Ryobi’s PCL600 18V One+ Speaker Promises Better Sound Quality And Long Range

The perfect soundtrack can make everything better, including work. Whether you’re on the jobsite, doing some housework, or having fun outdoors, the Ryobi PCL600 Bluetooth Speaker aims to give you the runtime and sound quality you need. We got our hands on this speaker to see what it has in store and give you an idea of what to expect before buying.

Using the Ryobi PCL600 Bluetooth Speaker

This speaker functions as both an FM radio and a Bluetooth speaker for streaming music via a mobile device. It also has a USB charging port for charging devices rated for up to 2 amps, which is up from the previous model’s 1-amp power. That’s 2 times faster charging compared to the P742.

Compared to Ryobi’s last speaker/radio (P742), the Bluetooth range on the PCL600 increases significantly from 30 feet to over 175 feet. You have a lot more freedom to roam, which helps when you’re on the jobsite and you need to move around more frequently.

It’s worth noting that Ryobi nixed the auxiliary port with the PCL600 Bluetooth Speaker, assumably because most modern devices no longer feature aux outputs for audio. That said, it’s difficult to find someone with a smart device that doesn’t support Bluetooth. That function should be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to stream their favorite tunes.

As for the FM radio, you can set up to 10 presets in the speaker’s memory and toggle through them using the control interface on the front of the speaker.

Here’s a breakdown of the controls:

• Power button: Press and hold briefly to power the speaker on or off. This button also toggles between radio and Bluetooth mode.
• Volume up/down: Adjust the volume settings between 0-16
• Play/Pause: Control your music when connected to a Bluetooth device
• Tune/Seek: The left- and right-facing arrows allow you to tune the FM radio to your favorite station. These buttons also function as skip/back buttons if you’re streaming music via Bluetooth.
• Preset: Store up to 10 FM stations by pressing the preset button, tuning to your desired station, and re-pressing the preset button.

Ryobi PCL600 Bluetooth Speaker Sound Quality

When it comes to small speakers, especially at a high-value price point like this one, you have to temper your sound quality expectations a bit. After all, you don’t expect a $100 cordless drill to keep up with a $300 one, and the same goes for sound equipment.

Still, we came away impressed with what Ryobi is offering for the price. At the top of the volume range, it does a nice job of avoiding a ton of distortion. At lower levels, quiet voices come through well and it has a pleasing range of lows, mids, and highs.

Of course, it’s not as crisp as high-end speakers and doesn’t have the low end of a speaker with a dedicated subwoofer. However, it’s a heck of a lot better than Ryobi’s previous models in the small speaker class.

Additional Features

• Carrying handle cove on the back
• Rubber bottom feet reduce the risk of the speaker slipping or falling
• LCD display
• Compact size

Ryobi PCL600 Bluetooth Speaker Price

This speaker retails as a bare tool for $59.97 and you can find it exclusively at The Home Depot starting in October 2022. Ryobi backs it with a 3-year warranty.

Specifications

• Model: Ryobi PCL600
• Length: 5.25 in
• Width: 5.25 in
• Height: 7.5 in
• Depth:3.5 in
• Weight: 2 lbs
• Voltage: 18V

For more of our favorite jobsite radios, check out our recommendations here!

The post Ryobi PCL600 18V One+ Bluetooth Speaker and Radio appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Pass The Time On The Job With Your Favorite Music Using The Metabo HPT 18V Bluetooth Radio

Few things make the day go by faster than listening to your favorite tunes while you work. Many speakers and radios are limited to just one function, making them restrictive and less versatile. With Metabo HPT’s 18V Bluetooth radio, you have the option to listen to radio stations or choose your own music from your mobile device. Find out what other features this radio offers and see if it’s a good addition to your jobsite.

Metabo HPT 18V Bluetooth Radio: The Big Deal

Metabo HPT starts with a single 3 1 /2-inch, 7-watt speaker for its sound output. Some jobsite speakers don’t let you change the audio settings, which can leave your songs sounding like you placed your phone speaker in a tin can. With this radio, you ha e some options. It features 15 different levels of bass and treble equalizer adjustments, so you can get a richer sound than more basic radios offer.

Expect up to 18 hours of runtime on a full 18V 3.0Ah battery. In addition to Metabo HPT 18V batteries, it’s MultiVolt compatible, meaning you can power it with any 18V or MultiVolt battery to increase your runtime even further. The radio also comes with an AC adapter so you can plug it in a forget any worries about runtime if you prefer.

You can use it as a normal radio or stream your favorite music on your mobile device via Bluetooth connectivity. Additionally, you can set up as many as 9 AM or FM radio presets.

Additional Features

• Lightweight (4.1 pounds)
• Compact, portable design (9 11/16 x 7 13/16 x 7 9/32 inches)
• Illuminated LCD display
• Compatible with all Metabo HPT 18V and MultiVolt batteries

Metabo HPT 18V Bluetooth Radio Price

The Metabo HPT UR18DAQ4 retails for $99 for the bare tool. It includes a 1-year limited warranty from Metabo HPT.

Specifications

• Model: Metabo HPT UR18DAQ4
• Weight: 4.1 lbs
• Voltage: 18V
• Max runtime: 18 hours
• FM frequency band: 87.5 – 107.9 MHz
• AM frequency band: 530 – 1710 kHz
• FM antenna: Rubber antenna
• AM antenna: Ferrite bar antenna (built-in)
• Speaker: 3-1/2 in
• Max available output: 7W

The post Metabo HPT 18V Bluetooth Radio UR18DAQ4 appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

A Storage System That Sings To a Different Tune

Storage containers that hold a variety of tools and other equipment are often important when it comes to keeping the jobsite organized. What if your run-of-the-mill Systainer (short for System Container) could serve another purpose? We’ve seen it with the Milwaukee Packout radio, Makita interlocking cooler, and other similar products. Now, the Festool TopRock Systainer Bluetooth speaker seizes an opportunity to fill the gap in the systainer-sphere. They’ve created a product that doubles down on its usefulness both on and off the jobsite.

Festool TopRock Systainer Bluetooth Speaker – The Big Deal

By integrating a fully-functional Bluetooth 5 speaker system on the lid, the Festool TopRock Systainer and speaker was born. The lid includes four speakers and a resonance chamber. It provides stereo sound by connecting a device to it via Bluetooth. You can even connect two TopRock speakers to the same device for even bigger stereo sound. Whether anyone actually drops $450 to pull this off remains to be seen—but maybe you work with a buddy!

The front of the lid houses the audio controls. These include a power button, a Bluetooth connect button, and volume controls. Next to these dials is a door for external power and a USB port, which charges external devices like smartphones.

Furthermore, Festool’s TopRock Systainer Bluetooth speaker boasts the ability to play continuously for up to 20 hours at medium volume with its integrated battery fully charged. It also comes with a 110V adapter to charge the battery, which plugs into the charging port located next to the USB port.

Additional Features

• Four neodymium speakers in each unit
• Two bass reflex systems in each unit
• Illuminated buttons to control speaker audio
• Fully compatible with all Systainer generations and mobile dust extractors
• Integrated battery

Festool TopRock Systainer Bluetooth Speaker Price and Availability

The Festool TopRock BT20 Systainer might just be the world’s stealthiest jobsite Bluetooth speaker. It retails for $225 and includes a 1-year warranty. Look for this product at Acme Tools and other authorized Festool dealers.

Specifications

• Model: SYS3 BT20 M 137 (yes, that’s the actual model number)
• Battery: 3 x 18650 lithium-ion cell battery (3S1P)
• Battery power: 12V, 3.35 Ah
• Charge time: 3 hours
• Runtime: ~10-20 hours depending on volume
• Bluetooth: v5.0
• Bluetooth range (max): 160 ft.
• Speakers: 4 x 50mm (8-ohm, 5W) + 2 x bass reflex tubes
• Power: 2 x 9W
• THD: 1% @ 19V, 5% @ 11V
• USB: 1.0A, 5V
• Max load: 11 lbs (5 kg)
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 15-7/16 x 11-5/8 x 5-5/16 in.
• Weight: 8.21 lbs

The post Festool TopRock Systainer Bluetooth Speaker appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

It’s pretty helpful to have a guy trained in sound engineering when we want to evaluate the best jobsite radios and Bluetooth speakers. Fortunately, we do and Clint led our team down a path of higher sound quality. Take the journey with us as he walks you through the top options currently on the market in this video.

Want to read about them instead? Click here!

The post Best Jobsite Radios and Bluetooth Speakers Video Review appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

While I love tools, I happen to have a background in recording engineering and have even been a sound editor on several feature films. Over the years, I’ve really come to develop an ear and a passion for good audio. It goes without saying that it didn’t take a lot for me to be interested in finding the best jobsite radio you could buy for the money. I wanted to know which of these jobsite radios sounded good, which had truly useful features, and which I’d want to take a hard pass on.

We looked at and reviewed dozens of jobsite radios to assemble this list. Since everyone has different needs, we broke it down by standout features, size, and even made an overall favorite pick from everything we’ve tested.

Best Jobsite Radio Overall

Milwaukee M18 Packout Radio

We picked the Milwaukee M18 Packout Radio as the best jobsite radio overall due to its excellent combination of features, output, and sound quality. For around $299, you get a true jobsite radio. Plus, it locks onto your Milwaukee Packout system. That makes it easily transportable for those already running with that rig. It has plenty of sound output, and we love how easily it connects to Bluetooth. This is our go-to radio in the shop these days, and it outperforms all of Milwaukee Tool’s prior models. Milwaukee also has less expensive radios if you want to skip the charging feature or Packout compatibility.

Best Bluetooth Jobsite Radio or Speaker

Makita XRM11 Bluetooth Speakers

The Makita XRM11 Bluetooth speaker is our pick for the best Bluetooth jobsite speaker. It challenges the way we think about smaller speakers. It also bears almost no resemblance to the Makita XRM10 charging radio—going instead for a completely new shape and size.

By the time we got done listening through a wide range of music types with these speakers, we simply looked at each other with wide eyes. The Makita XRM11 Bluetooth speaker mic dropped the small-form speaker world and dared everyone else to try and do better. They aren’t cheap, but at $129 each, you can daisy chain up to 10 of these together to form your own Phil Spector wall of sound.

Best Portable Jobsite Speaker (No Radio)

DeWalt DCR010 Bluetooth Speaker

We like the compactness of the DeWalt DCR010 and that it supports both 12V and 20V Max batteries. You can also plug the speaker into AC power with the included power cable. This Bluetooth speaker uses two drivers plus an extended bass feature (EQ) to help bring in some of those lower frequencies.

Unlike some other DeWalt jobsite radios (like the ToughSystem Music+ Charger), you won’t be able to charge your batteries on the DeWalt DCR010.

Also, with no built-in AM/FM radio you’ll end up streaming to this $99 portable jobsite radio. Look below for our recommendation on the best jobsite radio in a small form factor.

Best Portable Jobsite Radio

Milwaukee M12 Radio + Charger 2951-20

The Milwaukee M12 Radio + Charger takes a versatile approach to job site sound with a full-range speaker setup, multiple hanging options, and the capability to not just charge your M12 batteries, but also your phones and tablets. This is the best Milwaukee jobsite radio for those on a budget and looking for something small and portable. We like it because it includes an actual AM/FM radio—many new Bluetooth jobsite speakers do not.

You can get the Milwaukee M12 radio for $129 as a tool-only option or for $178 with a 2.0Ah battery.

Best Jobsite Radio for Large Areas (Loudest and Fullest Sound)

Bosch PB360C Power Box Jobsite Radio

Some product manager really had their head on straight when they designed the Bosch Power Box PB360C. This upgrade to the original Bosch PB10-CD PowerBox has nearly everything you could want in an outdoor or jobsite radio. Instead of the traditional front-facing stereo speakers, the PB360C uses four drivers that fire up and outward in all directions.

You also get a dedicated 4-1/2″ flush-mounted “subwoofer” that fires out of the bottom of the jobsite radio. While this isn’t the loudest radio we tested from the front, it manages to put out more sound because of its multidirectional design.

The Bosch Power Box radio plays loud and clean with more real bass than most competitors. It also has just about every feature you can imagine—Bluetooth, USB charging, 120V outlets, battery charger—you name it. About the only downside of this radio is that it weighs over 25 pounds with a battery inserted.

Best Ryobi Jobsite Speaker

Ryobi PAD01 18V Bluetooth Speaker

We love the value presented by the Ryobi PAD01 18V Bluetooth speaker. It features dual 3-inch speakers that provide crisp, clear sound and don’t sound overly distorted when pushed to maximum volume.

Slap in a 4.0Ah battery pack and you get over 10 hours of audio playback. If you want to charge your phone or tablet, the Ryobi PAD01 gives you a 2.1-amp fast-charging USB port.

You can pick up the Ryobi PAD01 18V Bluetooth Speaker at Home Depot. It sells as a bare tool, retailing for just $79. For what you get, that initially sounds like a great price.

Best Ridgid Jobsite Radio

Ridgid R84087 Jobsite Bluetooth Radio

The Ridgid R84087 Gen5X jobsite radio might be a bit long in the tooth, but it still holds its own. Whether you’re an outside guy, a contractor, or just want some good sound in your garage, we find it an easy recommendation to make. Moreso if you’re already in the Ridgid 18V battery system.

Even if you don’t have other Ridgid cordless tools, as a plugged-in radio option, it’s still worth a look and might convince you to pull the trigger on something like the Ridgid cordless trim router.

It’s able to get loud too, and with the ability to adjust the bass and treble, you can tweak how sound comes through the speakers. Only in a few instances at full volume did I notice that the music was beginning to distort. The sound quality is much better than most other jobsite radios I’ve listened to.

Best Porter-Cable Jobsite Radio

Porter-Cable PCC771B Radio

Having reviewed the Porter-Cable PC18JR, we came away thinking the radio sounded like it was trying to play back audio from speakers that were submerged underwater. Backing it off a bit, it got better. The Porter-Cable PCC771B radio tweaked some of those issues while streamlining the look and feel. Where the former jobsite radio resembled an 80s “boom box”, the new one…well, it still looks like something out of Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo…just a bit smoother.

You don’t get a lot of choices when it comes to the best Porter-Cable jobsite radio. Still, they did a good job giving their tool users a way to add music to the jobsite. For $129.99 you get AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, and an effective roll cage.

Jobsite Radio Buying Guide

After testing all of these jobsite radios, each had its merits and limitations. These recommendations should point out key products you want to try for yourself.

When it comes down to it, you have a ton of options. Reading through this review, I hope we helped you narrow down your choices when selecting the best jobsite radio for your needs. One thing is for certain, however: If you don’t already own one of these tools—get out there and start shopping!

Clean Audio vs Distortion

For jobsite radios to be good they have to accomplish a few things well. First, the radio has to be loud. And by “loud” I mean without a ton of distortion. There’s nothing worse than cranking up a radio to max volume and hearing what sounds like a speaker that’s playing back audio while submerged underwater. In my opinion, a volume knob shouldn’t allow the radio to go beyond its ability to reproduce audio that sounds good.

You may hear the word “distortion” bandied about whenever you look into audio devices or loudspeakers. Distortion occurs when you push a driver (speaker) beyond its limits. This is absolutely an issue with jobsite radios.

When you play audio through their small “full-size” speakers, your music has both loud and soft sections. These vary in both frequency and intensity over time. This can be represented by a waveform. You’ve probably seen waveforms before—in TV and movies, they analyze recording’s waveform in order to track down an audible clue.

When a loudspeaker exceeds its capabilities, that waveform is pushed straight into the “ceiling”. The ceiling is where it can’t go any higher. As with anything that gets pushed too hard into an immovable object, it starts to flatten out. Now, instead of a nice smooth waveform with lots of resolution, you get a nasty, flattened sound.

Some radios don’t let their volumes exceed the point where massive audible distortion occurs. Others drive right off the cliff! We prefer the former—and so should you.

Durability

The best jobsite radios need durability. It won’t do any good to have a radio that can’t take a few splashes, get covered in dust, or handle a fall off a sawhorse onto concrete. Without adequate build quality, a jobsite radio is just a pretty cordless battery-powered radio that won’t last very long.

You really want something that you can toss into the bed of your truck, leave in a large tool bag, or leave out during a drizzle. If you have to baby it, you didn’t buy the right radio!

Size and Portability

Size and portability matter in a jobsite radio. You want to match the radio to your needs. You may want something really small and portable because you’re a tradesman who doesn’t want to spank an entire jobsite with 96 dB of output. The last thing you need is to carry around a full-sized radio with 6 speakers and a built-in subwoofer.

Grab a smaller, portable radio that runs off the same batteries you already use in your cordless power tools. If, however, you work outside with your crew and want to provide tunes for framing, siding, painting, or roofing—go big. By all means, look for something that can produce an ample amount of volume no matter where you place it.

Features

While I’d rate the sound quality as the most important quality of the best jobsite radio, having the right features certainly matters. Select models from Bosch, Milwaukee, and Makita feature an integrated battery charger. This may save you some room in your work truck.

You may also want a hybrid-power jobsite radio that includes some outlets to power additional low amperage tools. Bosch and DeWalt might be the only games in town for that functionality.

Or perhaps you just want something that can hold your smartphone securely so that it doesn’t get wet. These are the kinds of features you want to look out for when shopping for the best jobsite radio. It needs to line up with your expected use. Everyone’s preferences will vary, so make a list—check it twice—and then run through our picks to see what makes for the best fit.

Why You Can Trust Pro Tool Reviews

Ever check out a “review” site and you can’t tell if they actually tested the tools or if they’re just “recommending” the Amazon top sellers? That’s not us. We won’t recommend anything unless we’d actually use it ourselves and we don’t really care who the primary retailer is. It’s all about giving you a legitimate recommendation and our honest opinion of each product.

We’ve been in business since 2008 covering tools, writing reviews, and reporting on industry news in the construction, automotive, and lawn care industries. Our Pro reviewers work in the trades and have the skills and experience to know whether tools can perform well in the field.

Each year, we bring in and review more than 250 individual products. Our team will put our hands on hundreds of additional tools at media events and trade shows throughout the year.

We consult with innovators in the technology and design of tools to gain a broader grasp of where these products fit and how they work.

We work with more than two dozen professional contractors around the United States who review products for us on real job sites and consult with us on testing methods, categories, and weighting.

We’ll provide more than 500 pieces of new content this year absolutely free for our readers—including objective evaluations of individual tools and products.

The end result is information you can trust because of the editorial, scientific, and real-world professional experience we collectively utilize each and every time we pick up and test a tool.

The post Best Jobsite Radio for 2022 appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Somebody really had their head on straight when they designed the Bosch Power Box PB360C jobsite radio. This upgrade to the original Bosch PB10-CD PowerBox has tons of features and speakers that seem to fire from every direction at once. It takes into account the fact that not everyone is going to be working directly in front of the radio. We set out to see whether or not it could truly fill a jobsite with good quality sound.

Pros

• Great coverage
• Lots of features
• Built-in battery charger
• 4 GFCI 120V outlets
• Bluetooth audio + App-enabled
• USB charging
• Accommodates larger Bosch batteries

Cons

• Heavy
• Expensive

Editor’s Note: Check out our best jobsite radio article for our top picks.

Bosch PB360C Power Box Jobsite Radio Features

Instead of the traditional front-facing stereo speakers, the PB360C features an array of four 1-3/4″ drivers that fire up and outward in all directions at once. A 4-1/2″ flush-mounted woofer fires downward to provide additional bass. Put this in the middle of your job site and everyone is going to hear your tunes.

Measured from any angle, the PB360C Power Box puts out a full 94 dB SPL of output. It’s not the loudest radio we tested from the front, but it certainly puts out more sound if you factor in how it fares when listened to from the sides or behind. I suppose this is the first truly “social” radio that cares about everyone in the room, regardless of where they’re working. Now you just all have to agree on the music!

Easy-to-Press Buttons

All of the buttons are rubberized and easy to use with gloves on. Plus, they’re backlit, so you can see what you’re doing when the lighting isn’t so hot. The Tune and Volume knobs are simple to spin, but I wish they reacted with a bit more sensitivity. They seem to take forever when you want to dial forward from one extreme to another—fast or slow, the increments move at the same pace.

You’ll want to put your favorite stations into one of the 10 AM or 20 FM memory slots to avoid having to slow tune or seek from one extreme of the dial to the other. Also, unlike the fancier Makita LXRM03, the Bosch PB360C acts like most other job site radios and doesn’t “sense” inputs. You’ll need to cycle through AM, FM, Aux 1, Aux 2, USB, SD and Sirius to go between active sources—which can be a pain when going from FM to AM, for example.

Inputs, Outputs, and Power

There is so much going on with the Bosch PowerBox that each side almost needs its own description in order to take it all in. The left side features the Aux 1 input, line output, 12V DC (1A) port as well as a hinged compartment. Inside that is a 250V/1A fuse (for the 12V outlet), SD card slot, USB port, and Aux 2 inputs. You also get some hook and loop to strap your mp3 player to the door to keep it out of the elements.

That USB charger tops off your smaller portable devices when you connect the radio to 120V power. If you happen to have a favorite playlist, you could dump it to a 4GB drive and insert it into the USB slot for a week’s worth of music.

On the back, you have connections for the FM antenna (included) and Sirius antenna (optional). Open up the compartment and you’ll find the integrated 18V lithium-ion battery charger (which is also where you power the radio via Bosch 14.4V or 18V batteries).

Four GFCI Outlets

On the right side, you’ll find the four covered 10A GFCI outlets that let the radio double as a power distribution center for all but the most current-hungry power tools. I liked that Bosch thought to provide covers for the outlets. While they’re not waterproof, they will serve to keep out dust and dirt when not in use. This is a job site radio, after all, and it’s remarkable how many times details like that go unnoticed. The top of the Bosch Power Box has a handy carry handle that also stores the included key fob-style remote control. The remote gives you access to Volume, Skip, Source, Power, and Mute controls, and it will easily clip to your keychain or a belt loop.

Bosch PB360C Listening Tests

We really liked the sound of the Bosch radio. It plays loud and clean, with more real bass than most other systems out there. The multi-directional speakers are a great concept, and the entire design of the radio makes it incredibly durable because it does truly isolate the central radio from the surrounding roll cage.

Final Thoughts

The only downside of the Bosch PB360C Power Box jobsite radio is that it weighs over 25 pounds with a battery inserted. That’s nearly 8 pounds heavier than the next-heaviest model reviewed, the Milwaukee 2790-20.

If you can afford it, the PB360D is a feature-rich model that will take a beating and provide music to an entire job site. At around $199, this might be your best option for a loud, full-featured jobsite radio.

The post Bosch PB360C Power Box Jobsite Radio Review appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

The Highly Anticipated Makita XRM10 18V LXT/12V CXT Charging Radio Is Now Available

With options such as the Makita XRM11 Bluetooth speaker, team Teal has put out some impressive ways to rock the jobsite. However, the Makita XRM10 18V LXT and 12V CXT Charging Radio might be their most high-anticipated speaker yet.

Makita XRM10 Charging Radio | The Big Deal

We actually wrote about this radio more than a year ago when we first caught wind of it. So the biggest deal for those of your that have been waiting is that it’s finally available!

The Makita XRM10 gives you an option when it comes to power sources: 12V battery, 18V battery, or AC power. While a hybrid power source isn’t unique, it also isn’t a standard feature on the market.

But, wait, there’s more. The question we get with virtually every jobsite radio we cover is, “does it charge?” Yes, yes it does! It’s not as fast as Makita’s Rapid Optimum Charger, though. For instance, you can charge an 18V 5.0Ah battery in 80 minutes.

In addition to charging your power tool batteries, you can also charge up your devices with the two built-in USB ports.

Another point that’s a big deal to us is that Makita designed the radio to withstand tough job site conditions. It has a roll cage design to protect the front of the radio from damage to the buttons and dials. Elastomer edge and corner bumpers protect against impacts to the body of the radio. Perhaps most importantly, it has an IP64 rating, meaning that it’s relatively well-protected against dust and water.

Feature Set

The Makita’s charging radio gives you the option of listening to AM or FM radio, streaming music from your Bluetooth-enabled device, or play through the 3.5 mm aux port.

For sound quality, it features two 3.5-inch side-firing speakers with stereo sound.

The radio also provides a safe place to store your device on the job with a large internal storage compartment that can hold an iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Oh one more thing—when all your work is done, the Makita charging radio provides a built-in bottle opener.

Additional Features

• Menu controls for FM mono/stereo, clock settings, volume, and snooze
• Backlit LCD screen
• Weighs 13.2 pounds with battery

Price

You can pick up the Makita XRM10 at your favorite retailer for $319. It’s backed by a 3-year warranty.

For more information, visit the Makita website by clicking here.

Makita 18V Charging Radio Specs

• Model: Makita XRM10
• Power: 12V, 18V, AC
• Radio/ Tuner: AM/FM
• 2 x USB power ports
• Backlit LCD Display
• Auxiliary Port
• Weight: 13.2 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11-1/4 x 7-1/4 x 12 in.
• Warranty: 3 years
• Price: $319

The post Makita XRM10 18V LXT and 12V CXT Charging Radio appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Ryobi Releases Most Compact Bluetooth Speaker to Date

Coming to The Home Depot this December, the Ryobi 18V Compact Bluetooth Speaker (PAD02B) ties the company’s innovative sound technology to the industry’s most compact design. I mean, it’s barely larger than the battery that powers it!

Ryobi PAD02B Key Features

The Ryobi PAD02B Speaker runs on the brand’s 18V battery platform to deliver over 20 hours of runtime per charge (using a compact 2.0Ah battery). Slap it onto a 1.5Ah battery, and you still get more than a full workday with overtime.

It weighs in at around half a pound, and takes marginally more space than the battery it runs on. Ryobi tells us that this is the most compact 18V Speaker on the market, making it extremely transportable around the home and jobsite.

Yet, despite its size, Ryobi tells us that the PAD02B still delivers clear, crisp sound at any volume. This is thanks to the Smart Amplifier Technology, which we’ve also seen on the recent Ryobi PAD01 Bluetooth Speaker. Ryobi claims their speaker tech produces more dynamic high and low frequencies without distortion at higher volumes.

The Ryobi PAD02B has a 75′ Bluetooth range, and it also features voice prompts that indicate power on/off and Bluetooth connection.

Ryobi Compact BT Speaker Pricing

You can pick up the Ryobi Compact Bluetooth Speaker when it hits the Home Depot’s shelves in December. It will sell as a bare tool for $29.97 and come with Ryobi’s 3-year warranty. In our opinion, that’s too good to pass up if you want some quick tunes and already have some Ryobi tools.

Ryobi Compact Bluetooth Speaker Specs

• Model: Ryobi PAD02B
• Weight: .052 lbs. without battery
• Runtime: Over 20 hours with 2.0Ah
• Range: Up to 75′
• Warranty: 3 years
• Availability: December 2020 from the Home Depot
• Price: $29.97 (bare tool)

The post Ryobi 18V Compact Bluetooth Speaker PAD02B appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Ryobi Bluetooth Speaker Features Smart Amplifier Technology

Ryobi has updated the line of 18V Bluetooth Speakers with a model that seems like a great new value model. It features Smart Amplifier Technology and dual 3″ speakers that provide crisp, clear sound at any volume for what they define as “8.5x more clarity” than their last model.

Clear Sound From Anywhere On the Jobsite

Claiming 8.5x better sound quality than the last edition of the Ryobi 18V Bluetooth Speaker, the PAD01 must have a lot of things going on. One of the new improvements we see revolves around Ryobi’s Smart Amplifier Technology. It claims to produce more dynamic high and low frequencies.

We know from experience that plenty of jobsite speakers can get muddy and distorted at higher volumes. Ryobi assures us that this won’t be the case with the PAD01. It features dual 3″ “full-range” speakers that deliver a powerful and rich sound. Ryobi claims they stay crisp and clear no matter where you have the volume set. That’s our favorite approach to amplification—allowing the volume to only go as loud as the amplifier can handle cleanly.

Increased Bluetooth Range and Runtime

The Ryobi 18V Bluetooth Speaker also features an expanded wireless range. Where the older P746 gave you a 50′ wireless leash, the updated PAD01 claims you can wander up to 125 feet away before starting to test the integrity of your wireless connection. That number probably only holds true for line-of-site use, but it certainly indicates a better Bluetooth radio.

Blasting tunes over the course of a full workday also presents no problem for the Ryobi 18V Bluetooth Speaker. You’ll get over 10 hours of runtime when using a 4.0Ah battery. Plus, should you need to top off your phone or tablet, the PAD01 gives you a 2.1-amp USB port for charging other devices.

The Ryobi Bluetooth speaker features voice prompts to indicate power on and power off, as well as when you connect wirelessly. We find this a helpful feature when connecting the speaker to the phone. It makes it really easy to use and helps you move on more quickly to the next task. A rubber carrying handle makes the PAD01 easy to transport on and off the site as well.

Pricing and Availability

You can pick up the Ryobi PAD01 18V Bluetooth Speaker at Home Depot. It sells as a bare tool, retailing for just $79. For what you get, that initially sounds like a great price. We look forward to gearing it for ourselves once it comes in for review. If it does what it claims, this might be just the thing to get for your favorite Pro or DIYer this Christmas.

Like all of the 175+ tools in the Ryobi One+ System, it comes with a 3-year warranty.

Ryobi 18V Bluetooth Speaker Specs

• Model: Ryobi PAD01
• Volts: 18V
• Signal Range: 125 ft.
• Dimensions (HxLxW): 6.25 x 11.75 x 7 in.
• Warranty: 3 years
• Price: $79

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When Sound Quality Matters, the Makita XRM11 Bluetooth Speaker Delivers

We’re used to a big difference in sound quality between small-form and large-form jobsite speakers and radios. Of course, the larger models are usually on the better side of that quality. The Makita XRM11 Bluetooth speaker is challenging that assumption and completely changed the way we think about this speaker class. It also bears almost no resemblance to the Makita XRM10 charging radio.

Pros

• Ability to pair up to 10 speakers together
• Get true stereo sound by pairing two speakers
• Perfect syncing
• Outstanding sound quality
• Room-filling volume that doesn’t distort
• Control all speakers from the parent or individually
• IP65 ingress rating
• Runs on 12V CXT or 18V LXT batteries, or AC power

Cons

• No radio
• Does not charge batteries

Editor’s Note: Check out our best jobsite radio article for our top picks.

Makita XRM11 Bluetooth Speaker: Mic Dropping the Competition

Setup and Cool Features

You can link up to 10 Makita XRM11 speakers together. If you use two of them, they transmit true left/right stereo sound. If you use 3 or more, they revert to individual efforts.

The first thing that struck us was how easy it was to sync the speakers. One speaker acts as the parent, or source, while the others are child speakers.

We connected a total of 4 speakers in our shop and they synced up perfectly. There wasn’t a hint of delay coming from any of them. Even when we got close to the edge of a speaker’s range, the sound would cut out, but not delay.

One Speaker To Rule Them All… Unless You Don’t Want It To

One cool feature Makita built in is the volume control. From the parent speaker, you can adjust the volume of all the child speakers at one time. If one of your coworkers isn’t quite as interested in the 1:00 first pitch, you can also control the child speaker volumes independently without affecting the others.

Connections

While you have Bluetooth and a 3.5mm auxiliary connection, you don’t have an actual radio. That might be a deal-breaker for some folks, but keep in mind that you can download your favorite station’s app to listen live or even download a radio app and listen to multiple stations throughout the day.

For charging your devices, there’s a USB port onboard.

Three Power Options

No matter if you’re on Makita’s 18V LXT or 12V CXT system, your battery packs power XRM11 speakers. Even if you don’t have extra batteries, there’s an AC cord that comes with each one.

You can use either battery type, but they won’t fit in the compartment at the same time. You’ll need to choose one or the other.

What you can fit in the battery compartment is the power cord. With a 5.0Ah battery in the 18V slot, we were able to get the charging cord in and close the latch without an issue.

Even though there’s an AC cord, this isn’t a charging speaker. You’ll need to charge your batteries on a separate charger.

Additional Features

• IP65 rating: there’s no need to worry about dust and rain
• Beefy protective bumpers: this speaker doesn’t need a babysitter
• Storage slot: though it isn’t weather-proof, it’s a great place to slide your phone

Sound Quality

When we first saw and heard these speakers at World of Concrete, we were impressed by the feature set. However, it wasn’t an ideal setting to hear what they’re capable of. Once we got them to our shop, we began to understand how special they are.

Individually, these speakers have an impressively full sound. It comes from a combination of a 4-inch woofer with passive radiator and 1.4-inch tweeter.

Often, we find small-form speakers make a trade-off on the highs and lows to get vocals through more clearly, but the XRM11 seems to find a good balance across the entire range.

Switching over two speakers for a stereo sound, it got even better. The sound coming from the pair was as good as some of the best full-size jobsite radios we have.

Then we paired the other two speakers and set each one up in a different corner of our 40 x 60 shop, turned it up, and listened in awe. Makita’s perfect syncing and room-filling sound was more than just enjoyable to listen to—it was an immersive experience.

The max volume was more than enough for the space we were in. Like we’ve seen from Makita’s last couple of speakers, the design team knew where to cap it before it started to distort or get muddy. Even outside at full volume, the sound is clear and crisp.

Makita XRM11 Bluetooth Speaker Price

The Makita XRM11 Bluetooth Speaker runs $139.99 as a bare tool. That’s more than other small-form speakers and radios currently run. It’s not a surprise, though, considering what all Makita packs into it.

The Bottom Line

By the time we got done listening through a wide range of music types and considering the quality of what Makita put together, Tom Gaige and I simply looked at each other with wide eyes. The Makita XRM11 Bluetooth speaker just mic dropped the small-form speaker world and dared everyone else to try and do better.

Makita 18V Bluetooth Speaker

• Model: Makita XRM11
• Voltage: 12V – 18V
• USB Power Port: 1
• Mp3 Compatible: Yes
• AC Adapter Included: Yes
• Backlit LCD Display: Yes
• Auxiliary Port: Yes
• Weight: 6 lbs (without battery)
• Dimensions (LxWxH): 8-1/2″ x 8-1/8″ x 7-7/8″
• Warranty: 3-year
• Price: $139.99

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