Bright Idea...
We've said it before, and we will keep on saying it... we love stuff that performs more than one task. It's probably the reason we love reviewing camping and outdoors-y products, as they usually tend to fulfil more than one role to save on size and increase their functionality. That's why we were happy to give the Lava Brights Sounds 2 a go, as this is a Bluetooth speaker with a built-in light. Let's check it out.
From the outside this thing looks quite like any medium-sized Bluetooth speaker that has been designed to cart around. There is a metal 360 degree grill, a leather carry handle, and controls on top. However, the bottom two-thirds is a tough, frosted plastic structure which acts as both base for the speaker to sit on, and a light. Tap one of those control buttons and the light will glow.
Charged via USB, the Lava Brights Sounds 2 will supply up to 36 hours of playback time - very impressive considering the small size and (relatively) cheap price. Hooking up a phone via Bluetooth was a simple affair, with the speaker boasting an effective range of around 100 feet. After that, you can stream your music quite happily, and everything sounds... well, pretty good... thanks to the five watt output.
Yeah, pretty good, but not fantastic. We found the quality of musical reproduction of the Bright Sounds 2 to be certainly room-filling, but not overpowering. If you're using it for an intimate gathering, such as a camping trip where you've all gathered around the admittedly flattering light, it's fine. If you were hoping to blast your pool party guests into submission... maybe not.
Still, as well as lighting your way and keeping you entertained, the Lava Brights Sounds 2 will also juice up your phone. The rechargeable battery can also be accessed via a full-sized USB port, meaning you can charge your mobile devices - even the phone from which you are streaming your music. It's a nice extra touch, and one that goes a long way to making it even more useful in a camping/outdoor party setting.
So, although the light isn't all that powerful, and the quality of sound isn't much to write home about, if you're wanting something portable (and waterproof, mind) to solve a few issues in one, we heartily recommend it.
£39.99
Available from www.amazon.co.uk
