![\"Freeplay](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/0x0.jpg\")
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Andover Audio’s FreePlay, available in three colors<\/p>\n
Andover Audio<\/p>\n
Regular readers will recognize the name Andover Audio. The Massachusetts-based premium home audio brand is featured here regularly, primarily for its innovative line of turntable base speaker systems like the SpinBase MAX 2 (Reviewed here<\/a>). This time around I\u2019ve spent several weeks with a company first: a portable Bluetooth speaker. However, this being Andover Audio, the FreePlay<\/a> is not your typical speaker. It features a rugged yet minimalist design with a folding handle that\u2019s a throwback look to the boomboxes of old, a stereo speaker configuration with beefy woofers, tweeters and a big passive radiator, Bluetooth LE 6.0, an element-proof build, 24+ hour battery life and even a built-in wireless charge pad. <\/p>\n The FreePlay’s stereo setup features dual woofers and dual tweeters<\/p>\n Brad Moon<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you can expect from the Andover Audio FreePlay stereo Bluetooth speaker.<\/p>\n Rugged, Retro Appearance<\/p>\n Portable Bluetooth speakers take many form factors, but Andover Audio chose a different direction from most. Instead of a block or cylinder, the FreePlay is an upright slab with 4 drivers on the front face, a slightly convex profile and a folding handle. It\u2019s a simplified take on the look of a classic 80s boombox, but rugged enough to survive the elements. Bring the FreePlay camping or to a pool party and it\u2019s going to stand out as something different. But it\u2019s not so obviously ruggedized that it\u2019s going to look out of place in your living room. <\/p>\n The folding handle adds to the vintage boombox vibe<\/p>\n Brad Moon<\/p>\n In terms of how tough the speaker is, a sealed rubber input\/output flap and membrane covered controls help it to offer IP67 water and dust resistance. Andover Audio says it can survive 30 minutes fully submerged in 3 feet of water. I tested it around our pool and can report that splashes of water (and rain downpours) have no effect.<\/p>\n Stereo Sound<\/p>\n One of the key features of the FreePlay is its stereo sound. Dual woofers and tweeters mean that the audio is handled by drivers optimized for high and low frequencies instead of a full-range driver or two handling everything, as is common with many portable speakers. The speaker is 13 inches wide, but those drivers are still very close together, so you are not going to get true stereo separation. However, Andover Audio has worked magic with making drivers in a relatively compact cabinet provide expansive sound with its SpinBase line of under-turntable speakers and you can expect some of that experience to rub off on the FreePlay.<\/p>\n The FreePlay’s back is dominated by a large passive radiator<\/p>\n Brad Moon<\/p>\n To ensure the bass has plenty of oomph, those woofers are each 5.25-inches and there is also a big passive radiator that dominates the back of the speaker. If you like the bass to really stand out, you can place the FreePlay near a wall (so that passive radiator\u2019s effect is maximized), or even lie the speaker down on its back\u2013there are four rubber feet on the back to support the FreePlay in horizontal mode. <\/p>\n Andover Audio doesn\u2019t publish the speaker\u2019s output power, but it was plenty for my back yard. There is a button to engage Loud mode if you need an extra boost, providing an extra 6dB of output power. Just as importantly the amplifier and multi-driver output are made to work together to reduce distortion at loud volumes. <\/p>\n FreePlay Key Specs:Dual 5.25-inch aluminum woofers, dual 1-inch dome tweeters with Neodymium magnetsLarge, rear-facing passive radiatorDefault Wide Range EQ setting with selectable Loud mode (6dB boost)IP 67 water and dust ratingBluetooth LE 6.0 with support up to 99 FreePlay speakers in multi-speaker modeTop-mounted controls 3.5mm AUX input, 3.5mm microphone inputBattery rated at 24+ hours of continuous playback at moderate listening levelsUSB-C charging, USB-C output to charge mobile devices5W wireless top-deck charging padSide tie-down bars10 x 13 x 6.5-inches, weighs 9lbsIncludes 45W USB charger and cable, drawstring bagAvailable in Ivory, Slate and OliveMSRP $429Battery Life and Additional Features<\/p>\n