One of the best Bluetooth speakers I’ve tested is not made by Bose or JBL (and it gets loud)

ZDNET’s key findings

• He Fender x Teufel Rockstar Cross The speaker is now available on Amazon for $250.
• With massive sound and a surround option to boost treble and bass, this speaker is a brilliant choice for those who love loud volume.
• Rockstar Cross’ immersive option may be a bit harsh for some listeners.

Bluetooth speakers are very common. You can find them in the end caps of speakers at your local drugstore, and if we could somehow combine the 80s with today, you’d probably find them as surprise toys in cereal boxes (yes, I just got older).

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Of course, that means that not all Bluetooth speakers are created equal. Almost always, Bluetooth speakers offer the option of “getting what you pay for,” which means that cheap speakers often sound like cheap speakers.

Once you get into the mid-range, you’ll find plenty of speakers that sound pretty good. Every once in a while, you’ll come across a mid-range speaker that redefines what a Bluetooth speaker can be in the $200 to $300 range.

Plus, this Bluetooth speaker produces powerful sound and fits in the palm of your hand.

Such is the case of the Fender x Teufel Rockstar Cross Bluetooth speaker. This speaker is part of a collaboration between Fender and Teufel (a popular European audio brand), which includes three different speakers and a backpack. The Rockstar Cross is the mid-sized speaker in the range.

When I opened the box of this speaker, images of guitar amps immediately came to mind, with their gray metal grille and Fender logo. I wanted to grab my old Kramer guitar, channel the spirit of Randy Rhodes, and crank up the volume. Speaking of Randy Rhodes, the opening of “Mr. Crowley” gave me enough chills to get me the Rockstar Cross. Ah, yeah.

Instead, I had to settle for playing a song or two with Mr. Rhodes (RIP).

The word of the day is «wow.»

Before we get into it, let’s talk about the specs.

The specifications

• Speakers: Two fabric tweeters, a single 5″ fabric subwoofer and two passive radiators
• Frequency range: 50 Hz to 20,000 Hz
• Closed enclosure
• Connectivity: Aux, Bluetooth 5.0, Micro USB, aptX, Bluetooth microphone
• Battery – 16 hours at medium volume
• Amplifier channels: three
• Dimensions: 15″ x 6.3″ x 5.1″
• Weight – 5.3 lbs
• Price – $249 on Amazon

My experience

When I first plugged in the Rockstar Cross, I did my usual playback of Rush’s «Signals» album. My initial reaction was, «That sounds pretty good.» I turned up the volume beyond what would normally be acceptable outside my office, and my reaction evolved to, «Well, that’s impressive.»

So… I pressed the surround sound button on the back panel and said, “Oh my God.” Suddenly, all the songs I put on the speaker came to life in a way that a Bluetooth speaker shouldn’t be able to do.

After listening to “Signals,” I turned up the volume on Devin Townsend’s new single, “Powernerd,” and reveled in the brilliance of that mad musical scientist. I cranked up the speaker once more and found that it handled the increased decibels without the slightest distortion. Once I got to about 80 dB, I started to worry about our cat’s comfort and turned the volume down.

Yeah, he handled it a lot better than I would have thought… because this thing is awesome.

Okay, let’s talk about sound quality. Something I should mention is that I grew up on the mastering of early Van Halen albums, so my ears tend to prefer a good amount of bass and treble. If you’ve listened to enough albums mastered in the late 70s and early to mid 80s, you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

The Rockstar Cross are perfect for an EQ curve of this type. That means that for some, there may be a bit of excess in the low to mid-highs (between 2K and 5K). With the wrong music (at the right volumes), that frequency range can be tiring. If that’s the case for you, turn off the surround sound feature and you’ll notice that the sound is a bit more comfortable.

Plus: One of the most powerful Bluetooth speakers I’ve tested is also one of the most affordable.

As far as bass goes, this baby packs plenty of punch. Place your hand over the speaker and you can feel the subwoofer doing its thing. While the bass may not be defined enough to please an audiophile, if you want your music to sound powerful, crank up the volume and you’ll get exactly that.

Space between instruments does get a little congested with the Rockstar Cross, but that’s something that happens fairly often with Bluetooth speakers. That’s not to say there isn’t space between instruments with this speaker, but if it’s a priority for you, you’ll need to look elsewhere (and into much higher price ranges).

One of my favorite choral numbers, Ēriks Ešenvalds’ «The Long Road,» was absolutely stunning when it came out of the Rockstar Cross. If you’ve never heard that song, do yourself a favor and listen to the VOCES8 version. It’s beautiful, and this Fender speaker does it justice. Every voice is present and distinct (which is saying something, because some speakers tend to blend them together too much).

Sound aside, one of my favorite aspects of this speaker is the side handles that allow you to grab it and carry it around without fear of dropping the Rockstar Cross. Since the device has a very grippy rubber coating, you can grip it with confidence. Plus, you don’t have to worry about it slipping off whatever surface it’s on when the decibels hit the rafters.

ZDNET’s buying advice

I’m not going to say that this is a perfect Bluetooth speaker. It isn’t.

However, for $250, I’m hard pressed to think of a speaker that’s more impressive than the Rock Star CrossI love how this device handles volume with grace and never falters in clarity. While not everyone will appreciate the surround sound feature, the standard sound is still good enough to get the party moving, people dancing, and music blasting.