GADGET GIZMO SPECIAL...... SOUNDS OF THE MONSOON

GADGET GIZMO ... SOUNDS OF THE MONSOON

These waterproof portable speakers and earphones will keep the music going, come rain or shine

BLUETOOTH SPEAKERS

UE Boom 2 Rs 15,990

The UE Boom 2 is extremely well designed, with a high-bass 360 degree sound profile, which means it can throw sound all around it.The speaker is IPX7 certified, so it can withstand even being immersed in water for up to 30 minutes. Sporting two 45mm active drivers for music and two 45x80mm passive radiators just to drive the bass, this one does certainly bring the boom, and for about 15 hours on a single charge.

JBL Xtreme Rs 24,990

While it is a little big for a portable Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Xtreme (pictured above) packs in two massive 63mm bass woofers and two 35mm tweeters. The battery is also a whopping 10,000 mAh battery, which you can also charge your smartphone with. This JBL is splash proof and can be washed with water. However, it cannot be immersed in water, like the UE Boom 2.

Bose Soundlink Revolve+ Rs 19,999 and Rs 24,500

This water-resistant and shockproof speaker from the house of Bose looks premium and minimal, with 360-degree sound that radiates outwards or can reflect against a wall for added oomph. It comes in two flavours: a smaller size, and a larger plus variant with a nifty handle for added portability. The Soundlink Revolve has a battery life of up to 16 hours and even supports Siri and Google Assistant voice commands.

Sony XB10 Rs 4,990

If you are on the lookout for something smaller, Sony's XB10 is right up your alley. With an IPX5 rating, you can hang it off your bag or cycle handle and put on your favourite beats. This little fellow can produce some hefty bass, with a 46mm driver and can play music for a whopping 16 hours. If you get two of them, you can connect them together to function as stereo speakers for your desk. The XB10 supports both Bluetooth and NFC pairing.

BLUETOOTH EARPHONES

TaoTronics TT-BH09 Rs 2,290

This is a relatively new entrant into the Indian market, but it's quite a hot seller abroad. The TT-BH09 is well designed, with metal housings that magnetically attach to each other around your neck. The sound is bassy and powerful, with aptX support for better music clarity. It's sweat and water-resistant, perfect for the gym and daily rainy commutes.

Altec Lansing Life Jacket 2 Rs 14,000

With an IP67 rating, this speaker can be dunked in water for extended periods of time, which would be hard to do because it's designed to float. It's also shock, sand and snow-proof. While it may not have the musical chops of some of the other speakers in this list, it is the Arnold of speakers. So if you're looking for more brawn and less finesse, The Life Jacket 2 is it, and there's a smaller, cheaper variant too.

Motorola VerveOne+ Rs 17,999

If you're looking for something completely wireless ­ similar to the Apple Airpods ­ Motorola's VerveOne+ is pricey, but worth it with IP57 rating, which means it's waterproof. In case you drop it somewhere, you can track it using your phone. It's got a great deep sound, dual mics for calling, and it comes in a nifty charging dock.

Bose SoundSport Rs 13,275

When it comes to sound products, Bose does bring pedigree to the table. The SoundSport is incredible and punchy, and the earpieces, while fairly chunky, fit like a dream. They support both Bluetooth and NFC pairing, and they are water and sweat-resistant, so there's no problem in getting them wet in the rain.

Plantronics BackBeat Fit Rs 2,290

With an IP57 rating, the Backbeat Fit from Plantronics can handle much more than a heavy shower. The sporty good looks and a rugged thick wire complement the Fit's comfortable behind-theear design. All of this at a reasonable price, without compromising on sound quality.

Jaybird X2 Rs 17,999

Jaybird is known for its sports wireless earphones, and the X2 is impressively designed, with some eclectic colour combinations. It delivers a fantastic sound signature that packs in really good bass, while balancing off everything else with great noise isolation. And it's waterproof. While its successor, the X3, is out, we would suggest sticking to the X2 because of the convenient micro-USB charging port.

Christopher D'souza | MM10JUL17