Soundcore Select 4 Go: problems, parts and running costs

Checked: 2026-10-20

Summary

The recurring complaints are about sound and small parts rather than electronics: the bass is thin and the output modest, the rubber feet pull off, and the USB-C port flap can pop open on impact and void the IP67 rating. Running cost is close to $0 a year, since the speaker charges over USB-C and has no consumables or subscription. It is strong value at $20-25 for a shower, podcast or travel speaker, fair at $35 where the TWS stereo pair is the main draw, and weak above about $40 for anyone buying on sound quality.

Common problems and fixes

Thin bass and modest output — every independent test finds the bass thin and the level modest: RTINGS found the mid-range balanced and good for podcasts but limited by the lack of bass, TechGearLab calls the sound flat with watered-down bass, Digital Trends found less bass than the JBL Clip 4, and owners report it turns sharp at its highest volumes and is not loud enough for a group. Workaround: shape it with the 9-band EQ in the Soundcore app, which can add some bass but cannot overcome the size limit. Not a defect, so there is nothing to claim. [7][8][9][10]
Two hardware versions that cannot be paired with each other — the newer unit runs Bluetooth 6.0 with LE Audio while the older one runs Bluetooth 5.4, they look identical, and Soundcore says TWS pairing works only between units of the same version. Fix: check the serial number before buying a pair, the 7th character is “C” for the new version and “0” or “1” for the old one, and app firmware 4.x.x means the new version. [1][3][4][5]
Rubber feet pull off and wear away — SoundGuys found the feet come off too easily and a Reddit owner noticed the silicone legs wearing away. Workaround: keep the speaker on a flat surface and press the feet back on if they loosen; no spare feet are sold. [7][12]
No microphone, no AUX input, no charge-out — the speaker cannot take calls or work as a speakerphone, cannot feed a wired source and cannot charge a phone, because the USB-C port is power-in only. SoundGuys also lists the unbacklit controls as a con, so the buttons are hard to see in a dark shower. Not faults, but check this before buying. [6][7][8][11]
Battery life swings with volume, and one owner reports cell wear — the claim is up to 20 hours at 40% volume, but RTINGS measured 10 hours of continuous playback, Digital Trends 20 hours at 50% volume dropping to about 16-17 hours at higher levels, and TechGearLab 25 hours 21 minutes. One owner reported the battery degrading after a little over a year, which is a single report and not a measured failure rate. Workaround: treat 20 hours as a moderate-volume figure, not a fixed number. [2][7][8][9][10]

Parts and consumables

Rechargeable cell (2400 mAh / 3.65 V) — sealed inside the housing, not user-replaceable, and no cell is offered for sale; the one reported degradation case came after a little over a year of ownership. [2][6]
Carry loop — a strap is built into the housing for a finger or hook, but no carabiner or clip is included and none is sold separately. [8][9]

Yearly running cost

Essentially nothing. The speaker charges over USB-C and has no consumables, no filters, no pods and no subscription, so consumable spending is close to $0 a year and the only running cost is the electricity for an occasional recharge, a few hours each time on the 2400 mAh cell. The one cost that may arrive later is the sealed battery: one owner reported the cell degrading after a little over a year, and because the cell is not user-serviceable and no spare is sold, that would mean replacing the speaker rather than swapping a part. Warranty is listed at 18 months by distributor and soundcore Philippines sources, while the exact US term was not confirmed and should be checked at purchase. [2][11][17]

When it is a good buy

Soundcore’s US store listed a two-pack at $34.99 with a $13-off coupon in October 2026. TechGearLab and SoundGuys both give $35 as the list figure for 2026, a Best Buy price of $24 appears in a RedditRecs search snippet from October 2026, and Digital Trends reviewed it at a $25 MSRP in 2024. At $20-25 it is strong value for a shower, podcast or travel speaker, where the thin bass and mono output are acceptable; at $35 it is fair value, because it competes on battery life, waterproofing and the TWS pair rather than on sound; above about $40 it is weak for sound-first buyers. [1][7][8][9][13][14][15][16]