The Turtlebox Ranger is a portable, lantern-shaped speaker, designed to go with you anywhere, no matter the conditions. Its build emphasizes that you can take it anywhere, with tie-down bars, magnets to lock it into place, and the flexibility to pop it upright or sideways. As the brand's smallest Bluetooth entry, on paper, it exudes its larger counterparts' outdoorsy sensibilities in a smaller package. Still, as with any speaker, there are compromises, such as the absence of any app and EQ.
Our Verdict
The Turtlebox Ranger is middling for music. Its bass lacks a deep low-end, robbing music of some of its thump and rumble, but the mid-range is fairly flat, and the low-treble conveys melodies and vocals as relatively natural, if slightly veiled in the high-end. Unfortunately, there's no EQ to tinker with to compensate for the sound profile, and the mono speaker design means your music is downmixed from stereo. If you choose to crank the tunes, the bass compresses and sounds weaker at max volume. On the bright side, the tactile buttons make playback easy to control, and you can add either a second identical speaker to make a stereo pair or another compatible speaker for party mode.
Very well-built.
Party and stereo modes available via controls.
No equalizer.
Notable compression at max volume.
Lacks low-bass, due to size.
Sound is somewhat sensitive to directivity.
The Turtlebox Ranger is middling for watching videos and movies. In its favor, the speaker is low latency with iOS/Android yielding closely matched A/V, and it renders speech as reasonably clear, even if it isn't very full-sounding during action scenes. On the downside, the sound is sensitive to placement, so for a solo viewing, it's not bad, but for groups of people, the treble isn't as clear for anybody seated at the peripheries of the soundstage. Plus, at higher volumes, the bass is weakened and compressed. Because it's a mono speaker, movie and TV show audio gets necessarily downmixed, which doesn't feel as immersive.
Very well-built.
No equalizer.
Notable compression at max volume.
Lacks low-bass, due to size.
The Turtlebox Ranger is okay for podcasts. Since the speaker delivers an even-sounding mid-range with a fairly clear top-end, hosts of your favorite podcasts play back sounding natural. Its large tactile buttons make controlling audio a breeze, and with its lightweight and sturdy handle, it's simple to use and easy to move. The nearly 11 hours of battery life allow you to binge through several episodes without a recharge. However, because the speaker's soundstage is sensitive to placement, if you move about, voices can be harder to make out when the front of the speaker faces away from you.
Very well-built.
Portable and easy to carry.
Notable compression at max volume.
Sound is somewhat sensitive to directivity.
The Turtlebox Ranger speaker can't connect to a voice assistant function, and it lacks a microphone.
The Turtlebox Ranger is passable for outdoors. Its go-anywhere design is crushproof and resistant to saltwater (both according to the manufacturer), as well as IP67-rated. It's lightweight and well-built with a sturdy handle and tie-down bar. That said, it prioritizes portability at the expense of deep bass, though it delivers a good amount of boom on the bass. The frequency response otherwise sounds fairly even and a bit warm, except if you max out the volume, which causes the speaker to compress, particularly in the bass. The 11-hour battery life isn't bad, especially for the size. Still, in wide open spaces, the mono speaker can sound different in the top-end, hurting the sound's clarity, depending on whether you're moving around and not facing the front of the speaker at a picnic or in the park.
Very well-built.
Portable and easy to carry.
Lots of options for placement due to tie-down bar and magnets.
IP67 rated and resistant to salt water.
No equalizer.
Notable compression at max volume.
Lacks low-bass, due to size.
Sound is somewhat sensitive to directivity.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Turtlebox Ranger comes in a few different colors: 'Ivory,' 'Gray,' River Rock,' 'Tan,' and 'Orange.' Besides color differences, we expect these to all perform the same as our 'River Rock' unit (its label shown here).
If you encounter another variant of this speaker, please let us know in the comments.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Turtlebox Ranger inevitably butts up against popular speakers such as JBL Charge 5 (and the similar JBL Charge 6), alongside budget-minded speakers like the Anker Soundcore Boom 3i in the tough portable speaker space. In this tier, it's surprising to note that the Turtlebox lacks a companion app, unlike most of the competition, including the JBL and Anker. Still, the durable exterior feels more impervious to rough and tumble circumstances than the likes of the Blue Tees Golf Player+'s novel, but more vulnerable, screen display, and IPX7 rating compared with the Turtlebox's IP67 rating and manufacturer's crushproof claim.
For more comparisons, check out the best outdoor speakers, the best waterproof speakers, and the best portable speakers.
The JBL Charge 6 is a more versatile speaker than the Turtlebox Ranger. It sounds flatter, with a somewhat more neutral tuning and a companion app supplying the added flexibility of EQ along with optional USB audio input. Its battery life is a little longer, too. Both speakers are water and dustproof, but the JBL has a slightly higher IP68 rating. That said, the Turtlebox's IP67 rating is very good too, and, according to the manufacturer, it's crushproof. Its overbuilt design offers niche benefits like tie-down bars and magnets for keeping it in place in less-than-ideal environments. Unfortunately, the lack of an app means you can't change the tuning.
The JBL Charge 7 is a more flexible speaker than the Turtlebox Ranger. It's tuned to sound flatter, and its a companion app delivers optional EQ. You also can listen via USB audio input. Its battery life is a roughly three hours longer, too. Both speakers share an IP67 rating. That said, the Turtlebox's IP67 rating is according to the manufacturer crushproof. Its chunky design offers specialized features such as tie-down bars and magnets for outdoorsy spaces. The absence of an app results in a one-and-down frequency response which is a bit boomier.
For many people, choosing between the JBL Flip 6 and Turtlebox Ranger is a toss-up and may depend on how you plan to use your speaker and budget. The advantages of the JBL include a robust app and a fairly neutral frequency response, which is a bit closer to our target curve. Plus, the JBL has a greater selection of potential speakers to purchase for party mode than the Turtlebox's smaller lineup. Meanwhile, the Turtlebox boasts a much longer battery life, a slightly boomier tuning, chunkier buttons and build, and a higher max volume, but in other ways it's more limited, since it doesn't have a companion app with an EQ.
Choosing between the JBL Flip 7 and Turtlebox Ranger depends on how much you want to spend and how you'll use the speaker. The JBL includes a companion app and a fairly flat frequency response. It also has a large selection of speakers you can pair it with for party mode than the Turtlebox's smaller lineup. Meanwhile, the Turtlebox boasts a much longer battery life, a bassier tuning, per-function buttons, and a chunky handle. It's louder at max volume, but, since it doesn't have a companion app, there's no EQ.
Test Results
The Turtlebox Ranger has a unique design that looks reminiscent of a slim lantern, complete with a prominent handle at the top. It comes in several colorways, spanning a subtle 'Gray' to a hi-vis 'Orange.' Our 'River Rock' model is primarily a pale, seafoam-green-meets-hospital-scrubs shade with tonal detailing. Grey mesh peeks out from underneath the enclosure, and the branded logo runs down the front in red. Flaps for ports and strap handles are hidden around the slightly chunky, but not overly cartoonish, overbuilt corners and angles of the speaker. You can use the speaker upright or horizontally, with controls residing along the speaker's side when placed in the vertical orientation.
The Turtlebox Ranger is remarkably portable. Its design has a large and grippy handle, making it easy to pick up. The battery-powered speaker's lightweight build means you can cover long distances without fatigue from carrying it, and it can fit in most backpacks.
The Turtlebox Ranger has very good build quality. Most of the IP67-rated speaker is covered in sturdy, hard plastic, and the manufacturer claims that it's crush-proof (but doesn't detail parameters around that). While it doesn't float, the brand states the speaker can handle saltwater exposure; just rinse it off afterwards, but if you want a floating speaker that can also handle saltwater, look to the Anker Soundcore Boom 3i. The speaker has a protective flap for the USB-C port that needs to be shut for waterproofing.
The top of the speaker (when vertically oriented) has a relatively large handle, and the bottom has a metal tie-down bar so you can tie it down if you place the speaker on its side. Adding to that, two magnets on the back can secure the speaker to metal surfaces, like a golf cart or truck bed. More on security, the speaker includes removable anti-slip rings, which also help protect the speaker if it's battered around.
The Turtlebox Ranger has alright controls. They're large tactile buttons that click when you press with prominent labels, and they're backlit, making it easy to tell them apart in low light. Most of these buttons are dedicated to single commands, except for the power button, which also acts as the play/pause control. Since powering off requires a longer press-and-hold, there's little risk of shutting off the speaker with a single press to pause or play audio. Without an app, the speaker uses dedicated buttons to enter Party mode (it looks like an 'X') with compatible speakers. Using the button that looks like a '/' with dots on the ends, you can pair it with another identical unit to create a stereo pair.
The speaker provides chimes when you power it on, reach max volume, and connect/disconnect it. However, it doesn't emit sounds when you power it off or reach minimum volume. Next to the buttons, an array of five lights gives a clear visual indication of the battery's status.
- Turtlebox Ranger
- USB-A to USB-C cable (1 m / 3.3 ft)
- User manual, tips & tricks, welcome guide
- Stickers
As with most smaller speakers, the Turtlebox Ranger doesn't have a deep bass, but it outputs a healthy boomy emphasis in the high-bass region to slightly offset the low-end roll-off. The mid-range adheres more closely to our curve without dramatic peaks and valleys, which conveys dialogue and melodies evenly. Besides a sizeable dip in the high-treble, which can make your audio sound more closed-off and lacking airiness, the low and mid-treble regions sound a little dark, and slightly warm, but retain most of the detail of sibilant sounds like cymbal hits. Since the bass rolls off, it can sound relatively harsh if there's treble emphasis, so the de-emphasis can help you avoid ear fatigue. Unfortunately, there's no EQ if you want something different.
You can place the speaker upright or on its side, which slightly changes the sound. We measured the frequency response with the speaker on its side, which yielded a sound that more closely matches our target curve. But if you want a bit more top-end and a little more mids, pop the speaker upright.
The Turtlebox Ranger is a mono speaker with a directional design, meaning its soundstage is poor, but expected. As a front-facing speaker, its sound varies depending on your listening angle. Most notably, upper frequencies sound veiled, uneven, and dark when the speaker faces away from you.
The Turtlebox Ranger has disappointing dynamics performance. With the volume set to max, there's fairly substantial compression in the bass that leads to quieter kick drums and bassline compared to the rest of the mix. However, bass compression isn't unusual in small speakers.
It's also worth pointing out that the speaker is advertised to reach 105 dB/SPL, but in testing, it only reached 90.5 dB/SPL, which is much quieter. That said, we don't know the measurement conditions for the advertised figure, and 90.5 dB is plenty loud for most people.
The speaker's battery performance is satisfactory. Advertised to run for 12 or more hours, the speaker lasted just shy of 11 hours in our standard test. It uses a USB-C charging port, which can also be used to juice up other devices, like your phone.
Since there's no USB-A power adapter for an outlet included in the box, it's worth mentioning that the charge time varied drastically with different third-party power adapter ratings. Using the included cable with a 60W power brick resulted in a full charge in three hours, but interestingly, a higher-rated 100W supply didn't hurry that time along. So, it's possible that different chargers will produce different charge rates, but we're still looking into it.
The speaker doesn't include an app, and all of its functions are accessible via the onboard controls.
The speaker's USB-C port is meant for charging only. It can also serve as a power source to charge other devices.
The Turtlebox Ranger has excellent Bluetooth connectivity. Across iOS and Android, it exhibits low latency, ensuring that visuals match the audio. However, that can vary with different devices and apps, and we found that sometimes the audio arrived slightly before the video (instead of the opposite, which is more expected with Bluetooth latency). Practically speaking, the matching is quite tight, so most people won't notice any lip-sync issues.