Review: Soundcore Motion Boom Plus

Anker’s Soundcore division has upgraded its famous Motion Boom wireless Bluetooth speaker with the introduction of the Motion Boom Plus. This new indoor/outdoor Soundcore speaker sports a rugged design, it is IP67 water and dust resistance with 80W of booming audio power. There is no more concern when taking this little powerhouse to the pool or to the beach! Let’s get into some ‘booming’ details.

The Motion Boom Plus comes in black and measures in at 15.31 x 5.51 x 7.7 inches and weighs only 5.29 lbs. It is big enough to need a handle for simply carrying around, and comes with an adjustable strap. Even though this speaker is a little smaller than many other outdoor speakers it still packs a lot of Soundcore tech.

Functionality and Design

The Soundcore Motion Boom Plus provides us with 80w of sound. This is delivered by two 10W tweeters and two 30W woofers. The hardware also has Soundcores BassUp technology. When you turn on the BassUp feature, you will feel the thump and bass this speaker punches out. It is a remarkable add-on to any piece of Soundcore hardware. The Motion Boom Plus also has titanium drivers to help better treble performance. The speaker box definitely gives off a bigger sound than you’d expect from something so minimal. It delivers the highs and lows we’ve come to appreciate from a Soundcore product. When near any types of water, users won’t need to be alarmed because Soundcore has certified this unit with IP67. This means you’ll have zero problems regarding rainfall, splashing water, and or dust while traveling with the Motion Boom Plus. To keep things simple and efficient, Soundcore has included an adjustable strap that can be attached whenever it’s needed for easy portability.

Charging and Connectivity

Charging is over USB-C and there is a 13,400mAh battery inside that offers twenty hours of playback. Though the USB-C port does not permit power output, there is a USB-A port on the back which does feed power through. This port allows users to plug in a tablet, smartphone or other gadget for easy recharging. Connecting over Bluetooth is easy and the speaker uses the new standard Bluetooth 5.3, which brings enhancements in terms of signal power and overall security. To tweak the EQ settings and get the full potential of the Motion Boom Plus, users will need to download the Official Soundcore application for either IOS or Android. This speaker also has a 3.5mm aux input behind its sealed charging flap for connecting to non-Bluetooth devices.

Battery Life

Soundcore states that the 13,400mAh battery will deliver twenty hours of playback on a complete charge, and this seems to be pretty accurate. Obviously playing music for twenty hours straight is not expected or a normal plan for the day, however using this device over a few days has proven to continue playing without a needed charge. The USB-A port on the rear of the speaker permits you to use Motion Boom Plus as a power bank using the PowerIQ charge out specs. This is definitely a nice feature since an iPhone streaming the music will run low on battery faster than the speaker. A complete charging process of the Motion Boom Plus takes 5.5 hours, and the charging port uses the present USB-C standard.

The Soundcore App

Soundcore developed an application that supports its headphones and speakers for ease of use and convenience. This app shows all the Soundcore devices linked to your phone and makes it easy to select the one you need to tweak or update. The apps primary feature is to deliver firmware updates to each product and permits a listener to pick from several equalization presets designed by Soundcore. It also gives users  control over the Extra Bass and volume function from within the application. If you have a collection of Soundcore speakers, you can use the PartyCast 2.0 feature to synchronize more than one hundred units. A more practical bonus is that a pair of Motion Boom Plus speakers can be linked in TWS mode, so that each speaker can be assigned the right or left channel for an immersive stereo effect.

Audio Quality

The speaker itself draws thirty watts, which powers a pair of 2.5-inch titanium drivers. They are not Bose-standard, but you get more than what you pay for. The highs are clean and crisp, and come through with lots of clarity. The mids are also extremely clear, and the vocals sound front and center. The speaker is not only for people who like bass. It is also an outstanding choice for any person who wants a versatile sound box. If you install the free Soundcore application on your smartphone, you can manage the EQ to match your personal tastes. There are 4 options, including bass, treble, flat, and voice boost. It is not quite a seven-band EQ, but it is certainly more customization than you’ll obtain from most Bluetooth speakers.

Configuration

The sound configuration of the Motion Boom Plus is stereo, so it does have a separate right and left channel. The volume gets pretty loud and the sound stays clear without distortion, unlike some cheap Bluetooth speakers. With this being said, we cannot expect this small boom box to compete with the sound a real home stereo system would give off. This is because the drivers are so close to one another and this speaker was made for portability. It has four active drivers on the front side, including two tweeters and two woofers. There are two passive radiators in total on both the right and left side. The woofers are rated at thirty watts each and the tweeters are rated at ten watts each. So in total the Boom Plus has a strong 80 watt rating.

Pros

• Sounds remarkable at a high volume
• The bass is impressive
• Can be used as a power bank
• The Soundcore app allows users to make custom EQ profiles
• Good size for an outdoor speaker
• Amazing 20-hour battery life

Cons

• No aptX code support
• The speaker itself could use a facelift (personal opinion)

Final Thoughts

The Motion Boom Plus is designed for open-air adventures. It has an IP67 rating, making it water resistant and dust proof. The speaker features 100 percent real titanium diaphragms for reproducing high frequencies up to 40 KHz. With a complete battery charge, users should be able to listen for up to twenty hours of playtime. This makes it worry free for boat trips, camping trips, and more. The Lightweight and Ultra-Portable Motion Boom Plus also has BassUp technology added, which uses an in-house turned digital signal processor to analyze low frequencies and intensify them in true-time for deeper bass that hits harder. Motion Boom Plus is also compatible with the Soundcore application, providing users the option of customizable EQ modes for an even more personalized listening experience.

The Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus is “what I would call” a little/big bluetooth speaker. I has a nice sturdy handle for moving it around with one hand and provides the best sound experience that Soundcore produces at this price point. It is quite loud with plenty of battery life to enjoy while outdoors and can simultaneously charge your phone that is transmitting the music. If you are looking for a medium size bluetooth speaker for upcoming festivals, barbecues or other occasions, you should take a look at the Motion Boom Plus. The Motion Boom Plus is available for $179.99/ € 179.99/£189.99 and $229.99 in Canada. The speaker can be purchased from the Official Website Soundcore.com and on Amazon.com (including other retail partners)