I'm giving this 5 stars not because it's perfect, but in comparison to comparable products and prices. This review is for people looking to carry a speaker around. It is not ideal as a sound bar or semi-permanent desktop audio system because larger, more expensive, less-portable products will do better there.

Sorry to gush a little, but this will probably be helpful for people doing in-depth research like I did. The downside of this review is it's my first BlueTooth speaker. But I've been searching for the perfect self-powered auxiliary speaker for decades. I still have the old Radio Shack RCA 4x C powered speakers some will remember from the '80s. Those were surprisingly good: an MP3 speaker before MP3s existed, but the Achilles heel was the 4 C cells (and the high self-draining auto-off w/no hard switch), or I'd probably still be using them. The size of those RCA's was also comparable to a lot of brick-shaped modern Bluetooth speakers, which I think is too big for ultraportable use. I think the Angle3 is the best compromise out there right now for people who want to carry the speaker with them from room to room, but something quality enough for marathon listening of shows and books.

PROS

- DEDICATED VOLUME BUTTONS
(most BT speakers have annoying dual-use buttons where you have to press-and-hold the button to get to the volume--or no volume control at all. Having really quick volume control and still have pause/mute is really handy. You lose bluetooth track skip, but it' so worth it to me. Good choice design choice IMO, CSW!)

- SHAPE
(is there any other triangular shape out there? yet it really makes sense. rectangles/cubes/muffin shapes either project the sound straight up, or straight out. triangle design also stable and tip-resistant.)

- 18650 BATTERY INSIDE
(known capacity and output, more chance of good quality, easier to service, I like the way the designers were thinking. I haven't seen the innards of an Angle3 but a reviewer of the Angle2 Plus posted internals)

- OTHER SMART DESIGN TRAITS
(real screws, mostly logical hardware layout, and did I say 18650 battery which makes the 10 watts possible & believable; most units 3-7 watts. thank you Cambridge SoundWorks, for not gluing those rubber bumpers on. nice)

- PLAY/PAUSE BUTTON WORKS AS MUTE BUTTON IN AUX MODE
(useful when listening to live or streaming broadcasts where you can't fast-forward over commercials)

CONS & NEUTRAL

- Power button is too close to the connectors, and awkward to turn on. Hard to find with your fingers (or even eyes). Cambridge seems to be aware of this, so they put a decal of "POWER" with an arrow pointing to the button, tacitly admitting it's hard to find. You don't really have to worry about turning it off, so turning it on is not that big of a deal. Just more difficult if you have an aux cable attached. I think this is to make the soft switch hard to accidentally turn the unit on, and in that they succeeded. The original Angle had a real hard/mechanical power switch which is nice, but I am also enjoying the convenient 10-min(?) auto-off (and it's nice that it doesn't make a noise when it turns off, if you're asleep). I wish I knew the soft-off power consumption. Considering the 18650 cannot be swapped from a battery hatch (I REALLY wish it were), I don't want it to be dead when I go to grab it. An 18650 battery compartment would make soft-off power draw partly moot as I could remove the battery for storage.

- So not a con, but a Wish List for future version: I'd really love to see Cambridge migrate to an 18650 which is replaceable like a normal AA battery, so I could choose my own batteries, charge them externally, and replace them when they drain down. As a flashlight guy, I have a ton of quality 18650s lying around.. modern electronics are screaming out to have 18650 cells be the next AA. (Cambridge, make sure your battery compartment can fit protected cells, if you do this! Take a look at some of the cheap MiFine 18650-powered radios sold here. This needs to be a trend.)

- After using it, I see that the triangular design and all-black color scheme makes it hard to figure out the orientation at a glance: which side fires the speakers? Which side has the controls? In Bluetooth mode, you can actually have it perfectly facing towards you, yet it's still upside-down. That's not a problem till you go to push a button. Which side is it on? Or your finger's on the correct side, the buttons may not where your finger expects them. This makes a good case for one of the colored versions, but I devices like this to not catch the eye. I may use some fingernail paint or something to mark the top of the triangle, perhaps just on one side to also note which side has the buttons.

- Nitpicking, but kind of a dirt magnet. If these are my biggest issues with it, I'm ecstatic. The rubber side covers could probably be removed and washed if desired.

A NOTE ON SOUND
Most readers just want to know about "the sound", but there's much more to a bluetooth speaker, so I've chosen to focus more on those other things. I'll get "the sound" part out of he way now. What I write may not be applicable for most, because I'm an audiophile, and most stuff sounds like crap to me, compared to the glowing reviews I read. I'm disappointed by a lot of speaker systems which most people go wild about. Then again, the setups I've settled with would be extreme for most people. I really think most Americans have substantial hearing damage. I know expectations and understanding limitations is important. In that light: the Angle3 (to me) did not quite live up to the reviewers' claims for music, but it did live up to hopes in VOLUME, and for most hearing-damaged people, quality=quantity. I haven't tested its upper limit with music, but with speech, yeah it can go louder than I need or even want. Cranking it outside, yeah you could get your neighbors' attention. Quality-wise, it sound quite excellent for speech and occasional bumper music, which is mostly what I'll use it for. But quality sound does not equal high volume, and if this is the best-sounding speaker system you have, I feel bad for you. But for many, this will be. The laws of physics put some limitations on a box this small, but considering that and Amazon's price, it does a really admirable job. The passive bass radiator does actually do something, too. A comparison: to my memory, the sound is not quite as good as 'portable' Panasonic dual cassette-radio smaller boombox I used a lot in the 1990s, but that thing was much bigger comparatively. It also had dual 4-inch speakers, and was always AC-powered--not really portable, and if it was, took C cells, making it not really a fair comparison. So considering the limitations and cost of the Angle3, nearly matching that sound quality in something this size is exciting, because it's SO DANG USEFUL. I've used it so much in the first week, it doesn't look new anymore.

CONSLUSION
This little is I think the best compromise of size, shape, sound, and price. It's big enough to give volume that won't disappoint except for truly extreme needs (like the review by the UPS driver in a noisy truck going at highway speeds) or disproportionate expectations, but it's small enough to take with you from room to room as it plays. I sit it on my chest in bed, or beside me; it's great. Without having an opportunity to hear other current/popular BT speakers (and online video reviews with sound only get you so far), I still think I made the right decision. I'm loving the Angle3, and using it a lot. There are a ton of good choices at prices more affordable than ever, so making up my mind was a painful, lengthy decision, as if I'm going to buy several, I might as well buy one that's several times the cost of this--so I wanted to only buy one, but make it a good choice. I would say the loudness is more impressive than the sound quality. And I didn't buy it to blast anything, but the sound quality is quite nice in this size, and I'm sure there's nothing in this SIZE and price range which would impress me more. If I needed more of a desktop-type speaker, I'd definitely go with a bigger one, like the Denon brand--but I wanted SMALL (I actually was originally shopping for smaller), with good sound, and loudness when I need it occasionally. I've found the form factor very convenient. I'm not jonesing for an upgrade. But if Cambridge managed to reduce the size a bit yet again, while still increasing sound quality and not compromising on volume, AND introduced a battery compartment for removable 18650 batteries? Yeah, I'd bite.

I cut out a lot of writing for this review, for the smartphone generation. I'm thinking about posting a fuller review elsewhere for people who'r really into doing research. If requested, I can share more details. If you have questions, feel free to ask. If you're handy and adventurous, open one up and help the community with some pics of guts, if I don't get to it first. Frankly, aux speakers sucked until Bluetooth speakers hit the market, but lithium batteries is more the reason behind it, though economies of scale was the other. All my life I've scrounged for a decent aux-input speaker with no good answers--and suddenly, online stores are overflowing with an amazing variety of high-quality, low-cost options. The hardest part was settling on one! I don't get it! Even in the past 5 years, the quality and options have gone up immensely, and seems to keep going. The Golden Age of aux speakers?

Let me preface this review by saying, I was provided a free sample for testing and review. I explained to the manufacturer that I would provide an honest review of this product. All experiences with this product and all opinions are solely my own.

I purchased the prior generation of this speaker, the OontZ Angle Plus, so I'll be able to compare them. The Plus has crystal clear sound and good bass. I really enjoyed the Plus, but where the Plus needed some improvement was with its volume and bass.

The new OontZ Angle3 significantly increases the volume and bass, but more importantly it retains and improves upon the crisp and crystal clear sound of its predecessor, plus it adds an ingenious bass design. More on that later.

What's included in the package:

1 - OontZ Angle3 Speaker
1 - Micro USB Cable
1 - 3.5mm Audio Cable
1 - Quick Start Guide

The OontZ Angle3 is a great sounding Bluetooth speaker, in a small compact package. It weighs in at about 9 ounces. It is 5 1/4 inches long and about 2 1/2 inches high. It will basically fit in the palm of your hand. Please refer to the pictures I posted. It also retains the angular design of its predecessor, but now has a silicone rubber type finish on both ends of the speaker. It's still void of any sharp edges. It's a great looking speaker, with a unique design. I like this Angle3 design better than the Plus.

It's significantly louder than the Plus and has nice bass, for a unit that's this small. If you enjoy music that has some bass, this unit should meet your needs and be truthful, the sound that comes out of this speaker is mind boggling to me and the size of this speaker belies that fact!

The passive radiator, which produces the bass in the Angle3 and most Bluetooth speakers, is located on the bottom of the unit. If you place it bottom down, the bass effect is more pronounced. If you want a little less bass, you'll stand it on end. When it's bottom down, the bass has a nice little thump. I believe this was done by design and it's an ingenious feature.

Be careful where you place the speaker bottom down, because it does want to move when playing music with bass. The speaker has pads on the bottom, but they work better on very smooth and glass surfaces.

You can hear that Cambridge Soundworks spent the majority of its time improving and refining the sound of the Angle3. That focus on improving acoustics shows up big time in this tiny, but crystal clear and loud speaker.

There's no distortion at max volume. The speaker has 10+ watts of peak power. It's now loud enough to fill up your backyard party with clear, great sounding music. My wife heard me playing music upstairs and she was in the garage. It's plenty loud!

All my music testing was done using Spotify. Speaker was set to full volume and iOS volume was set two clicks from max, for most of my testing. I also tested both settings set to max.

Bluetooth connectivity is super easy. It connects from one device to another effortlessly. I found you don't have to press a button on the speaker to pair it with a different device. I like intuitive functions and this one fits the bill. It also has a speakerphone function. You can play and pause your tracks from the device as well.

The OontZ Angle3 doesn't have all the options others have. You don't get NFC support, a micro SD card slot or the ability to skip tracks using the speaker controls. There are other Bluetooth speakers that have these options, but if you value how well your music sounds over a myriad of options, this beautiful sounding speaker is for you.

The Angle3 has an IPX5 certification, which makes it splash proof and dust proof. Great for the shower and other wet environments. Don't be afraid to shower with it or have it out in the rain. It can't be submerged in water with this IPX rating.

Battery life is about 7 hours, at 60% volume. It will be less at higher volumes. This is definitely less than the Plus unit, which does 12-15 hours of use. You have to take into account that the battery is driving much more sound and requires that extra battery power. I personally like the trade off and all that's required is to charge the unit a bit more frequently. A battery status symbol shows up in my iOS devices.

If you're like me and aren't interested in the all the above mentioned options, that you may never use and just want a beautiful sounding speaker that's main focus is perfecting and delivering crystal clear sound, than this speaker is an excellent option to consider.

To me, the OontZ Angle3 has no real negatives to mention. You could quibble about having more features, but I really don't consider that a negative. I'd rather have a great sounding speaker, over more features. In my opinion, this is a great Bluetooth speaker for the price.

The OontZ Angle3 is a very solid speaker, that now has outstanding volume and good bass. It retains and actually improves upon the crisp highs and strong mids of its predecessor. I like that Cambridge Soundworks is actually focusing on sound quality and not loading up on tons of features.

I can highly recommend the OontZ Angle3.

Thank you for reading my review.

I bought this bluetooth speaker so that I could bring it along with me where-ever I wanted to go - outdoors, to the beach, in the bathroom for a shower, etc. It's been able to last well in the shower, undeterred by occasional drops of water. It also performed decently at the beach on my beach towel - although occasionally the smallest grains of sand could get stuck on the screen, they sand didn't get inside. The battery life is REALLY good and the bluetooth connectivity is pretty decent (it can connect to a phone a room away). I also have no complaints about the sound quality. I like that there are buttons that you can use to control the playlist, even if the phone is far away. There is also a headphone jack, in case you wanted to plug in older inputs (like an old iPod or hook it up to an older computer or instrument). The only thing I wish were different about this speaker is perhaps it's size/weight. It's not too big or too heavy, but it's also not small enough or light enough to regularly carry it around when on the move (i.e. when hiking/backpacking).

First, the positives:
I'm happy enough with the sound. I only listen to old time radio and podcasts, however, so I'm not able to really say much for music except for a brief test with some classical music. The sound is clear, crisp, and loud enough for me.

The unit is small and stable when sitting, and can lay on the bed beside my head or on my pillow at night without rolling off. It would work well on any mostly flat surface.

It was very simple to pair Bluetooth with my phone following the directions

Although I would prefer actual buttons for controls the little raised sections in the rubber do work and one can feel what they are in the dark if you've given it a good look and memorized their shapes.

Battery life seems great. I use it for about 12 hours every night on a charge and it still has charge left.

The negatives:
The little rubber door for the USB-C is very difficult to open if one doesn't have fingernails. It pretty much closes on its own so you are stuck opening it every time you need to charge.

Once open, one will find the metal surround of the USB-C port is not flush so it is difficult to plug in a cable without actually looking at it like one can with a phone or nearly any other USB-C device. If I need to plug in when it's dark, I have to use my phone for some light to get it plugged in. Not thrilled with that.

The biggest disappointment is that I cannot skip tracks forward or backward with the volume buttons. I have to use my phone for that. This is the main reason (along with the other two less major issues) for not giving the full 5-star rating.

I bought three Bluetooth speakers hoping ONE would be usable. All three ended up being keepers for different reasons. I bought the Cambridge SoundWorks Oontz Angle 3, the Anker Classic Portable, and the Boombotix REX.

Portability: All three are fantastic, no real difference. If you want to nitpick, the Boombotix is the smallest, the Anker is next, and the Cambridge is the largest. But again, none of them are really different. I give an edge to the Boombotix for it's clip, it's more flexible. The clip is super hard to get open though. You aren't clipping it to anything thick.

Construction and Ergonomics: All three seem durable and well built. The Anker is clearly the best of the three. It's classy, attractive, and feels substantial. And it doesn't walk itself around too much with vibration. But the On/Off switch is terrible. It's tiny and hard to use, you have to use your fingernail. The other buttons are functional, but not as easy to use as the other two. The Boombotix is sturdy and easy to use, the buttons are a little close together, but they work well. It's walks around a little on a hard table, but not terribly. You will have to watch it though, or it will eventually fall off a table. The Cambridge Angle 3 is sturdy and I love the shape. It works really well being able to either lay it down or stand it up. The function buttons are easy to use. The On/Off button is not great, it's too small and in an obscure location. So much so that they have to put a little sticker pointing to it. The rubber end caps are a mixed blessing. I think they will help protect it, but they get really dirty really fast. They pick up every tiny little bit of dust. I recommend standing it up if you put a lot of volume through it because once the bass starts to thump it will bounce and wiggle it's way all over the place. It's actually kinda funny looking. But standing up the passive radiator on the bottom doesn't propel it all over.

Sound: I was actually impressed with all three. None of them are on par with the large Sound Dock or Klipsch type speakers, but they could hardly be expected to compete with those at this size and price.The Cambridge is my favorite because it has more bass than the other two. It's a clear winner in bass response. probably about 10-15% more. And that's important to me. The Anker actually has the best overall sound. It's rich and clean. It's probably the "best" speaker of all three. And the Boombotix is clearly the loudest. It really puts out some sound. none of them sound bad at all. I would have been happy with any of the three if I hadn't heard the others. But hearing them side by side the Angle 3 fits what I need best.

Connectivity: None were bad, but the Boombotix lost connection first, the Angle 3 and the Anker had no trouble at all at 30ft even through walls (but none liked going through a stone fireplace LOL). None were an issue connecting. They were all easy as pie to pair. The Anker was slowest when powering on and trying to find my phone, but we're talking about less than 10 seconds total time for the slowest.

Intangibles: The Boombotix has some features that are really appealing. There's an audio out jack, which you can use to run a second speaker (of any make). So that give you options. Send Bluetooth to the speaker and then it will send it to a second speaker. If you don't have a Bluetooth connection on one of your larger speakers you can send signal to the REX and it will connect to your larger speaker. Options are nice.

I chose the Angle 3, it fits my needs best with the best imitation of bass, but the others are good enough that I've decided to keep them and use them too. The Anker is nicest, and the Boombotix is loudest and most versatile. I can't really speak to longevity since I haven't had them very long, but I don't think any of them will die on me. Don't be afraid to buy any of these. Just pick the one that fits best.