Tribit XSound Go Review

The Tribit XSound Go certainly isn't the most melodious speaker we tested, but decent sound, a low price, and a rugged build make this a good choice for those shopping on a budget, or those that just want an inexpensive, waterproof option that they can take to the beach or lake without worry.

Performance Comparison

While not a top performer, the Tribit XSound Go still endeared itself to us due to its low price and IPX7 waterproof rating. You can read our full thoughts below.

Sound Quality

This is the weakest point of the XSound Go, and it only managed to earn a mediocre 4 out of 10 in our sound quality testing. Everything about the sound, from bass power to clarity to dynamic range, is slightly below average. That's not to say it sounds bad, however. Unless you're the type of person that cringes at anything but top shelf speakers, the soundscape produced by the XSound Go will be acceptable. Plus, it sounds infinitely better, and louder, than a phone's built-in speakers. This makes it a worthwhile purchase if more than one person is going to be listening to your music while out on the go.

There are certainly waterproof speakers that sound better. It's also much more expensive, so you'll have to decide how much of a premium you're willing to pay for sound quality.

Portability

The Tribit XSound Go did quite well in our portability testing, weighing in at only 13.4 ounces it is quite light. The IPX7 waterproof rating means it can survive even complete submersion in water, making it a perfect companion if your adventures take you to lakes, rivers, and oceans. The curved edges may seem like a minor design choice, but they actually make it much easier to shove the XSound Go into a bag full of wet towels than if it had square edges. All of this earned it a score of 8 out of 10.

Again, there are waterproof speakers that are lighter and smaller, namely the UE Roll 2. However, the XSound Go is significantly cheaper than any of these lighter options.

Volume

The small size of the XSound Go certainly limits its maximum volume, earning it the lowest score of 3 out of 10 in this metric. In our testing it was able to fill a small room with sound, but anything larger and the volume felt less than booming. For a few friends listening on the beach it has plenty of volume, but it would struggle in a room with lots of people hanging out and talking or dancing. For most uses this level of volume won't feel limiting, but if you're planning on a dance party you'll definitely want something with a bit more juice. However, this small and loud speaker isn't waterproof, which might be a dealbreaker.

Battery Life

The Tribit XSound Go excelled in our battery life testing, lasting a full 18.5 hours on a single charge. That's an entire day's worth of waking hours. This performance was better than even more expensive waterproof models like the UE Roll 2, which lasted 14 hours, and the UE Boom 2, which lasted 12 hours.

Value

The Tribit XSound Go's main selling point is the fact that it's inexpensive. Considering it is waterproof that feels like a fairly good price. The sound quality is only mediocre, so you do have to make some sacrifices for that low price, but if you're looking for a budget-friendly option we feel it is a good value.

Yes, you can get better sound quality by upgrading to a top-tier Bluetooth speaker, but then you might lose the waterproof rating. You can also get much better battery life by sending just a little more on the Anker SoundCore 2, but again you lose the waterproof rating and you sacrifice a bit of sound quality. Bottom line, the Tribit XSound Go offers the best balance of performance and price for those looking for a low-budget speaker.

Conclusion