Our Bluetooth USB rechargeable speaker reviews continue with the nyne NB-200. This speaker may actually have wider appeal than some of the others, as it includes handlebar mounts, which makes taking it along on a casual bike ride a pretty simple matter. On top of that, we found the mounts work great for attaching it to a camp chair, which is an added bonus.
Don’t let the unusual shape of the nyne NB-200 fool you. At 5.7 x 3.4 x 2.9 inches, it’s not the smallest or most compact speaker. But it’s still very portable, and puts out a good amount of volume for its size. An 800mAh battery provides up to five hours of music, and it has all the features expected – 3.5mm stereo input, USB mini charging, and wireless phone call capability. But it’s really the mounting system that made it a favorite among casual cyclists.
Outdoors, the nyne NB-200 offers enough volume to satisfy most listeners, whether relaxing at a campsite, or throwing a little late-night party around the fire pit. And when it’s time to go mobile, the clamps attach easily to bicycle handlebars. Not a fan of headphones or earbuds, I set it up on my commuter bike, and went for a short ride. It was actually nice to cruise around while listening to music, and still be able to hear approaching traffic. Keep in mind this bike sometimes sports a full fender set, in addition to a rear rack, and one or two panniers. A speaker might look a bit out of place on your full carbon Campagnolo-equipped ride. I did stop and make a quick phone call to test the speakerphone function, and it worked well, but I can’t really see me using it while actually riding. On that note, incoming email and texts caused an annoying break in the music. Not a deal breaker, but certainly something I could do without.
The nyne NB-200 isn’t the loudest, doesn’t have the longest battery life, and certainly isn’t the most compact speaker we’ve reviewed, but it does everything we asked of it. And at $79.95 on Amazon, including those handlebar mounts, it’s one of the least expensive. In our opinion, this makes it one of the best values out there. nyne.com
– Brian
MSRP: $79.99 | Run time: 5 hours | Sound quality/quantity: good | Build quality: good
Disclosure of Material Connection: We received the nyne NB-200 for free from nyne, in consideration for review publication