read more
Bluetooth on Sonos’ new Era speakers isn’t what you think – it’s better
Sonos Era 300 close-up of Bluetooth button.

When Sonos recently debuted its two newest wireless speakers -- the Era 100 and Era 300 -- it broke with years of precedence by adding Bluetooth, a connection option that has never been offered on the company’s non-portable speakers. At the time, I thought Bluetooth on an Era speaker worked the same way as it does on the Sonos Move. I was wrong.

It turns out, the Era speakers use Bluetooth in tandem with their Wi-Fi connections, as opposed to the Move, which treats Bluetooth as a completely separate mode. That has some profound implications for what you can do with one of the new Era speakers within a Sonos system, as well as a few caveats about what you can’t do.

Read more
LG’s new XBoom XL7 and XL5 speakers offer a portable sound and light show
The LG XBoom X7.

When you think of booming Bluetooth speakers, LG isn't the first brand to come to mind. But today the Korean electronics giant is hoping to get your attention, announcing the latest in their line of XBoom speakers, the XL5 and XL7. At 200- and 250 watts respectively, LG's massive portable party machines are emblazoned with customizable LEDs and feature karaoke functions, IPX4 water resistance, and more.

 

Read more