Sensport is an audio brand from Hong Kong without much of a history. When they offered a unit of Sensport Rave Model 1, their new water resistant wireless speaker for review, I decided to give them a try, and I’m glad the product is good enough to get my recommendation.
The speaker feels well-build, overall rigid structure of metal grille and hard plastic with silicone coating to give the slight impact absorption. Bottom leg pad appears to use gloss surface sticker instead of the more common rubber stubs, until I realise the plastic film can be removed to reveal the stickier rubber soles. Good job on that!
A carabiner is located at the left side, to allow the speaker to hook on to a safety harness. The right side contains all the connectivity – micro SD card slot, micro USB charging port, AUX port – and they are well-protected underneath a big rubber seal.
The row of buttons on top allows you to navigate tracks and change modes. The +- buttons changes volume when held, and changes tracks when pressed. You can also make and receive phone calls like a speakerphone.
The speaker is rated IPX7, which means they are water resistant up to 1 metre underwater, while not rated for dust resistance. It is definitely safe to use it near water or get splashed on. However, like all electronic products, the resistance depends on the quality of the sealants, and if the sealants corrode, the product could still be damaged by water over time.
As for audio quality, its front-facing dual-speaker setup delivers stereo sound of 16W power. The bass radiator faces the back and works really hard to pump the lower frequencies, but it’s a challenge for it to deliver any deep boom effects. However, when I lie the speaker with the bass radiator face down against the surface, the bass gets amplified by the surface. Most importantly, it does not sound distorted even at high volumes. On the other hand, the treble is subtly clear and clean, with well-controlled sibilance. Midrange frequency has presence but does not sound detailed. Overall, the speaker delivers neutral audio balance with good treble representation without too brittle.
Verdict
The Sensport Rave Model 1 retails at US$34.99 from Amazon. I like that it is compact yet feels solid, offers multiple connectivity options and provides water protection. The sound quality is warm and clean with no distortion. Its bass kick is comparatively feeble but it works for me by placing the speaker face up on the surface to improve the lower frequencies. For its pleasant audio balance, I will definitely keep it around the house and bring it along for pool parties.
Technical specifications
- Bluetooth Specification: 4.2
- Driver Spec: 8W x 2 = 16W
- Size: 165 x 78.6 x 43.5 (L x W x H) mm
- Net Weight: 357g
- Transmission Distance: 10m
- Battery capacity: 3600mAh
- Charging Port: Micro USB
- Charging Time: About 4-5 hours
- Playtime at full volume (100% volume): about 4 hours
- Playtime at full volume: (60% volume): about 24 hours
- Waterproof: IPX7
- Other interfaces: AUX-IN port, MicroSD slot
Sensport Rave Model 1 official product website
