EGO Waterproof Sound Case for iPods

EGO Setup and Build Quality

I first encountered the EGO Waterproof Sound Case at CES in Las Vegas. I was actually trying to figure out where I was in the massive convention center when Ron Lien, the marketing manager of Atlantic asked if I would like to see their new products. The display that really caught my eye was an iPod speaker soundcase in a sealed bowl with water spraying over it.

I am fortunate enough to live in the sunny state of Florida along the gulf coast. Since the Gulf of Mexico is within walking distance of my house, many days after work I’ll take my kayak out for an afternoon paddle before dinner. Sometimes if it’s a really nice day I’ll go instead of working (shhhhh! don’t tell my wife!). As an audioholic it’s a given that I love to listen to music. Hmmm… Watersports… Music…What a combination!

Setup and Build Quality

After speaking to Atlantic on the phone they said they would let us review the unit for 30 days. Hopefully I would get time to review it at home and get a quick paddle in to try it out on the water in between February cold fronts.

Although the EGO can be purchased through Target, the unit was shipped directly to my house from Atlantic and left on my doorstep. The package box was shipped inside a larger cardboard box and surrounded by packing foam peanuts.

The Ego Waterproof Sound Case came with a shoulder and wrist strap for carrying or securing the unit. Since I planned to be out in the ocean it’s always possible for a wave to come over the side of the kayak and wash any unsecured equipment away. With a 30 day loan of the product and a $149 price tag it was nice to know that I could secure the unit safely to the kayak.

Other parts included in the package were four AA batteries, a carrying bag and spacer inserts for 4^th and 5^th generation iPods, iPod mini, and iPod nano. The Ego Waterproof Sound Case will not work with 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd generation iPods.

After opening the box and pulling out the accessories I checked over the outside of the unit for potential problems. I was impressed with the clear shatterproof polycarbonate body and shock absorbing rubber bumper guards on the corners. Although I was a little skeptical of the thin polycarbonate retractable stand, it folded securely into the back of the unit when it was not in use.

I released the unit’s snap locking latch to open the watertight compartment. As an avid kayaker I know the potential for disaster if a watertight seal leaks. One time on a 4 day kayak camping trip in the coastal Everglades a friend’s waterproof bag leaked ruining his $350 camera and cell phone. Needless to say we all went out and bought rugged waterproof dry boxes for our electrical equipment when we got back.

I intended to try out the Ego Waterproof Sound Case on the water with my iPod so I wanted to make sure all the seals and latches were constructed of the highest quality materials. The latch felt as positive and sturdy as my trusty waterproof Pelican case that I have carried my camera and cell phone in during hundreds of kayak excursions. The white silicone gasket was free of defects and imperfections and seated nicely when the cover closed. I opened the battery cover on the inside of the case and inserted the four AA batteries that came with the unit. Because of the waterproof nature of the system, there aren’t any connections available for an AC/DC wall unit or cigarette lighter. I inserted my iPod nano into the correct spacer, attached the supplied speaker jack, and inserted the spacer and iPod into the case. The unit was now ready to go on its first adventure.

Using the System

Before actually going out on the water I wanted to make sure I knew how to use the system. The unit is turned on with an external waterproof on/off power button. You can tell the unit is on by the blue LED power indicator light located to the left of the button. For those of you who don’t have one, iPods don’t have an on/off button. I used the sealed waterproof click wheel membrane to activate my iPod and practiced scrolling through various artists and songs. The super clear polycarbonate body made viewing the song lists a breeze. The membrane had a different feel to it than the normally silky smooth click wheel of my iPod and it took a bit getting used to. Through the membrane you could control the volume of your iPod, but the system also comes with an external waterproof volume control. There was a significant lag time in the response of the external volume control buttons, just enough to make it annoying.

EGO Performance Tests and Conclusion

Finally, a day that wasn’t raining or blowing 30 knots. I threw my Scupper Pro Ocean Kayak on top of the truck and headed to the closest launch spot. After putting the kayak in the water and getting all my gear setup (seat, paddle, life jacket) I attached the EGO to one of my rear tankwell straps using the included compact wristband and headed out to sea.

I cued up the second band on my iPod, “Aerosmith” (ACDC just isn’t good paddling music) and began to paddle out to a nearby island about a mile away. I listened to “Sweet Emotion” as I left the protection of the kayak launch and a stiff 10-15 knot wind blew out of the north creating a sideways wind to my boat. The small speakers and bass ports did an adequate job of delivering music even with the large amount of wind noise. I continued to paddle into more open water and small waves lapped over the side of the boat. Water entered and exited through the self bailing scupper holes and Steve Tyler still screamed “Dream On”.

I arrived at my destination as “Walk This Way” finished playing. The manufacturers say that the unit should not be completely submerged in water. With the heavy spray and constant dunking I was a little nervous, but so far the unit had survived the trip; hopefully my iPod was still dry. I unclipped the EGO from my boat and checked it over. Everything seemed dry and intact.

I know it’s hokey, but for the trip back I played some Jimmy Buffet. “Margaritaville”, “Cheeseburger in Paradise”, and “Fins” played as I headed back to the kayak launch trying to outrun a setting sun. Although the wind had calmed down a bit on the trip back I still took some waves over my left side. I slid into the launch with “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” still playing on the EGO.

Conclusions and Overall Perceptions

You’re not going to get earth shattering bass and room filling sound out of a set of 3 watt 45mm speakers. With that said, the EGO performed admirably. The small speakers with bass ports, compact design and rugged construction fulfilled the intention of having a “go anywhere, do anything” iPod sound case. If there was one feature I would comment on it would be the color. This unit is designed to be used in and around water. Although it floats, once the EGO is placed in water it becomes almost completely invisible.

EGO Waterproof Sound Case

The Score Card

The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:

Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating

Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.

Audioholics Rating Scale

• — Excellent
• — Very Good
• — Good
• — Fair
• — Poor

Metric	Rating
Audio Performance
Features
Build Quality
Appearance
Performance
Value