Isthe newthe most rugged Bluetooth speaker ever made? Almost certainly. The one with the biggest sound? Ditto. The coolest looking? I think so. While it’sthe Pelican Case housing that makes all those things possible, you’ll also find clever details inside. Let’s take a look.
What Is It?
The 5.5-pound $399Demerboxis a basketball-size Pelican 1300 Case with three big holes cut into it up front, two of which hold speakers. The other holeisa basstube—pump the volume and you can feel air being pushed outby the speakers, delivering more robust sound. Inside there’s a 2,600 mAh lithium ion battery and a custom-made circuit board that delivers 20 watts to each speaker. And that’s it.
It’s simple and totally dialed, thanks to the high-quality components. Thecase is crush-proof, waterproof, and stands up to any weatherthrownat it.Plus, it floats, just in case it does end up in the lake. The three-inch aluminum cone speakers, protectedby strong plastic grills, paired withrubber gaskets keep the box 100 percent waterproof, while still pumping out great sound.
Inside, the circuit board delivers good-quality audio and lots of volume (this thing gets incredibly loud), very efficiently. That means it makes the most out of itsrelatively small battery, delivering a, even in near-freezing conditions.
Who Is It For?
TheDemerboxwas created to bring high-quality audio outside. Its inventor,, used to workas a sound mixer for shows like “Survivor” and Vice News’ documentaries. While on set in Barrow, Alaska, he found himself needinga goodsound system that wouldn’t get beat up in transit or in inclement weather. So hedrilled holes into a Pelican Case andmounted the speakers intothem. His ideaforeasily portable, high-quality speakers caught on, and in 2014, Demer raised over $80,000 onto mass produce the device.
News spread fast. Earlier this year, Demergot a call from Zac Brown. Thecountrymusician hadtaken aDemerboxon an eight-day spearfishing trip with his family and was so impressedthat he called Demer and asked to buy the company. Twomonths ago, they finalized the acquisition.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=r3v6IoubFuY
Now, you’re not going to carry this bigspeaker far into the woods. Butbecause of its durability, you can chuck it in your trunk orluggage, then take it just about anywhere else. You can even stuff the Pelican Case with other gear, like extra clothes or a camera, to save on space.
Design
Pelican Cases are knownfor their strength, reliability, and longevity. They’re also made in the U.S., which appeals to Demer, who makes his speakers in Maine.
Inside, there’s a charge port running to a standard110Vplug, a USB port for charging your phone while you play music (itdoesn’t play music), and a standard headphone jack for plugging in non-Bluetooth music players, or when you want to save battery. So I don’t lose them, I carry the charging and speaker cables inside the box, then run them through the bass tube when I want to plug them into an outlet. During audio playback, you get a hairsuperior quality by keeping those cables out of the box.
Using It
I’ve been dragging theDemerboxto cabins, tents, and on 4×4 trips all summer, and it’s even become my go-to sound system for weekend barbeques on the porch.
Aside from looking cool, the first thing Inoticed is how the speaker’ssound fills a room or campsite. Idon’t need to stand directly in front of the speaker to hear it at its best.It also sounds much deeper and richer than other portable speakers I’ve used. In fact, it sounds about as good as my Sonossystem at home.
I’ve used theDemerboxon severalfive-day tripsand have yet to fully deplete its battery. It’s ridden loose in the back of a pickup while off-roading, been chewed on by a puppy, and been forgotten outside during a rainstorm. Throughout a summer of abuse, it has yet to show any significant signs of wear. No dust and no water have gotten inside. No sand hasstuck in the speakers or the ports. Protected inside the case, Bowie has yet to bite through any of the cables.
Likes
- No cheesy audio intro. TheDemerboxturns on and off with a push of its only switch—that’s it.
- No complicated paring routine. Just find “Demerbox” on your phone’s list of devices and play music.
- Amazing, robust sound that fills the area, outside or inside.
- The case isn’t just there to look cool, or provide protection. Demer calculated the size to serve as the ideal bass response cabinet—the Pelican Case actually makes the sound better.
- Extremely long battery life.
- Near-indestructible.
- Looks like a professionaltool.
- Made in the U.S.A.
Dislikes
- Must remember to disconnect one phone’s Bluetooth pair before connecting another.
- Installing bass tube plug to achieve full waterproofness dulls sound.
Should You Buy One?
The Bose Soundlink delivers similar sound quality for $100 less, but it isn’t as rugged and has only an eight-hour runtime. Smaller, more portable options like theorare much more portable, retail for well under $100, and still deliver an element of water resistance and protection from small drops, alongside acceptable sound.
But if you need a near-indestructible speaker with professional-grade audio reproduction, there is no better option than theDemerbox.