With the new soundcore Rave 3S, the manufacturer is launching a major attack on the competition from JBL and co. The powerful Bluetooth speaker impressed in the test with great sound, chic RGB lighting, a fun karaoke function and powerful AI functions.
Technical data
| The product | Rave 3S |
| Audio power | 200 W |
| Driver | 1x 6.5-inch woofer 2x 2.5-inch midrange tweeters |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Connections | AUX; 6.35 mm; USB-C |
| Battery life | up to 12 hours |
| Special features | IPX4 certification; customizable RGB lighting |
| Dimensions | 334 mm x 303 mm x 546 |
| weight | 10.48 kg |
| Colors | black |
| Scope of delivery | Rave 3S; instructions; mains cable; 2 microphones; 4 AA batteries |
| Price | € 349.99 * |
soundcore Rave 3S Review: Massive noble loudspeaker
- Massive, heavy and robust construction
- Impeccable workmanship
- appealing RGB lighting
Is this the changing of the guard for JBL party speakers such as the Stage 320 or Club 120? With the soundcore Rave 3S, the Anker subsidiary is launching a Bluetooth speaker that not only wants to impress in terms of sound, but also offers exciting AI functions.
But let’s take a look at the basics first. The Bluetooth speaker weighs a whopping 10.5 kg and, with its size of 334 mm x 303 mm x 546 mm, is on a par with the Club 120.
As is typical for soundcore, the housing is kept rather simple. The speaker has a black anodized housing, which is largely made of robust plastic. The front is dominated by a large metal grille on which the manufacturer’s logo is set off in silver. There is a carrying handle at the back of the top to transport the speaker quickly from A to B, while rubberized feet at the bottom ensure a secure hold.
A second carrying handle would have been nice and the speaker would also have looked good on wheels. But… …so you get a pinch of strength training for free during transportation.
The build quality leaves an outstanding impression, especially as the Rave 3S is also protected against water in accordance with IPX4. This makes it perfect for the next garden or pool party – even rain can’t harm the Bluetooth speaker.
Of course, a chic, customizable RGB lighting is also a must. In the case of the soundcore Rave 3S, this extends to the areas under the grille, whereby the upper and lower light can be individually adjusted in the companion app. There are also a number of predefined effects to choose from.
As the soundcore Rave 3S has a karaoke function, the manufacturer has provided the party speaker with two wireless microphones that can simply be plugged into the back. These are powered by two standard AA batteries, four of which are conveniently included in the scope of delivery.
Connections and operation
- Connections for guitar and microphones
- Intuitive operation
- comprehensive companion app
The connections of the soundcore Rave 3S are located under a rubber cap on the back of the party speaker. A 3.5 mm AUX-in connection and a 6.35 mm jack input are available here to connect a guitar or microphone to the speaker, for example. You can also use a switch to switch between the two devices and adjust the amplification (gain).
You will also find a volume control on the panel to adjust the volume of the connected device. The Race 3S is powered via a USB-C port at the end. Practical: thanks to reverse charging and the power bank function, the speaker can also charge your smartphone or other devices via this port, which is of course extremely practical for keeping the player alive when the battery is running low.
The controls, on the other hand, are located on the top of the party box. These include a button for switching on and off and pairing via Bluetooth, a rocker for media control, one for additional functions such as BassUp and Auracast, as well as two buttons and a rotary control: the left control adjusts the volume of the speaker, the middle one increases or decreases the reverb effect of the microphones and the right button activates the AI-supported removal of voices (AI Voice Removal).
The soundcore smartphone app is used to access the speaker’s full range of functions, and it has a lot to offer. The most important functions can be found on the main page. In addition to adjusting the volume and play/pause, the AI and karaoke functions can also be set here, while the BassUp function can be switched on and off. You can also activate spatial audio here, as the soundcore Rave 3S is capable of spatial sound when used vertically.
Of course, there is also an extensive equalizer. In addition to a number of presets, you can also influence the sound yourself with a 9-band or full-band EQ.
The second tab is responsible for the RGB lighting. Here you can choose between various lighting effects or quickly create your own individual effects for the upper and lower sections.
Battery life of the soundcore Rave 3S
- Up to 12 hours runtime
- fully charged in 6 hours
The soundcore Rave 3S has a battery life of up to 12 hours. However, this only applies at a volume of 50 percent and without bass boost and RGB lighting. In the practical test, the speaker lasted around 8 hours with lighting effects and BassUp – a good value considering the size and performance of the party speaker.
However, the comparably equipped Sharp XParty Sing PS-931 (our test) achieves up to 13 hours of use. Sharp’s counterpart also charges around twice as fast, as the soundcore Rave 3S is fully charged in a leisurely 6 hours.
Sound quality of the soundcore Rave 3S
- three drivers
- 200 watts of power
- convincing, powerful sound
The sound of the soundcore Rave 3S is one of the strengths of the party speaker. The Anker subsidiary has equipped the speaker with three drivers in the form of two 2.5-inch full-range drivers and a 6.5-inch woofer, which together deliver an impressive 200 watts of power. This is enough to fill rooms of up to 200 square meters with sound. If that’s not enough, you can connect up to 100 speakers in series.
In terms of codecs, SBC and AAC are on board, but unfortunately there are no high-resolution counterparts – just like the competition. A frequency band from 40 Hz to 20,000 Hz is covered. And the soundcore Rave 3S really does get extremely loud and, fortunately, without any unpleasant peaks.
With BassUP mode activated, the system provides a powerful bass reproduction that easily creates a great atmosphere among guests, even at high volumes, without any audible distortion. The mids and highs are also pleasantly detailed.
The sound of the Rave 3S can be individually adjusted via the Soundcore app thanks to comprehensive equalizer settings. Nevertheless, the speaker’s sound is already impressive out of the box – especially when BassUP is activated.
However, the low bass does not come into its own in every situation, especially at low volumes. In very low frequency ranges, the Rave 3S reaches its physical limits due to its limited frequency response. On the other hand, the speaker shines with an all-round convincing sound image in music without pronounced low bass components. I didn’t notice any major changes in the sound when shifting to a vertical position with Spatial Audio, although the sound does gain a little (but audible) spatiality.
Karaoke function: AI as a game changer
- Precise AI voice removal from songs
- Four levels of customization
- Significantly increases flexibility
If you like to perform your favorite songs, you can also use the soundcore Rave 3S as a karaoke box. As already mentioned, two wireless microphones are included in the scope of delivery for this purpose, which are paired immediately after switching on.
The wireless microphones make it possible to give speeches via the speaker as well as sing karaoke. They have separate setting options for your own voice and for the volume of the original vocal track of a song.
The volume of each microphone can be adjusted independently of the other. There is also an AI button on the microphones that can be used to fade out the original vocals of a song at the touch of a button – the intensity of this function can also be adjusted. It is important to adjust the volume of the microphones to the respective position in the room. Constantly moving the microphone in your hand can also have a negative effect on the sound quality.
The AI functions in particular are a real game changer for karaoke: “Straight AI Voice Removal” makes it possible to remove vocals from songs or at least reduce them in a total of four stages – either in the app or via the AI button on the microphones.
According to Anker, the AI has been trained with over 20,000 songs to recognize the vocals, which are then filtered out using the built-in NPU. The results vary depending on the song: In particular, if the vocals and instrumentalization of a song are audibly separated from each other, the Partybox succeeds excellently in filtering out the vocals completely.
But even if it doesn’t work perfectly, the vocals are at least reduced to such an extent that your own voice is clearly in the foreground. According to soundcore, the NPU can remove vocals in real time with an accuracy of 95.3 percent.
During my test, this worked excellently for most tracks. Of course, this makes the soundcore Rave 3S incredibly flexible, as it allows you to sing along with music streaming apps such as Spotify and others that don’t offer a dedicated karaoke function.
However, the “automatic lead vocals” function did not work quite as accurately. The Rave 3S is supposed to play back the original vocals with connected microphones when you are not singing yourself and fade them out when you continue singing. Although this also worked in the test, the accuracy was not as high as with Voice Removal.+
Nevertheless, this feature is an absolute game changer for me, which makes the soundcore Rave 3S incredibly flexible. Even if true karaoke machines such as the Ikarao Shell S1 (our test) are better positioned here – even if you have to take out an additional subscription. The Rave 3S has a clear advantage when it comes to Spotify and the like.
soundcore Rave 3S Review: Conclusion
With the soundcore Rave 3S, the manufacturer delivers the next big hit. Not only do you get a party speaker with full, lively sound to get the next party started, you also get some excellent (and thanks to AI innovative) karaoke functions to boot.
Although the party speaker will not appeal to audiophiles, it should appeal to all those who are looking for a lively and detailed sound and want to achieve a volume at which even large rooms and gardens can be enveloped in music.
It also features stylish RGB lighting, two wireless microphones and a good battery life at an extremely attractive price. So if you are looking for a party speaker and perhaps want to sing a song or two yourself, the soundcore Rave 3S is undoubtedly the right choice. A clear buy recommendation.
- Great sound
- Impressive volume
- Chic lighting
- 2 wireless microphones
- Ingenious karaoke functions
- No roles
- AI functions not always on-point
soundcore Rave 3S
Workmanship
Ease of use
Sound quality
Features
Value For Money
93/100
Excellent party speaker with great sound, stylish RGB lighting and impressive AI-supported karaoke function at an attractive price. A clear recommendation to buy.
