The Monster Blaster 3.0 re-imagines the concept of a portable boombox, providing both power and versatility with EQ settings that make it perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. The sturdy design and excellent sound quality will make sure it’s the life of the party no matter where you are. The built-in portable charger prevents a dead phone battery from interrupting your music, while the water-resistant IPX5 design saves you from sudden splashes or rain.
Throughout this article, I’ll look at how the speaker and Monster brand stack up and compare the performance and key features.
Monster Blaster 3.0 specs
- Bi-directional drivers offer both directional and reflected sound
- 7 individual speakers with a total of 120W of sound
- Powered bass with an integrated subwoofer for powerful lows
- Built-in USB charging port to power mobile devices with a 5,200mAh capacity
- Bluetooth and wireless streaming capability
- Indoor and outdoor EQ modes for listening in any environment
- IPX5 water-resistant design for up to 30 minutes of rain or splashes
- 3.5mm audio input/output for aux or connecting a microphone as a megaphone
- Battery life LED displays remaining power amount in real-time
Unboxing and setup of Monster Blaster 3.0
The speaker includes an outlet charger and adapter, a detailed instructions booklet, and a nice set of stickers with Monster branding. The beefy charger is able to quickly power the speaker with a charge that lasts up to 12 hours. I appreciated how simple and straightforward everything was with the packaging, with the cables and stickers neatly stored in two separate boxes.
Overall, the Monster Blaster 3.0’s build feels very high quality, with durable material that I feel confident could last in all kinds of environments. One feature I do really appreciate is the silicone flap that covers all the ports. It make sure dust or water doesn’t get inside the sensitive parts of your speaker. There is also a USB port for charging your other devices with the speaker’s battery, 5mm input and output ports, and the speaker power port.
To begin using the Monster Blaster 3.0 I just had to turn on the power and hold down the centre button to connect my phone via Bluetooth. Turning on the device, searching for Bluetooth, and a successful pairing are all met with different bass chord sound effects. I thought the chords were a really nice touch because they lets you know the audio levels before you start streaming music.
Design of the Monster Blaster 3.0
Despite the relatively simple design of this party speaker, there are multiple options for how to use it. The audio input lets you connect a wired microphone to the speaker, using it as a portable megaphone or for singing karaoke with your friends. There’s also an aux cable port for quickly swapping who’s hosting the tunes without re-connecting the Bluetooth each time. You can also power any of your other gadgets or phone on the go with this speaker, and I think that’s an absolute game changer for portable speakers. It prevents a low battery from interrupting the party and ensures the music keeps going all day, or night, long.
While it’s certainly one of the heavier portable speakers I’ve tried, the Monster Blaster is still relatively lightweight and has a large carrying handle for easier transport on the go. You can take the powerful audio and bass with you by hand instead of carrying it on your shoulder like back in the ’90s. It also has a very sleek look, with different colour options like red or white available to fit your individual style. The classic black edition is my personal pick, especially with the contrasting red screws on top of the speaker.
Monster Blaster 3.0 offers powerful audio
The most significant feature of this Monster Blaster speaker is the different EQ modes for both indoor and outdoor use. It’s true a lot of apps already let you change the EQ levels, but having a button right makes it much less of a hassle. I think Outdoor mode offers the best bass, while the Indoor setting has a bit more balance and sound that isn’t so powerful as to wake the neighbours every time you turn it on. Personally, I preferred the Outdoor mode’s sound for the kind of music I enjoy, as I just turned the volume down to a more comfortable level.
The seven separate speakers within the Blaster 3.0 all work in unison to deliver a blast of sound in all directions at 120W of power. It lived up to being a boombox by generating hefty bass that was enough to shake tables even at medium volume. When it comes to getting the most quality out of this speaker I would definitely recommend messing with the EQ settings on your connected device. While it sounds great by default, optimizing it for the music I was listening to by adjusting a few simple Spotify presets elevated the sound quality.
While it has a water-resistant build, it only has a IPX5 rating so it does fall behind the full IPX 6 or 7 waterproofing. You only have temporary protection for up to 30 minutes against streams of water as opposed to it being fully submersible or suitable for use for long periods in wet or harsh weather. If you want to listen by the pool or sit outside in the rain, the IPX5 will limit you a bit. You’ll need to ensure you have more protection for this boombox than you would with a fully waterproof speaker.
Final thoughts
The Monster Blaster 3.0 speaker is a powerful party speaker, giving its all in both audio quality and design. It provides an immersive experience with robust audio that can easily fill a space, especially in an outdoor setting. In terms of where this speaker can be used, it really is as versatile as advertised. It saved me in a pinch from a boring car ride where I didn’t have access to my car audio system. I just connected to my phone and it streamed excellent and punchy bass to every corner of my car.
While it makes sense given the amount of power the speaker uses, I would have liked if it had a longer battery life. The battery should last up to 12 hours with continuous play, but if you’re using it to power your phone it will drain at a faster rate. However, the battery does stream\ more than you’ll need in most cases, and I wasn’t able to drain it the entire time I was testing it. It does have speedy charging, so it won’t take long before you can get right back into your music.
Overall I think the Monster Blaster 3.0 party speaker is a fantastic choice for a portable boombox. It offers excellent audio quality, all wrapped up in a stylish package. What do you think of this portable boombox, and what features are your favourite in a powerful speaker?
