A GTP Gift Guide modification

Longtime readers of the blog know about my appreciation of the Soundboks 2 powered speaker.  I’ve owned it now for more than a half-dozen years and through countless tailgates, beach trips and even a high school reunion, it has never failed to live up to what its specs promise.  It’s loud.  It’s clear.  It’s got a battery that will last for hours (and is modular, to boot).  It’s built like a tank and runs like a top.  Considering that before I bought it, I’d been running through boom boxes like Kleenex, I couldn’t be happier with it.

So why am I getting rid of it?  As George Costanza might say, it’s not you, Soundboks.  It’s me.  With my recent spate of health issues, it’s simply too bulky for me to shlep around comfortably.  I started looking around for something easier to handle a few months ago.  Fortunately, I didn’t have to look very far.

It’s called the Soundboks Go.  It’s half the height and a little more than half the weight of the Soundboks 2 and it’s perfect for my current needs.  No, it won’t play as loudly as the Soundboks 2 — with one less driver and one less amp, physics dictate that result — but that doesn’t mean it won’t play loudly.  Put it this way:  the owner’s manual warns not to stand directly in front of the amp when it’s cranked and that’s not meant as puffery.

The size is a godsend, not just in terms of portability, but also in terms of space.  When you pack for a tailgate, unless you’re taking a bus, room is critical.  Having something that takes up a lot less space helps.  (Hell, I can pack this bugger in my Cayman.)

Obviously, I don’t have six years with it under my belt, but from all appearances, the Go looks to be built as ruggedly as my Soundboks 2 is.  I can use Bluetooth as a source, but it also has a aux jack like the 2, so I can keep using my trusty iPod to deliver my tuneage.  All in all, color me a satisfied customer… again.

I mention this now because whatever else I can say about the brand, their products aren’t exactly cheap, although you do get a lot for the money.  Anyway, right now, Soundboks has a Black Friday discount ($150) on the Go that runs through the 28th, so if this looks like it might float your tailgate boat, you might want to jump on it.

That said, if you find that a little pricey, but are still in the market for something that, as a friend of mine once put it, rules the parking lot, I’m looking to sell my Soundboks 2 at a lower price, so send me an email if you’re in the Atlanta area and interested.  Either way, both of these will be in the Gift Guide for a while to come.