Gigabeat Review Score
9.2 out of 10
Sonictrek’s Go XL performs well above competitors in the same price range. Featuring a rugged waterproof design paired with loud, punchy drivers the Go XL is a hit both indoors and at the beach. At a sub-$100 price, it’s a no brainer.
Gigabeat provides unbiased editorial style product reviews to help you make a more informed purchase decision. When you buy from links featured on our site, we may earn a commission.
- $99.99 AUD at Mifo.com.au
Sonictrek have created an outstanding waterproof Bluetooth speaker that is genuinely fun to use. It sounds great, is well made, comes in fun colours, and won’t break the bank. What more can you want?
Sonictrek claim to go where other Bluetooth speakers can’t. To this we say: Challenge accepted. We reviewed their flagship speaker the Go XL in a variety of conditions over the course of a week, opting for the appropriate Green Camo and Beatbox Red colours from Mifo, an Australian electronics shop.
Where to purchase the Sonictrek Go XL
The Go XL ships in modest and minimal packaging, and comes with a USB-C charging cable as well as an instruction manual. Not that a manual is needed, because the speaker offers basic functions. And that’s what Sonitrek seem to be best at, delivering a ton of value and avoiding distracting features you may not need.
Pairing the Sonitrek Go XL speaker is simple and works as expected. Turn on by pressing the power button, and connect with your desired Bluetooth device. Voice prompts are in a pleasant Aussie voice, which I appreciate being one myself.
Even in outdoor conditions, the sound quality is excellent. Highs and mids are clear and free of distortion, while bass is deep and rich. Listening indoors sounds equally good, with clear sound even at higher volumes. One note: When listening to audio books or podcasts, deeper voices can sound a bit washed out due to bass effect.
The battery life is consistent with other Bluetooth speakers of similar size and shape from brands like JBL and Ultimate Ears. In our testing we got about 8 hours of use at a low to mid volume range. Cranking it up to the max reduced battery life to 6 hours, which is somewhat disappointing, if not expected given the volume level.
When party mode is enabled, two speakers sync up for double the output. It’s a fun feature that works by pressing the pairing button on both speakers. You can crank up the dual speaker volume to raucous levels for larger gatherings.
Waterproofing is excellent, and the Go XL was able to handle just about anything we could throw at it including tossing it into the ocean.
The speaker can be controlled remotely with a connected device, but also features large easy to press buttons that feel rugged and durable. The plus and minus sigs adjust volume, and the other smaller buttons provide pairing, pause, and power.
Overall, the Sonictrek Go XL performs admirably with a few very minor opportunities for improvement. Given the price, it’s an excellent value and one we can wholeheartedly endorse.
What others say:
We provide trusted source links to better help our readers make a decision. Gigabeat is not responsible for review content posted on third party websites. When you click a link from Gigabeat and buy a product, we may receive commission.
