Rocksteady Stadium 2-Pack: You could fill an arena with these portable Bluetooth speakers
Macworld|September 2021
They sound great, but “AI-powered” audio smells like hype to us.
CHRISTOPHER NULL
Rocksteady Stadium 2-Pack: You could fill an arena with these portable Bluetooth speakers

Rocksteady Audio aims for the higher end of the inexpensive Bluetooth speaker market with its new Stadium line. This speaker doesn’t compete with high-fidelity multiroom audio systems such as the Sonos Move or the Bluesound Pulse Mini 2i, but it mostly hits its mark.

The all-black mini towers are deceptively demure, each measuring 6 inches tall with a 4.25-inch square base. Designed with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, each 30-watt speaker contains two drivers: a 28mm tweeter that gets 10 watts of power, and a 70mm mid/bass driven by 20 watts of amplification. These active drivers are augmented by a pair of 72mm passive bass radiators. The specified frequency response is 60Hz to 20kHz (no tolerance given).

The bigger story, Rocksteady says, is that the Stadium is “powered by Bambu Tech’s AWSM (fave.co/37itum0), an AI-powered audio authoring platform,” a platform said to be so amazing you’ll be able to “hear your favorite music again as if for the first time.”

I wouldn’t go that far, but the Rocksteady Stadium speakers were indeed loud, clear, and clean in my testing, with plenty of bass and some juicy mids and trebles. While the clarity of sound was excellent, I found the speakers more attuned to pumping out bigger, busier party-style jams than delicate classical piano. When I bumped up the volume, I found that just about everything sounded great.

This story is from the September 2021 edition of Macworld.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 2021 edition of Macworld.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MACWORLDView All
GAMESIR X2S TYPE C: TURN YOUR iPHONE INTO A SMALL STEAM DECK
Macworld

GAMESIR X2S TYPE C: TURN YOUR iPHONE INTO A SMALL STEAM DECK

If you're serious about getting a better handle on your iPhone gaming, consider a gamepad, an external device that provides physical controls-actual buttons, joysticks, direction pads, and more.

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT APPLES NEW IPAD PRO M4
Macworld

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT APPLES NEW IPAD PRO M4

HERE'S ALL THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE iPAD PRO REFRESH.

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2024
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2024 M2 iPAD AIR
Macworld

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2024 M2 iPAD AIR

HERE'S THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT THE NEW IPAD AIR, INCLUDING PRICING. SPECS. AND NEW FEATURES.

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
Are we in Apple's post-iPad era?
Macworld

Are we in Apple's post-iPad era?

The new Pro and Air raise more questions about where the tablet fits in Apple’s lineup.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
ANKER 675 USB-C 12-IN-1: STYLISH DOCKING STATION AND STAND COMBO
Macworld

ANKER 675 USB-C 12-IN-1: STYLISH DOCKING STATION AND STAND COMBO

The Anker 675 USB-C 12-in-1 Docking Station and Monitor Stand solves several of your laptop's limitations in one user-friendly, stylish, friendly and functional product.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
TIMBUK2 CLASSIC MESSENGER BAG: STYLISH UPDATE TO AN URBAN ICON
Macworld

TIMBUK2 CLASSIC MESSENGER BAG: STYLISH UPDATE TO AN URBAN ICON

There was a time when a trip downtown was filled with the hustle and bustle of people. And a lot of those people sported Timbuk2's Classic Messenger Bag-not just bicycle messengers, but also commuters going to work, tourists sightseeing, and anyone else trying to get where they need to go.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
Apple needs to become a software company again
Macworld

Apple needs to become a software company again

The Al features baked into iOS 18 and macOS 15 need to be compelling enough to convince people to upgrade.

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024
Don't expect the Mac Studio and Mac Pro to be updated at WWDC-or in 2024
Macworld

Don't expect the Mac Studio and Mac Pro to be updated at WWDC-or in 2024

Updates to the high-end desktop Macs won’t happen until 2025.

time-read
2 mins  |
July 2024
Apple's M3 chip lineup is a victim of the times
Macworld

Apple's M3 chip lineup is a victim of the times

The chip that was supposed to be the next generation of Apple silicon has suddenly become a footnote in Apple history.

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2024
The iPad Pro's M4 chip breaks the rules and changes everything about Apple silicon
Macworld

The iPad Pro's M4 chip breaks the rules and changes everything about Apple silicon

Now that the M4 iPad Pro is here, what will this mean for the chips coming to the iPhone and Mac?

time-read
4 mins  |
July 2024