Is the Tribit XSound Plus 2 Worth the EQ Work? Big Sound Review

The Tribit XSound Plus 2 is a strong buy if you want a loud, long-running speaker for the house, the patio or a camping trip and don't mind opening an app to adjust the sound. Skip it if you want one tuning that works for every genre, or a speaker that is dust-tight for the beach.

Tribit rates it at 30 W from two full-range drivers, 24 hours of playback at 60% volume, IPX7 water resistance and Bluetooth 5.3. Reviewers at TechRadar and Tom's Guide praise its volume and bass for a $69.99 launch price, while both note that the treble and some genres need EQ help.

ArmorSound has not tested the XSound Plus 2. This review draws on Tribit's specifications and on reviews from TechRadar, Tom's Guide and The Gadgeteer, including their battery and range checks.

Quick verdictGood value

Loud, long-running and cheap, if you'll spend time on EQ

Buy the XSound Plus 2 for its volume, battery life and aux input at a budget price. Skip it if you want balanced sound without EQ tweaking or a dust-tight beach speaker.

Buy it if

Patios, kitchens and camping trips
Long listening sessions at moderate volume
People who like tuning EQ

Skip it if

You want sound that's right out of the box
You need dust protection for the beach
You want to link more than two speakers

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Where to buy

Our verdict

Tribit XSound Plus 2

Best for: Budget buyers who like tweaking EQ

Output: 30 W (2 x 15 W)
Battery: 24 hr rated at 60% volume; about 22 hr in TechRadar's test
Water rating: IPX7, no dust rating
Bluetooth: 5.3, 150 ft claimed range
Inputs: 3.5 mm aux, USB-C charging

Very loud for its size, per TechRadar
Long battery life at moderate volume
9-band app EQ with three programmable button slots
Aux input and stereo pairing

Treble can sound thin; some genres need EQ changes
No dust rating for beach use
Stereo and Party Mode limited to two speakers

Watch for: The 24-hour rating assumes 60% volume with XBass off; Tom's Guide's estimate at high volume with XBass on was 10 to 13 hours.

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What are the Tribit XSound Plus 2 key specs?

Spec	Tribit XSound Plus 2 (manufacturer figures unless noted)
Output	2 x 15 W full-range drivers (30 W total)
Frequency response	50 Hz to 20 kHz
Battery	2 x 2,400 mAh; up to 24 hours at 60% volume with XBass off
Charging	USB-C, about 4 hours
Water and dust	IPX7 (no dust rating)
Bluetooth	5.3, up to 150 ft range; A2DP, AVRCP and HFP/HSP calling profiles
Wired input	3.5 mm aux, behind a rubber cover
Size and weight	198.5 x 66.5 x 70 mm; Tribit lists 1.31 lb, while TechRadar and Tom's Guide report closer to 1.75 lb
Multi-speaker	Stereo pair or Party Mode with a second unit; Tribit says it also pairs with the StormBox Flow
App	Tribit app with six presets and a 9-band custom EQ

How does the Tribit XSound Plus 2 sound, and does the EQ help?

Volume is the headline. TechRadar's review says it can fill a room with energetic, full-bodied sound and reach ear-splitting levels, with a fair amount of distortion at the very top. The same reviewer found it held detail well off-axis, so people sitting to the side still hear the treble.

Tuning is less consistent. TechRadar liked the mids and the punchy bass, but heard thin, glassy treble on treble-heavy mixes and called Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" tinny until switching to the Rock preset. The conclusion: no single EQ setting flatters every track.

Tom's Guide's reviewer reached a similar place from the other direction. The default XBass mode sounded good with no audible distortion, but the two drivers can't reproduce sub-bass, so sub-heavy drum and bass fell flat. That reviewer found the Rock preset tinny, the opposite of TechRadar's experience, which tells you how much your music and taste matter here.

The Gadgeteer's review adds that bass-heavy settings can push vocals into the background, and recommends the Audiobook preset for clear speech. It describes a central passive radiator between the two drivers.

How the EQ works

The physical EQ button cycles three slots, by default XBass, XBass Off and Audiobook. In the Tribit app you can pick from six presets or build your own with a 9-band EQ, then assign any of them to those three button slots, according to TechRadar. Tribit says fans of the older MaxSound Plus can select a "Traditional EQ" after a firmware update.

How long does the XSound Plus 2 battery last, and how fast does it charge?

Tribit's 24-hour rating comes with conditions: 60% volume with XBass off. TechRadar tested at that volume and saw the battery fall from 100% to 60% in 8 hours 45 minutes, which extrapolates to almost 22 hours on a full charge.

Push it harder and runtime drops sharply. Tom's Guide played two units at 80% to 90% volume with XBass on and still had 70% left after 3 to 4 hours, which the reviewer extrapolated to roughly 10 to 13 hours. Plan around that range for a loud party and around 20 hours for background listening.

Charging is over USB-C and takes about 4 hours, according to Tribit. The Gadgeteer says a USB-C to USB-A cable is in the box, but no aux cable.

How tough and water resistant is the XSound Plus 2?

The XSound Plus 2 is a matte plastic pill with a convex metal grille, rubber feet and a wrist lanyard. TechRadar thought the lanyard felt flimsy for the speaker's weight and judged the build less tough than rugged rivals, while Tom's Guide called it very sturdy but questioned how the metal grille would handle being knocked around in a bag.

IPX7 means it can handle submersion to about 1 meter for 30 minutes, but the "X" means it has no dust rating. Tom's Guide's advice is to keep it away from the beach. Our explainer on IP ratings for speakers covers what each digit means.

Tribit does not claim it floats. The Gadgeteer's reviewer tried it anyway and reports it floats with only a small section above the water, so don't count on spotting it in a lake.

How does the XSound Plus 2 handle Bluetooth, pairing and calls?

Tribit claims 150 feet of Bluetooth 5.3 range. Tom's Guide's open-park check kept a connection out to about 140 meters before crackling, and managed around 60 feet indoors. TechRadar covered a 46-foot apartment through walls and found switching between a phone and laptop quick thanks to multi-device pairing.

The TWS button links a second XSound Plus 2 as a stereo pair, or switches both into Party Mode to play the same audio for more volume. Tom's Guide notes this is limited to two speakers, which matters if you hoped to chain a backyard full of them. The Gadgeteer says other newer Tribit models can join via TWS, and Tribit specifically names the StormBox Flow.

Tribit doesn't list supported codecs, a gap Tom's Guide also flagged. Tribit's spec sheet includes the HFP and HSP hands-free profiles for calls. The 3.5 mm aux input is handy for older devices or a TV with a headphone jack.

What do owners say about the XSound Plus 2?

Spec sheets and lab reviews only go so far. Here is what owners say after living with it, drawn from Reddit discussions collected by RedditRecs.

Bang for the buck. An owner calls their XSound Plus 2 bang for the buck, with bass that impresses them once they tweak the EQ for clarity. (r/Bluetooth_Speakers)
The app EQ earns its keep. An owner recommends it over the Soundcore Boom 3i and X600 for balanced sound, noting it has a bit more bass and an app EQ to tame it. (r/Bluetooth_Speakers)
A keeper for podcasts and music. An owner who uses a speaker mostly for podcasts and some music says they like their XSound Plus 2 more than a Soundcore they found artificial. (r/Bluetooth_Speakers)
Bass flutter at times. One buyer who runs it alongside another speaker likes the result but dislikes a dripping sound when the bass hits. (r/Bluetooth_Speakers)

Owners rate it as a strong value pick and lean on the app EQ to shape the bass. A few hear artifacts at heavy bass.

Who should buy the XSound Plus 2, and who should skip it?

Buy the XSound Plus 2 if:

You want a lot of volume and bass for the money from a speaker that still fits in a bag.
You'll use the app to set up two or three EQ presets for the music you play most.
You need long battery life at moderate volume for multi-day trips.
You want an aux input, which many newer speakers have dropped.

Skip it if:

You spend time at sandy beaches; a dust-rated IP67 or IP68 speaker is the safer choice.
You want balanced sound without touching an EQ.
You want to link more than two speakers.

What speakers compete with the Tribit XSound Plus 2?

Spec (manufacturer figures)	Tribit XSound Plus 2	Tribit StormBox 2	JBL Flip 7	Soundcore Boom 3i
Rated output	30 W (2 x 15 W)	34 W (2 x 17 W)	35 W (25 W woofer, 10 W tweeter)	50 W
Rated battery	24 hr at 60% volume, XBass off	24 hr at 60% volume, XBass off	14 hr, 16 hr with Playtime Boost	16 hr
Water and dust	IPX7	IPX7	IP68	IP68, saltwater-resistant
Floats	Not claimed	Not claimed	Not claimed	Yes, drivers face up
Multi-speaker	Stereo or Party Mode, two units	Stereo or Party Mode	Auracast	Stereo pair
Aux input	Yes	Not listed	None listed; USB-C audio	No

Tribit StormBox 2. Tribit's StormBox 2 spec sheet lists slightly more power (34 W), the same 24-hour rating at 60% volume, IPX7 and 1.28 lb. It's a cylinder rather than a pill. Our Tribit StormBox 2 review compares the two designs, and the smaller StormBox Micro 2 is the pick if you want something strap-on and tiny.

JBL Flip 7. The Flip 7 adds IP68 dust and water protection, a 1-meter drop rating, Auracast multi-speaker linking and lossless playback over USB-C. JBL rates it for 14 hours, or 16 with Playtime Boost, well short of the Tribit. TechRadar's XSound Plus 2 review found the older Flip 6 more balanced with more bass, at roughly double the price. See our JBL Flip 7 review.

Soundcore Boom 3i. If the speaker will spend time in or on water, the Boom 3i is IP68, saltwater-resistant and floats with its drivers facing up. RTINGS measured 15 hours with the lights off and notes it downmixes to mono. Read our Soundcore Boom 3i review.

For a smaller speaker that is dust-tight and floats, look at the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4. If you were comparing budget boomboxes, our reviews of the Monster Shock Plus and Skullcandy Barrel Mini explain why we'd pick the Tribit over either: both are now hard to find and have no independent test data. Other speakers to compare are the Bose F1 Model 812 array loudspeaker and the portable JBL Charge 4.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Tribit XSound Plus 2 waterproof?

It is rated IPX7, which covers submersion to about 1 meter for 30 minutes, so rain, splashes and a quick dunk in a pool are fine. The "X" means it has no dust rating, and Tom's Guide advises keeping it away from the beach. Keep the rubber port cover closed whenever it's near water.

How long does the XSound Plus 2 battery really last?

Tribit rates 24 hours at 60% volume with XBass off. TechRadar's timed test at 60% volume extrapolated to almost 22 hours. At 80% to 90% volume with XBass on, Tom's Guide estimated 10 to 13 hours. Expect somewhere between those figures depending on how loud you play it.

Can I pair two XSound Plus 2 speakers?

Yes. Press the TWS button to create a left and right stereo pair, or switch both speakers to Party Mode so they play the same audio for more volume. Tom's Guide notes the limit is two speakers. Tribit says the XSound Plus 2 can also pair with the StormBox Flow.

Does the XSound Plus 2 have an aux input?

Yes. A 3.5 mm aux input sits next to the USB-C charging port behind a rubber cover, according to TechRadar and Tom's Guide. The Gadgeteer notes that an aux cable is not included, only a USB-C to USB-A charging cable, so you'll need your own 3.5 mm cable for wired playback.

What changed from the Tribit MaxSound Plus?

The Gadgeteer describes the XSound Plus 2 as the upgraded successor to the MaxSound Plus, with newer Bluetooth, more power and longer playtime. It runs Bluetooth 5.3 and supports the Tribit app's 9-band EQ. Tribit added a "Traditional EQ" preset so MaxSound Plus owners can keep the sound they're used to.

Sources

How long does the Tribit XSound Plus 2 play, and how far does it connect?

Tribit's ratings and outside reviews give these numbers for the XSound Plus 2. Runtime changes a lot with volume and XBass.

Tribit rates 30 W output and 24 hours at 60% volume, so it suits long sessions at moderate volume. (tribit.com)
TechRadar's battery test at 60% volume extrapolated to almost 22 hours, close to Tribit's rating. (techradar.com)
At 80% to 90% volume with XBass on, Tom's Guide estimated 10 to 13 hours, so loud parties cut runtime. (tomsguide.com)
Tom's Guide kept a connection to about 140 meters in an open park and around 60 feet indoors. (tomsguide.com)
IPX7 covers submersion to about 1 meter for 30 minutes, so pool dunks are fine but sand is not.