Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsAgonized over finding a replacement for the shower. Great replacement!
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2023
The little Duo Ten shower speaker was a very good friend for several years. It kept me company in the shower and again at my laptop as I worked. Alas, all good friendships can come to an end. All of a sudden, it stopped playing for hours without recharging. Very quickly it degraded to it barely could last through 4 songs. That was more than enough to get through the actual shower as I usually get through in 3. But it was awful lonely the rest of the time in the bathroom as I got ready for the day.
I looked originally to replace this speaker with another one from the same company. To my surprise, it wasn't available through Duo Ten. I could find a couple of identical looking speakers with other brand names on them. I wanted a more long lasting relationship with my shower speaker and new brand names on what looked like the same beloved speaker didn't inspire confidence.
Thus began a rather prolonged search experience while I mourned a rather lean musical experience in the shower. This journey took me through multiple YouTube videos and lots of text based research on the Internet looking for the perfect replacement. There wasn't any such speaker.
Every shower speaker had its detractors who didn't like something, as well as, someone singing its praises. Since I was planning on using this shower speaker in non-critical listening experiences, I did not want to have to take out a 'loan' to purchase it. That wiped out a significant number of the speakers that could be used in the ways I was planning.
I almost purchased a replacement speaker several times since the summer but held back for some reason.
I tend to read Amazon reviews from the 1-star reviews up to the 5-star ones. I want to find out real world issues people were having first, being able to filter out for myself those where someone just had an ax to grind. I find that too often the 5-star reviews are 'glowing' reports why a particular product is 'best thing since sliced bread.'
As I mentioned before, I also read many more technical reviews from other sources. However, those too had their faults as often the reveiws were written in the past and not 2023.
However, I kept coming back to the Cambridge Oontz products and a couple of others. When a sale came up on the OontZ Angle 3 Shower Plus I decided I was driving myself nuts and took a chance on this product.
What do I think about the OontZ Angle 3 Shower Plus speaker? I like it. It wasn't too expensive. It fit right in with how I planned to use it: the shower in the morning and as low volume background music while I worked. I'm happy with the purchase and to be able to stop trying to figure out the perfect purchase.
What I liked:
1) Cambridge has been around for a while and likely to still be there when this speaker decides to hang it up.
2) Oontz's distinctive triangular speakers have been around for years and generally have a good rep.
3) The size is perfect. Standing on end it takes up less space on my shower shelf than the round Duo Ten did.
4) With the passive bass reflector side close to the tile wall, bass in the shower is quite good. It certainly isn't going to cause ripples in a pool of water like the dinosaurs in a certain movie francahise. but it is decent. I don't feel like I'm missing out.
5) Volume can be cranked up significantly in the shower before bass distortion rears its head.
6) It was ridiculously simple to pair this speaker to my phone. Since that is the only way I was planning to use it, it was not a problem that the speaker can only be paired to one device at a time.
7) The key pad controls make logical sense. I never did figure out or remember how to do anything more than raise or lower volume on the Duo Ten. I can easily repeat a track or advance to a different one on the Oontz.
8) It comes with a 3mm jack outlet so that if I get tired of wearing headphones with my laptop (another manufacturer's promise of superior sound from incredibly tiny speakers that was full of fluff), I can jack into it for better sound. I don't plan to pair it with the laptop as this speaker can only pair to one source at a time, and I don't feel like using the 3mm audio patch cord is an unreasonable option.
What might be deal breakers for others:
1) Bass isn't that evident, not bad, just not expensive speaker expectations. Even in normal orientation on a hard surface, you can't expect to have Bose quality. But then why would you purchas a speaker for approximately $30 and expect the rumble of a bigger, more expensive speaker?
2) The key pad controls are not highlighted in another color like more expensive Oontz speakers are. It is really hard to see them as they are the same color as the end caps. They are raised up in the material so eventually I'll learn where the buttons are just like I did on my TVs unlit remote.
3) I don't think you can expect to 'fill' a room with vibrant sound like all the manufacturers suggest. But then that Is why I purchased more expensive speakers and my Echo Studios. It is only a $30 speaker with two 1 1/2 speakers pumping out the sound.
4) It only comes in black. That suits me as all of my tech is black. Black is simple. It may not be chic but it is stylish.
5) You can only pair this speaker to one source at a time meaning you would have to unpair it from to your phone inorder to use it with some other source. But agian it is so simple to pair this speaker, it shouldn't really be a deal breaker. I have some really expensive equipment that allows multiple paired sources that drive me crazy as they don't switch between sources as easily as promised by manufacturers. Simple is sometimes just better.
What features I probably never, ever use:
1) Answering my phone while in the shower. Do I really want anyone to know I'm bare naked in the shower?
2) The app. I keep apps to a bare minimum on my iPhone. Too many experiences where app designers do not keep up to date with changes Apple makes to its iOs. Besides the app seems to not have much in the way of features I would want or need. I did hesitate for a moment when the manual mentions software updates to the software can only take place using the phone app. But then how often is Cambridge going to really update software on a $30 speaker?
3) Linking multiple similar Oontz speakers together. I have never felt the need to link my Echo speakers around the house. My son did and it is disconcerning how hit and miss it is. Sometimes speaking to Alexa in the kitchen gets a response from the living room. Music playing in one room doesn't always play in other rooms when requested. So this is most likely a no, since I primarily want to use this speaker in the shower and as background 'noise' while working.
So is this a good investment? I think so. It is for me. It is small enough for me to carry easily from room to room. The sound is loud enough and good enough for what I need. It didn't cost me 'an arm and a leg' to have music where I want and when I want it. And most importantly, being a recognized brand there is just something comforting that when this speaker dies, another similar one will probably be available.
