How to Keep a SOUNDBOKS Running All Festival Weekend
A SOUNDBOKS Gen4 battery lasts 6 to 8 hours at full volume. Here is how Volt battery swap and Soundlock keep the camp speaker charged and secure all weekend.
How to Keep a SOUNDBOKS Running All Festival Weekend
A SOUNDBOKS Gen4 battery is rated for up to 40 hours at mid-volume, but only 6 to 8 hours at full volume. Run the speaker hard from noon until the last person leaves camp and one battery will not make it through a single full day, let alone a multi-day camping festival. That is what Volt's SOUNDBOKS battery swap exists to fix: trade a drained Gen4 battery for a charged one at a Volt Recharge Zone, as many times as the package you picked allows.
Why one battery does not survive the weekend
The math is unforgiving at party volume. At 6 to 8 hours a battery, a camp playing full volume from afternoon into the night burns through a battery roughly once a day. Even at the friendlier mid-volume rating, a speaker running 10 to 12 hours a day will not make it past day three or four on a single charge. Camping festivals routinely run longer than that, so the plan cannot be "bring one battery and hope."
How SOUNDBOKS battery swap works
The swap only works with the current Gen4 battery. It pairs with the SOUNDBOKS 2, 3, 4, Go and Mix, but not the original SOUNDBOKS 1, which used a different battery entirely (confirmed on SOUNDBOKS's own support page). Bring a Gen4 battery you already own, rent one from Volt on site, or buy one outright, and take it to a Volt Recharge Zone (sometimes signed as a Volt Container) when it runs flat. Hand over the drained battery, walk away with a full one, and repeat for as many swaps as your package covers.
Packages are typically sold in sizes of 4 or 7 swaps, so a two-battery-a-day camp needs a bigger package than one running the speaker sparingly. Exact package sizes and pricing vary by event and change year to year, so check the current lineup on Volt's SOUNDBOKS page or in your festival's Volt shop before you decide.
Own a Gen4 battery, or need to rent one?
| Situation | What you do | Can you use battery swap? |
|---|---|---|
| You already own a Gen4 battery | Bring it, buy a swap package on arrival | Yes |
| You own a SOUNDBOKS but an older battery | Rent or buy a Gen4 battery from Volt; rental includes swap access | Yes, once on a Gen4 |
| You do not own a SOUNDBOKS at all | Rent the speaker itself with a Gen4 battery included | Yes |
| Your battery is a Gen1 to Gen3 model | Not compatible with the swap program | No, needs a Gen4 battery first |
Renting a Gen4 battery from Volt carries a refundable deposit that comes back once you return the battery in working condition; hold on to it instead and it converts to a purchase. Volt's SOUNDBOKS page has the current rental terms.
Keep it in camp while you are at the stage: Soundlock
A charged speaker left unattended in camp is also an unlocked one. Volt pairs battery swap with Soundlock, a metal wire, ground spike and padlock that anchors the SOUNDBOKS to the ground while everyone heads to a set. It fits every SOUNDBOKS generation and rents on its own or alongside a swap package. The full mechanic, deposit and pickup details are in Volt's Soundlock explainer.
The rest of the camp setup
Battery swap and Soundlock cover the speaker. If the camp also runs a party light, BoogieBeam, that runs off its own charger topped up daily at a Volt point rather than the swap program, and Volt's camp gear page covers it. For everything else worth bringing, Volt's camping festival packing guide has the rest of the checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What battery generation works with SOUNDBOKS battery swap?
Only the current Gen4 battery. It fits the SOUNDBOKS 2, 3, 4, Go and Mix. The original SOUNDBOKS 1 used an earlier battery that is not compatible.
What if I only have an old battery?
Rent or buy a Gen4 battery from Volt at the festival. Rental includes access to battery swap, so the speaker is on a full charge from the first day.
Where do I actually swap the battery?
At a Volt Recharge Zone, also referred to as a Volt Container, on site. Not every festival has one in every camp area, so check Volt's SOUNDBOKS page or your festival's own site for the point closest to your camp.
Do unused swaps in a package roll over or refund?
No. Swap packages are sized for the length of your stay; unused swaps are not refunded, so match the package to how hard you actually plan to run the speaker.
Does battery swap keep my SOUNDBOKS from getting stolen?
No, that is a separate product. Battery swap only keeps it charged. Pair it with Soundlock if you want the speaker physically secured in camp while you are away.
