Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Outdoors
  3. News

Kicker’s new outdoor speakers bring 360 sound and great battery life

By

Kicker Bullfrog speakers
Image used with permission by copyright holder
At last week’s Outdoor Retailer gear convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, car and home audio manufacturer Kicker took the wraps off a pair of new Bluetooth speakers designed specifically for use in the outdoors. The two new devices join the company’s existing Bullfrog BF400 speaker, delivering smaller, more portable versions of that rugged product, while still managing to offer the same level of high-quality sound and impressive performance.

The two new speakers include the BF100 — the smallest in the Bullfrog line — and the BF200, which fits squarely between its two siblings in terms of size and features. Both units are built to be rugged enough to survive in the outdoors, offering plenty of protection from dust, sand, and water. In fact, Kicker says the BF100 can be submerged in up to one meter of water for as long as 30 minutes and still continue to work just fine. The speaker will even float in a pool, lake, or stream, making it easy to retrieve should it fall into the water.

Recommended Videos

Both of the speakers are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that provide 12 hours of playback for the BF100 and up to 20 hours on the BF200. The two models also feature AUX inputs and  USB ports that allow them to double as portable power stations, charging smartphones and other devices in a pinch. Both units also feature four speakers (two drivers and two passive radiators) to provide 360 degrees of sound. On top of that, they can also be wirelessly paired with any other Bullfrog speaker within a 60 foot range to increase performance even further. The BF100 even includes a built-in mic that turns it into a hands-free speakerphone, while the BF200 features an onboard FM radio.

Kicker Bullfrog speakers
Image used with permission by copyright holder

As you would expect with a Bluetooth device these days, pairing a smartphone with either of these speakers is quick and painless. A special Kicker app — available for iOS and Android — allows users to adjust the bass and treble on each speaker, as well as monitor battery life, adjust volume, and more. The app features a five-band equalizer as well, and provides access to the built-in FM radio on the BF200, too.

Related

Here at Digital Trends we’ve managed to get our hands on a BF100 speaker ahead of its official launch in October. After spending some time listening to the device, we’ve come away impressed with its clear sound, solid bass, and great battery life. It is also built incredibly well, making us confident that it will survive in the outdoors. The speaker makes a great addition to Kicker’s Bullfrog lineup and carves out a nice space for itself in the increasingly crowded and competitive portable Bluetooth speaker market.

The BF100 and BF200 will go on sale in October for $200 and $300, respectively.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kraig Becker
Kraig Becker
Contributor
Kraig Becker is a freelance outdoor writer who loves to hike, camp, mountain bike, trail run, paddle, or just about any other…
McIntosh’s House of Sound is a five-story audio Eden in NYC
The main reference listening room of the McIntosh Group House of Sound townhouse.

One of two "Reference" listening rooms with McIntosh Group's $270,000 audio system. Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

If you were standing in front of the skinny townhouse on West 17th Street in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, with its concrete facade dotted with slim, office-like vertical windows, you'd have no idea just by looking at it that behind its towering bronze doors is a five-story wonderland for audiophiles.

Read more
Soundcore’s new Motion speakers are tough little portables with hi-res sound
Anker Soundcore Motion 300 in black.

Anker Soundcore Motion 300. Anker Soundcore

Anker Soundcore has two new portable and rugged Bluetooth speakers that fall under the Motion family of products: the $80 Motion 300 and the $60 Motion 100. The metal-clad speakers come in three color choices and feature support for hi-res audio. They will be available later this fall -- you can buy the Motion 300 on October 9 (black only), with the other two colors coming in November/December. The black version of the Motion 100 will be available in November, with its two other colors coming in early 2024, according to Anker.

Read more
Tivoli Audio’s Model Two Digital speaker abandons terrestrial radio
The Tivoli Audio Model Two Digital in white.

Tivoli Audio's new tabletop radio isn't a radio at all. The Model Two Digital ($449) works with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and has a sleek new design that can be positioned horizontally or vertically. It eliminates the Model One Digital's oversized dial and screen in favor of a much simpler, single knob that does triple duty as the control for power, source selection, and volume. It also lacks an AM or FM tuner, making it the first Tivoli Audio "Model" series tabletop product to lack a terrestrial radio feature. The Model Two Digital is available for preorder starting September 19 and is expected to ship in November.

Tivoli Audio says the Model Two Digital, which is available in three color combos (walnut/gold, white/silver, and black/black), will appeal to the person that loves streaming and isn’t concerned about a traditional FM/AM radio feature because they can access their favorite terrestrial stations via apps like TuneIn. This effectively makes the Model Two Digital a wireless speaker.

Read more