Polk Boom Swimmer Duo Review: A Rugged Little Speaker

Last updated on 2022-09-19
By Yvonne

Polk Boom Swimmer Duo

We like this

Robust and waterproof
Thumpy bass
Ultra-portable
Outstanding speakerphone

The Things We Hate

Sometimes vocals suffer

Polk Boom Swimmer Duo waterproof speakers are small and portable. This compact speaker delivers excellent audio and is ideal for those who are looking for a small, portable device.

This article explains.

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Design
Installation
Sound Quality
Prices
Concurrence
Final Verdict
Specifications

Polk Boom Swimmer duo was purchased by us so that our expert reviewer could fully test it and evaluate it. Continue reading to see our complete product review.

Polk Boom Swimmer Duo compact speakers are rugged and portable. It's waterproof, dust- and shockproof, making it the ideal companion for any outdoor activity.

Maximum portability

This portable Bluetooth speaker is designed for rugged portability. The speaker fits comfortably in the palm and can be carried in a backpack, purse, or other bag. The shock-absorbing rubber coating makes it resistant to scratches and easy to clean. The flexible tail allows you to attach it to a belt loop or shower rod, place it on a table or prop up on rough surfaces such as rocks or sand.

The Polk Boom Swimmer Duo also comes with a suction cup that you can use to attach the speaker to a smooth, flat surface—perfect for the wall of a shower. During our testing, the suction cup was strong and didn't move during any of its tests.

Polk is very serious about its waterproof claims, as the name 'Swimmer" implies. The product lives up to its waterproof claims. We submerged the Swimmer Duo in water for 3 minutes and then held it still. It came up functional and it kept playing music underwater.

Polk is very serious about its waterproof claims, as the name 'Swimmer" implies.

Swimmer Duo also functions as a speakerphone. The Swimmer Duo has a microphone built in that lets you take calls using the phone it is paired to. We found out that the phone can hear and respond to calls up to 12 feet from the speaker.

These Bluetooth speakers have a few extra features. You can purchase two Swimmer Duos and sync them to the same device. Then you can play your music from both devices simultaneously, achieving stereo sound. You can also hook up your media with an AUX male-to-male cable to connect it to the speaker. This device is extremely useful thanks to these two functions.

Polk Audio states that this battery lasts eight hours. We found that the battery lasts for eight hours when we tried it. We charged our test unit overnight and let it run throughout the day—it shut off around mid-afternoon. This is a reasonable battery life, however it's not as good as the ones found in other devices.

This speaker does not advertise a Bluetooth range. It was able to connect with Bluetooth paired devices up to 30 feet when we tried it. This is the Bluetooth Core Specifications minimum distance, however you should not expect anything more with a device this expensive.

The paired devices were capable of keeping us connected for up to 30 feet.

Setting up is easy even in a language other than

Our test unit came with a German user manual. As such, setup was a bit more difficult than usual. It was easy to do, however. Turning on the speaker and pairing it to our smartphone was all that was required. Then, we pressed play. It is easy to understand Bluetooth. The process of using a wireless speaker is very simple if you have never tried it before.

Swimmer Duo comes with a USB charger cable, but not a wall adapter. It will need to be shared with other devices, or charged from your computer's battery.

Sound Quality - The humping bass of the drums is fantastic, but sometimes vocals suffer

The Swimmer Duo speaker is only $59.99 and delivers high-quality sound. The speaker has a large volume that can produce a room-filling, indoor sound. You can also feel the bass in your hands.

The fact that Swimmer Duo does not have a stereo system means it only channels the audio through one speaker. Although this is not a problem in general, it could be annoying when you listen to music with different instruments and vocals.

Two stereo speakers can be a bit pricey if you only want to achieve stereo sound.

We tested this speaker with some Beatles albums that are mixed this way, and the results were soft vocals and overpowering bass on songs like We Can Work It Out, and Please Please Me. It's not an ideal experience but you can fix it by purchasing a second Swimmer Duo or syncing the two together.

Price: A booming deal

Polk Boom Swimmer Duo is $59.99. This is an excellent price for what you get. However, it can be a bit expensive to purchase two speakers solely for stereo sound. You can find these speakers on sale quite often, so buying two may be less expensive.

Competiton: Polk Boom Swimmer duo vs. IFox Bluetooth Shower Speaker

The Swimmer Duo was tested as compact waterproof speakers. It is easy to compare it to the iFox iF012 Bluetooth Shower speaker, which costs $29.99 but boasts similar durability. They were generally similar in terms of overall performance but the Swimmer Duo was superior when it came to bass.

The iFox iF012, made from hard plastic is designed to adhere to your shower wall. The Swimmer Duo can do the same thing, but its design allows for so much more. The iFox is a shower speaker you can rely on to be with you every morning. The Swimmer Duo is the perfect choice if power and portability appeal to you.

This rugged Bluetooth speaker allows you to ditch your earbuds, no matter where you are. We recommend that you wait until they are on sale if you don't like the stereo sound or want to purchase a pair.