Ion Pathfinder 280 Review

November 16, 2023

True Score

Meh

Experts

677

Consumers

Expert Rankings

(

)

Top testers loved the ION Pathfinder 280, and they recommended it for parties, music, and outdoor settings. They loved its remarkably loud output, low sound compression, and near-neutral sound profile. Testers also liked its outstanding battery life. However, they disliked its narrow soundstage and high Bluetooth latency.

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Table of Contents

Overview
What Is Not on the Box
Product Comparison
All Stores
Score Card
Expert Score Breakdown
Customer Score Breakdown
Learn More About Bluetooth Speakers

Overview

The ION Pathfinder 280 is a 2021-model mid-range Bluetooth party speaker that promises wide-angle sound and pleasant Bluetooth lighting for partygoers. Unlike most on our list of the best speakers, this device has customizable RGB lighting and a waterproof storage compartment for small devices. It has a rugged IPX5 water-resistant design and boasts excellent battery life. This model connects wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0, featuring a good 278.9-foot range, and a built-in radio provides wide-ranging entertainment. Read to the end of this review and see how the ION Pathfinder 280 stacks up against the best Bluetooth speakers today.

What Is Not on the Box

What the brand doesn’t always tell you…

our Verdict

Reviewers loved the ION Pathfinder 280, endorsing it for parties, music, and the outdoors. Testers at RTINGS lauded the app-based Graphic EQ and presets. However, if you prefer, physical presets, see our Avantree SP850 review. Reviewers at Crutchfield loved its outstanding 68-hour battery life. This 23.8-lb speaker has an IPX5-rated waterproof design. See our iFix iF012 review for a smaller speaker. It boasts a decent 73.4Hz to 16.3 kHz frequency response and near-neutral 2.91 dB standard error. Testing revealed a relatively narrow soundstage with a 4.31 dB directivity index. Testers lauded its very loud 100.5 dB maximum SPL and very low 1.13 dB sound compression at the maximum volume. The system only supports stereo when paired with a similar speaker, however. It also doesn’t support voice assistants. See our Denon Home 350 review if you require built-in Alexa. The 322 ms iOS Bluetooth latency and 245 ms Android latency proved to be high for movies. Check out the JBL BoomBox 2 review if you need less latency.

True Score

Reasons to Buy

Speaker gets really loud
Well-balanced sound profile
IPX5-rated water-resistant design
Low sound deterioration at high volume settings
RGB lighting

Reasons to Avoid

Lacks multi-device Bluetooth pairing
High Bluetooth latency
Only support stereo when paired with another speaker
Narrow and directional soundstage
Lacks voice assistants or speakerphone functions

Specifications

	Battery Life	100 hrs
	Built In Microphone	n/a
	Charge Time	10 hrs
	Size	14.8" (w) x 10.63" (h) x 17.5" (d)
	Smart App	Yes
	Speaker Pairing	Yes
	Water Resistant	Yes
	Wattage	120W
	Wireless Range	100 ft

All Specs

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Product Comparison

	Ion Pathfinder 280 Review	JBL Partybox 100 Review	Monster Rockin’ Roller 270X Review
True Score	67	71	64	NR
Ranking	# 62 / 81	# 55 / 81	# 70 / 81	# /
Market Context	The ION Pathfinder 280 is a 2021-model mid-range Bluetooth party speaker that promises wide-angle sound and pleasant Bluetooth lighting for partygoers. Unlike most on our… The ION Pathfinder 280 is a 2021-model mid-range Bluetooth party speaker that promises wide-angle sound and pleasant Bluetooth lighting for partygoers. Unlike most on our list of the best speakers, this device has customizable RGB lighting and a waterproof storage compartment for small devices. It has a rugged IPX5 water-resistant design and boasts excellent battery life. This model connects wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0, featuring a good 278.9-foot range, and a built-in radio provides wide-ranging entertainment. Read to the end of this review and see how the ION Pathfinder 280 stacks up against the best Bluetooth speakers today.	Featuring a 104.7 dB SPL, the JBL PartyBox 100 gets louder than the ION Pathfinder 280, which reaches a top SPL of 100.5 dB. Additionally,… Featuring a 104.7 dB SPL, the JBL PartyBox 100 gets louder than the ION Pathfinder 280, which reaches a top SPL of 100.5 dB. Additionally, the JBL speaker plays stereo, unlike the ION Pathfinder 280 speaker, which requires pairing with a similar speaker to support audio. However, the ION device features graphics EQ and radio features, unlike the JBL model.	The ION Pathfinder 280 features a 100.5 dB SPL and 1.13 dB DRC, getting louder and maintaining the audio quality better at the highest volume… The ION Pathfinder 280 features a 100.5 dB SPL and 1.13 dB DRC, getting louder and maintaining the audio quality better at the highest volume than the Monster Rockin’ Roller 270X, which has a 95.7 dB SPL and 2.24 dB DRC. However, the Monster speaker boasts mic+guitar inputs, unlike the ION Pathfinder 280.	The ION Pathfinder 280 speaker has a waterproof storage compartment on top, unlike the ION Pathfinder 4 speaker. Additionally, the ION Pathfinder 280 has side… The ION Pathfinder 280 speaker has a waterproof storage compartment on top, unlike the ION Pathfinder 4 speaker. Additionally, the ION Pathfinder 280 has side speakers, boasting a more immersive 280-degree performance than the more directional Pathfinder 4.
Battery Life	100 hrs	12 hrs	100 hrs	–
Built In Microphone	n/a	Yes	n/a	–
Charge Time	10 hrs	6.5 hrs	n/a	–
Size	14.8" (w) x 10.63" (h) x 17.5" (d)	290 mm (w) x 551 mm (h) x 288 mm (d)	15" (w) x 18.6" (h) x 10.86" (d)	–
Smart App	Yes	Yes	Monster Zone Control	–
Speaker Pairing	Yes	Yes	Yes	–
Dig Deeper		Read review →: JBL Partybox 100 Review	Read review →: Monster Rockin’ Roller 270X Review