Bumpboxx

I figured since the Bumpboxx is now upon us, we should have a tech / tip thread dedicated towards it. Maybe Rob the CEO could chime in along with his technical team if there is a question we have about the product that cannot be answered by anyone here.

Bumpboxx Free Style (Gen1)

Since I now own one, I will post a few things I've found that were not in the manual and a few questions I have requiring advice from the technical guys.

Tips / Tricks
1: Did you know you can record off the Radio and Line in onto SD card or USB? This wasn't listed in my manual so here it goes. Insert a SD card or USB into the Bumpboxx. Select the radio, dial in a station or select Line and then press and hold the Play/Pause button. "rec" will show on the display. It will then record audio off of the radio or line-in in MP3 format at 128kbps. It creates a folder on the drive called "JL_REC" and each subsequent recording file name starts at "AC460000" and counts up under that folder with each additional recording. It will not record from Mic, Guitar or Bluetooth however, if you connect another bumpboxx to your line-in you can record everything passing through to your box This is GREAT because if your buddy has a cool Jam going that you can feed into your box you can copy it right onto a drive as a MP3.
2: Did you know you can improve radio reception on the earlier production run? Latter models have a fix already done but do this at your own risk. This may void your warranty. Remove the right speaker. Take the white antenna wire and reposition it with a loop at the far back right corner. I secured mine temporarily with packing tape. Once I'm happy with it after testing for a while I will secure it better. Example picture below



You may need to play around with it to find the best possible position for you but this was what worked best for me.

Note: I tried connecting it to the bolt inside securing the handle of the box but this actually proved to make things worse for me and I found out why. That white wire has a loop at the end and this is essential to proper operation. DO NOT cut that off. If you do, loop the end again and secure with a heat wrap to hold it in the folded over position.

3: The slot in between the bass tube ports is for your hand when carrying the box on your shoulders.

Tech / Specification Advice Needed:
1: While charging the Bumpboxx I noticed my power brick getting hotter than I would like. 144F / 62C. The specs of the power supply are 15V 3000mA (3A). I'm wondering if a higher amperage power supply would run cooler. Lets say a 15V 4500mA (4.5A). Normally a device only pulls the Amperage it needs. If I find a PS getting hot Ill up the Amperage of the PS to make things easier on it. With charging a battery I don't know. Any help here would be nice. 150F is a little too hot for comfort and I am willing to bet that power brick will not continue to hold up under that heat for long.
2: Does anyone know what the maximum SD card size the bumpboxx will support? I have been told if it will work above 4GB (which we know it will) that it should be able to handle at least 32GB. Anyone know the limit?
3: Anyone know the exact model number of the battery used in the Bumpboxx? Mine is so new I can't bring it to myself to take screws out and look at it but I am guessing it is similar to a UPS backup unit battery for a computer.
4: When the blue light stops blinking and goes to a steady on state, does the internal circuitry shut off the charge to the battery or is the power supply still applying charge? Basically, is this a smart charger or one that you will want to disconnect shortly after its reached full charge?

Side Note:
Not to discourage sales from Bumpboxx but for those who do not know yet....this unit is entirely Mono. Line-in, Aux, Bluetooth and Radio. Now to be clear, the company never stated this box was Stereo. I first started noticing the "link" cable was mono (only one band on the tip). That raised my suspicions. I then used Bluetooth through my tablet and found that left and right balance was not there. Just a volume increase in and out. Must be why there isn't a balance control on the box and the reason why the price point is fairly low and also why when this box is compared to others it seems a little non-HD. That's why. Stereo sound makes a difference.

Oh my, please change the font.

blu_fuz said:

Oh my, please change the font

Click to expand...

How's that

Interesting facts for sure. Especially the part about being mono that is throwing me off to even purchasing this unit. But one thing I will say is you are incorrect about the stereo not having balance control because it seems all of the newer Boomboxes do not have any balance controls like Lasonic I 931s etc.....

Battery is a 12ah SLA (sealed lead acid). SLA batteries love to stay topped off. Suggested maintenance is to charge after every use.

For those who understand the Bumpboxxes intended use it was marketed as the "Loudest street boombox on the planet". It does that in spades while sounding pretty good in the process.

Wow, a traditional looking Boombox with separate L & R speakers that runs in mono - wonder why they made it run in mono??

I suppose it is designed to be an outdoor device and lets face it, from 10 metres away, most 'stereos' will tend to sound mono anyway.

It's true that Bumpboxx never said that their first offering was a stereo unit (despite the fact that most people would have assumed by the speaker layout that it would run in stereo).

I can't help thinking they should have mentioned this situation somewhere in the literature. We all know the effect of running our big boomers in mono has to the sound quality.

Maybe having a purely mono amp allows them somehow to produce more RMS power than is normally achievable from a 12 volt power source?! I always thought the theoretical max power from 12 volts is around 20 watts RMS per channel (in stereo).

Has anyone got any more pics of the interior of this box?? Maybe a pic of the speakers, amp etc??

James.....

mellymelsr said:

Battery is a 12ah SLA (sealed lead acid). SLA batteries love to stay topped off. Suggested maintenance is to charge after every use.

Click to expand...

You are correct sir. You get way more life out of these when they're kept topped off. Huge cycle swings definitely shorten their life.

baddboybill said:

Interesting facts for sure. Especially the part about being mono that is throwing me off to even purchasing this unit. But one thing I will say is you are incorrect about the stereo not having balance control because it seems all of the newer Boomboxes do not have any balance controls like Lasonic I 931s etc.....

Click to expand...

That's true baddboybill. I have the Lasonic i931x it's in stereo and does not have balance. That seems to have gone away in portable units.

I knew a few would be discouraged about the fact that this is not in stereo however, I felt compelled to mention it because that is an important feature to those where clarity of sound is important. While the price point is great (all things considered) it's still a lot of money and I felt the consumer had the right to know. This will result in less returns and frustration for those where stereo is a must have.

I actually never noticed from listening to it. I only noticed by playing around on my tablet with the balance control and looking into things in depth when that failed. At first I was disappointed because (as mentioned before) the assumption from the consumer is that (due to the retro nostalgia) you are getting a stereo unit. Now that the initial discovery of that fact has had time to soak in, I've played around with it and realized that it does have its place for me. It's one of a kind and everyone stops and comments on it. Who doesn't like the attention right?

Being a car guy I'll explain the Bumpboxx this way. The Bumpboxx would represent a methanol burning drag car. Thunderously Loud and Flashy. Designed with one purpose. In your Face / Take it to the maximum. An impressive display of sheer power and a crowd pleaser. It would not float the boat for a refined Canyon Carver with impressive handling like an AWD track car for the twisty winding roads on a road coarse. Some people are about power and others about handling.

I have spent my whole weekend doing nothing but blasting this thing and I have come to the conclusion that I do not regret my purchase. It would've been better getting the early bird special at $329 (obviously) but to tell you the truth this thing rocks the house.

I have a tip on how to get stereo out the Bumpboxx You could purchase two of them and run one on the left channel and the other on the right side by side Just kidding. Although I would very much like to hear that..WOW!

Yeah understandable but now I'm seriously considering not getting it. But maybe if I get to hear and see one in person my mind would change.

Everyone has their own reasons for buying a particular box. Having as much information as you can about a product allows for an informed purchase. I certainly understand proper stereo separation and soundstage are very important to some buyers. This box was purposely built to be the baddest street box on the planet. Not built for audiophiles. To be honest NO boombox was built for audiophiles. The design of classic boombox inherently prohibits it's musical accuracy....but guess what? We love them anyway. I bought my Bumpboxx for the exact statement in it's marketing slogan...I wanted the "Loudest boombox on the planet". I have more than my fair share of audiophile equipement. I can assure you they don't include any boomboxes. I have them for simple listening pleasure and childhood memories. The Bumpboxx has helped to stoke those boombox memories once again, that is something none of my audiophile equipment could ever do. If that is the feeling you want this product is for you, if proper stereo separation and tonal accuracy are what you want then no boombox will truly suffice. I look at this product for what it is...and I love it.

baddboybill said:

Yeah understandable but now I'm seriously considering not getting it. But maybe if I get to hear and see one in person my mind would change.

Click to expand...

Hearing and seeing it in person is an awesome experience. The sheer power and bass, also very good sound, that it produces I never would have thought possible from a portable. The bass kick alone is worth it for me. I enjoy it's over the top nature on occassion.

mellymelsr said:

Hearing and seeing it in person is an awesome experience. The sheer power and bass, also very good sound, that it produces I never would have thought possible from a portable. The bass kick alone is worth it for me. I enjoy it's over the top nature on occassion.

Click to expand...

Hey melly.
Every time we turn on our Bumpboxx an iPod dies... Not a headphone jack on this bad boy anywhere

:gathering: :gathering: :gathering: :gathering:

There is no denying the Bumpboxx is a cool piece of kit for its intended purpose - balls out blasting!!!

I'm sure there would be many members here secretly wishing their favourite classic boomer had the same horsepower of a
Bumpboxx!

Great thread guys. After spending just a few days with the Bumpboxx, I can say this thing is a F***KING MONSTER!
As for it being Mono, I was shocked when I first heard about it from Melly and Hans. But after hearing it, I honestly can't tell. Now I will say, I have not listened to it in the house on a table at low volume. I have been cleaning out my garage and getting ready to move with it on the floor POUNDING the tracks and I swear, I can't tell it's not stereo. It hasn't entered my mind once since getting it.
With that said, I had a lengthy phone conversation with Rob of Bumpboxx and this subject came up.

jimmyjimmy19702010 said:

Wow, a traditional looking Boombox with separate L & R speakers that runs in mono - wonder why they made it run in mono??

I suppose it is designed to be an outdoor device and lets face it, from 10 metres away, most 'stereos' will tend to sound mono anyway.

It's true that Bumpboxx never said that their first offering was a stereo unit (despite the fact that most people would have assumed by the speaker layout that it would run in stereo).

I can't help thinking they should have mentioned this situation somewhere in the literature. We all know the effect of running our big boomers in mono has to the sound quality.

Maybe having a purely mono amp allows them somehow to produce more RMS power than is normally achievable from a 12 volt power source?! I always thought the theoretical max power from 12 volts is around 20 watts RMS per channel (in stereo).

Has anyone got any more pics of the interior of this box?? Maybe a pic of the speakers, amp etc??

James.....

Click to expand...

James, you are spot on.
#1 This this was designed to CRANK out doors where stereo separation is lost after a short distance
#2 He wanted to get the most power out of the amp with the voltage on tap and this was the best setup for that purpose.
These are the real high points for me:

• There is NO hiss from this system anywhere up or down the volume range. At super low whisper volumes, it is as quiet as a mouse.

• Where most systems that drive heavy bass tend to lose their high's, the Bumpboxx has highs to spare. Most of the time I have the treble set to half because there is so much.
  
• The treble is super crisp and clear at any volume, but at super high volume, every minute detail is present.

• The bass is simply UN-FREAKING- BELIEVABLE! There is NOTHING that has EVER been mass produced in this price range that is this loud with this much bass. NOTHING!

• The microphone that comes with it, is really high quality. Simply turn it on and go! POW! Your singing with the band (great while drunk).

Rob informed me, 4 new models are coming in 2017! Including one with 8" drivers and all the same amp power. He claims it's 95% as loud of this one!
He is also working to deliver a true stereo "audiophile" system to satisfy those desires.
The way I see it is this, for the nearly 10 years I have been collecting now, I have heard every conversation about what we all want in a new modern boombox and we NEVER seem to get it. The Bumpbox Freestyle is the first step on a path that could take us there ESPECIALLY if Rob is welcomed here too read about our thoughts and "reasonable" criticisms.
Like with any system, you won't know to you hear it. I just say, give it a chance. If you hate bass and loud radios...you're not going to like this anyways

I truly agree with what your saying Chris and hope to own 1 one day but I think what the big issue here is that it was never mentioned about it not being in stereo. I do understand that that in all the ads "Stereo" wasn't put in them but with having the dual woofers and tweeter/midrange people just considered it to be "stereo".

The way I look at it is like when you buy a car amp it will either be sold as 2/channel or 4/channel stereo amp or mono sub amp and you know what your getting. With this size box I bet they could have built it with 2 amps 5 speakers like other boomers and had stereo amp running the 4 speakers and had mono powering 10" sub from back and it would have blown the doors off of Jimmy's Vette (lol)

I might just hold off til 2017 and see if they replace it with a stereo amp....hmmmmm...

baddboybill said:

I truly agree with what your saying Chris and hope to own 1 one day but I think what the big issue here is that it was never mentioned about it not being in stereo. I do understand that that in all the ads "Stereo" wasn't put in them but with having the dual woofers and tweeter/midrange people just considered it to be "stereo".

The way I look at it is like when you buy a car amp it will either be sold as 2/channel or 4/channel stereo amp or mono sub amp and you know what your getting. With this size box I bet they could have built it with 2 amps 5 speakers like other boomers and had stereo amp running the 4 speakers and had mono powering 10" sub from back and it would have blown the doors off of Jimmy's Vette (lol)

I might just hold off til 2017 and see if they replace it with a stereo amp....hmmmmm...

Click to expand...

Hopefully you will get the opportunity to hear one. And a true stereo unit will be coming. Knowing you (like with the Lasonics i931's) when you find something you like, I know you go all in!

These are hard times for any kind of business to prosper these days.
I really appreciate the effort and time for making this box.


Personally I really want a stereo monster version of it with more refined looks from the 80's.

Cassette player is a must, so also a dial for tuning with weighted knobs, and real VU meters, no woody cabinet version!

I can't just love a baggage boombox!

BoomboxLover48 said:

http://www.fox29.com/good-day/223833064-video

Click to expand...

I nearly missed the little face straining to see above the handle!

That's really cool. So glad this box is getting attention on National News channels. With all the folks trying to make a buck these days I don't understand why more companies don't realize that loud and proud is making a comeback

With all the craziness in the world today I think folks are starting to realize that it's the QUIET ones you need to watch out for.

I guess the Beaches and Public Parks are going to have to dig out their Old "No Loud Music" signs with the pictures of Boom Boxes on them

Transistorized said:

Now that the initial discovery of that fact has had time to soak in, I've played around with it and realized that it does have its place for me.

Click to expand...

If there's separate amps for each side, or the single amp is two channels with one unused, then it comes down to the control panel doodad on the side and if that's designed to be mono only, or if it's really stereo; if so the jacks might even be stereo with an unused pin, but if not those could get replaced, at least just one or two to get stereo sound into it.

You rocked that DJ Tech, you could be the first with a stereo Bumpboxx!
I figure it's just a matter of when, not if, someone tries it