Tronsmart Bang Max review: Banging bass

The Tronsmart Bang Max is a supersized edition of the muscular and colourful Tronsmart Bang, which we awarded a four-star rating in 2022. The Max is significantly larger than its stablemate, has more raw power and offers a wider range of connectivity options. It’s competitively priced too and delivers impressive scale and phenomenal low-end impact for the money.

Those qualities make it an appealing choice for those in search of an affordable Bluetooth boombox capable of delivering big sound and LED lighting. Those seeking something more refined will be better served elsewhere, however.

Tronsmart Bang Max review: What do you get for the money?

Priced at £200, the Tronsmart Bang Max is a mammoth proposition, weighing 5.98kg and measuring 47 x 19.9 x 26cm (WDH). Its IPX6 water-resistant design houses six drivers – two woofers, two mids and two tweeters – the total output of which is stated at 130W.

Wireless streaming takes place over Bluetooth 5.3 (codec compatibility is limited to SBC) while ports located under a flap on the rear of the speaker provide a variety of physical connection options. There’s an aux-in, a TF/Micro-SD card slot, microphone and guitar inputs, as well as a USB-A port that can be used to charge external devices.

Depressible controls for power, Bluetooth pairing, playback, volume, stereo pairing, SoundPulseEQ mode, TrueConn and Echo can be found on the crest of the speaker. Most of those are self-explanatory but TrueConn and Echo require a little explanation. The former allows you to connect the Bang Max with up to 100 compatible Tronsmart devices and play audio through them simultaneously, while the Echo button cycles between a couple of modes (Boost and Extra Boost) that apply echo effects to audio.

The Bang Max offers up to 24 hours of audio playback at 50% volume or around 20 hours if you’re listening at 70% volume. Those figures are assuming you have the Bang Max’s LED lighting switched off; engaging it will see battery life take a considerable hit. Once that battery is depleted, the Max takes five hours to top up from empty.

There are several viable Bluetooth boombox alternatives out there, but if you want similar power, be prepared to pay quite a bit more. The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 can pump out 160W RMS but costs £300, while the JBL Boombox 3, which has a total output of 180W, will set you back £400. Cheaper options include the 80W Soundcore Motion Boom Plus (£130) and the original Tronsmart Bang, which only puts out 60W but was available for £60 at the time of writing.

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Tronsmart Bang Max review: What do we like?

The Bang Max’s audio is incredibly muscular and its low-end extension is truly impressive. Even at 40% volume, it was more capable at filling a room than most similarly sized monitor speakers I’ve tested and basslines remained pleasingly pronounced.

This was best evidenced on electronic tracks like HXE’s Shiver, where the low-end was tight and powerful but didn’t completely overshadow the rest of the frequency spectrum. As well as delivering a potent bass response, the Bang Max boosts upper mids and lower trebles slightly, which is impactful for parties and outdoor gatherings but can cause the speaker to sound a little unnatural.

If you find the speaker’s bass reproduction too much, it can be toned down using the Tronsmart app. There’s a five-band graphic equaliser enabling you to make incremental adjustments to the default tuning, as well as four EQ presets, including SoundPulse mode, which effectively expands the soundstage and was my favourite option.

To complement its beefy sound and useful EQ settings, the Bang Max has microphone and guitar inputs that make it an attractive all-in-one package for impromptu jams and karaoke nights. You can play a backing track and control the volume of all three audio sources independently, which is very handy, and while audio quality won’t cut it for professional musicians, this functionality is a fantastic inclusion for those who value a speaker that can double up as a small amplifier.

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Tronsmart Bang Max review: What could be improved?

The Bang Max’s bass-heavy tuning won’t appeal to everyone and could do with some refinement to make it better suited for a wider range of genres. There’s a lack of detail in the reproduction of mid-range and treble frequencies and, in general, impact is prioritised over accuracy.

If there’s negligible bass in the music you listen to, and you don’t need an enormous volume range, go for something like the similarly priced B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen, which has a more accurate, neutral delivery.

Irrespective of what is being played on the Bang Max, distortion occasionally creeps in at high volumes. This isn’t surprising given the speaker’s size and specs relative to its cost, but does taint the listening experience when pushing the Max to its limits.

It’s also worth noting that you get a different audio experience depending on where you are relative to the Bang Max. This is to be expected of a boombox-style speaker with front-firing drivers, however this means you’ll want to make sure you’re in front of it and not behind it, where it can sound a little muffled.

There are a couple of other niggles, too. A static hiss is audible on sparser tracks and increases in prominence with volume, so fans of ambient music will definitely want to avoid the Bang Max. And if you’re particular about precisely controlling volume, you’ll probably want to give it a miss too, as the difference between each volume notch is pretty dramatic, making granular adjustments impossible.

Finally, there’s no built-in microphone. I got along fine without one, but if you’re after a speaker that you can use to take calls or engage your voice assistant, you’ll need to widen your search.

Tronsmart Bang Max review: Should you buy it?

The Tronsmart Bang Max is a big, bassy speaker that gets a fair amount right. Its audio can be a bit bombastic at times but bass lovers will likely lap it up and there are connection options aplenty, making the Bang Max a versatile pick. The mic and guitar inputs are particularly handy and being able to control the levels of three input sources simultaneously is a boon for budding musicians.

It’s not a speaker suitable for critical listening or ambient music, however. Nor is its hefty frame as easy to lug around as many of our favourite Bluetooth speakers. But if partying is on the agenda and power is a primary consideration, the Tronsmart Bang Max is one of the most potent and competitively priced options around.