Portable bluetooth speakers are so popular right now that power tool brands are adding products to the market. But the thing is, this Ryobi speaker makes complete sense. Music in the shop or on the job site is like awkward small talk at the office water cooler – it’s just part of the environment.
When I saw this new bluetooth speaker from Ryobi, I knew I had to review it. Ryobi claims this model, the 18V ONE+ Speaker, has over 8 times more clarity than their previous bluetooth speaker model.
For this review I will provide a product overview, specifications, my own subjective opinion about its performance, and also a Q&A section with answers to common concerns.
Note: This article may contain affiliate links for the products mentioned
Ryobi 18V ONE+ Speaker Overview
The Ryobi 18V ONE+ bluetooth speaker is a small, portable bluetooth speaker that runs off Ryobi’s 18V ONE+ rechargeable batteries. This speaker is designed for people who already own other products in the Ryobi ONE+ line. That’s pretty clear based on the fact that it doesn’t come with a battery, just the speaker.
This Ryobi speaker has dual 3” drivers with a ported enclosure. It’s made mainly of hard plastic, with a rubber carrying handle. The case features buttons for controlling your music playback, and also a handy USB port for charging your phone.
Bluetooth is the only connection method, you won’t find an aux port here. The USB connection is just for charging other devices, not for playing music.
Specifications
| # of Drivers | Dual 3” Drivers |
| Ported? | Yes |
| Bluetooth? | Yes |
| Bluetooth Range | 125 ft |
| Weight | 3.9 pounds |
| Battery Life | Over 10 hours with a P192 battery |
How Does the Ryobi 18V ONE+ Speaker Sound?
For the listening test I figured it would be appropriate to take this out to the garage. That kind of environment represents the use-case for most people who will end up buying this speaker. I listened with the garage doors open and closed, to simulate some of the more open-air job sites. I also turned on various combinations of power tools to try to create the typical background noise of a construction area or auto shop.
Volume
The first thing you notice is how loud this thing can actually go. I had no problem cranking it up to a volume level that overcomes the low and medium background noise levels of a shop with a few tools going.
Now it is important to keep things in perspective. The dual 3” drivers and 18V battery can only supply so many watts, so this speaker isn’t going to overcome the loudest equipment on a job site. But it does provide a great range of volumes, and most people won’t even have to max it out.
Clarity and Distortion
Ryobi claimed this has more than 8 times more clarity than their previous speaker. I don’t really know what that means, it’s probably just marketing talk. But in terms of the sound signature and distortion, it performs as well as you can expect at this price point and form factor. Even at loud volumes, everything from vocals to highs to the low end come through nicely, with some distortion and stress at the highest volume levels.
Sound Quality
Naturally for a speaker like this, the sound is very bright with a focus on mids and highs, because the dual 3” drivers simply can’t produce the full deep base that larger speakers can produce. But this small speaker packs a surprising low end punch. One of the things that helps it out is the ported enclosure. Ported speakers can stretch their low end frequency response, even with small drivers. That’s one advantage this portable bluetooth speaker has over many others.
Every genre of music sounds fine on this speaker for what it is. After all, you aren’t going to be sitting in front of this and critically listening to every note. You’ll be framing a house or turning a wrench underneath a vehicle. I can summarize the sound quality by saying anything you play on this is going to fill the room with great sound.
Controls
The top mounted controls worked well, even when I had mechanics gloves on. Everything is laid out pretty intuitively. The buttons provide decent tactile feedback and everything functioned without an issue for the short time I had this speaker.
Battery Life
I didn’t actually have any other Ryobi products to take a battery from, so I ended up buying the P192 Ryobi battery to test with. In spring temperatures, I was able to play music for over 8 hours. Ryobi says over 10 hours, although I didn’t attempt to go past 8.
I picked 8 as the target because that is the shift most people work. Plus, with this system, you can just swap out to another battery if it does. Battery life with this bluetooth speaker isn’t a top concern because of that ability.
What I Liked
- Compatible with the Ryobi ONE+ batteries
- Great battery life of around 8-10 hours
- Swappable batteries
- Loud, clear sound from dual 3” drivers
- Ability to charge phone or tablet from USB port
What I Didn’t Like
- No AUX or USB connection for audio
- A lot of plastic materials
- Not waterproof or water resistant
Bottom Line: Do I Recommend the Ryobi 18V ONE+ Speaker?
Yes. The Ryobi 18V ONE+ speaker is a fantastic value if you already have the compatible Ryobi ONE+ batteries for their power tools. It’s the perfect speaker for the shop or job site. Blast out to your favorite tunes all day, and simply swap the battery if the juice ever runs out.
You’ll get clear, loud sound from the dual drivers, and a surprising amount of lower end punch thanks to the ported design. If your phone needs a charge, you’ll be able to just plug it in to the USB port.
And while we didn’t really like the lack of an AUX or USB port for additional audio connection capabilities, the price really speaks for itself on this one. You just aren’t going to find a better rugged speaker design at this performance level for this price.
Questions and Answers
Q: How long does the Ryobi bluetooth speaker last?
A: Over 10 hours with a P192 battery
Q: How much does a Ryobi bluetooth speaker cost?
A: It depends on the store. This speaker is available at Home Depot and Amazon, so check the latest price from your favorite store
Q: How do I connect my Ryobi bluetooth speaker?
A: Set your device to search/scan for available bluetooth signals, then select “RYOBI PAD01” from the list. No password or PIN is required for connection
Q: Is the Ryobi speaker waterproof?
A: No, it is not waterproof or rated as water resistant
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