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Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 Review

A decent speaker for those that want something inexpensive and very portable
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Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 Review
Credit: Cambridge SoundWorks
Price:  $30 List
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Manufacturer:   Cambridge SoundWorks
By Max Mutter and Steven Tata  ⋅  Apr 5, 2017
48
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Sound Quality - 40% 2.0
  • Portability - 25% 9.0
  • Volume - 20% 4.0
  • Battery Life - 15% 6.0

Our Verdict

The Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3 is small and inexpensive. 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 and the Tribit XSound Go to be overall better speakers for those on a tight budget.
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Portable
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor sound quality

Our Analysis and Test Results

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.

Performance Comparison


cambridge soundworks oontz angle 3
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Sound Quality


The Oontz received the low score of 2 out of 10 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.

cambridge soundworks oontz angle 3
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Portability


Portability is one area where the Oontz shines. 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.

cambridge soundworks oontz angle 3 - the oontz is quite small.
The Oontz is quite small.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

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 Oontz 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


At the 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.

cambridge soundworks oontz angle 3 - the oontz comes with a short charging cable and an auxiliary audio...
The Oontz comes with a short charging cable and an auxiliary audio cable.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

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