Having effectively challenged Jawbone with Jambox- and Big Jambox-sized speakers, Braven today introduced a collection of new models designed to directly challenge popular speakers released by Bose and Harman/Kardon. Balance ($150, above) is a relatively slim, highly attractive extruded oval speaker with two large front-firing drivers and two even larger side-mounted radiators. Offered in a variety of colors, it directly challenges Bose’s SoundLink Color with an ultra-simple design and surprisingly powerful sound.
Read on for more pictures and details.
BRV-Pro ($150), the latest in the company’s ruggedized BRV line of speakers, is designed to fit between the BRV-1 and larger BRV-X released last year. The Pro model now sports an aluminum housing with full IPX7 water-submersibility, plus a brand new modular top capable of being enhanced with optional plug ins.
One $30 insert goes on top, enabling multiple BRV-Pros to be stacked to multiply their sound output; another $50 insert adds a solar panel that enables the BRV-Pro to run “endlessly” at a medium volume level off of stored and solar-recharged energy. It’s compatible with GoPro mounts, and can be securely used on anything from canoes to bikes with your choice of inexpensive mounting hardware.
Braven’s executive-class Bluetooth speaker Bridge directly targets Harman/Kardon’s Esquire at a similar $300 price point. Promising what the company says is Polycom conference call-quality speakerphone performance, Bridge includes dual 360-degree microphones and noise-canceling functionality, plus a really attractive combination of machined, anodized aluminum and user-customizable leather accents. Small enough to carry anywhere, it has a 2800mAh battery inside that can be used for the speaker or device recharging.
Balance, BRV-Pro and Bridge will be available in the second quarter of this year. The company also introduced a lineup of fabric-coated speakers called 1100, 2200b, and 2300b at price point ranging from $250 to $350, growing in size and power. With the announcements, it’s a great time to get discounts on Braven’s current lineup of highly-rated speakers, available here.
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