SoundCast VG5
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We offer free 2-day shipping on most products within the continental US.
Weekdays - Orders placed by 2pm EST ship same day. Orders placed after 2pm EST will ship the following business day.
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Orders requiring motor freight delivery may take more than two business days. Once your order has shipped, you'll receive a shipping confirmation email with a tracking number for easy tracking.
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At this time, we do not ship internationally and orders to Hawaii and Alaska may incur an additional shipping charge. Please contact us at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com to confirm.
Rerouting and Address Changes
We cannot make ANY address changes once an order is placed. If you are unable to accept delivery of your package as ordered, we will need to cancel your order, return the package to sender and have you replace your order through our website.
Keep the Box
We suggest you keep the shipping box or boxes for at least 30 days. It is actually a great idea to keep boxes for audio products for the life of the product. Having the box and all packing will increase the trade-in value should you decide to move up and they are handy to have should you ever need to send the unit in for repair.
How To Receive a Motor Freight Order
The trucking company will contact you to schedule a convenient time to deliver the order. Please note that you must be present for delivery.
Visually inspect the box to make sure you see no signs of damage. If you notice any damage at all, take some pictures with your phone and make a note of them on the delivery receipt the driver will ask you to sign. If it is obvious that the product is damaged, please refuse the order and contact us immediately at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com.
Open your box as soon as possible and inspect the product for damage and contact us if you find anything wrong.
uShip In-Home Delivery
Due to current concerns surrounding COVID-19, uShip is able to offer THRESHOLD SERVICE ONLY at this time. To ensure everyone’s safety, uShip is advising carriers to refrain from making room-of-choice deliveries. Threshold service consists of the shipment being brought into the first door of the address or the lobby of an apartment/condo, and does not include set-up, installation, assembly or debris removal.
What to Expect: Most oversized items will be delivered within 2-3 weeks. Your carrier will place your item inside the first door of the address or the lobby of an apartment/condo.
Appointment Scheduling: Your delivery partner will call 24-48 hours prior to delivery to arrange an appointment window.
How to prepare for in-home delivery:
- Determine the clearest path from the street to your home
- Measure entrances and hallways to ensure your item will fit
- Remove any wall hangings or clutter to ensure a clear path and to prevent damages
- Remove old furnishings to allow placement for your new piece
Check your furniture for damages: We rarely expect damaged furniture, but in the instance it does happen, we have you covered. Once your item’s packaging is removed, check for any damages that may have occurred in transit. Take pictures of any damages and notate appropriately on the delivery receipt. Keep possession of the damaged piece and contact us via phone or email and we’ll start the process to repair/replace your new piece of furniture. For uShip customer support, please call 800-698-7447.
At Audio Advice, we pride ourselves on customer satisfaction. We'll bend over backward to make sure you're 100% satisfied and we won't accept anything less. We offer 30-day hassle-free returns and personalized service from real, live people.
If an item doesn't meet your expectations, you may return or exchange it in its original condition and packaging within 30 days for a full refund, minus shipping fees. Items shipped back in like new condition through standard shipping carriers will only incur a flat fee of $15 to return. If the items were initially shipped through free scheduled delivery via motor freight (commonly referred to as LTL), returning them will result in return shipping fees starting at $150. These items include but are not limited to, oversized items such as TVs, certain subwoofers, floorstanding speakers, furniture, and most items weighing over 75 pounds. Return fees will also apply for exchanges. We want to treat your system as if it is our own and want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase.
Please see the instructions below. We only accept returns for any product purchased directly from our website. If merchandise is not returned in its original condition or is missing packaging, manuals, accessories or other parts, or the resale value of the product has been impaired, a partial refund will be given and calculated on a case-by-case basis.
Non-Returnable Items
The following items cannot be returned or cancelled:
- Special/Custom Order Items
- Open Box Products
- Gift Cards
- In-ear headphones cannot be returned once the packaging has been opened due to personal hygiene reasons. Please contact our customer care team if you'd like help choosing.
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Turntables With a Broken Stylus: All turntables ship out with the stylus intact. If you return a turntable or phono cartridge with a broken or missing stylus you will be subject to a return fee. Please be careful when setting up your turntable and contact us with any questions.
Is It Easy To Return An Item?
Yes, simply give us a call at 888.899.8776 or you can email our support team at support@audioadvice.com. Many times our team of experts can help figure out why the product might not be working like you expected and get things fixed over the phone, so don’t be surprised if we ask a few questions, we love troubleshooting!
If our tech help can not make you happy, we will email over a return shipping label with a Return Number.
Hopefully, you saved all of the original item’s box and packaging inserts. You will want to pack back up your return or exchange in the same way it came out of the original box. Once you have everything packaged correctly, tape the box on the top and bottom to assure it stays together. If Audio Advice shipped the item to you inside a second box, it's a good idea to use that same extra box to help prevent damage on its way back to us. To avoid it accidentally coming back to you, use a magic marker to cross out the old shipping label or just tear it off.
The return shipping label we send you will have our address on it, just make sure you take the box to the right shipper (UPS, FEDEX, or USPS) as per the label.
If you are close to one of our stores, please let us know if it is more convenient for you to return it to us directly. You will still need to get a return number by contacting us and shipping and/or restocking charges may apply.
When Will I See My Refund?
It usually takes around 7-14 days for the refund to show up on the payment method you used. We do inspect all returns for damage and accuracy of the item inside the box before issuing a refund. Some items may be subject to shipping and restocking fees.
Can I Exchange My Purchase For Something Different?
Sometimes those big speakers just don’t fit in the room or you might have bought a small subwoofer and later found out you’d love a bigger one. If you would like to make an exchange within 30 days of receiving your item, just give us a call at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com and we will help work out the details. Additional shipping charges and return costs may apply.
How Do I Cancel An Order?
If the item has already shipped out or is a special order item, it is not possible to cancel the order. Please contact us at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com to start the return process.
What If I Find Shipping Damage?
We need to know right away about any shipping damage. Please contact us at 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com within 48 hours of your delivery so we can get the ball rolling on making things right. It’s very helpful to take some pictures and email them to us if possible.
Can I Refuse A Shipment?
You can, but unless the item is damaged, shipping and restocking fees will be deducted from your refund. If your item arrives damaged and you are lucky enough to be there, snap some quick pics and refuse the order. Then contact us so we can get a replacement on the way.
What Happens If My Order Is Defective?
This is actually pretty rare, most consumer electronics work fine out of the box 99.9% of the time. We’d like for you to contact us first by calling 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com so we can help get to the bottom of things. If your item is indeed defective during the first 30 days, we can usually exchange it for a new, replacement unit.
What About Service After 30 Days?
Audio Advice has a great relationship with all of our brands and can help you with warranty service by the brand after our 30-day guarantee period. Even after the warranty expires, we can arrange for service by the brand on products purchased from Audio Advice. Just call 888.899.8776 or email support@audioadvice.com.
How Do You Determine A Restocking Fee?
You may not believe it, but sometimes we receive items back that were put in the box with zero packaging and are completely destroyed or are missing many of the pieces that came with the item. We also track serial numbers and will get back different serial numbers. We’ve even seen different items than what we shipped out be returned. However, it’s very important to package your return properly so that nothing goes missing or gets damaged in shipping, which will result in a restocking fee or even no refund at all. If a product is opened and the market value of the product is reduced, then a restocking fee may be applied to the cost of restocking and the reduced market value of the product. The bottom line is if you treat us fairly, we will do the same.
Audio Advice strives to provide industry-leading support and service while also maintaining the lowest prices available on products for our customers. We work hard with our vendors to bring our customers the best products at each price point. As a part of that process, we work with our vendors to provide the lowest pricing in our stores and on our website.
Our prices should always be the same as any other authorized dealer, including big-box retailers and major online retailers.
If you believe that you have found a lower advertised price from a legitimate authorized seller, call us and let us know so we can make sure we can correct any inadvertent error on our side. As a matter of policy, we update our prices automatically if a vendor changes its authorized pricing policies, so we generally have the best prices all the time. Increasingly, there are knock-off copies of products online, usually sold by non-authorized dealers.
Please be sure that the item meets the following conditions:
- The item is brand new, in stock, and available for purchase
- The item has the identical model number, color, etc as the item on our site.
- The seller is an authorized dealer
As always, our goal is to provide a terrific customer experience, including industry low prices. We appreciate your support.
Overview
Company & Product Overview
Soundcast builds ruggedly designed, technologically sophisticated, premium outdoor Bluetooth speakers that are made for people who are really serious about their adventurous lifestyle and their music.
As we mentioned in our Soundcast Wireless Outdoor Speaker Comparison where we compared all of the Soundcast models together, Soundcast portable outdoor speakers really have what it takes to deliver the sound quality you would expect from high-performance stereo speakers. They all connect to each other wirelessly, they are all rechargeable, and each one is designed extra-tough to withstand the elements in just about any type of extreme weather.
Design & Build Quality
Standing a little over 17-inches tall (just under a foot and a half) the VG5 is perfectly sized for a backyard pool party, lounging by the patio in the sun, or on the deck of a fishing boat or a yacht. You’ll need a duffle bag instead of a backpack to tote it around, but the trade-off here moves you into the serious speaker category of Soundcast’s lineup.
Inside the VG5, there is an impressive 6-inch powered subwoofer, plus two 3-inch aluminum-cone drivers on each side that fire out big stereo sound — and yet the VG5 is still small and light enough to carry. It weighs 12 ½ pounds, but you’ll be able to feel the bass with the VG5 and fill up a much bigger area than comparable Bluetooth speakers in this price category. The result is bass that reaches an impressive 5 dB down of 70 Hz, which is just fantastic for a portable speaker!
The sound and durability are what actually convinced the Audio Advice team to offer Soundcast as a portable speaker option. They sound just fantastic for an outdoor speaker and the fact they are portable and rechargeable is a bonus! Many of our “audiophile” clients who have tried them have been super impressed with their big, full sound.
Features & Technology
At Audio Advice, we were very impressed to find that Soundcast certified all of its products for the International “Ingress” Protection rating (or “IP rating”) as a standard feature across every model they make.
Designed for Outdoor Use
All Soundcast products are weather-resistant to varying degrees, but unlike a lot of speaker companies, they actually define a spec for how resistant they are. The VG5 has a very high IP rating of IP64, so it is pretty immune to everything except a long dip in the pool.
In terms of solids, IP64 means it is totally resistant to dust, pollen, and most small particles — so there’s nothing to worry about if it gets hit with a sandstorm. The VG5 can even be used in extreme temperatures (-4°F to 140°F, -20°C to 60°C) without any loss in audio quality. It doesn’t mind getting splashed on either, so if you are looking for a rugged, portable Bluetooth speaker to bring around water, then the VG5 is one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy for outdoor entertaining in just about any type of weather.
24-Bit DSP for Great Outdoor Sound
Soundcast uses a proprietary 24-bit DSP technology that delivers great audio, perfectly adapted for each speaker model. In the VG5, dual aluminum drivers and an impressive 6-inch subwoofer throw out big, rich stereo sound. The speakers are actively amped with separate amplifiers for the different types of drivers, and this allows Soundcast to fine-tune the audio to the speaker drivers' characteristics. Every single model in the Soundcast lineup, except for the entry-level VG1 model, is designed to throw out a very large and wide sound field and to our ears, the VG5 sounded very clear and rich from all directions.
Bluetooth & NFC Pairing
Bluetooth is compatible with Hi-Def AAC, aptX™ and aptX™ Low Latency Bluetooth® codecs, plus this one has NFC which makes Bluetooth pairing completely automatic and extremely convenient. The VG5 has the ability to remember up to 8 devices, which makes it really easy for anyone with an NFC-compatible smartphone to take turns being the DJ.
TrueWireless™ Stereo
The VG5 uses TrueWireless Stereo (TWS) with interchangeable stereo & left/right modes. You could pair two of them together and cover a much larger area — and when you do this, they switch into true stereo units where you can swap between the left vs the right speaker on the fly.
AUX Input for Wired Audio Sources
Each and every model gives you the option of connecting an audio source via an auxiliary input on the unit. Should you wish to connect up a separate playback device like an audio streamer, the VG5 has a 3.5mm Aux stereo mini-plug input for a wired connection with external audio sources.
Capacitive Touch & USB Charging Bank
Not only can you control the VG5 from your smartphone via Bluetooth, but the VG5 has touch-capacitive controls that light up on the front panel so you can clearly see several of the VG5’s functions in the dark. Plus, the USB Type-A port is the icing on the cake that will let you or your friends charge your phone or tablet and keep the party going!
Keypad Lock Modes
There are also two different keypad lockout modes that prevent unintended or accidental operations. When enabled, all keypad functions except for the power on/off button are ignored. This comes in handy to prevent children or other adults from accidentally stopping the music.
Performance
The VG5 can really throw out an impressive soundstage that will cover a medium to large outdoor area with good, rich sound for its size. Inside, there is an active DSP amp system that puts its premium dual aluminum drivers and 6-inch subwoofer to great use. The class-D power amp is highly efficient and not only meets the power demands of the high-performance dual drivers but also optimizes the power so the VG5 can provide a longer playing time. Playtime was 10 hours, which took about 4-5 hours to charge, so we see the VG5 as more of an outdoor speaker you can take to the boat dock, a tailgating event, or out by the pool.
The VG5 is a little heavy, but we liked the rear-carrying handle which balances out the weight. You’ll probably want to find a better way to tote this 12 ½ pound speaker around if you are going more than a couple of hundred yards with it — but, the VG5’s weight translated into a much bigger sound.
The VG5’s full-range drivers are packaged in a stereo 360° array that presents clear audio up to 18 kHz, plus a powered downward-firing long-throw woofer that delivers good subterranean bottom-end. The result is bass that reaches an impressive 5 dB down of 70 Hz, which is just fantastic for a portable speaker!
If you want to experience the VG5’s deep bass, you’ve got to check out a song called “Take My Breath Away” off The Weeknd’s Dawn FM album, which features Quincy Jones who famously produced Michael Jackson’s iconic 1982 Thriller. 40 seconds into this party jam, the VG5’s deep low-end came alive with chest hitting impact that made us want to get up and start dancing to the music. Two VG5s paired together are a fantastic idea for your next social gathering outside or even a pool party.
We called up some friends and hosted a get-together on a patio in the backyard, and just one VG5 was enough to provide clear-sounding background music at low volume. When we raised the volume, our cozy outdoor area was well covered with high-quality sound at enough volume that impressed everyone around us. The sound quality was so impressive, guests kept turning their heads and looking at the speaker.
A great way to experience the VG5’s fantastic outdoor coverage is John Mayer’s Sob Rock album, which features a lot of organic instrumentation and a good mixture of pop-sensible beats. Just listen to the entire album on the VG5, because it just sounds fantastic, but one song that stood out on the album was “New Light.”
We listened to this track outside around a bonfire in the backyard. Immediately, the dynamic details hiding in the music were revealed clearly with a rich, warm sound. When we added the second VG5, details in the soundstage were more spread apart and easier to pick out. Even at low volume, two VG5s presented all of the acoustic instruments in the sound field, clearly. Harmonic details hiding in plucked guitars and electric bass strings came alive with good bottom-end weight and with a tuneful sense of timing that made us want to tap our feet along with the rhythm. When we turned up the volume, our intimate little backyard bonfire was completely covered with music that sounded like Jon Mayer was serenading us live.
Having the ability to charge our phones while out in the backyard really came in handy. This allowed everyone to be the DJ and helped us keep the music playing the entire night. It was also nice not having to worry about drinks spilling on the speaker, or the consequences of it getting wet had mother nature taken a turn for the worse. We also liked how the touchable controls lit up so we could still see them clearly after the sun had already set. It’s safe to say the VG5 passed our backyard portability test.
Overall Recommendation
We think the rugged tower design and the ability to charge your phone are really nice touches — but it was the sound quality coming out that made the VG5 a portable speaker that stood out against the best in its price category.
When we compared this to similar outdoor Bluetooth speakers like the Sonos Move, the VG5 was about 7 inches taller — and substantially larger than pill-shaped speakers that slide into a backpack such as the Sonos Roam — however, the trade-off in size and weight was greater sound coverage for entertaining medium to large outdoor occasions with crystal clear sound at low volume.
If you are looking at all the Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers for outdoor use like the Sonos Move, but want something a little more rugged that doesn’t mind water splashing it, then you have our permission to splurge on this premium Bluetooth speaker. It is a little heavier compared to some portable Bluetooth speakers, but the size and build quality allow it to give you greater sound coverage and deep bass response even in extreme weather conditions like nothing else in its class.
Standing right next to the best high-volume capable Bluetooth speakers, the VG5 simply stands out as a more rugged, portable powerhouse for the money. Just turn this baby up, and the VG5 will deliver great low end that will completely transform your outdoor venue into a dancefloor. You could even add two of these together and use them as a stereo pair for an even wider soundstage that really spreads the sound out for even greater coverage.
Watch our comparison on the Best Bluetooth Speakers for Outdoor Entertaining.
