Remember when we used to carry around bulky boomboxes or had to bear with subpar sound from mobile devices? Those days are a distant memory now thanks to the vast ocean of portable Bluetooth speakers that have flooded the market in recent years.

One company that’s been trying hard to establish itself as a dominant force in this market is Tribit. You’d be forgiven if the name doesn’t immediately ring a bell — Tribit isn’t exactly a household name like Bose or JBL.

But that could change soon because the Tribit StormBox Pro portable speaker offers a combination of impressive sound quality and enviable battery life in a package that’s as robust as it is portable.

Design & Build Quality

The Tribit StormBox Pro is about the size of a large Nalgene water bottle, making it quite compact yet substantial. Available only in a sleek black color, the speaker is wrapped in a fabric layer all around. Even though the color choice might be limited, the versatility of black never goes out of style and seamlessly integrates with any decor.

At the top of the speaker is a nifty silicon handle that adds significant convenience, making moving the almost 1 kg heavy device around a breeze. You can even use the handle to hang the speaker on a hook if you’re looking to save space or position it in a particular area.

The top part of the Tribit StormBox Pro is home to three large buttons — volume up, volume down, and a multi-function button sandwiched between them. Below them are three additional buttons: a Bluetooth pairing button, the power button, and the XBass button. This last one, the XBass button, gives you the option to crank up the bass and really feel your music if you’re in the mood. Finally, a row of five small LED indicator lights keeps you informed about the battery power left.

Sporting an IP67 rating, this speaker can handle being submerged in water up to a meter for about 30 minutes. But even if it does take an unintended dive into your pool, you don’t need to mount a rescue mission. It floats! The StormBox Pro won’t be taking a trip to the bottom of any water body any time soon.

Sound Quality

Equipped with two 1.6-inch tweeters and a down-firing 3.1-inch speaker, this petite powerhouse delivers a maximum output of 40 watts — plenty to fill even a larger room with music. Do you want even more power? Then you can connect two Tribit StormBox Pro portable speakers together to form a pair.

But what about the actual sound? After all, that’s what matters the most. Well, the StormBox Pro delivers in spades here — not in small part thanks to its use of Bluetooth 5.0 and support for SBC and AptX Bluetooth codecs, which ensure ultra-low latency while minimizing compression-related distortion.

The 360-degree sound coming from the StormBox Pro is well-balanced, but it’s not perfect. You might encounter some distortion at top volumes, and you might also find its bass response to be somewhat tame. Fortunately, there’s the XBass button we’ve already mentioned, and it can deliver a punchier listening experience with a single press. The lack of user-adjustable EQ settings might be a letdown for some, but you can always adjust the volume of different frequency bands on your phone.

The StormBox Pro also has the ability to pair with up to eight devices simultaneously. And here’s the real kicker — it can stay connected to two devices at the same time! Though you can only play music from one of these devices at any given moment, this multi-point Bluetooth pairing allows you to effortlessly switch between your chosen devices.

The speaker also includes a built-in microphone, opening up the option to use it as a speakerphone. Don’t expect the microphone to be outstanding, but it’s more than capable of handling your average calls, which is a decent add-on feature considering this is primarily an audio playback device.

Battery Life

In a world where our gadgets are our lifelines, we’ve all felt the anxiety of a dying battery. That’s why it’s refreshing to come across a device that takes battery life seriously. Indeed, the Tribit StormBox Pro is just such a device. It houses a monster 10,000 mAh battery (technically two 5,000 mAh batteries), guaranteeing you up to 20 hours of rocking out to your favorite tunes.

This is no small feat for a portable speaker. Whether you’re planning a day at the beach, a backyard barbecue, or an all-night gaming session, the StormBox Pro won’t call it quits before you do. Just don’t forget to charge the device the night before because it takes up to 7 hours to refill the juice via a USB Type-C charging port.

There’s also a full-sized USB connector that enables the speaker to double up as a powerbank. What that means is that you can use the Tribit StormBox Pro to give your other devices a quick power boost. This feature is especially handy during long outdoor trips or power outages when access to an electrical outlet is limited.

Specifications

Verdict

The Tribit StormBox Pro emerges as a compelling entry in the crowded portable Bluetooth speaker market. Its robust sound quality, exceptional battery life, and versatile feature set make it a standout competitor. Although its absence of EQ settings and prolonged charging time might turn off some potential users, these drawbacks are more than compensated by its strengths.

If you’re looking for a dependable Bluetooth speaker that combines impressive audio performance with practical features, the Tribit StormBox Pro deserves a spot on your shortlist.