Why You Can Trust CNET Get the $400 Braven BRV-XXL/2 wireless outdoor speaker for $149
This waterproof boombox brings the big audio dynamite to your outdoor gatherings. Plus: Save 50% on 23andMe's Health + Ancestry kit.
Braven (now owned by Zagg) makes some high-quality audio gear, including the boisterous, bass-heavy BRV-XXL/2.
The average Bluetooth speaker has nowhere near enough power for parks, pool parties, the beach and other wide-open spaces. If you really want to crank up your tunes, you need something big.
Like this: Today only, and while supplies last, Meh has the Braven BRV-XXL/2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $149, plus $5 for shipping. This second-gen version of the BRV-XXL, which debuted earlier this year, retails for $400, and currently runs $251 at Amazon.
The XXL/2 is so big it has both a carrying handle and a shoulder strap. It weighs over 17 pounds, meaning if you're planning to haul this around on your shoulder in true 80s-boombox style, you better get some reps in.
Why so big and heavy? The XXL/2 packs in four 10-watt drivers, two passive radiators and a subwoofer. That's audio-speak for, "if you like thumping bass, this is the speaker for you."
It also has a huge rechargeable battery that's good for up to 18 hours of playtime, according to Braven (which is now owned by Zagg). You can even charge your phone by jacking into the speaker's USB port. There's a line-in port if you're connecting something a little more old-school, like an MP3 player, and a cradle on top so your phone has a place to stand.
Want to make a toast or sing some karaoke? There's a microphone jack. Need to open your beer? There's a bottle-opener built right into the speaker (just below the port array).
CNET hasn't reviewed the XXL/2, but elsewhere on the interwebs (see ZDNet's Braven XXL/2 review), it earned mostly high marks. I'll note that a few Amazon customers dinged the battery life for coming up far short of Braven's promise. I'm not sure what to make of that, unless perhaps there was a batch of these that had bad batteries.
In any case, there's a two-year warranty. I'd have a hard time spending $400 on this, but $149? Braven is known for making high-quality audio gear, so this feels like a pretty sweet deal.
Your thoughts?
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Unlock your DNA and discover where you fall on your family tree with 23andMe's Health + Ancestry kit.
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Today only, and while supplies last, Woot has the 23andMe Health + Ancestry kit for $99, the best price since Black Friday 2019. It normally sells for $199.
If you're not familiar with these kits, they work like this: You drop a little spit into a vial and send that vial to 23andMe. The service runs a range of DNA tests, resulting in personalized health and ancestry info that's pretty remarkable, if you ask me. Everything stays encrypted and protected, though you can opt into scientific research if you're feeling altruistic.
I'm super-tempted. If you've used 23andMe's kits before, hit the comments and let me know if you think they're worth it -- especially at this price.
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