GoKawiilThe Soundboks Rider looks like no other portable speaker I've tested. It resembles something you'd find on stage at a concert rather than at your next barbecue. Its restrained design is almost the antithesis of the flashy, LED-pulsing party speakers you might find from brands like JBL or Samsung.
The build quality is impressive, confidence-inspiring, and clearly made to last. It's built like a tank, with a steel front grille, silicone rubber ball corners, and a thick plastic cabinet. During a drop test, I was frankly more worried about the speaker breaking my stairs than my stairs breaking the speaker. Another win for longevity is the replaceable battery—it charges via USB-C, and you can swap it in and out in seconds. This feels like a speaker you could have for decades.
While smaller than Soundboks' other speakers, it is still much larger than your average Bluetooth unit, and a bit awkward to carry with its single carry-grip on one corner. I would have loved to see two carry handles, one on each side. That would make the Rider easier and more flexible to carry, similar to the Sony ULT Field 7.
Unlike the larger Soundboks Mix and Soundboks 4, this is meant to be a stand-alone speaker—it does not have Soundboks' wireless multi-speaker connectivity (SKAA TeamUp), a speaker stand mount, or additional inputs (read: XLR).
Loud and Clear
[1. Soundboks Rider_Main_01. 2. Soundboks Rider_Main_02. 3. Soundboks Rider_Main_03.]
Soundboks speakers can get loud, and despite the Rider being the smallest in the brand's lineup, its audio output is astonishing. I was frankly scared to turn this speaker up to max volume (11 on the dial, IYKYK).
To spare my New York City neighbors, I took this speaker outdoors and cranked it to 11; even then, I could only manage it for a short while before I worried someone would call 311 to file a noise complaint. Which is to say: the Rider is plenty loud for most parties I can think of.