Customer Reviews

Etón Soulra Solar Powered Sound System for iPod and iPhone (Black)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The first word that comes to mind as I write this review is "finally"! Finally someone has made a nice rugged boom box for the iPod that can be used inside or out! The moment you take it out of the package you can tell that this is a solid, well made piece of gear. But just as important, the sound is great. If you're not satisfied with the sound you may want to try adjusting the setting on the iPod itself to improve the bass or treble setting to your preference. There's no way to adjust the treble setting on the Soulra itself, it only has bass boost. But adjusting on the iPod works just fine.

A nice undocumented surprise was to learn that you're not limited to only playing the music that's loaded on your iPhone or iPod Touch. If you use an IPhone or iPod Touch with a 3G or 802.11 connection you can stream audio from the internet through the iPhone or iPod through the Soulra speakers. It takes a little trickery to get it to work, but it works just fine.

Step one - pause music playback. If you have streaming playing before you snap it into the Soulra it will play the stream for a second or two and then switch to iPod content.
Step two - press pause to stop the music.
Step three - press play on the iPhone or iPod Touch screen and voila, the internet stream plays through the Soulra. I've tried Pandora, the NPR application, Rhapsody, and This American Life and they all worked flawlessly.

I"ve not tested the solar panel or the "splashability" yet, but I'm certain these features won't disappoint. I can't wait to take this out on the boat!

Here is what I don't understand. The unit is solar powered yet it takes 10 hours to recharge only giving you 4 hours of power. Wouldn't this make more sense if the unit could recharge in the same amount of time that it gives in playing time? Giving you the option of continuous play while charging. Currently after 4 hours you are left with a sound system that has ran out of power.

I had mine for a total of 18 days which gave me plenty of time to really test it out. It just did not do it for me. Here is what I found.

Pros:

* Very nice looking and durable. Smooth black finish all around
* Splash proof with cover that protects your iPod
* Light weight with an easy to carry handle
* Remote control although the distance was only about 2-3 feet for me

Cons:

* I felt the sound was very one dimensional and did not provide a nice wide angle or much of a stereo separation. For $199.99 this should sound much better than what it does currently.
* I got about 3 1/2 hours of play time on a full charge via AC, about 1/2 hour shy of what is claimed
* If this provided 4 hours of power it would be much better if it recharged in the same amount of time for continuous playback using solar. It needs 10 hours in direct sunlight to charge again
* Lack of low end. But to be honest I was not expecting much. It does have a bass boost but will distort and higher volumes.
* iPod gets hot and will not function if too hot. Now obviously you should not have any electronics in direct sunlight or things like this may happen. But this is designed to be in direct sunlight and is based on using an iPod. What good is it if you have the chance of your iPod overheating?

We had a party in the park for about 2 1/2 hours. It did last the entire time but I really had to turn it up a bit to hear it well with all the people there. About 3/4 high. They claim about 4 hours of use when the volume is half way.

I am returning the Etón Soulra for a Soundmatters foxLv2 Bluetooth Pocket-sized Audiophile Loudspeaker System with Bluetooth and Hands-free Microphones (Black). This was actually my first pick as I have never heard anything on the market that sounds this good. The Etón is simply not for me but I am happy I had a chance to check it out.

Our family bought this product mainly for trips to the beach and spending time outdoors. It proved fairly quickly to be a great decision as we used it on our most recent trip this Summer. We made ourselves some extensive playlists on our iPod/iPhones and were able to simply press play and let it go. I do have a couple of observations (both good and maybe a little less than good)...

1. Our unit (once charged) actually performed better than advertised as it lasted for more than 8 hours at 3/4 volume with the Bass Boost on over the course of 3 or 4 days. I must also add that these WERE sunny days and the solar panel was exposed, allowing it to charge while playing during the daylight hours. It was able to play most of the days and into each night, never showing any signs of slowing down.
2. Sound Quality is good. NOTE: If your looking for exceptionally high-end audio quality this may not be for you. I will say that personally, I DO have a certain level of expectation with regard to the audio performance of these type of products (Especially for the $200 price tag). Let me say that I was not disappointed. While it may not blow away an uber-audio enthusiast-type, it was more than adequate for its intended purposes and plays at reasonably high volumes and will decent sound quality.
3. The construction of the unit is great. Its definitely built to last with a tough exterior shell which appears to be able to take some abuse. It's got a little weight to it too.
4. Unit comes with an Auxillary input on the back for additional device connection. Very convenient.
5. I also found that the unit does not always have to be in direct sunlight to maintain its charging status. Again, the sun was out for most of our trip but if the unit is kept JUST out the direct sunlight, it was still able to charge and more importantly, keep it out of the heat. (see my comment #6)
6. In the not so Good/Could be Better category - And is my only real complaint... When the unit sits in the sun, it tends to get extremely hot, preventing you for handling it. Also, it retain this heat for some time. This is not a deal breaker however it is something to consider as this not only will it affect handling the unit, you have to question whether it could potentially damage your electronic devices that are you are connecting to it. GRANTED, I was in 95+ degree heat which may not be recommended for the unit anyway... I would only suggest that future versions of this unit be available in lighter, more reflective colors/materials to help minimize this issue.

Otherwise, a solid product that performs as advertised (thus far-owned for about 3 months) and something that I would certainly recommend to others.

When I first read about this product, I was a bit skeptical about the performance of the solar panel because most solar products on the market take forever to charge a device. However, the Soulra's solar panel really does a great job of providing power to charge my iPhone and play music. I left it outside all day by my pool and then was able to use it for about 5hrs (even more than the indicated 4hrs) for continuous music playback with my iPhone 3Gs. I didn't have to plug it in at all and it feels good to be green even if it's on a small scale with my iPhone. The sound quality is pretty good for it's size and it's easily transportable. The Soulra's design is intriguing, it's kind of retro-modern (if there is such a thing), but that's what makes it unique! The rubber exterior feels great and the aluminum solar panel cover is a nice touch. The Soulra is definitely a must have for summer! Nice work Eton!

Written by Jacob Sheppard

This will be the second iPhone and iPod speaker/ dock with a solar panel attached we have reviewed. The whole concept of having an iPod and iPhone speaker system/ dock with an equipped solar panel, excites me. If it worked like a solar calculator indoors it would be even more exciting but we're a long way off that.

The exterior of the Soulra is made out of a rugged plastic. It feels very versatile and this is of course manufactured and designed this way due to the solar panel being on the Soulra which will make us want to take it outdoors into the sun where all kinds of bumps and scrapes can occur. It's also splash proof for those days on the beach and out by the pool. On the back back of the Soulra a very easy to get at handle built into the body of the Soulra has been placed, this is must for such a light weight device and makes it truly portable.

The Solar panel is placed in the middle of the two opposing speakers.

It's on a flip mecha-nism so you can cover your iPhone and iPod which sit inside under the flap while playing music indoors and when out you can flip it up into the tall air to drain that sun. When the solar panel is down you see a single piece of black aluminium with Soulra written on it, slick!

Up top on the Soulra we have our control buttons for skipping tracks, pausing and playing, adjusting the volume, battery indicator button, turning the unit on and off and you can turn the bass on and off also. The buttons are nice option if you have the Soulra on your desk or in the kitchen with easy reach for your hands but if not a remote control is included. The remote control has pretty poor range which is a huge downer considering this thing is designed for the outdoors. The buttons on top of the Soulra and on the remote control are carved in an alien like manor with orange being used to see each symbol.

In terms of battery the Soulra does have one well actually it has two lithion ion batteries. Having two gives the unit around 5 hours of music playback and it charges your iPhone or iPod while doing that. To realistically charge this from the sun it will take around 8-10 hours. It will also charge under a light bulb if you put the solar panel close enough. But if you have a little bit of battery in the Soulra you can leave it out in the sun and it will convert the sun light into energy right away, which sounds like a great idea and works even better. And the conventional way of charging is also here using an AC wall outlet to charge.

The sound quality is very impressive. The Soulra doesn't really weigh all that much which made me think from first impressions that the sound would be quiet. I was wrong of course. The sound can get very loud indeed, outside it holds up really well, even in areas which have no objects for the sound waves to bounce off. Indoors the sound is equally superb, this could easily be used as a full time music dock. The bass is very very deep which I think is a good thing but you can actually turn the bass off as I mentioned earlier on for those who don't like the bassy sound. The clarity of all genres of music we tested were amazing, everything was crisp and clear. When the volume is turned up extremely high you won't get any reverb which must be down to the build quality.

Overall the Soulra is a fantastic iPod and iPhone speaker/ dock. Sturdy design, excellent sound quality, portable, charges from the sun, loud volume and it's easy to use (Remote Control, what more could you ask for?

I waited awhile before I purchased a speaker dock for my iphone because I was looking for certain things and all the others fell short or were overpriced. I live off grid and am currently building a little studio. I like to listen to music and podcasts when I'm building and since there is a some cement dust and other debris floating around, as well as some water being splashed here and there, I needed something rugged that would also protect my iPhone. This unit is well built and is like armor for my iphone when shut. When opened, the plastic insert covers the iphone while protecting it, allowing me to see the screen of the iPhone. I can keep the remote in my pocket and skip tracks from across the room while streaming Pandora or pause a podcast, etc.

The sound is very good and gives a lot of volume for its size.

The solar panel is a nice extra feature, and probably solidified this purchase for me. It is good for charging up the unit's battery, but it does take awhile. If camping or off grid, it also doubles as a solar iPod/iPhone charger. It is best to charge the unit separately and then use the charged unit later to charge your device. The testimonials about the iphone overheating when placed in direct sun are true and so I typically don't charge the unit with the iphone in it, but rather use the flap to shade my iphone from the sun. This could easily be remedied if the manufactures were to flip the panel around so that the solar panel is facing outwards. This way, the panel acts as shade for the iphone while it is facing the sun and if placed in a window, would still allow the listener to see the screen of the device. If the panel was reversed and a DC charger was offered, I would give this 5 stars.

All in all, a great system. Rugged. Excellent quality. Get it.

We took the Soulra to the beach and I loved the idea of not worrying about battery life! It's so nice to finally see an ipod player out on the market that is solar powered. As a mother on the go, having a place to charge my ipod and play it makes my life so much easier!

I am very pleased with the Soulra with one exception. My Soulra and Ipod Classic were returned to the Eton folks after the first use. The Ipod became so hot that I was unable to hold it, after 2-3 houra in the sun My Ipod no-longer functions properly, it will shut down by itself, without apparent cause. The Eton folks, very nice and responsive, say my Ipod works perfectly. It does not. I will replace it as soon as I can afford it. I would not buy another Soulra.

I bought this for a two week camping trip and overall was very happy with it. The sound is really good, can get loud without distortion and I only had the battery die once in two weeks. There are only two things that I would comment on that were slightly negative. There is an on/off switch on the side labeled "Charge". It's really just an annoyance because you should always turn it off after you turn the power button off or it will drain the battery to charge the ipod. If you turn the "Charge" to off you can not play music. I even called Eton as this sounded like a defect but they told me that it was how it works? Personally I'd rather have a half charged iPod then a dead boom box so what should be a simple push button to turn it off became a three step process (you need to remove a rubber plug to get to the other switch). The other thing was the buttons on the top are covered with rubber, the rubber came off after the first week and I tore it trying to push it back in, not a problem as they are replacing it but I am a bit annoyed that it's looking like I will be out of a boom box for 2 weeks. Seems to me like they should have sent the new one out ASAP instead of making the customer wait so long. Shipping UPS less then 20miles should be like next day so wondering why the wait...

I bought this to last during my 5 day camping trip on a Vermont island. I have been trying it out at home and so far it is great quality, only problem is, the skip track button hasn't been working with any of my ipods (all 4 nano generations) I will be trying it with a brand new ipod classic. I like it, great product, I would buy it again, although I wonder if skip track is broken?