SoundBot SB210 Review: A Nifty winter That Delivers Good Quality Sound When it Works Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Best Products > Wearables
SoundBot SB210 Wireless Musical Beanie Review
Hampered by unreliability
By Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick Writer Danny Chadwick is tech writer focused on consumer and mobile technology. He has been published on Top Ten Reviews, LAPTOP Mag, and BusinessNewsDaily. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 28, 2019 Tweet Share Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. 2.7 SoundBot SB210 Wireless Musical Beanie
Lifewire / Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick What We Like Good quality sound Intuitive controls Quick charging time What We Don't Like Unreliable Bluetooth connection Needs multiple attempts to pair Call quality soft and hard to hear The SB210 is a perfect (and unfortunate) example of a handful of good ideas brought low by poor execution. While it delivers solid sound quality, especially compared against the competition, and is intuitive to use and control, it’s crippled by reliability issues that make it more irritating than convenient. View On Amazon View On Walmart 2.7 SoundBot SB210 Wireless Musical Beanie
Lifewire / Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick View On Amazon View On Walmart in this article Expand Design Setup Process Battery Life Comfort Sound Quality Price Competition Final Verdict Specs We purchased the SoundBot SB210 Wireless Musical Beanie so our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and assess it. Keep reading for our full product review. Bluetooth beanies are remarkably simple devices, knit caps with wireless headphones sewn into the band. The SoundBot SB210 Wireless Musical Beanie could’ve been a standout in this category, but it has some foibles that prevent us from giving it a strong recommendation. Lifewire / Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick Design Simple but doesn t always deliver
As a piece of fashion, the SoundBot is a simple but welcome addition to most outdoor winter outfits. It doesn’t oversell the fact that it has Bluetooth speakers—when it’s off and the LED isn’t flashing, most people probably won’t even notice them. You can get this wireless music beanie in 13 colors and styles, including black, blue, gray, pink, ivory, and yellow. There are different styles to choose from as well, some with corded texture or others that sport a pom on top. There’s even a black model with a built-in LED flashlight. This is a decent selection of options, but other Bluetooth beanies we reviewed offer up to 29 varieties. We were never able to get more than a few feet away before the Bluetooth connection started sputtering and failing. Generally speaking, you can expect a Bluetooth device to have a range of at least 30 feet. While this was the case when we connected the SB210 to our iPhone X, the range shrank significantly when we paired it with an iMac. We were never able to get more than a few feet away before the Bluetooth connection started sputtering and failing. The built-in microphone gives you the ability to make and receive phone calls wirelessly, but we found this feature to be unreliable when we used it. When we were listening to music and a phone call came through, the hat unpaired from the phone. It did the same when we tried to make a call. The only way we found to speak through the hat was to pair it with the phone after the call has connected, which for real world usage is more hassle than it’s worth. Lifewire / Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick Setup Process Try and try again
The owner's manual that comes with the SoundBot is the most comprehensive of the wireless beanies we tested. It gives you step-by-step instructions and explanations of all the product’s features. While a tutorial on how to charge the beanie might seem valuable, we liked the fact that the instructions tell you how to remove the speakers from the hat when it comes time to put in the washing machine, something no other beanie we tested offers. Connecting this wireless beanie to a smartphone or computer is basic stuff if you’ve ever paired a Bluetooth device before. Unfortunately, though, it takes this Bluetooth beanie a relatively long time to connect with a smartphone or computer, around 15 seconds during our testing period. It also consistently took multiple attempts to pair before a connection is established. Battery Life It doesn t make promises it can t keep
The SB210’s packaging claims that you’ll get five hours of listening time on a full battery charge, which our testing confirmed. SoundBot also claims that it gets 60 hours of standby time. We fully charged it and set it aside for two and a half days. When we turned it on again, it powered right up and worked —but not for very long. We only got about a 45 minutes worth of listening time out of it. From a dead battery, you can fully charge the SoundBot in less than an hour. This was the shortest charging time we saw during our testing phase. Other products can take up to two and a half hours to go from dead to full. Lifewire / Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick Comfort Just fine
The SoundBot will keep your head nice and warm. And while we wouldn’t say it’s particularly comfortable, you won’t experience any scratchiness or skin irritation while wearing it. Lifewire / Jeffrey Daniel Chadwick Sound Quality Good for music awful for calls
Given the size, price, and design of Bluetooth beanies, we don’t expect them to deliver the high-quality sound you’d get from high-end earbuds or headphones. However, of all the wireless music hats we tested, the SoundBot produces the clearest, most enjoyable sound—at least while listening to music. We had to crank the volume up to max just to be able to partially understand the person on the other end of the call. When we listened to the album Past Masters by the Beatles we found the sound rich and full. Small details can be heard clearly, but lack the depth and range produced by more expensive wireless audio products such as the Apple AirPods. Taking phone calls was a very different story. The sound was very quiet and sounded distant, and we had to crank the volume up to max just to be able to partially understand the person on the other end of the call. Price In line with the competition
Depending on the style and color you choose, expect to pay anywhere from $19 to $33, right in the middle of the price range of the beanies we tested, which run anywhere from $15 to $40. SoundBot SB210 Wireless Musical Beanie vs Blueear Bluetooth Beanie Hat
We tested the SoundBot alongside the Blueear Bluetooth Beanie Hat, and aside from the better sound quality and quick charge time, the SoundBot generally came up short. The Blueear was able to pair on the first try, maintained a steady signal across the Bluetooth range (regardless of which device it was paired to), and held connection when taking a phone call. Blueear’s beanie was more reliable and provided a better real world usage experience, and offers several colors and styles that are cheaper than the SB210 range. Blueear Bluetooth Beanie Hat Review: A Simple, Fashionable Beanie that Delivers Decent Sound Quality Final Verdict Undermined by unreliability. The SoundBot SB210 Wireless Musical Beanie would be worth considering if it performed more consistently in our tests. It produces good sound quality, charges quickly, and offers intuitive controls. It’s sadly crippled by unreliability, which reduces it from a handy convenience to a nagging annoyance, and strips away a ton of its value. Specs
Product Name SB210 Wireless Musical Beanie Product Brand SoundBot MPN X00182T3AN Price $25.00 Weight 6.4 oz. Product Dimensions 8.5 x 1.8 x 7.5 in. Color Black, Blue, Gray, Black on Black, CABLE/Black, CABLE/Indie Pink, CABLE/Ivory, CABLE/Light Gray, LED/Black, POM/Black, POM/Indie Pink, POM/Light Gray, POM/Mustard Yellow Battery Life 5 hours Wired/Wireless Yes Warranty 1 Year Bluetooth Spec V4.1 Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Rotibox Bluetooth Beanie Hat Review: A Comfortable Hat and a Decent Audio Experience Makes a Winning Combination Polk Boom Swimmer Duo Review: A Rugged Little Speaker The 5 Best Bluetooth Beanies of 2022 The 8 Best Wireless Earbuds of 2022 Blueear Bluetooth Beanie Hat Review: A Simple, Fashionable Beanie that Delivers Decent Sound Quality AUKEY Wireless Headphones Review: Battery Power for a Week of Workouts Beats Powerbeats Pro Review: Even More Power and Utility JBL Charge 4 Review: A Stellar Waterproof Speaker Sandisk Clip Sport Plus MP3 Player Review: An MP3 Player For Working Out Microsoft Surface Headphones Review: A Premium Set Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Review: No Wires, No Compromises Plantronics Backbeat Pro 5100 Review: Truly Wireless Earbuds Perfect for Phone Calls Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) Review: The Perfect Choice for Apple Users Bose SoundSport Wireless Headphones Review: Solid Ausdom M06 Wireless Headphones Review: Solid Connectivity Sony WH-XB900N Review: Bass Heavy Budget Headphones Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies