ACME BAT in the test: The small Bluetooth speaker is THE “Deluxe” shower speaker

A few days ago I got another one Bluetooth speakers for a thorough test: the ACME BAT. The speaker caught my eye as it has a somewhat “special” look. With its round design and the thick cord on the metal bracket, it looks stylish. After reading through the technical data, a few other exciting details came to light: It can be paired with two Bluetooth devices; it is only operated with one button and it is also built to be splash-proof, making it perfect as a shower speaker. The multilink feature - i.e. the possibility of coupling two smartphones - is particularly helpful if your partner also likes to listen to music in the shower, but you don't want to hang up two loudspeakers there. But now to the technical details...

Technical data of the ACME BAT

• Model name: ACME BAT SP106
• Dimensions: approx. 11 cm in diameter, approx. 4 cm thick
• Battery life: approx. 8 h with 3 h charging time (700 mAh Li-Ion battery)
• Audio input: Bluetooth 4.0 or 3,5mm jack
• Audio-out: 3,5mm jack
• Hands-free facility through built-in microphone
• Multilink: up to two Bluetooth devices can use the loudspeaker at the same time
• multi-colored LED display informs about pairing, charging or the like
• simple operation by means of a multi-function rotary knob
• splash-proof and therefore suitable for shower, beach and swimming pool
• acoustic warning when the battery is low

Design and workmanship

The look of the ACME BAT is a success all round (nice pun - just had to be!). As soon as you hold the BT box in your hand, you notice the high-quality workmanship. A yellow rubber ring is attached to the underside, which gives enough "grip" even on wet, smooth surfaces so that the loudspeaker does not slip off the table. On the top of the speaker you will find a metal grille that protects the actual speaker and in the middle of which is the large control button that is wonderfully easy to use. The rest of the case is black plastic, which feels relatively sturdy and will survive the odd crash. The black cord, which is attached to a metal eyelet and serves as a hanger, is particularly striking. I have described in detail below how practical this little rope is in everyday life. ;)

Sound quality of the bluetooth speaker

My main criterion when evaluating speakers is of course the sound quality. I would rate the ACME BAT Bluetooth speaker as very positive, because - even if it doesn't produce super powerful bass due to its size - they are so good that you can easily listen to music in the shower with them. Podcasts can also be heard well with it, because the sound is also very good with speech. In terms of sound, I would give the ACME BAT at least a 1/2 +. :)

Operation of the bluetooth box

As already mentioned above, the ACME BAT has a special operating concept. You can control all functions with just one button. This round multi-function button can be turned and pressed, making it very easy to use the box. The volume can be adjusted simply by turning the multi-function button - and this works much better even with wet fingers than pressing mini buttons, as is often the case with other Bluetooth speakers.

Switching on and off is done with a long press on the button and play, pause, call answering and hanging up works with a short press on the button. A short “double click” enables the redial.

The shower test: waterproof and suitable for showering

Of course, I didn't miss the opportunity to test how the speaker performs with music in the shower. To do this, I hung the ACME BAT in the shower cubicle and then let the shower jet patter vigorously onto the box from all sides. The first thing you notice: As soon as the water has wetted the metal grille that sits in front of the loudspeaker, the sound is significantly worse and the volume is also lower. After a few seconds, the water will gradually run away and the sound will be normal again.

So if you really want to shower with the device, you should hang it up so that it is not constantly exposed to the water jet. Although the speaker doesn't mind because it is splash-proof, the sound changes for a short time due to a permanent "water bombardment". Otherwise he passed the shower test with flying colors!

Special features and nice features

When you first see the speaker, you might be amazed at the thick cord attached to it. At first glance, it looks a lot less practical than it really is! I have the loudspeaker in use throughout the apartment and not only can it be carried easily with the cord, but it can also be hung in all possible corners. So it is with me on the towel hanger next to the sink or in the shower cubicle on the mini shower shelf. You can also hang it on the handle of the kitchen cabinet or on doorknobs. So it doesn't take up any space on the work surface and is still always with you!

The second very convenient feature is the rotary knob with which it is operated. It is a relief to be able to regulate the volume of speakers again as it used to be the case on the stereo system: with an intuitive turn of the button. I'm looking forward to more retro devices that incorporate such features again!

Another nice triviality is the multilink feature, which sounds unexciting at first glance, but as soon as you have more than one person with a smartphone in the household, it is very practical if both can control the speaker without the other having to talk to each other first has to “disconnect” from the Bluetooth box again.

And the ACME BAT even has a feature that I haven't seen in any other Bluetooth box so far: the speaker has a 3,5mm jack output to which you can connect an amplifier or headphones. Sounds illogical? But it actually has one use case: if I have wired headphones, I can use the function to practically convert them into Bluetooth headphones. This is of course a bit uncomfortable, because you always have to carry the cable and the ACME BAT around, but at least you are no longer completely “anchored” with the cable somewhere. :)

Conclusion: a good device!

I find the ACME BAT Bluetooth speaker very successful. In terms of sound, design and operation, everything is just right with this speaker. As always, you shouldn't compare these "small" Bluetooth speakers to the high-end speakers from some other manufacturers that range in the 150-250 EUR range. Of course, the sound is even better there, but these are usually a bit larger and not available for about 30 EUR, as is the case with the ACME BAT.

If you are looking for a good garden, lake, shower or kitchen loudspeaker or would like to give your children a robust Bluetooth loudspeaker, the ACME BAT is the right choice! In any case, I am happy that from now on he will keep me company while cooking, showering and gardening!

Purchase option

The ACME BAT is available on Amazon for EUR 25 (as of May 2016). Click here for the offer.

Jen Kleinholz( Founder & Sir Apfelot )

Jens has been running the blog since 2012. He acts as Sir Apfelot for his readers and helps them with technical problems. In his spare time he rides electric unicycles, takes photos (preferably with the iPhone, of course), climbs around in the Hessian mountains or hikes with the family. His articles deal with Apple products, news from the world of drones or solutions to current bugs.