1 Minute Read

Happy Monday, and let me help you with a must for the summer, at least for me, and I believe I am uniquely qualified.  Because apart from owning a business for years in the field, I am generally obsessed with music and its twin, gear for its proper reproduction. 

Indeed, I have previously written long and short pieces about what I use, at home, while traveling, and outdoors.  Today's subject, Bluetooth speakers and jamming outside, was even covered late last year, in my tell-all Cabo Pulmo exposé. 

But today is about something Arthur whipped out of his bag o' tricks during our recent camping sojourn in the Santa Cruz Mountains and its redwoods.  I extensively used - and was frankly blown away by - Arthur's $40 Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Go 3. 

I'd act fast at that price (see below), and of course, I have no skin in the game.

I am doing something rare, rating something I do not own.  And the rating for this wonderfully tiny thing is Diamond Certified.   

First and of course foremost:  It fucking cranks.  I mean like I couldn't believe a thing not much bigger than an Uno deck could sound so rich and full.  Add USB-C charging (still not a given on something this inexpensive), IP67 water resistance, and a trick esthetic, and I could not have been more impressed.  Easily the equivalent of my go-to, which is almost anything from Ultimate Ears.

Yes, it makes me wish I didn't already own about 5 different speakers for use outdoors.  Which is why I probably won't ever own a JBL Go 3.  And there are two other reasons.

First, they have a newer model, the JBL Go 4.  It's about 1/4" larger in every dimension - in other words, the same size.  It's $10 more, and that's why I'd move now on the Go 3 if it appeals to you.

But I have every reason to believe the Go 4 is at least as good as its predecessor and maybe better.  That's because the JBL Go 4 features something the 3 does not, and also why I probably wouldn't buy the previous model:  The ability to pair with another Go 4, for stereo (and party-scale) sound. 

Because two JBL Go 4s?  For $100?  Crazy.  

And by that I mean how much they would rock your backyard, swimming pool, picnic, or campsite.

Have a great week.  And summer - Memorial Day was too early this year, but it feels real now:
 
Because it's getting colder and colder in SF.

Speaking of Casa Integration, André Aurich brought it all home (!) with his quick, yet pornographic, review of a recent Dead & Company show he and Rikki saw at The Sphere in Vegas.

For the uninitiated, a particular Grateful Dead show (5/8/77, to be precise) from that venue at the bucolic NY college is considered by many as their single best.  Which is saying something.

I close by sharing the gratification of seeing our niece Nicki Vale both seek to improve herself, and participate in rank consumerism.  She kept it simple, with a 3 word reply to my post about the Charles Duhigg book Supercommunicator:

Thank you for reading this newsletter. 

Rock Me On The Water?  These JBL speakers are perfect for that.  So here is my Jackson Browne collection, featuring that song, and 8 others equally sincere and overwrought.

Oh, I kid Jackson, and I especially love "Running on Empty."