Tronsmart has already been around since 2013 and there are already several weatherproof outdoor speakers under this brand. The Tronsmart Halo 100 is new in the range, and it wants to impress with other features besides weather protection. Besides a good sound, Tronsmart also wants to implement a good transportability, a control via app and smart features. Whether this all works out, we take a closer look in the Tronsmart Halo 100 test.
Specifications
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Audio codec | SBC |
| Transmission distance | up to 15 m |
| Speaker | 3 |
| Power | 60 W |
| Battery capacity | 7.4 V / 4000 mAh |
| Runtime |
Depending on volume up to 18 h |
| charging time | Up to about 5 1/2 hours when the battery is empty |
| Charge port | USB-C (5 V / 2 A) |
| Weather protection | IPX6 |
| Size |
28.7 x 19.8 x 15 cm |
| Weight |
2.9 kg |
| Price | € 115.55 * |
Packaging
- Carton with handle
- Device protected by foam trays
- Tronsmart Halo 100 and accessories are each still in a protective film
The packaging of the Tronsmart Halo 100 is kept relatively simple. A package with a few product illustrations, specifications and references to the Tronsmart app for Apple and Android. When you open the packaging, the first thing you see is a foam cover. When you take it out, you see the Tronsmart Halo 100 wrapped in a white foil from above. Next to it is the small bag with the accessories. Underneath the speaker is another foam cover that protects the device from below.
Scope of delivery
- Little accessories included
- 3.5mm jack cable and USB-A to USB-C cable are included
- No power adapter is included, but any common USB power adapter can be used
The scope of delivery of the Tronsmart Halo 100 is very clear. Apart from the box including the user manual, you will only find two cables in the box. One is a USB-A to USB-C cable without a power plug (most people will have one) for charging. The other is a mini-jack cable that can be used to connect devices without Bluetooth, such as mp3 players or a PC. Otherwise, the obligatory things, like the warranty.
Design
- High-edge design
- Handle can be folded back
- Popping out lighting function
The Tronsmart Halo 100 is already visually not the usual speaker. In the upright design and with the handle, it already stands out. In addition, the lighting effects provide a look that is not known from other speakers. However, if needed, the handle can be quickly and easily folded back, removing it from view. The Tronsmart logo is unobtrusive and also not illuminated.
Speaking of lighting, you can of course simply turn it off. Because even if this can provide atmosphere at parties, it is not suitable in every situation and also consumes a little electricity.
Features
- Multiple playback media possible
- Two Halo 100 can be paired together
- 5 light modes or switched off lighting possible
True, the Tronsmart Halo 100 is primarily intended as a Bluetooth speaker. But apart from that, you can also use other media, such as playing without Bluetooth with the included audio cable. For example, you can connect a PC or an mp3 player. It can also use micro SD cards and USB sticks as source media. However, no huge collections should be stored here, but the desired music selection; preferably already sorted according to the desired order. Because searching and selecting individual songs is only possible via the buttons.
About the buttons: The buttons minus, play and plus are found at the top. A short press on Plus or Minus changes the volume; a longer press on Plus switches to the next track via Bluetooth as well as USB; Minus goes back. Devices connected via the jack cable cannot be controlled for technical reasons. Likewise, the play button can be used to pause and continue playing. Four more buttons are found: The SP button boosts bass and trebles for a clearer sound when playing music. On the right is a button for changing the lighting modes or deactivating the lighting. The button with the capital M is for switching between different sound sources.
The last button is for pairing two Tronsmart Halo 100s together to better distribute the music in a room across multiple speakers. What doesn’t work here, however, is pairing different speakers. So this feature is not functional when I try to pair the Tronsmart Halo 100 with the Tronsmart Bang SE I tested the other day.
Workmanship
- Robust materials
- Solid workmanship enables worry-free outdoor use
The workmanship of the Tronsmart Halo 100 looks quite decent in testing. The casing is made of an insensitive plastic and looks very robust. The keys can be operated through a waterproof rubber layer and are still reasonably easy to feel. The ports on the back are also protected from water penetration by a strong rubber cover. Of course, this is only as long as the cover is closed.
The handle is made of a kind of artificial leather, while the inner surface is made of a soft fabric. Thus, this handle is also suitable for vegans and still has a comfortable feel. It is also insensitive to moisture. The front grille of the Tronsmart Halo 100 also passed the test: It did not bend even with a lot of force from both thumbs. Thus, no problems are to be expected here in everyday use.
In short: The Tronsmart Halo 100 passes the test of workmanship without any flaws.
Sound
- Balanced sound, although not at premium level
- Permanent quiet noise can be annoying depending on the application
- High volume good for party use
The sound of the Tronsmart Halo 100 is decent. Even though it sounds noticeably fuller than the last Tronsmart Bang SE we tested, it can’t quite disguise the fact that it’s not an upper-range speaker, though. For example, it still has a slight focus on the upper midrange frequencies. This is very good for speech intelligibility, but when listening to music at room volume, the sound experience was okay, but did not unexpectedly blow us away. Pressing the SP button activates the SoundPulse equalizer, which improves the sound for instrumental music. I wouldn’t activate this mode for spoken vocals.
One problem point with the sound of the Tronsmart Halo 100 is a constant hiss that sounds when something is played. This can already be heard during the startup sound. After that, the noise dies down and it starts again when it plays sounds. This noise is not affected by the volume control, so it is there constantly at any volume. This is not a big problem when you have music playing and even less so when it is relatively loud. But at low volumes and when you want to listen to podcasts at room volume, for example, or when just changing delivery, then it can be quite disturbing.
What the Tronsmart Halo 100 masters well, however, is a high volume. And here the sound also seems well balanced. And the achievable volume should really be more than sufficient for private parties. In the test, I didn’t manage to turn the volume up to full power – the neighborhood would have cursed me. That’s already very impressive.
Features
- Water resistance
- Lighting effects
- Powerbank function
The lighting of the Tronsmart Halo 100 is, of course, the most standout feature. Here you have five modes to choose from – apart from the one that is switched off. Depending on the setting, the lights react differently to the music playing. From the color-changing effect to the representation of the volume by the number of lit LEDs. But that’s not all: You can also use the Halo 100 very simply as a power bank to make sure your phone doesn’t run out of power sooner than the speaker. You can simply use the USB port on the back for this. However, the speaker has to be turned on, otherwise no power flows through the port. Speaking of USB: Connecting the speaker to the computer via the included USB-A to USB-C cable charges it, but you cannot use it as a USB speaker.
In addition, the intensively advertised water resistance of the Tronsmart Halo 100 is of course also worth a test. IPX6 actually promises water protection up to short-term submersion. But the most realistic everyday water contact might be the downpour at the garden party. For the endurance test, I waited for a sleet – and what can I say? There were no problems. The Tronsmart Halo 100 got soaking wet in this test – it stood in the rain for about three hours. Nevertheless, it continued to work without any problems.
The function was not affected – the sound was still good and the lighting went through without any interruptions. In short, it passed the test!
Tronsmart app
- Remote control of the Tronsmart Halo 100
- Advanced equalizer capabilities and settings
In the Play Store, the app does not really shine with the 2.4 stars at the time of testing. But well – let’s see what’s coming. The installation was no problem and when opening the app is positively noticed that you also do not have to create an account. When you open the app, you can switch to the speaker page and select the Halo 100. If Bluetooth is activated on the smartphone and the Tronsmart Halo is turned on, you can establish the connection here. When we opened the app for the first time, a firmware upgrade was suggested, which worked without any problems. What this does, was not apparent. I was also not able to determine any difference.
Now you can change various things in the app, such as the volume, song changes and the equalizer and settings in the bar at the bottom. Apart from that, you get the battery status displayed.
In the settings, you can especially select the sound source, but also change the LED modes and turn off the Tronsmart Halo 100. At the top right is another settings button, which can be used, for example, to disconnect the device and program a shutdown timer.
So far, contrary to expectation with the bad reviews, everything actually runs quite smoothly with the app, apart from some strange machine translations. Switching between different sources (micro-SD after a fresh FAT32 format / Bluetooth / jack) also works well.
However, I find it a pity that you do not get a folder structure and data on USB stick and SD card displayed via the app either, which would make selecting music much easier. So remains with these media only “next” and “back” to find the right music tracks.
Tronsmart app: equalizer
In the equalizer of the Tronsmart app you have the following options:
- Standard: Neutral sound
- SoundPulse: Increases bass and treble (equivalent to the SP button)
- Low Bass: Increases bass, sounds slightly muffled
- Classic: De-emphasizes treble, sounds slightly compressed and muffled than standard
- Rock: Yes, this should be called Rock. Boosts bass and treble, cuts mids. Sounds clearer than SoundPulse, but some tonal detail in the mids is lost
- Adjust: The actual graphic equalizer, where you can adjust the settings yourself the sound based on five points. However, the terms are again translated strangely. In fact, the most pleasant settings in my opinion were possible here, as the high mids present in all other modes could be scaled back somewhat. Especially at high volumes, but you can also adjust the equalizer individually to the spatial conditions.
I was quite happy with the EQ setting chosen here for music at room volume.
Smart Assistant
- Remote control of the voice assistant set on the smartphone possible.
With a quick double press on the play button of the Tronsmart Halo 100, the question has popped up on the connected phone whether I want to connect Google Assistant or Alexa. After the connection, you can activate the assistant by double-pressing the play button and use it like corresponding devices (Amazon Echo, etc.) at home – but virtually only as a remote control from the smartphone, via which you could also call the function that way. Of course, this does not work standalone, since the Tronsmart Halo 100 does not establish an Internet connection itself. I see this more as a gimmick than a feature.
Practicality
- Good battery life
- Unpractical music selection via USB and SD
It’s a bit of a shame with the Tronsmart Halo 100 that it’s hard to find specific tracks from a USB stick or micro-SD if there’s too much sitting on it. First, the free lying music tracks are played and then the folders are gone through alphabetically. Music via USB or SD card is a nice additional feature and is handy with pre-made lists at a party, but less suitable for everyday use. This is where I wish the app would be expanded in this regard – it would be a real added value. However, if you control the Tronsmart Halo 100 via an external device, such as a smartphone connected via Bluetooth or a laptop connected via a jack cable, then you have full control over it.
Battery life is also exceedingly solid. Where the factory test model already came with 80% battery charge, the Tronsmart Halo 100 was able to demonstrate battery longevity in testing. The times targeted in the specifications sound really achievable – especially since you will rarely run the speaker at full volume. Thus, when the battery is charged, you do not have to worry about the charge level not being enough on the current evening. The battery level is also displayed via the connected smartphone and app, so you can see when the Tronsmart Halo 100 should be connected to a power source again. It’s also handy that it charges via an ordinary USB-C port, like most modern devices.
A bit of a shame is the quite present noise at low volumes. The Tronsmart Halo 100 really only shows its real strengths at room volume or above. However, outdoor use is really no problem due to its water resistance. Here, it sets itself apart from its little brother Bang SE due to the better sound and the higher possible volume.
Conclusion
In the Tronsmart Halo 100 review, it turns out that this Bluetooth speaker is quite capable of setting the mood at the party and is so robust that you don’t have to worry about its safety. The sound is good and can be further adjusted via the equalizer in the app. A bit of a shame is the quiet continuous noise that somewhat spoils the enjoyment when playing at low volumes, which is why it shines less in this area. But it is actually not advertised for this. However, if you are looking for an uncomplicated, stable speaker for occasional parties and loud music, you can definitely strike here – the Tronsmart Halo 100 masters this with flying colors!
Tronsmart Halo 100
Workmanship
Sound quality
Features
Value for money
83/100
The Tronsmart Halo 100 is a good waterproof speaker for parties and high volumes, but a constant hiss is annoying when used quietly at home.
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