Customer Reviews

Virgin VS2100 Boomtube EX Portable 40 Watt Speaker System

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Virgin's Boomtube Ex (I haven't heard the other, smaller system) is the best portable speaker system for iPod users. It looks like a typical stainless steel thermos and is easy to carry, weighs about a pound. I use it frequently in my back yard and take it on the road for hotels or on cruises. In small rooms and outdoors it provides good sound. At a friend's picnic where they were playing horseshoes, I found it was TOO loud (even though the audio quality was excellent) and had to turn it down. Can you say that about other systems? I suggest you keep the volume all the way up on the iPod and adjust volume on the Boomtube, this reduces power consumption. I get about 4 to 5 hours of play on a charge. In comparison to Altec Lansing's portable speakers system, the Boomtube shines. I don't know of any other system that even attempts to provide satisfactory audio quality. Another advantage is that it can work for other things that an iPod, for example, other MP3 players. I've also used it in court to play audio taped interviews from my laptop. The sound is that good.

EXCELLENT deal. 5 stars.

Solid aluminium tube, gold plated connects, and all cables provided & gold plated also, lithium ion battery, 100-240 volts international charger that is small, great durable cordura carrying bag. COMPLETE with nothing to buy. LOUD - 102db at 1 feet per PCMagazine. ALso, gives a GREAT WIDE stereo image since one can spread it 7 feet apart with the provided standard RCA cables - nothing proprietary so you can always extend it longer. A lot of thought and quality went into designing this unit. It's the only LOUD portable unit I know that has great stereo imaging.

Audio - similar to the Tivoli PAL except has better highs and a tiny bit less bass so it is clearer. (On low volumes where we are less sensitive to bass, Tivoli sounds better. Louder, this sounds better.) MUCH louder than the PAL. Louder than two PALs combined.

On battery operation, it blew us away with its volume - no difference from being plugged in.

Very very satisfied and highly recommended. No longer in production is our understanding so once gone, it's gone. This is only 6% larger than the PAL by physical volume although it is twice as long at nearly 13 inches. The Altec Lansing IM7 is 5.4 times larger by physical volume.

Get one if you need a loud quality portable unit that is remarkably small. A bargain at this closeout price.

Don't work for Virgin Electronics or anyone related to this item.

OMG.. I read the reviews and have been waiting for the price to drop on these suckers. I finally saw that Amazon had these for $70 (compared to $200 MSRP) and I ordered one. You will not be disappointed with the BASS. I've always wanted to take portable speakers (with BASS) when I go out so I can share my MP3 player --say picnic or camping or just out and about. THIS BABY FITS THE BILL PERFECTLY. AWESOME SOUND from speakers the size of a 'thermos' bottle. And yes, if you crank it up, your neighbors may need the earplugs provided with the packaging =)

***PLEASE NOTE*****
ONE thing I want to point out that may cause bad reviews for this product. Discard/replace the 3.5mm audio input connector that comes with it. If you plug the male-to-male connector snugly into your player and the boomtube EX, you will get mediocre (crappy in my opinion) sound. This is the same quality I get from my NXT portable Flat speakers --no bass. If you wiggle the connector halfway out of your player and your BOOMTUBE, you will definately feel/hear the difference. This is how the product is supposed to perform. I'm not sure why there was no quality control when these rolled out of production.
Simply toss the original 3.5mm male-to-male connector that came with the boomtube and get another one from Radio Shack. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

I've been using my boomtube since Thankgiving, and i have been very happy with everything except for the battery charging. This is not in the manual, and took some time for me to figure out, but the battery will only charge while the speakers are turned off. When I first got it, I played music for four hours with the power plugged in, and when i tried to test the battery the unit turned off immediately.

The battery actually drains while you are playing music with the power plugged in, so if you are thinking of listening to music all day at home, and then want to take the speakers with you outside, think again.

i wish i could give these speakers 5 stars. i was hoping i would be able to. however, there are a few small defects to this system. yes, they sound great, but they are a bit of a pain to move around. this is due to the fact that you must unplug all the wires before transporting. all virgin had to do to avoid this was to use recessed plugs. then they could easily transported. as it is, they are a bit of a pain.

also, i agree that there could be more bass. i have tried pulling the plug out a little (as sugested in another review) and i heard the capability. wow. maybe i will buy a new mini jack cable as they suggested as well.

so, 5 stars for sound, construction, value, and battery

-1 star for the lousy cable design

= 4 stars

Well, not so much a technogeek as someone who might appreciate something unique enough to raise an eyebrow or two. This item is oddly shaped and unusually designed but it does what it is designed to do, surprisingly well. I've gone through several companies versions of portable speakers and have been very disappointed because of lack of volume, lack of bass, or lack of sound quality, or combinations of the above.

Anyone who thinks they can rock the whole beach or campground with a portable (like not needing a truck or pack mule portable] self powered little set of speakers is smoking something that's not stamped with federally mandated health warnings.

If you want the best sound you can get out of your portable mp3 player, get a good quality set of headbuds or earphones, lol. If you want to share your music among a few friends when you can't plug into the wall socket, this is a good choice. These puppies will cover a picnic table or two without making your friends force a smile and grit their teeth (unless your taste in music sucks).

Volume is not LOUD but there. Like that. Can adjust the bass. Like that. Can play just about any kind of music reasonably well (except headbanger stuff}. Like that. When it's packed, the speaker cones are protected. Like that. Sound quality is as good as most boomboxes, some that are way bigger. Like that. Enough bass you can hear good bass riffs. Really like that. Good enough to air guitar to. I don't do that. (Can't dance either.) Can't replace the batteries, have to recharge. Inconvenient or a pain depending on the situation. So so about that.

Hope what I say helps you decide. See ya.

I USE THIS SYSTEM WITH MY LAPTOP COMPUTER AND I AM REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE VOLUME OF SOUND THESE SMALL SPEAKERS PRODUCE. THE LOUDNESS IS IMPRESSIVE AS WELL, BUT THE FULLNESS OF SOUND IS INCREDIBLE. I TESTED THE CLARITY USING VIOLIN MUSIC AND FOUND NO BACKGROUND NOISE OR FALTERING OF PITCH. THE BOOMTUBE EX OFFERS THE EXPERIENCE OF SOUND AS IF YOU ARE IN THE ORCHESTRA OR IN THE FRONT ROW OF THE ORCHESTRA. BOTH ARE EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE. THIS SYSTEM IS PERFECT FOR DVD MOVIES, TOO.

I've had these speakers for about a month now, and they're everything I'd hoped they'd be! I did a lot of searching online for portable speakers that would actually have a good sound, and these seemed to be the best for your money. They're portable AND they have a subwoofer (very rare for portable speakers). I can play music throughout my whole apartment with these things and I get a sound as good as, if not better than, my old JBL desktop speakers, which I payed the same price for but they weren't portable. They're also nice because they connect to pretty much any electronic device - laptop, iPod, etc.
My one complaint would be that they're not the MOST portable speakers out there. I don't know if any of the speakers made specifically for iPods have the same quality sound (well, apart from the Bose ones - but those aren't exactly portable anyway). Because the speakers detach from the base subwoofer, there are a fair amount of wires. You've got wires between each speaker and the subwoofer, plus the wire that connects the whole thing to your iPod, plus the AC adapter when you're not using battery power. They do come with a little carrying case, but they're still about the size of a largeish thermos when all put together.
For my uses, however, they work perfectly fine - I use them mostly for my laptop in my room, get great sound, and can transport them as I need to.

RIDICULOUS sound comes out of these little 2" speakers and an impressive bass from such a small woofer. Package comes with earplugs with label, "for the neighbors". Perfect description for the amazing sound that comes out of these little guys. Go for the ex, not the regular boomtube. Makes so much of a difference

This speaker system packs quite a punch considering that it is battery-powered. Now, granted, it isn't going to be as loud as your average home stereo system, but there isn't a battery powered system out there that can perform like a home stereo system. I was extremely impressed not only with the amount of volume the system could put out, but also at the clarity of the sound that it was producing. I've had loud portable speakers in the past, but never have I had loud portable speakers that produced good, clear sound.