I’ve seen and tested many speakers throughout the years. As the popularity of the bluetooth speaker has grown, so has the number of companies that want to offer their consumers a speaker. The latest Bluetooth speaker, I’ve tried is the Fender Monterey.
Design and Build
One of my favorite things about the Fender Monterey is the design. I have an old Fender Telecaster guitar and Champions Amp. The Monterey fit right in with its similar aesthetic. The look is inspired from their ’68 amplifiers. It gives it a cool vintage look that will draw attention. The vintage look is one known by fans of the Fender brand. This speaker is heavy.
The speaker grille is not flimsy at all. All of the controls are placed on the top panel of the speaker. When looking at the speaker from the front you have the on/off power switch, a blue power indicator light, volume knob, treble knob, bass knob. The witch hat style knobs are awesome. I love the overall look of the speaker. Fender didn’t skip a beat when it came to designing the speaker.
Experience
Sound
With the speaker being so heavy and large, I expected great sound from the Monterey. I used it with both iPhone 7 Plus and Galaxy Note8 (it shouldn’t make much of a difference), to make sure of the quality in bluetooth pairing. Pairing is easy. I love the distinctive alerts the Monterey gives when powering on and pairing. It sounds like guitar riffs. It’s such a nice touch. Gives personality to the speaker.
If there is one thing about the Fender Monterey, is that it is LOUD! The Monterey can certainly pack a punch without losing distortion. For certain songs, you will have to adjust the bass and treble to keep the clear sound, but this speaker delivers.
Features
If you don’t want to go the bluetooth route, there is a 3.5mm jack which allows you to connect a media player or turntable. Some may not like that they can’t tune from an app, while others may love that they can walk up to the speaker and mess with treble and bass as they see fit. The Monterey also includes a microphone which helps with echo cancellation and to make voice calls. While I hardly ever use the mic on bluetooth speakers, it’s a nice feature to have especially at over $300.
As you can see from the spec list below, you can connect turntables via the RCA connectors, which Fender supplies alongside with an audio cable for the 3.5mm input jack. Ther’es no optical output though.
- 120-watt Bluetooth® speaker
- Quad-driver system: two woofers, two tweeters
- 33-foot+ Bluetooth range; mic with echo cancellation
- 3.5mm auxiliary input jack
- RCA connectors for preamp-equipped turntables
Overall
So who should buy the Fender Monterey Speaker? I’d say someone who enjoys the Fender design and acoustics. At $349.99, you’re at the price point for higher-end bluetooth speakers. You’re paying a bit of a price tag for the Fender brand and quality. The speaker is super loud. If you’re looking for one speaker for a rather small area, the Monterey will most likely get the job done, along with the cool look. You will enjoy the music at whatever volume you listen. A conversation piece for sure!
You can learn more about the Fender Monterey at Fender’s website HERE
