Home iPhonia iPhone Accessories ,,,,, It is statistically proven that one of the favorite places of skilled singers for their singing performances is the bathroom. Better still if in the shower, where the shower head becomes the ideal virtual replacement for the microphone. It is therefore not surprising to find the Smart version of the shower head among the technological gadgets, equipped with a waterproof Bluetooth amplifier to fully enjoy your music while leaving your smartphone safe from humidity and splashes in the adjacent room.
We are talking about Avantek HB – 01, recently put to the test by our editorial staff. Fragrant and dry, we're finally ready to tell you why it beats all suction cup shower speakers.
As did
Avantek HB – 01 basically consists of two parts *: the shower head (154 grams, 27 centimeters long, 10.3 centimeters diameter) and the Bluetooth speaker (79 grams, 3 centimeters thick, 6.5 centimeters diameter). In the package they arrive already separated, thus giving the right idea of what you have just purchased when you approach a product of this type for the first time.
Taken in hand, the shower head does not differ much from the more classic ones, both in shape and in materials (ABS). It is completely chromed, with the universal screw connection – in plastic – for the shower hose. The nozzles are made of silicone , a choice adopted by most of the shower heads as it helps prevent limestone clogging of the holes.
In short, seeing it like this on the spot it is almost impossible to find the differences with any other shower head. However, it is enough to turn it to discover a large cavity in white satin plastic, certainly not common to showers. This is where we will have to fit the loudspeaker: inside there are in fact three small recesses that collaborate with as many protrusions placed around the frame of the speaker and whose coupling takes place by rotating the latter slightly clockwise until we hear a “clack” that will confirm that the cash register has been blocked.
The speaker is also entirely built in white satin plastic: on one side we find the microUSB socket for charging the internal battery well protected by a silicone cap, on the front side in addition to the holes for the speaker there is an LED indicator and four operation buttons (ON / OFF, Play / Pause, Forward and Back), in addition to the hole for the microphone.
How is it going
Pairing with your smartphone is no different from what you usually do with other Bluetooth speakers. The first time, it is necessary to keep the ON / OFF button pressed more than necessary, i.e. without releasing it when it is turned on but waiting for a second sound signal that will confirm that the pairing mode has been activated. The device will then be shown in the list of those nearby on the phone: just select it and in a few seconds they will be connected and ready to use.
The maximum volume of the speaker is very good: even with the jet of the shower at maximum power it manages to overcome the roar of the water, ensuring a pleasant listening to music. We are not talking about a product for connoisseurs: the audio quality is certainly not excellent but good and more than enough for the carefree listening that you can usually want in the shower.
For those who keep the shower head constantly attached to the rod, the keys for managing music playback will be the only negative note of this product as, from this point of view, they are in a position that is anything but practical. However, you can pass over it if the intent is to listen only to the songs of an album or an artist in random mode or if before getting into the shower you compose an ad hoc playlist for the moment.
On the other hand, the call volume is mediocre. If we answer a phone call we will be forced to stop the shower to be able to listen to the interlocutor and at the same time we will necessarily have to hold the shower head and use it just like a microphone to ensure good reception of our voice at the same time. In these conditions the audio is “perfect”, we were told during one of the various tests we have carried out in these days.
Unfortunately, from the point of view of telephone calls, not much else can be done: there is no possibility to recall the last number with a double click of the Play button and you cannot even chat with Siri with a long press on it. On the other hand, it is possible to refuse a phone call by keeping the Play button pressed for 1 second when we hear the speaker ring.
As for autonomy, after eight showers of about 10-15 minutes each, it has not yet drained: the user manual reports 10 hours of music playback and 4 hours to fully recharge the battery (1,100 mAh).
Conclusions
We tried it more than once and at the end of the tests we realized how much our old Bluetooth speaker with suction cup, which has worthily accompanied us for more than a year, has become obsolete. Mind you, they are two different products and they are used differently, but that's the point. If you are willing to give up the old shower head (perhaps because it is similar to this one, without particular modes for the jet of water), then Avantek HB-01 can really make the difference: here in fact there are no cup suction cups that , even if resistant, with water and humidity sooner or later they will lose adhesion and eventually come off.
Speaking of resistance: the speaker is designed to work in the shower but, due to the position in which it is located, it can withstand humidity and no more than a few drops of water, which in the case must be properly removed with a towel at the end of the shower. Ultimately, from our experience it seemed to us to be the visually cleanest solution to combine bathroom and technology, without giving up a good singing in the shower.
Price to the public
Avantek BH – 01 is on sale on Amazon for € 39.99.
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