TREBLAB HD-Max Review

The Bottom Line:​

The TREBLAB HD-Max is a must-have Bluetooth speaker. With excellent sound and build quality, the HD-Max offers up to 20 hours of battery, a power bank, and an IPX6 waterproof rating. While closely resembling the JBL Xtreme 3, the HD-Max is half the price! It’s perfect for anyone on a budget who doesn’t want to sacrifice quality.​

Check Price

Established in 2015, TREBLAB is a brand that has become well known for their high-quality audio products that compete with big names like JBL and Bose. While similar in design and performance, TREBLAB products are priced at a far more affordable price point.

TREBLAB has a variety of Bluetooth speakers in different size options to suit everyone’s needs. We’ve already reviewed the TREBLAB HD77, and this week we’re taking a look at its big brother – TREBLAB HD-Max. The HD-Max is the biggest speaker within their range and closely resembles the JBL Xtreme 3. How does it compare? Let’s take a look!

What’s in the Box?

• TREBLAB HD-Max Bluetooth Speaker
• 3.5mm AUX cable
• USB-C charging cable 
• Carrying strap with bottle opener
• User manual
• Product registration card
• TREBLAB sticker

Speaker Design

The TREBLAB HD-Max is a medium-sized portable Bluetooth Speaker. The resemblance to JBL’s Xtreme 3 is so strong, it’s easy to confuse the two speakers. The HD-Max offers the same black mesh fabric body with passive bass radiators at either end. Added to this, the speaker’s splashproof and shockproof design makes it the perfect speaker to take along to the beach or use around the pool. The HD-Max also features a shoulder strap with an integrated bottle opener – just like the Xtreme 3.

Connectors are housed beneath a water-tight enclosure at the underside of the speaker. We would have preferred it this was placed at the rear side of the speaker, rather than underneath. This is because you’ll need to either roll the speaker over onto its fabric body or stand it on its side in order to charge the speaker or use the AUX connection.

Weighing in at 5.62 pounds with measurements of 12.4 x 4.72 x 4.72 inches, the TREBLAB HD-Max is slightly heavier and larger than the JBL Xtreme 3. The speaker is large enough to offer decent power but still compact enough to take along with you to gatherings. The included shoulder strap also makes carrying the speaker around easy to do.

Speaker Controls & Connectors

Taking a look at the speaker’s controls and connectors, the TREBLAB HD-Max features just four multi-function buttons on the top of the speaker. These include power ON/OFF, Previous Track/ Volume Down, Play/Pause, Next Track/ Volume Up. The HD-Max also has a battery level indicator on the speaker control panel. Three vertical white LED lights between the Play button and the previous track/ Volume down button let you know how much juice you’ve got left.

Double-pressing the play button will select one of three sound profiles: Outdoor/ Indoor/ Bass Boost. Additionally, the HD-MAX features a built-in mic for phone calls. Pressing the Play button once (while a call is incoming) will answer the call while pressing and holding for two seconds will reject the call. To end an active call, simply short-press the Play button.

As mentioned earlier, all connectors are found on the underside of the HD-MAX Bluetooth speaker. These include a USB-C port for charging, a 3.5mm port for wired listening, and a hard-reset button. The TREBLAB HD-Max also features a USB 2.0 port for you to charge your phone or other devices.

Sound Quality

The TREBLAB HD-Max features a total of four drivers to power the speaker. These include two 70mm woofers and two 31mm tweeters that deliver a total of 50 watts of output power. While the HD-Max does not offer 360-degree sound, it does have left/right stereo separation.

The HD-Max features three EQ presets for better audio performance. Outdoor mode enhances the treble to deliver better sound quality in open spaces. Indoor mode offers a rich sound with balanced frequencies across the range. The low end remains tight and punchy, while the mids and treble maintain clarity. Indoor mode is suited to a wide range of music genres, making it my favorite mode. Bass Boost mode (as the name suggests) enhances the low-end for a more bass-heavy sound. It’s great for EDM and hip-hop genres but sacrifices clarity of the mids and treble.

Aside from the speaker’s EQ presets, you can also adjust the EQ settings of your smartphone. This will help you to achieve the best sound profile for your environment and preferences.

Overall, the TREBLAB HD-Max offers decent sound quality with punchy bass and forward mids. Volume levels are impressive, both indoors and outdoors. The HD-Max is ideal for outdoor Summer gatherings where you need something with more power than the standard, compact-sized portable Bluetooth speaker. At around half the price of its competition, the TREBLAB HD-Max packs in a punch and provides excellent value for money!

Technical Specs & Features

Shockproof & Splashproof

A basic requirement of any party speaker is that it needs to be able to withstand a splash of water or an accidental drop from the counter. Thankfully, the TREBLAB HD-Max has you covered here with an IPX6 rating. This means it’s not only shockproof but can also withstand splashes (and high-pressure sprays from any angle). While the HD-Max can’t be submerged in water, it will survive the poolside or trips to the beach.

Battery Life and Charging

The TREBLAB HD-Max offers a total of 20 hours of battery life at 30% volume. At max volume, you can expect around 5 hours of playtime. A sound prompt lets you know when the battery is running low and needs to be charged. Thankfully, you can still continue to listen to music while the HD-Max is on charge.

Charging the speaker takes 5.5 hours and the battery level indicator LEDs let you know how much battery life the speaker has left. When one LED is on, the battery level is between 0-30%. Two LEDs indicate that the battery level is between 30-70%, while three LEDs indicate the battery level is between 70-100%. Unfortunately, there is no indicator to let you know when the speaker is fully charged so you’ll have to keep track of how long it’s been charging for and estimate how full it is. To charge the HD-Max, you can either use the included USB to USB-C cable, or a 5V DC, 0.5-2A USB-C cellphone charger.

Sound Modes

The TREBLAB HD-Max features three different sound modes (Outdoor/ Indoor/ Bass Boost) to suit your listening environment. To toggle between each sound mode, double press the Play button when the speaker is turned on. Unfortunately, the HD-Max doesn’t have any sound prompt or LED indicator to let you know which sound mode you’re currently on so you’ll need to just go by what sounds best to you.

Shoulder Strap

The TREBLAB HD-Max comes with a convenient shoulder strap for easy transportation. The strap is adjustable, allowing you to set the length that suits you. Additionally, a bottle opener is included on the strap buckle. This is a useful feature for parties and outdoor events where nobody remembered to bring a bottle opener! 

Wireless Connectivity & True Wireless Stereo (TWS)

The TREBLAB HD-Max was recently upgraded from Bluetooth 4.2 to Bluetooth 5.0. This upgrade offers a faster and more stable connection compared to the previous model. True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Mode allows you to pair two HD-Max speakers together but it’s important to note that TWS mode only works if both speakers are the newer models. Pairing a new model with the previous Bluetooth 4.2 model won’t work.

AUX Connection

If you’d prefer a wired connection rather than Bluetooth, the TREBLAB HD-Max offers a 3.5mm AUX port. Listening via AUX will increase your battery life as well.

Built-In Mic & Phone Calls

An integrated microphone means you can make and receive calls directly through your HD-Max speaker. Your music will automatically pause during phone calls. If you’d prefer not to have this feature, you can toggle call audio on/off when pairing the speaker to your device.

TREBLAB HD-Max vs JBL Xtreme 3

We mentioned earlier in the review how similar the TREBLAB HD-Max looks to the JBL Xtreme 3. Not only do these two speakers look similar, but they are also very similar on a technical level too. While the Xtreme 3 features slightly larger tweeters, both speakers offer the same output power of 50 Watts. Other similarities include USB-C charging, stereo separation, and TWS pairing.

The Xtreme 3 offers a wider frequency range, faster charging time, a higher waterproof rating, and a slightly newer Bluetooth version. However, the Treblab HD-Max features an integrated microphone, a longer battery life, and it’s nearly half the price! With such marginal differences in technical specs, I have to say that the TREBLAB HD-Max offers far better value for money. 

Here’s a table giving you a  closer look at the specs of each speaker compared:

How to Pair your TREBLAB HD-Max Bluetooth Speaker

Step 1: Ensure that the AUX cable is not plugged in.

Step 2: Press and hold the power button for 3 seconds to turn the speaker on. You should hear a sound and the battery level LEDs will light up. A flashing blue LED light indicates that the speaker is in pairing mode.

Step 3: Scan for Bluetooth devices on your smart device and select TREBLAB HD-Max.

Step 4: When asked to confirm pairing on your smart device, select “pair”.

Step 5: If a password is required, enter “0000”.

Step 6: Upon successful pairing, the blue LED will stop flashing and glow continuously.

If you experience any issues with pairing, ensure that the earphones are within 3 feet of your device and that they are not actively paired with any other devices. The HD-Max can remember 8 different devices and will automatically attempt to connect to previously paired devices. Disconnect the speaker and unpair/remove the HD-Max from the pairing list on your device and try again. If the problem still persists, try clearing the paired memory by pressing and holding the Volume + and Volume – buttons together for 5 seconds. Alternatively, a hard reset button is located within the connector housing. 

TWS (True Wireless Stereo) Pairing

Step 1: Pair the speaker you’d like to be the ‘master speaker’ to your device and then turn the speaker off.

Step 2: Turn off the Bluetooth on your device.

Step 3: Place the two TREBLAB HD-Max speakers next to each other and turn both speakers on.

Step 4: Double-press the power button on the master speaker. The LED should begin to flash blue and green. This means it is busy pairing with the slave speaker. 

Step 5: Turn on the Bluetooth on your device. The speakers should connect automatically.

Step 6: Upon successful pairing, you should hear a sound prompt and the LED will slowly flash blue.

Conclusion

Packed with premium features at a budget price, the TREBLAB HD-Max is a must-have Bluetooth speaker! With excellent sound and build quality, the HD-Max offers up to 20 hours of battery, a power bank, and an IPX6 waterproof rating. While closely resembling the JBL Xtreme 3, the HD-Max is half the price! It’s perfect for anyone on a budget who doesn’t want to sacrifice quality.

The Bottom Line:​

The TREBLAB HD-Max is a must-have Bluetooth speaker. With excellent sound and build quality, the HD-Max offers up to 20 hours of battery, a power bank, and an IPX6 waterproof rating. While closely resembling the JBL Xtreme 3, the HD-Max is half the price! It’s perfect for anyone on a budget who doesn’t want to sacrifice quality.​

Check Price