Sodiq Olanrewaju · January 14, 2025 · 9 min read 
Design and sound-wise, Tribit speakers can go toe-to-toe with pricier alternatives from popular brands like JBL, Sony, Bose, etc. The StormBox 2 is a mid-range and budget-friendly speaker in Tribit’s “StormBox” product line. This review comprehensively assesses the speaker’s features and sound quality.
Tribit StormBox 2: The Under $70 Portable Speaker that Stands Out
Summary
Compared to the $80 Anker Soundcore Flare 2, the Tribit Stormbom 2 has better sound and bass production. XBass does improve the thumpiness of the bass, but the effect might go unnoticeable outdoors or in big rooms, primarily due to the speaker’s size. However, the StormBox 2 is worth every penny of the $67.99 retail price. It’s a bargain portable speaker with splendid sound quality that supports wired and wireless connectivity.
Overview and Technical Specifications
The StormBox product line offers a diverse range of portable speakers, from chunky party-perfect speakers (see Tribit StormBox Blast) to micro speakers that fit the tiniest pockets (see Tribit StormBox Micro). The StormBox 2 succeeds the Tribit StormBox and ships with enhanced speakers, a battery, and Bluetooth capabilities.
Here are the key specifications of the Tribit StormBox 2:
| Pros | Cons |
| Color-coded control buttons | No RGB lighting |
| 3.5mm AUX input | Long charging time |
| Built-in microphone | AUX cable not included |
| Low price | |
| Incredible bass (with XBass boost) | |
| Customizable equalizer (EQ) in the Tribit app | |
| Long-lasting battery | |
| IPX7 waterproofing | |
| Removable carrying strap | |
| Impressive battery saving features—Auto Shutdown, Auto-hibernate, etc. |
Design and Build Quality (3.5/5)
The Tribit StormBox 2 ships in a bright yellow and black box that contains the following:
- StormBox 2 portable speaker
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- User manual
About 90% of the speaker’s body is wrapped in black and gray mesh fabric, which gives it a premium feel over other similarly-priced Bluetooth speakers. Above the TRIBIT logo on the front are the prominent multimedia controls. The plus (+) and minus (-) buttons increase and decrease playback volume, while the center circle (O) is the Play/Pause button.
As is typical with Bluetooth speakers (and headphones), double-pressing the Play/Pause icon skips to the next track, while a triple-press plays the previous track. Interestingly, the Play/Pause button also doubles as a Voice Control button. Holding it for two seconds activates voice input, allowing you to send voice commands to connected devices.
On my Android device (a Samsung phone), holding the Pause/Play for two seconds launched the Bixby virtual assistant. I expected the 2-second button press to activate Siri on my iPhone, but I got a “Voice Control” screen with supported actions.
On Android devices, you can use Voice commands to launch applications, make phone calls, send messages, or change system settings. However, the Tribit StormBox 2’s voice control functionalities are limited to cellular and FaceTime calls in iOS.
The Play/Pause button also works for hands-free call controls on Android and iOS devices. A single press accepts an incoming call or ends an active phone. To decline an incoming phone call, press and hold the button for 2-3 seconds.
The StormBox 2 houses the following buttons on the rear (from top to bottom):
- Power button: Press once to turn the speaker on or off.
- Bluetooth button: Press once to enter device pairing mode; long-press for 2-3 seconds to disconnect active Bluetooth device(s).
- EQ button: This button turns XBass on or off by default. XBass is Tribit’s bass enhancement technology, which boosts the speaker’s bass by 10 dB. You can customize the button (in the Tribit mobile app) to switch between other presets or customized EQs.
- TWS button: Press once to activate Stereo or Party modes when using two connected Tribit StormBox 2 speakers. Party mode plays the same audio on the connected speakers, while Stereo mode routes the left channel to one speaker and the right channel to the other, creating a 360º stereo surround sound effect.
These control buttons have backlights that indicate the speaker’s connectivity status, battery level, or EQ mode. For instance, the Power button turns red when charging, white when fully charged, and flashes a red light when the battery falls below 20%. In pairing mode, the Bluetooth button blinks a white light and stays white when connected to a device. The backlit buttons came in handy when testing the StormBox 2 in my dark room and outdoors at night.
Below the buttons are the input ports for charging the speaker and 3.5mm AUX input. The ports reside in a hollowed cutout covered by a durable rubber flap that provides a waterproof seal.
It’s worth noting that the Tribit StormBox 2 has an IPX7 waterproof rating, which makes it resistant to damage from accidental water splashes. That makes it suitable for use at the pool or in light rain. Remember to seal the rubber flap properly when not charging the speaker or using the AUX input.
The strap at the top of the speaker and rubber feet on the bottom are nifty additions. The strap is removable, allowing for easy carriage by hand or attachment to objects—bike handles, tree branches, etc. The rubber feet ensure the speaker stays put and doesn’t slip on surfaces.
Since the StormBox 2 is designed to stand vertically, the feet slightly elevate the speaker so your table doesn’t block or reduce bass from the bottom-facing radiator.
Overall, the Tribit StormBox 2’s build quality is sturdy and decent. The prominent playback buttons on the front and backlit control buttons earned the speaker some good design points, which would have been higher if it had dynamic RGB lighting like the Tribit StormBox Mini.
Connectivity (3.5 / 5)
Linking the Tribit StormBox 2 to our test devices and the Tribit app was a flawless experience. The speaker uses Bluetooth 5.3 and can connect to two devices simultaneously within 150 feet. However, despite supporting dual connectivity, it can only receive wireless audio input from one device at a time.
I connected my iPhone and Android smartphone to the Stormbox 2 and expected it to auto-switch audio output between both devices, but that didn’t happen. I had to manually pause/stop media playback on the first device so the speaker could play audio from the second device.
The Tribit Stormbox 2 is a wired and wireless speaker, thanks to the 3.5mm jack in the charging compartment. The input lets you hook the speaker to mobile devices or old-school TVs without Bluetooth connectivity.
Microphone Quality (3.0/5)
The Tribit StormBox 2 has a built-in microphone for audio input when using Voice Control or making phone calls. In Voice Control mode, it picked up my voice quickly and clearly without issues.
However, the microphone’s far-field voice capture isn’t the greatest. It occasionally failed to pick up my voice during phone calls, especially when placed at a distance.
Ensure you’re close to the speaker when making phone calls or giving voice commands. The Tribit Stormbox 2 is a music-focused speaker, so the passable microphone quality isn’t a big deal—and shouldn’t be a dealbreaker, either. The StormBox 2’s microphone is decent for hands-free phone calls, but don’t expect crisp voice recognition or excellent far-field microphone sensitivity like you’d find on smart speakers like Amazon’s Echo Dot or Google Nest.
Sound Quality (4.0/5)
One 48mm full-range 17W stereo speaker is on each side of the Tribit StormBox 2, bringing its total output to 34W. These speakers produced impressively loud and crystal audio, even at low volume levels. Turning on XBass added richness to the songs I played on the speaker. The increased punch and thump from the top and bottom radiators enhanced my listening experience.
The tonal balance of trebles, midrange, and bass for different songs was also generally smooth. However, I enjoyed bass-heavy songs more on the StormBox 2, especially with XBass on. It produced slightly deeper and better bass than portable speakers in similar price territory.
Overall, the Tribit StormBox 2 was loud enough to fill my room, but sound quality thinned out in larger spaces and outdoors. We recommend installing the Tribit app if you use the StormBox 2 on a mobile device. You can create custom EQs to personalize the speaker’s audio output to your preference.
Battery and Charging (4.0/5)
Two 2600mAh lithium batteries power the Tribit StormBox 2, bringing its total capacity to 5200mAh. Tribit says the speaker can provide up to 24 hours of playtime at 60% volume with XBass turned off. I didn’t test the speaker at this recommended setting because I wouldn’t play no-bass audio for 24 hours straight.
However, on a full charge at about 20-30% volume level with XBass on, the Tribit StormBox 2 provided over 40 hours of cumulative playtime. That’s the most playtime I’ve gotten from a speaker with a similar battery size. For context, I own the Anker Flare 2, and the speaker’s 5,200mAh battery is good for 15-18 hours max.
The Tribit StormBox 2 automatically shuts down after 15 minutes of inactivity—i.e., no input or button presses. This is a common power-saving feature you’ll find on many Bluetooth speakers. The Tribit app has an “Auto Shutdown” option that, when enabled, shuts down the speaker in five minutes if there’s no active connection or operation. A “Countdown to shutdown” function also automatically shuts down the speaker after a set period.
The speaker’s battery life is impressive, but the charging time was a downer. Using my MacBook’s 61W USB-C power adapter and cable, it took about four hours to charge the Tribit Stormbox 2 from 10% to 100%.
Additionally, I disliked that the Tribit app doesn’t show a charging indicator. Although the power button turns red when charging, you can’t check the StormBox 2’s charging status from the app.
Pro Tip: Charge the Tribit Stormbox 2 using a power adapter with a minimum output voltage of five volts (5V). That ensures the speaker charges at the fastest speed possible.
Price (4.0/5)
The Tribit StormBox 2’s sound quality slightly exceeded my expectations. For $67.99, you get a portable speaker with customizable EQ, IPX7 water resistance, AUX input, enhanced bass, and a long-lasting battery. The StormBox 2 is available on Amazon or Tribit’s website.
Overall Rating (3.7/5.0)
Compared to my $80 Anker Soundcore Flare 2, the Tribit Stormbom 2 has better sound and bass production and has since become my preferred portable speaker. As advertised, activating XBass does improve the thumpiness of the bass, but the effect might go unnoticeable outdoors or in big rooms, primarily due to the speaker’s size; the bass isn’t terrible for its size and price. However, everything you get with the StormBox 2 is worth every penny of the $67.99 retail price. It’s a bargain portable speaker with splendid sound quality and supports wired and wireless connectivity.
