The Switch is a brand that specializes in customised and personalised products. Here we review the WS-Ultra, a 60W wireless speaker meant for the outdoors.
Design
Switch has designed these speakers to make a statement. While the box might show it as black, they only come in two variants, camo green and camo pink. The one we got for review was the Camo green. Personally I’m not a fan of such a colour scheme, I would have preferred a solid colour, but the camo look adds a bit of playfulness to the speaker, if that’s more your speed.
The speaker has a huge handle on the top which is very convenient, and has been designed to actually look pretty good.
You also get a shoulder strap, which is a nice addition given the speaker’s size.
The WS-Ultra is a pretty big speaker, this is not meant for travel or to be concealed. It is almost like a statement piece, which is meant to be in the middle of the room.
The drivers on the side have a huge S in the middle, almost like Switch is saying it’s the superman of speakers.
The buttons, LEDs and ports are all well placed and feel natural. Thanks to this, there is even a sense of symmetry around the speaker, which is nice. You even get these huge rubber bumpers/feet at the bottom of the speaker, helping reduce any rattling noise.
It’s clear the Switch WS-Ultra has one objective and all the design ques match up for it.
However, the design may not be for everyone, and given that COVID has got us all staying primarily indoors, the look is a bit lost right now. Once the pandemic is over, then these speakers will feel right at home at any garden party, barbecue or beach outing.
Sound
Switch has taken every opportunity to inform you that the WS-Ultra is a 60W speaker. THis is accomplished by 2 full range drivers at 10 Watts and 2 bass drivers at 20 Watts.
The cylindrical shape makes me feel like there is enough space inside to properly amplify the sound and honestly you will not be disappointed by how loud this bad boy gets!
The sound is super punchy and honestly great fun. While the WS-Ultra won’t be winning any audiophile awards, keep in mind, this is a garden party speaker. If you are paying too close attention to the music, then either you’re the only one at this party or it’s a snooze fest.
The speakers have a thumping bass, with surprisingly good highs and mids. Instrument isolation is acceptable for its intended use. They even sound great on max volume, minimal distortion and tear.
Let’s nor forget that these speakers have a very low price, keeping that in mind, you can’t be anything but impressed by the sound.
Battery
The Switch WS-Ultra has a 7,200 mAh battery, which is huge. Switch says it can get more than 10 hours of playback at 50% volume. They are not far off as in my testing we got easily more than 10 hours of playback, albeit approximately around 50% volume.
When you are outdoors, chances are you would want it to be louder (just to piss off the neighbours 😉 ), but even at 6-8 hours, it’s more than enough for any hangout.
You can also charge your phone with the USB port, but if you read their instruction manual, they highly recommend not using it for anything other than emergencies. But that was mostly to ensure you get maximum battery life. Still would have been better to put a bigger battery and the WS-Ultra becomes a camping power house that can also give your phone enough juice to last you an overnight trip.
Features
Portable speakers can actually do quite a lot these days, and the WS-Ultra is no different. Other than being a bluetooth speaker, you can also connect via AUX and USB. I.e. you can play songs from a flash-drive on the speaker, not requiring a phone to be connected.
You can also plug your phone into the USB port and charge the phone. We also love the fact that these speakers charge over USB-C. Its a minor thing, but you would be surprised how many devices in the lower price range tend to still use microUSB.
Additionally you can even have handsfree calls on the speaker. The mic quality is good for a speaker that is bound to be a bit far away. Not what you would use for regular calling, but enough for the rare call.
You can even connect two WS-Ultra speakers wireless for a stereo speaker setup. Thats 4 subs, 4 full range drivers, that get super loud. While we didn’t get to test this out, its a great feature to have none the less.
This speakers also boast an IPX6 rating, which is perfect for use at the beach after which you can give it a quick wash to clean out any sand or dust. Another added advantage.
Price
The Switch WS-Ultra comes in at an admirable AED 599.
You can get the speaker from Switch’s website. At the time of writing this article, you even get a small sterilizer free with the purchase.
A great price for a capable and fun speaker for your next outdoor get together.
