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19 Nov

Unboxing: Acoustic Research Bluetooth Speaker

I went to one of those colleges with an intense football rivalry, and this weekend my body clock is set. I will be watching when my alma mater, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks, take on the Lafayette Leopards in the 148th meeting of the two schools.

It was very timely then to receive the Acoustic Research MVP Portable Wireless Speaker, the AWSBTSK, to test out for this annual fist-pumping occasion. I was already familiar with the speaker since Voxx had a previous version (AWSBT1), a CES Innovations award winner, but this one takes it to a more personal level. It gives you the option to customize it with a cover — and there are plenty of choices from Skinit. Mine has the Lehigh Mountain Hawk, but you can select a cover design from hundreds of pro sports teams and colleges, images from the entertainment world, or social icons.

When I got the speaker out of the box, I could definitely appreciate the rugged exterior and the built-in carrying handle making this a no-brainer for tailgates, road trips, outdoor parties, soccer practices, or beach days. I also like the convenient padded storage compartment in the back of the speaker, which makes it safe for storing your phone, digital audio player, keys, or other small personal items.

Set up took under two minutes — I loaded in 6 AA batteries (but you can also plug in with the included AC adapter), turned the speaker on, and waited for the blue blinking light. With the Bluetooth enabled on my smartphone, I then pressed the “Pair” button on the top of the speaker and held it for a few seconds until the blue light started blinking faster. Then I selected AWSBTSK on my phone and when the light turned to a solid blue, I was synced and ready to go.

Sure, I’ve used Bluetooth speakers before but there is something exciting, fashionable, and personal about having a Lehigh Mountain Hawk on my device. Every AR MVP Portable Wireless Speaker comes with a redemption card good for one speaker skin on skinit.com/sportspeaker. Enter the code from the card, choose the design you want from the thousands available, or create your own design using Skinit online customizer, and then drop it in your cart. The redemption card covers shipping and handling as well, so it’s a $34.99 value in total. The speaker retails for $129.99.

Last modified on Tuesday, 20 November 2012 09:35
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