This $80 portable speaker delivers great sound for any style of music

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Tribit StormBox Flow now available on Amazon for $79.99.
• This Bluetooth speaker can fill a room with great sound, sync with a second StormBox Flow, and see you through until the last stragglers leave.
• Custom EQ is limited to five bands, but useful enough for adjusting frequency levels.

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I’ve tested and owned so many Bluetooth speakers over the years that it’s hard to remember which ones are my favorites. However, the measure of a good speaker for me starts and ends with the sound. And I’ve heard some pretty good Bluetooth speakers over the years. I wouldn’t describe any of them as audiophile, but that’s not the point of a Bluetooth speaker.

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These devices should allow you to enjoy music, podcasts, or whatever you want to listen to on the go, with ease and at levels that can be appreciated by one person or even a small group. I’ve used Bluetooth speakers for yard work, teaching classes, and when I’m away from my turntable and headphones don’t cut it.

So when Tribit contacted me to test it out StormBox Flow, I was more than happy to accommodate him. When I received the unit, I thought it looked cute, but assumed it wouldn’t be able to produce the sound I prefer. I was right to a certain extent. The StormBox Flow has too much midrange for my liking. But at $79 on Amazon, you can’t expect high-end sound to spill out of such a small device. It’s actually a fantastic little speaker for the price.

See on Amazon

After giving the StormBox Flow plenty of opportunities to impress me, I came away with a different opinion. Although the sound is not rich, spatial and smooth, it can fill a room or a yard. And thanks to the Tribit app, you can customize the sound with a 5-band EQ (although a 10-band EQ would be much better).

The specifications

• 30 hours of battery life (reduced to 24 with Xbass on)
• 62mm driver
• 3 different EQ settings (standard, audiobook and extended bass) can be customized via the Tribit app
• Sync with a second Stormbox Flow for “party mode”
• Bluetooth 5.3 with a range of 100 feet
• USB Type C charging
• IP67 waterproof rating
• Adjustable strap
• Weight – 1.47 lbs
• Dimensions – 8.77 x 4.52 x 2.32 inches
• Input voltage – 3.7 Volts
• Maximum speaker output power – 25 watts
• Charging time – 4 hours for a full charge

my experience

I played Tribit StormBox Flow in my usual playlist and here are my thoughts on each track:

• Analog kid by Rush – It was hard to get rid of the midrange feel, but the bass kept the master (Geddy Lee) going without blurring.
• And a dream about sheep by Kate Bush – How can you not love this song? It felt alive and present from start to finish.
• Adagio for strings by Samuel Barber – this heartbreaking classic did sound a bit mixed on the StormBox Flow, but the sound was acceptable after I tweaked the EQ. It’s my favorite piece of classical music of all time, so I can be a little judgmental.
• Halcyon and more and more by Orbital – One of my top five favorite songs of all time (thanks to the movie Hackers for introducing me to it) sounded vibrant and exciting with just the right amount of punch.
• kingdom by Devin Townsend – This song is hard on the speakers and I’ve heard very few that can handle the punishing bass drum. Overall, the StormBox Flow performed well, but struggled with so much bass. The speaker handled Townsend’s voice pretty well, though.

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For a speaker under $80, the StormBox Flow is more than acceptable in the sound department. What I appreciated about this speaker were the controls. From the speaker, you can pause, skip forward, and go back a track. You can even hold the interactive button (the illuminated circle, see the picture below) for two seconds and then use voice commands.

I had problems when I tried to get the speaker to play a certain song via voice command. I activated a voice command and instructed the StormBox to play Kashmir by Led Zeppelin. Instead of playing from Spotify, Google Assistant (also known as Gemini) searched for the song and the StormBox recited the results. However, this wrong result is on Google and Android, not Tribit.

ZDNET’s buying tips

There are so many Bluetooth speakers on the market and each device offers different features and sound. As for where Tribit StormBox Flow fit, it’s a welcome entry into the midrange, with plenty of sound, customizable (but limited) EQ, easy-to-reach controls and impressive battery life.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker that can play your tunes longer than your phone’s battery can last, the StormBox Flow is a great option. Don’t expect audiophile sound and you won’t be disappointed.