The MX-1 was built for the people who take their music where speakers aren't supposed to go. Job sites, campsites, beaches, the back of a truck — the rugged housing and carry hook aren't marketing language, they're a design brief. Bluetooth 4.2 handles the wireless end, there's a 3.5mm aux jack for the moments Bluetooth is the wrong answer, and a built-in mic means it doubles as a speakerphone when a call comes in.

Thirty hours of continuous playback on one charge. Pair two MX-1s together for stereo if the space calls for it. Veho hasn't tried to make this speaker into something it isn't — it's loud, tough, and long-lasting, for the environments where that's exactly what's needed.

At(down from), the Emporium landed this at half the retail price. The kind of markdown that earns a second look.