Bluetooth speaker for tractor - recommendations?

[DFB]

Man I don't how Ryobi does it

You can get a blue tooth compatible radio for $39 and a whole kit (charger/battery) for like $10 more

Just about half the price of the smallest radio's Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch or Makita have and even less than most stand alone speakers.

Milwaukee's blue tooth radio setup is expensive, close to $200 but is also a charger unit and is really big too! Bosch, and Dewalt and have similar setups and prices on radio/chargers. I don't know if Makita has a charger combo?? and think with the Dewalt stuff you need to buy a separate blue tooth adapter? (they sell their own unit).

Most radios are sold as just bare tool options if bought separate from a package deal so usually come without batteries and chargers. So if you don't already have what you need from a certain manufacturer that would add considerably to the price


I did see a Porter Cable unit with Blue tooth on Amazon for less than $100 (just a bare tool unit)

 

[Steppenwolfe]

The UE speakers are generally very good. I have a UE Boom - rainproof not fully waterproof. The Boom 2 is waterproof as is the UE Roll which is cheaper. These are portable but can charge and run off a USB 12v car adapter so easy to use on tractor. I use in the shop or on the dock as well.

Ditto from me on the UE Boom. These are great little speakers, last about 50 hours on a charge and sound phenomenal.

 

[jenkinsph]

Man I don't how Ryobi does it

You can get a blue tooth compatible radio for $39 and a whole kit (charger/battery) for like $10 more

Just about half the price of the smallest radio's Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch or Makita have and even less than most stand alone speakers.

Milwaukee's blue tooth radio setup is expensive, close to $200 but is also a charger unit and is really big too! Bosch, and Dewalt and have similar setups and prices on radio/chargers. I don't know if Makita has a charger combo?? and think with the Dewalt stuff you need to buy a separate blue tooth adapter? (they sell their own unit).

Most radios are sold as just bare tool options if bought separate from a package deal so usually come without batteries and chargers. So if you don't already have what you need from a certain manufacturer that would add considerably to the price


I did see a Porter Cable unit with Blue tooth on Amazon for less than $100 (just a bare tool unit)

I have purchased Porter Cable, Milwaukee and DeWalt cordless tool combos in the past and paid more for them than the Ryobi combos. While I still prefer the Porter cable and Milwaukee corded tools I haven't experienced that their cordless tools are any better than the Ryobi. All of these manufacturers make the tools obsolete when you can not purchase new batteries for them.

I personally have no use for any cheap radios, used to be a broadcast engineer and had to constantly listen to them. Now I don't have to. I still like high end sound but don't spend much time with it either.

 

[DFB]

So looking online I see one of the neat features the Bosch 120 has slots to hang the radio on couple of screws or on a nail.

The little Milwaukee radio could use that feature. The kids at work were always setting my radio in a precarious position trying to get best reception. I know there tough but still why risk it.

I love this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qidoRFxfc5Y



Adding a Bluetooth adapter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CT6fYoyA50

Bosch Job site radios

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTf942D9uPw

Milwaukee Bluetooth radio...man is that thing big! And really doesn't interest me at all. Probably the only way I would have that is if it came in free in a promotional offer or I won one in a contest. They do give them away a lot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX9UYtN7jmM

Milwaukee just recently released their latest 18 volt radio the 2890-20 which is pretty much a no frills worksite radio kind of like a larger version of the 2590 and is replacing the older 2790-20

Still big!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6rMaP4ETtQ

 

[DFB]

Ok I'm bringing this thread back around. It did get a little sidetracked with talk of jobsite radios vs just a stand alone blue tooth speaker unit.

I have been searching alternative blue tooth compatible speakers besides the Milwaukee unit with a ruggedness compatible for the worksite and other outdoor usage. Obviously if your not supporting the Milwaukee M12 tool platform already is may be cost prohibitive to acquire a battery and charger on top of the unit purchase itself. Or maybe just don't like Red tools

So this one looks pretty cool Amazon.com: aLLreLi Rockman-L 10W Portable Stereo Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker [8 Hour Playtime] w/ Strap for Cycling, Camping & Shower (Army Green): Electronics

And beside all the green rubberized body protection and water resistant rating it also has a threaded insert in the body to mount on a bracket so for maybe a fender or the dash or even on a roll bar.


There are a few different speakers out there that are very similar to each other and this link shows just two models. The larger unit has a 2amp battery with twin drivers for a total of 10 watts. The smaller one is 1.5ah and 5 watt. A side note... the small speaker is advertised at about $10 less than other very similar units so those would be the same price as the bigger model here. :confused3:

The one main thing with Amazon is sorting out the reviews, Seems that many of the positive speaker reviews are from those who have received the product gratis from the selling company. Because so many look very similar and just have a different brand names they all probably come from the same manufacturer, but that said some of the videos look pretty good and check out the water test

Amazon.com: aLLreLi Rockman-L 10W Portable Stereo Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker [8 Hour Playtime] w/ Strap for Cycling, Camping & Shower (Army Green): Electronics

I just may have to be a guinea pig on this one!

 

[Clipse3GT]

These ones looks pretty promising. Easy to mount in Cab / Rops. Not expensive and good reviews. Weatherproof designed to be used on outdoor power vehicles.

BOSS BT SPEAKERS

 

[newbury]

Ok I'm bringing this thread back around. It did get a little sidetracked with talk of jobsite radios vs just a stand alone blue tooth speaker unit.

I have been searching alternative blue tooth compatible speakers besides the Milwaukee unit with a ruggedness compatible for the worksite and other outdoor usage. Obviously if your not supporting the Milwaukee M12 tool platform already is may be cost prohibitive to acquire a battery and charger on top of the unit purchase itself. Or maybe just don't like Red tools

So this one looks pretty cool Amazon.com: aLLreLi Rockman-L 10W Portable Stereo Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker [8 Hour Playtime] w/ Strap for Cycling, Camping & Shower (Army Green): Electronics

And beside all the green rubberized body protection and water resistant rating it also has a threaded insert in the body to mount on a bracket so for maybe a fender or the dash or even on a roll bar.


There are a few different speakers out there that are very similar to each other and this link shows just two models. The larger unit has a 2amp battery with twin drivers for a total of 10 watts. The smaller one is 1.5ah and 5 watt. A side note... the small speaker is advertised at about $10 less than other very similar units so those would be the same price as the bigger model here. :confused3:

The one main thing with Amazon is sorting out the reviews, Seems that many of the positive speaker reviews are from those who have received the product gratis from the selling company. Because so many look very similar and just have a different brand names they all probably come from the same manufacturer, but that said some of the videos look pretty good and check out the water test

Amazon.com: aLLreLi Rockman-L 10W Portable Stereo Bluetooth 4.0 Speaker [8 Hour Playtime] w/ Strap for Cycling, Camping & Shower (Army Green): Electronics

I just may have to be a guinea pig on this one!

Thanks for the research DFB. Now how does one get on the free tester list?

 

[RPK]

Another way to go may be with a Bose Sound-Link. $199.00 Very small. Sounds excellent. Not designed for outdoor (wet) use but would have many other uses for portable music. I have one and use it all the time

 

[JimRB]

Here is a review of 5 speakers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw1rpaskz3c and a review of another speaker Review: Scosche BoomBottle bike-mounted Bluetooth speaker

I hear people riding around with these on their bicycles. I hear voices and songs in my head without electronics so I have not tried to find any such gadgets. ;-) I also do not have a phone loaded up with MP3s. Pandora or Iheart Radio would not work well on country roads where it is lucky to have cell signals, much less internet. Even the quantity of AM and FM can be few and far between on some of my rides.

 

[DFB]

So still poking around and looking at different outdoor BT speakers.

Just few dollars more than the Allreli Rockman but also with an insertable SD card feature is this Arespark. The same general type of armored protection and switches but doesn't have a 1/4-20 thread insert for any rigid type of mounting. Watched a couple videos where at higher volume levels it would easily vibrate enough to jump around on the surface it was sitting on

And again the same unit looks like can be found under a few different names out there on Amazon and YouTube.


Since a UE Boom is a very popular speaker this is an interesting video review because it has a side by side comparision with them both.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haoJizU0AIY



I have a Logitech Z205 laptop speaker a PITA, has corded USB power and always falls off every laptop I use it on. I will admit that one has been officially shock test approved my me :laughing:


Wow I paid $17 new for one back in 2012 I wouldn't ever consider getting another one now.

Amazon.com: Logitech Z205 Portable Computer Speaker - Black: Electronics

Overall I have liked the sound performance of that Logitech as a personal speaker so if any of these outdoor BT speakers sound similar and louder to that I could be happy.

Battery charging seems to take several hours for most of these with built in batteries. That is one performance standpoint point of having a unit with a removable battery like the Milwaukee BT speaker. Charge time is usually only 1/2 hr with 1.5 amp battery and about 15 min. longer with the 2.0 And it is simple enough to swap them out for uninterrupted use if you have more than one around.