The competition out there right now for portable speakers is getting ridiculous. It’s seems that everyone is having a crack at making them, so we decided to grab one for ourselves that had been recommended and put it to the test.
Hooking it up straight out of the box was a cinch. The box was already pre-powered and all you need to do is switch on your Bluetooth, sink it up with the speaker and press play. It’s that easy. The first tune that was played into this was Dead Prez’s ‘Hip Hop‘ purely to see if the bass cut it – the reaction was a big smile.
The bottom end cuts through really well due to a sub-woofer with an enhanced bass-reflex system. I’m sick of hearing amazing music productions on awful, tinny speakers so this was a nice surprise. This also comes in handy if you are watching a movie on your laptop and using the Switch as a speaker as sound quality is far superior. It also coped well on the move.
I took this Native Union Switch Speaker to the beaches of Sardinia for 2 weeks where she sat in 39’C sunshine on sharp rocks daily. The Switch is built out of soft rubber and doesn’t retain heat so it coped perfectly. The rubber also acts as a nice cushion if she falls over too. I wouldn’t suggest throwing it around but it comes in handy when you are on the move. I had it strapped to my bike with my phone in my pocket, no wires, no hassle, just good times.
Native Union have a history of making phone devices so this is also set up as a speakerphone. Don’t lend it to your flatmate, forget it’s switched on and then start having a conversation in another room on your phone – your privacy will go out of the window.
The volume is pretty high for such a small box and controlled by your phone, (or music device) so the rubber volume controller doesn’t go higher your music player setting. There’s also neat sound to let you know the battery is getting low too, and instead of just switching itself off, the device gives you more warnings than you really need before conking out. Overall I found I still had juice left after a full day outside playing tunes as it can charge up to 14 hrs of use. Another small touch is that the Switch acts as a big battery allowing you to plug your phone into it to charge if needed. That can be an absolute lifesaver. Just don’t forget to turn it off.
Overall the Switch should be every skateboarder’s must-have on the road. It’s light, packs a punch, will save you in need, and fuel the party with ease. For approx’ £120, this is money well spent.
Those who grew up wearing Stussy with pride will appreciate this archived BBC documentary on the brand that took surf and skate by storm and spread like wildfire. Still out there and still one of the best.
‘French’ Fred Mortagne has unleashed more archived footage from the making of Flip’s ‘Sorry’. This episode sees the infamous Santa Monica Triple Set get sessioned by Rowley, Salabanzi and Arto Saari.
