EGO Setup and Build Quality
I first encountered the EGO Waterproof Sound Case at CES in Las Vegas. I was actually trying to figure out where I was in the massive convention center when Ron Lien, the marketing manager of Atlantic asked if I would like to see their new products. The display that really caught my eye was an iPod speaker soundcase in a sealed bowl with water spraying over it.
I am fortunate enough to live in the sunny state of Florida along the gulf coast. Since the Gulf of Mexico is within walking distance of my house, many days after work I’ll take my kayak out for an afternoon paddle before dinner. Sometimes if it’s a really nice day I’ll go instead of working (shhhhh! don’t tell my wife!). As an audioholic it’s a given that I love to listen to music. Hmmm… Watersports… Music…What a combination!
Setup and Build Quality
After speaking to Atlantic on the phone they said they would let us review the unit for 30 days. Hopefully I would get time to review it at home and get a quick paddle in to try it out on the water in between February cold fronts.
Although the EGO can be purchased through Target, the
unit was shipped directly to my house from Atlantic and left on
my doorstep. The package box was shipped
inside a larger cardboard box and surrounded by packing foam peanuts.
The Ego Waterproof Sound Case came with a shoulder and wrist strap for carrying or securing the unit. Since I planned to be out in the ocean it’s always possible for a wave to come over the side of the kayak and wash any unsecured equipment away. With a 30 day loan of the product and a $149 price tag it was nice to know that I could secure the unit safely to the kayak.
Other parts included in the
package were four AA batteries, a carrying bag and spacer inserts for 4th
and 5th generation iPods, iPod mini, and iPod nano. The Ego Waterproof Sound Case will not work
with 1st, 2nd, or 3rd generation iPods.
After opening the box and pulling out the accessories I checked over the outside of the unit for potential problems. I was impressed with the clear shatterproof polycarbonate body and shock absorbing rubber bumper guards on the corners. Although I was a little skeptical of the thin polycarbonate retractable stand, it folded securely into the back of the unit when it was not in use.
I
released the unit’s snap locking latch to open the watertight compartment. As an avid kayaker I know the potential for
disaster if a watertight seal leaks. One
time on a 4 day kayak camping trip in the coastal Everglades a friend’s
waterproof bag leaked ruining his $350 camera and cell phone. Needless to say we all went out and bought
rugged waterproof dry boxes for our electrical equipment when we got back.
I intended to try out the Ego Waterproof Sound Case on the water with my iPod so I wanted to make sure all the seals and latches were constructed of the highest quality materials. The latch felt as positive and sturdy as my trusty waterproof Pelican case that I have carried my camera and cell phone in during hundreds of kayak excursions. The white silicone gasket was free of defects and imperfections and seated nicely when the cover closed. I opened the battery cover on the inside of the case and inserted the four AA batteries that came with the unit. Because of the waterproof nature of the system, there aren’t any connections available for an AC/DC wall unit or cigarette lighter. I inserted my iPod nano into the correct spacer, attached the supplied speaker jack, and inserted the spacer and iPod into the case. The unit was now ready to go on its first adventure.
Using the System
Before actually going out on the water I wanted to make sure I knew how to use the system. The unit is turned on with an external waterproof on/off power button. You can tell the unit is on by the blue LED power indicator light located to the left of the button. For those of you who don’t have one, iPods don’t have an on/off button. I used the sealed waterproof click wheel membrane to activate my iPod and practiced scrolling through various artists and songs. The super clear polycarbonate body made viewing the song lists a breeze. The membrane had a different feel to it than the normally silky smooth click wheel of my iPod and it took a bit getting used to. Through the membrane you could control the volume of your iPod, but the system also comes with an external waterproof volume control. There was a significant lag time in the response of the external volume control buttons, just enough to make it annoying.
