Over the past few years, we’ve reviewed a number of speakers from BRAVEN. INCIPIO’s acquisition of the brand clearly hasn’t slowed the pace of development. If anything, the exact opposite has happened, and there are a host of new products being rolled out. The BRAVEN 105 is the first of three we’ll be looking at in this review series.
To be honest, the BRAVEN 105 doesn’t look like much. It is a small, round speaker that measures just 3.8” x 3.8” x 1.3” and weighs in at 7oz.
At that size, it’s ideal for taking with you wherever your travels may lead. Moreover, at $49.99 it’s inexpensive enough to take with you on your travels and not be too upset if something happens to it. The thing is… This small speaker is built to withstand pretty much anything you can throw at it and is ready to be securely placed in locations you don’t expect speakers to go.
That toughness begins with an IPX7 Waterproof Rating. This rating means the BRAVEN 105 is certified waterproof and ready for the pool or the beach or, if you like, for rides in the rain. That last use scenario leads to the second aspect of this speaker that makes it one tough customer. You see, what initially seems to be a small, round, simple speaker is actually a speaker that is designed to go with you while securely affixed to almost anything you can think of. This is accomplished by the BRAVEN 105 shipping with a number of mounting options built right into the design.
There’s an integrated elastic strap that is affixed to the speaker on one side and connects back to the speaker after you place the elastic around anything from a handrail to a bike handlebar.
If you want a more secure connection for the sleeper you can use the 1/4” thread mount built into it. That means you can put the speaker on a camera tripod, a monopod or anything else that uses this standard mounting approach.
Finally, the speaker also ships with a GoPro compatible Action Mount accessory. Yes, anything that might accept a GoPro can now be used to keep your tunes in place as you make your way through the world. All of these mounting options comes together to, as BRAVEN puts it, “give you virtually unlimited mounting options.”
The BRAVEN 105 is a palm-sized speaker that blasts with full body sound. This lightweight and durable Bluetooth speaker is completely waterproof, and can be attached to sport accessories, belt loops, handle bars and more using its versatile elastic strap or 1/4 inch thread mount. Part of our highly acclaimed Active Series, the BRAVEN 105 Bluetooth speaker also comes with a versatile Action Mount accessory that can be used as a stand or mount to play tunes your way. While on the go, the internal speakerphone enables hands-free phone calls with noise-canceling technology for background sound. Experience wireless streaming and be amazed by the impressive volume that comes from such a compact speaker with the BRAVEN 105.
The small speaker has specs that will more than satisfy you considering this is a small speaker for under $50. It gets up to 8 hours of streamed music per charge thanks to an 800mAh battery. It offers a standard Bluetooth range of 33 feet and has a 3.5mm stereo input if you prefer a Micro-USB-to-USB data port.
Sealed buttons are large and easy to activate so you can control your music on the go. Inside the speaker is a single driver (what did you expect at this size and price?) and, of course, it has a built-in microphone so you can use it as a speakerphone. The speaker supports A2DP 1.2, HFP 1.6 and HSP 1.2 file formats.
As far as sound goes I would say the BRAVEN 105 delivers pretty much what you might expect. The sound is good but not amazing. It gets loud but won’t blow you away. That’s not a criticism mind you. It simply means that, in the sound department, there aren’t any surprises in either direction. So, if you are looking for a small, inexpensive speaker that is ready to go with you no matter where your journey takes you this is worth a listen. Check it out here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Small; Inexpensive; Waterproof; Multiple ways to mount it on the go; Easy to control; Doubles as a speakerphone
What Needs Improvement: Sounds fine for its sound but will not win any audiophile contests