As the weather gets better, we naturally want to spend more time outside. That’s why everyone should own a portable Bluetooth speaker. To pick the right one for you, it’s important to know how and where you intend to use it.
Today we’re going to look at a Bluetooth speaker specifically designed for outdoor parties and gatherings. It’s the Raycon Power. With 360-degree sound and microphone input, this speaker is perfect for BBQ’s and outdoor karaoke nights. With a name like The Power, is it all hype or the real deal? These are the questions we’ll answer in this review.
Notable Specs: Raycon The Power
- 74W (150W max) RMS output with 360-degree omnidirectional sound
- USB and Aux ports, along with FM radio and Bluetooth 5 connectivity
- 6 hours of playtime, wired microphone port for karaoke
- Multi-link mode to link multiple speakers together
Design of the Raycon Power
This Bluetooth speaker is big. Really big. It’s likely the biggest 360-degree speaker I’ve ever reviewed. It measures approximately 15”x8”x8” (WHD) and weighs 10.5lbs. With a cylinder shape, there’s a handle on top for easy carrying.
The top features rubber buttons for power, volume, play/stop, and LED lights. There’s also a multi-link button that connects multiple speakers together and a Mode button. Here, users can switch between four audio modes: FM, USB, Aux, and Bluetooth.
Directly under the top panel is a 5.25” subwoofer facing upwards. Open slots in the design allow the bass sound to travel in every direction. Directly above it is a small LED panel that reflects downwards. The top side features a rubber cover that opens to reveal a USB port, Aux input, a USB-C charging port, and a ¼” microphone port. Unfortunately, a microphone is not included.
The Power by Raycon is a 4.1 channel speaker
The mid-body portion of the Raycon Power has a 360-degree metal grill. This protects the four 2.5” tweeter speakers that are evenly spaced around the body. Combined with the subwoofers, this creates a 4.1 channel speaker system with 360-degree sound. In short, this speaker is designed to get loud.
The bottom of the Raycon Power features rubber feet that sit about an inch off the ground. Flipping it upside down reveals another 5.25” subwoofer. This surprised me because the box didn’t mention two subwoofers. It’s facing downwards to project bass off the surface it’s sitting on. There’s also a tiny LED light that also reflects light on the surface.
Setting up the Raycon Power speaker
I’ve reviewed other Raycon Bluetooth speakers before, and the setup is basically the same. You have to hold the power button for 3 seconds to power it on. Immediately, you hear a female trio sing “Raycon”. This tells you the speaker is entering pairing mode. From there, you just need to add it to your mobile device in the Bluetooth setting.
One thing I always test in Bluetooth speakers is a dual Bluetooth connection. This is the ability to connect two devices (i.e. two smartphones) to a single speaker. It’s especially important for party speakers so two people can share DJ duties from their respective devices.
Sadly, the Raycon Power speaker does not support dual Bluetooth pairing. Only one device can be connected at a time. To connect a new device, you have to first unpair a device for it to go back into pairing mode.
Multi-link mode
The Raycon Power can pair with another unit for multi-speaker sound. Unfortunately, I only have one unit for this review. However, I’m also reviewing another Raycon speaker called The Boombox. This also has the Multi-link mode feature. Therefore, I wanted to see if I could pair two different Raycon speakers together.
Despite following the instructions, I was unable to pair the two different Raycon speakers. This tells me that the Raycon Power can only connect to another Raycon Power speaker. I’m no expert in how Bluetooth pairing works, but I would love to see multi-link work with multiple speakers. The Power by Raycon is priced on the higher end. I doubt many people can afford two of them. Instead, I would like to see it paired with the affordable Raycon Everyday speaker. That way more people can take advantage of multi-link technology with Raycon speakers.
Using the Raycon Power speaker
I tested the Raycon Power in my backyard to see how loud it could really get. My backyard is very large so I placed it in the centre and cranked it up to full volume. It’s incredibly loud. Best of all, the 360 omnidirectional design ensures it’s loud everywhere, equally. This makes it perfect for party settings. It doesn’t matter where you place it, the sound will travel in all directions.
The Raycon Power has three sound profiles: Balanced, Bass and Pure. The Pure sound is Raycon’s signature sound. It was designed by artists and producers associated with the Raycon brand.
The Bass profile is intense, even in outdoor settings. This is ideal for songs with a strong, low-end beat. I couldn’t help but put on my workout clothes for an impromptu jump rope session with the Raycon Power. Needless to say, it was very enjoyable to jump to the low-end bass. I did notice the high-end was not as bright so I prefer the Balanced Sound.
FM Radio Mode
I was surprised to see an FM radio mode in the Raycon Power. However, there is no radio dial to visually see the FM frequencies. Instead, in FM radio mode users have to hold the play button for 1.5 seconds. The Power by Raycon then scans all the FM channels. Once it is down, users can toggle between all the different radio stations by pressing the volume up and down button for 1.5 seconds.
The radio stations came out clear and loud. This is a welcome feature that I don’t see in a lot of Bluetooth speakers today. It’s a good way to listen to music without having to pair a device.
Final thoughts on the Raycon Power speaker
I’ve reviewed many Bluetooth speakers in the past so I’m a hard guy to impress. With its name and size, I had high expectations for the Power by Raycon. What I can say is that it’s incredibly loud. If you need something that is powerful, this is worth considering. The 360-degree omnidirectional sound is amazing.
One thing I would like to see is more LED lights. As a party speaker, it should glow with lights all around it. One recommendation is to put LED lights around the four tweeters. 360-degree sound should also come with a 360-degree light show. Also, it should come with an external microphone for karaoke. I think that would be a welcomed and differentiating feature, especially when compared to other party speakers.
Lest we forget this speaker is big. Thus, you would likely want to be big and strong too. It can get tiring to hold for extended periods of time. Still, its big size delivers a big sound. If size matters to you, then you should definitely check out The Power by Raycon. Like He-Man, it’s got the power.
