The Fugoo Sport 2.0 debuts 6 years after the original, and a lot has changed in the wireless speaker market since then. When the Fugoo initially came out, it wowed with above-average sound, durability, and whopping 40-hour battery life; although few speakers today can match that endurance, many can come close, and many have wrapped up on waterproofing & sound quality.
Including its Sport 2.0 release, it comes with its Fugoo Style 2.0 & Fugoo Tough 2.0 stablemates, Fugoo disregarded most of the trends. It isn’t a smart speaker, for example, and there isn’t even an app. The price is lower, and the sound is slightly better, but Fugoo sacrificed a large amount of battery life in the process. Is the new model now worth it in comparison to the competition?
What you will see here?
Design
A Fugoo Sport 2.0 resembles the Sport 1.0 in appearance; it measures 7.5 x 3 x 2.5 inches, which is the same as the original version. Even though it weighs roughly 2 ounces less, it feels lovely and sturdy, with firm plastic on the corners and bottom to survive drops. The five drivers crammed within are protected by black netting.
Three buttons are located on the top: plus & minus symbols for volume control, as well as circular action buttons which perform some functions based on how long you hold it but if it is combined with the volume buttons. Clicking the action button, for example, plays or pauses the track; holding it while pressing the volume up skips ahead; as well as a long hold on the action button activates your phone’s voice assistant.
A micro USB connector for charging (many modern Bluetooth speakers have made the switch to USB-C), as well as a 3.5mm auxiliary input, are hidden under a flap on the left side. The power and Bluetooth connecting buttons are on the right side, as is an LED power indication that blinks to signify the battery level.
The Sport 2.0 does away with the attachments that were previously available for Fugoo speakers, including a bike mount or a strap. This attachment support was another feature that distinguished the original Fugoo series from the competition, so it’s disappointing to see it leave.
Performance
The Sport 2.0 offers good sound for its pricing. It also distributes that sound widely, with clean vocals & sharp treble, due to those five drivers. Whereas the Sport 2.0 can’t match the bass of the somewhat more costly UE Wonderboom 2. It sounds better than a less-priced Anker SoundCore 2. Not bad, given that the latter is at the top of the list of the best inexpensive Bluetooth speakers.
The guitar & bass on “Willow” weren’t extremely lush, but Taylor Swift’s vocals sounded full. The voices of Bad Bunny & Rosalia were evident in “La Noche de Anoche,” but the Sport 2.0’s bottom line lacked a pleasing growl. Their vocals were full as well as the strummed guitar was crisp on Jason Isbell and Also the 400 Unit’s “What’ve I Done to Help,” however the bass was once again lacking.
The Sport 2.0 is loud, with a maximum output of nearly 90 decibels. However, it does get garbled at that volume. The Wonderboom 2 recorded over 100 decibels in comparison, although 90 is adequate for most scenarios.
The Fugoo contains a speakerphone and calls on it. As well as the audio to the persons you spoke with it, sounded clear.
Ruggedness
The Sport 2.0 has an IP67 rating, which means it can withstand practically everything. It’s waterproof to a depth of one meter and entirely dust-proof.
Although IP67 is the same layer of safety as the first Fugoo Sport — and the Wonderboom 2. It’s more than enough to wear in the shower or stay out from the rain. It also didn’t have any problem playing after being dipped in a bowl of water.
Battery life
The battery life on the Sport 2.0 is the biggest letdown. The original Fugoo boasted a groundbreaking 40-hour battery capacity when many other Bluetooth speakers couldn’t even get to 20. But Fugoo claims the Sport 2.0 will last 10 hours on a fully charged battery.
Fortunately, it performs better in practice: the battery indicator indicated that you had half a charge remaining after around 10 hours of doing it at low or moderate volume. Even 15 hours is indeed a significant step back.
Wireless and Setup
The Sport 2.0 synced with my phone immediately and reconnects each time you turn it on. At even 50 feet indoors, it deliverss a robust wireless connection.
There is no app for setting up and controlling the Fugoo speaker. It relies on speech signals; for example, you’ll hear them whenever you turn them on or off. The volume of prompts can be adjusted. But the only other change you can make to a sound is to choose the Loud mode, which provides a little more bass to a mix.
For a larger soundscape, combine the Sport 2.0 with that other Fugoo 2.0 speaker in such a wireless stereo configuration.
Conclusion
The Fugoo Sport 2.0 is a solid wireless speaker, but with the new, lower price, it becomes even more appealing. While it isn’t much of an upgrade from the previous version, and in one important way is a step-down, it remains a good wireless speaker. But with the new, lower price, it becomes even more appealing. There aren’t many speakers below $100 that can generate sound this rich and clean.
While the Sport 2.0 loses some of its lusters due to the loss of hours of battery life and a lack of overall features. If you’re looking for a durable, affordable portable speaker, this speaker is worth a look.
