Anker Soundcore Icon Outdoor Bluetooth Loudspeaker for $49.99

The Anker Soundcore Icon is a quite new Bluetooth speaker from the Chinese manufacturer. With IP67 certification, shock resistance, mounting strap and stereo pairing, the loudspeaker is aimed primarily at travelers and holidaymakers. Is the steep surcharge compared to the Tribit XSound Go worth it?

• Anker Soundcore Icon
  • at Amazon for $49.99

Technical data

Scope of delivery

The Anker Soundcore Icon Bluetooth loudspeaker has arrived in a stylish, high-quality packaging. In the meantime, Anker has become so professional that the loudspeaker would no longer attract much attention among other models in electronics stores. The label on the packaging has even been perfectly translated into English.

Inside the packaging you will find the operating instructions, an illustrated Quick-Start Guide, Micro-USB charging cable and of course the speaker itself.

Design and workmanship

The Soundcore Icon is available in three colours, classic black, orange and a kind of camouflage pattern. The speaker measures 182 x 61 x 62 mm and weighs 349 g, perfect for travelling!

The front and back of the loudspeaker are covered with a textile fabric, the Anker Soundcore Icon is covered all around with a plastic, under which the control buttons are located. With IP67 certification, the speaker is not only waterproof like the Tribit XSound Go, but also completely protected against the ingress of foreign objects such as dust or sand. An advantage, for example, during a beach holiday.

While the Tribit XSound Go has a symmetrical shape, the Anker Soundcore Icon has a slightly asymmetrical shape. The loudspeaker is slightly more pointed on one side than on the other. The wider side is equipped with a striking, large rubber loop with which the speaker can be attached to a backpack, bicycle or similar.

All in all I like the Anker Soundcore Icon optically. It’s simple, without any bells and whistles and with IP67 and rubber loop it’s functional. The workmanship as well as the used materials are without defects and on an absolutely professional level – there is nothing to complain about.

Sound of the Anker Soundcore Icon

The Anker Soundcore Icon is equipped with a 10 Watt loudspeaker on the front and a passive radiator on the back. In the test I liked the sound of the Anker Soundcore Icon, especially the high music volume of the small speaker. The Soundcore Icon can be used for relatively large areas, whereby the loudspeaker does not tend to overdrive – very good!

In the tweeter and midrange range, the performance of the Bluetooth speaker is absolutely solid. The highs are clear and there is a nice relation to the midrange.

In the bass range, however, it is somewhat less powerful than the Tribit XSound Go, which in my opinion produces the more beautiful, fuller sound.

Bluetooth range and ports

The Anker Soundcore Icon is equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5 standard. The Bluetooth range should remain stable at a distance of 20 metres. In practice, it’s even a few meters more in open space.

I was particularly impressed by the Bluetooth range in closed rooms. Compared to most Bluetooth speakers, the connection here is more stable when obstacles get in the way. But even here, depending on the type of obstacle, the Bluetooth range drops rapidly, but you don’t have any problems within a room.

Operation

On the top of the Bluetooth speaker there are a total of five control buttons. Some of them have double functions.

Functions of the buttons

To pair two Soundcore icons as a stereo pair, press the Bluetooth button on both speakers simultaneously for three seconds. Unfortunately, we couldn’t try that, because we only have one speaker here.

Battery

With a 2600 mAh battery, the battery capacity is much smaller compared to the Tribit XSound Go. This is also reflected in the battery life. While the Tribit XSound Go – depending on type and music volume – lasted about 22 hours in the test, the Anker Soundcore Icon is already finished after about 12 hours.

Considering the outdoor qualities of the icon, I would have liked a longer battery life. So you have to reach for the power bank much faster if you are on the road for several days.

Testing for IP67 protection

In the test we put the Anker Soundcore Icon into a water bath for about 30 minutes, which it survived completely undamaged. Due to the unsinkability of the loudspeaker, it floats lively on the water surface and is never completely under water without external influence.

Conclusion

The Anker Soundcore Icon is a good alternative to the Tribit XSound Go. It offers several advantages, such as complete protection against dust and sand as well as protection against water. The XSound Go, on the other hand, is only protected against the penetration of water.

In addition, the Anker Soundcore Icon has a better and more stable Bluetooth connection, thanks to the latest Bluetooth 5 standard. Overall, the icon looks even better prepared for outdoor use and in my opinion should be less susceptible to fall damage.

On the other hand, the Anker Soundcore Icon costs a lot of money for a Bluetooth speaker of this size and sound performance. Here you have to consider what is more important to you personally. The outdoor suitability of the Soundcore Icon, or the sound quality and better battery life of the Tribit XSound Go.