Why I still recommend this $180 Bluetooth speaker even a year after its release

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Fender x Teufel Rockster Cross speaker is offered now on Amazon for $250 (presently $200).
• With huge sound and an immersive choice to punch up the highs and lows, this speaker is an excellent possibility for many who like it loud.
• The Rockster Cross immersive possibility is perhaps a bit harsh for some listeners.

Bluetooth audio system are a dime a dozen. You will discover them on the tip caps at your neighborhood drug retailer, and if we may by some means meld the 80s and now, you’d most likely discover them as toy surprises in cereal bins (yeah, I simply aged myself).

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Not all Bluetooth audio system are created equal. Bluetooth audio system are nearly all the time a “get what you pay for” proposition, that means low-cost audio system will typically sound like low-cost audio system. When you get into the midrange costs, you may discover loads of audio system that sound fairly good. And now and again, you land on one thing just like the Fender Rockster Cross; one thing that redefines what a mid-price Bluetooth speaker might be.

This Bluetooth speaker is the results of a collaboration between guitar model Fender and Teufel (a well-liked European audio model). The sequence, as a complete, consists of three totally different audio system and a backpack. The Rockster Cross is the mid-sized speaker within the lineup.

Once I first unboxed this speaker, it instantly conjured pictures of guitar amps, with its grey steel grill and Fender brand. I wished to seize my outdated Kramer guitar, channel the spirit of Randy Rhodes, and crank it up. Talking of Randy Rhodes, the opening of “Mr. Crowley” gave me adequate chills by means of the Rockster Cross. Oh, yeah.

As an alternative, I needed to accept cranking up a music or two that includes Mr. Rhodes (RIP). The phrase of the day is “wow.”

My expertise

Once I first related the Rockster Cross, I did my ordinary playthrough of Rush’s “Alerts” album. My preliminary response was, “That sounds fairly good.” I cranked up the quantity past what would usually be acceptable outdoors my workplace, and my response advanced to, “Okay, that is spectacular.” 

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Then… I hit the immersive sound button on the again panel and took a flip for the “OMG.” Swiftly, each observe I tossed on the speaker got here to life in methods a Bluetooth speaker shouldn’t be able to.

After going by means of “Alerts,” I cranked up Devin Townsend’s new single, “Powernerd,” and rejoiced within the brilliance of that mad musical scientist. I cranked the speaker up but once more and located it to deal with the elevated decibels with out distortion. As soon as I hit roughly 80 dB, I began worrying about our cat’s consolation and turned it down.

Yeah, it dealt with it much better than I might have thought… as a result of this factor rocks.

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Okay, let’s discuss concerning the sound high quality. One factor I ought to point out is that I used to be weaned on the mastering of early Van Halen albums, so my ears are inclined to choose stability of lows and highs. In case you’ve listened to sufficient albums mastered within the late Seventies and early-to-mid Nineteen Eighties, you perceive what I am speaking about.

The Rockster Cross is an ideal match for such an EQ curve. For some, there is perhaps an excessive amount of within the low-to-mid treble (between 2K and 5K). With the improper music (on the proper volumes), that frequency vary can put on on you. In case you discover that is the case, disable the immersive sound function, and you will find the sound a bit extra comfy.

So far as bass is worried, this child has loads of punch. Place your hand on the speaker, and you may really feel the sub doing its factor. Though the lows won’t be outlined sufficient to please an audiophile, if you’d like your music to sound large, crank it up, and you will get simply that.

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The soundstage (the area between devices) will get crowded with the Rockster Cross, however that is pretty frequent in Bluetooth audio system. That is to not say there is no such thing as a soundstage with this speaker, but when it is your precedence, you may need to look elsewhere (and into a lot greater value ranges).

Considered one of my favourite choral numbers, “The Lengthy Highway” by Ēriks Ešenvalds, was breathtaking because it spilled from the Rockster Cross. In case you’ve by no means heard that music, do your self a favor and hearken to VOCES8’s tackle it. It is beautiful, and this Fender speaker does it justice. Every voice is current and distinct (which is saying one thing as a result of some audio system are inclined to mix them a bit too tightly).

Sound apart, one in all my favourite facets of this speaker is the facet handles, which let you seize and go with out concern that you just would possibly drop the Rockster Cross. Given the gadget’s very grippy rubber coating, you’ll be able to snatch this up with confidence. On prime of that, you do not have to fret about it sliding off no matter floor it is on when the decibels hit the rafters.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

I am not going to say it is a good Bluetooth speaker. It isn’t. Often priced at $180, although, I am hard-pressed to consider a extra spectacular speaker than the Rockster Cross. I really like how this factor handles quantity gracefully and by no means falters in readability. Though not everybody will recognize the immersive sound function, the usual sound remains to be ok to get the social gathering transferring, the individuals dancing, and the music blasting.

Newest updates:

August 1, 2025: Added a brand new comparability chart evaluating the Fender x Teufel Rockster Cross to the Bose SoundLink Plus. The latter provides a greater battery life, has arguably extra highly effective bass, and is best go well with for journey because of its compact design. Nevertheless, it’s costlier. Outdated hyperlinks have been additionally changed.