Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 Review
Pros: Lightweight, portable, can be inexpensive when on sale
Cons: Poor sound quality, massively overpriced if not on sale
Bottom line: A decent speaker for those that want something inexpensive and very portable, but only if it’s found on sale
Editors' Rating:
Inputs: 3.5 mm auxiliary input, Micro-USB port
Reported Weight: 9 oz
Manufacturer: Cambridge SoundWorks
Our Verdict
The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 is small and inexpensive (when it's found on sale). While it is still much better than listening to a smartphone's built-in speakers, the Oontz was the worst sounding speaker in our selection. Because it's so tiny and inexpensive it's not a bad 'just in case' speaker to keep stashed in your backpack or car if you're not fussy about sound quality, but we feel the Anker SoundCore is an overall better speaker for those on a tight budget.
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Review by:
Max Mutter and Steven Tata
Max Mutter and Steven Tata
Last Updated:
Wednesday
April 5, 2017
Wednesday
April 5, 2017
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The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 earns brownie points for being small and portable, but not much else. It's a decent budget option, but if you're looking for good sound quality or volume you'll have to look elsewhere, and likely spend quite a bit more.
The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 (shown in blue in the graph below) was the worst overall performer in our testing.
Below we discuss the Oontz's performance in each of our individual testing metrics.
The Oontz received the low score of 3 in our sound quality testing, putting it far behind the high score of 10. This speaker is louder and a bit clearer than a smartphone's built in speakers, but can't match most of the other more capable speakers that we tested. The bass sounds quite thin and weak, and treble often takes on a static quality, especially at higher volumes and pitches. If you don't care about sound quality and just want an inexpensive way to amplify the music on your phone the sound quality is acceptable, but those looking for a refined listening experience will be sorely disappointed by the Oontz.
Portability is one area where the Oontz shines. It earned a 9 out of 10 in this metric, just off the top score of 10 and far ahead of the low score of 2. At just 9.4 ounces the Oontz is the lightest speaker we tested by a comfortable margin. It also rivals the UE Roll 2 for being the smallest speaker we tested (the two are such radically different shapes that they're hard to compare). The IPX5 rating guarantees that it won't be ruined by hearty splashes of water, but it won't survive full submersion. The Oontz definitely has a 'might as well toss it in the bag just in case' portability factor.
With its small size the Oontz really struggles to get to high volumes. Accordingly it scored the low score of 4 in this metric, which saw scores as high as 9. The Oonzt can still belt much louder than any smartphone's built-in speakers. However, the music quickly starts to sound tinny as you crank the volume up. Listening at the highest volume that didn't result in a shrill assault on our ears the Oontz was able to mostly fill our testing apartment with sound, but when standing far from the speaker the music could get lost in normal ambient noise. Overall it's loud enough for a small group of people sitting close to the speaker, but doesn't have enough power for a large party.
The Oontz hung on for 15.5 hours in our battery life test, besting its manufacturer claim by more than 3 hours. This covers almost all of your waking hours on a normal day, so chances are this will be more than enough battery life, unless you're looking to take the Oontz on an extended backpacking trip. 15.5 hours was just around average in our battery life testing, thus the Oontz received a score of 6 out of 10.
The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 lists for $85. In this price range it is an awful value as the UE Roll 2 costs as much and is a vastly superior speaker. However, at the time of this writing we've seen the Oontz available for less than a third of its list price. At that price point it is a decent value for those who don't want to spend much on a speaker, but we feel the Anker SoundCore still offers a better value for budget conscious buyers.
The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 is a decent speaker for those not fussed by sound quality who are on a tight budget, but the Anker SoundCore fits that bill just a bit better.
Performance Comparison
The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 (shown in blue in the graph below) was the worst overall performer in our testing.
Below we discuss the Oontz's performance in each of our individual testing metrics.
Sound Quality
The Oontz received the low score of 3 in our sound quality testing, putting it far behind the high score of 10. This speaker is louder and a bit clearer than a smartphone's built in speakers, but can't match most of the other more capable speakers that we tested. The bass sounds quite thin and weak, and treble often takes on a static quality, especially at higher volumes and pitches. If you don't care about sound quality and just want an inexpensive way to amplify the music on your phone the sound quality is acceptable, but those looking for a refined listening experience will be sorely disappointed by the Oontz.
Portability
Portability is one area where the Oontz shines. It earned a 9 out of 10 in this metric, just off the top score of 10 and far ahead of the low score of 2. At just 9.4 ounces the Oontz is the lightest speaker we tested by a comfortable margin. It also rivals the UE Roll 2 for being the smallest speaker we tested (the two are such radically different shapes that they're hard to compare). The IPX5 rating guarantees that it won't be ruined by hearty splashes of water, but it won't survive full submersion. The Oontz definitely has a 'might as well toss it in the bag just in case' portability factor.
The Oontz is quite small.
Volume
With its small size the Oontz really struggles to get to high volumes. Accordingly it scored the low score of 4 in this metric, which saw scores as high as 9. The Oonzt can still belt much louder than any smartphone's built-in speakers. However, the music quickly starts to sound tinny as you crank the volume up. Listening at the highest volume that didn't result in a shrill assault on our ears the Oontz was able to mostly fill our testing apartment with sound, but when standing far from the speaker the music could get lost in normal ambient noise. Overall it's loud enough for a small group of people sitting close to the speaker, but doesn't have enough power for a large party.
Battery Life
The Oontz hung on for 15.5 hours in our battery life test, besting its manufacturer claim by more than 3 hours. This covers almost all of your waking hours on a normal day, so chances are this will be more than enough battery life, unless you're looking to take the Oontz on an extended backpacking trip. 15.5 hours was just around average in our battery life testing, thus the Oontz received a score of 6 out of 10.
Value
The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 lists for $85. In this price range it is an awful value as the UE Roll 2 costs as much and is a vastly superior speaker. However, at the time of this writing we've seen the Oontz available for less than a third of its list price. At that price point it is a decent value for those who don't want to spend much on a speaker, but we feel the Anker SoundCore still offers a better value for budget conscious buyers.
The Oontz comes with a short charging cable and an auxiliary audio cable.
Conclusion
The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 is a decent speaker for those not fussed by sound quality who are on a tight budget, but the Anker SoundCore fits that bill just a bit better.
—
Max Mutter and Steven Tata
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