ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 2
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................ 4
Box Contents .............................................................................................................. 4
Support ......................................................................................................................... 4
SETUP .........................................................................................5
Charging and Battery Information ..................................................................... 5
Outdoor Use and Care ............................................................................................ 6
FEATURES .................................................................................. 7
Front Panel .................................................................................................................. 7
Rear Panel .................................................................................................................... 8
OPERATION ............................................................................... 9
App Control ................................................................................................................. 9
Pairing a Bluetooth® Device ................................................................................ 10
Linking Two Speakers ............................................................................................. 11
Using the Radio ......................................................................................................... 12
Using the USB Charge Port .................................................................................. 13
TROUBLESHOOTING ............................................................... 14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 3
APPENDIX ................................................................................. 15
Technical Specifications ........................................................................................ 15
Trademarks & Licenses .......................................................................................... 16
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 4
Thank you for purchasing the Tailgater® Tough. At ION, your entertainment is as important to
us as it is to you. That’s why we design our products with one thing in mind—to make your life
more fun and more convenient.
Note: Before you first use the product, please fully charge the batteries. Your unit was
purposely shipped with a reduced battery charge to ensure safe transit. For optimal charging,
power o the speaker while charging.
Use the included USB-A to USB-C® cable to connect the unit to a 5V, 2A power adapter (not
included) connected to a power outlet and let it charge for up to 5 hours (depending on the
specifications of your adapter). This helps ensure the longest life for your battery.
Box Contents
Tailgater® Tough
USB-A to USB-C® Charging Cable (3.28 ft. / 1 m)
Quickstart Guide
Support
For the latest information about this product (documentation, technical specifications, system
requirements, compatibility information, etc.) and product registration, visit
ionaudio.com.
For additional product support, visit
ionaudio.com/support.
INTRODUCTION
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 5
Charging and Battery Information
For the quickest charging time, power o Tailgater® Tough and use the included USB-A to
USB-C® cable to connect the USB-C® charging port on the rear panel of the speaker to a USB
power adapter (DC 5V 2A, not included) connected to a power outlet, or your computer
(powered on). A full charge can take up to 5 hours, depending on the specifications of your
5V, 2A adapter.
The b
attery charging LEDs will fill to display the battery life percentage:
• When fully charged (>95%), all 5 LEDs will be lit.
• When the battery level falls below 95%, the rightmost LED will turn o.
• When the battery level falls below 60%, the two rightmost LEDs will turn o.
• When the battery level falls below 40%, the three rightmost LEDs will turn o.
• When the battery level falls below 20%, only the leftmost LED is on (4 o).
If no audio is played through the Tailgater® Tough speaker for 15 minutes, the unit will enter a
standby mode to conserve battery life. This may mean the Bluetooth signal is paused, no audio
is coming through a device connected to the aux port, or the volume is set to 0. To wake the
unit, simply resume audio signal or press any button.
When the Tailgater® Tough speaker is connected to a Bluetooth audio output device and no
audio is playing from any source, the speaker will automatically power o after 60 minutes
have passed.
SETUP
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 6
Here are some other recommendations for getting the longest life from the internal battery.
General
U
sage
Fully charge the battery before using it.
Avoid full discharge of the battery if possible. Li-Ion batteries are maintenance-
free, and the battery will last longest when operating between 30 and 80 percent
charged.
Do not use the product while charging the battery.
Do not charge the battery in exceedingly hot (greater than 90°F/32°C) or
exceedingly cold (less than 32°F/0°C) temperatures.
S
torage For best product longevity, do not store at exceedingly hot (greater than
90°F/32°C) or exceedingly cold (less than 32°F/0°C) temperatures.
For best product longevity, store product with a 50% battery charge.
If you leave the battery level low and do not charge it for 6 months, it may
permanently lose capacity.
R
epair If the battery fails to charge, contact ION Audio at ionaudio.com.
D
isposal Bring the unit to a recycling center or dispose of in accordance with local
ordinances.
Outdoor Use and Care
Important: The metal bars can be used to tie the speaker down with bungee cords or straps
(not included) or to carry the speaker. The metal bars are not designed for permanent or semi-
permanent suspended applications.
Though Tailgater® Tough is water-resistant and able to tolerate splashing water, please review
the tips below to get the best performance from your Tailgater® Tough:
• Bring Tailgater® Tough indoors during extreme weather.
• Please do not place Tailgater® Tough in standing water.
• Please do not connect the power adapter to a Tailgater® Tough in a wet environment. Make
sure the power input, power adapter, and power outlet are all completely dry before making
any connections.
• WARNING: Keep any non-water-resistant devices (phones, music players, etc.) in a dry
place where they will not be aected by water and cause a risk of electric shock.
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 7
Front Panel
Click a control below to jump to that section.
1
. Power Button
Press and hold this button to turn Tailgater® Tough on and o.
Double press this button to enable or disable voice prompts.
2
. Bluetooth® Button
Press this button to enter Bluetooth pairing mode. When connected to a Bluetooth device,
double-press this button to disconnect a paired device and re-enter pairing mode, or
single-press to disconnect a paired device and enter Aux mode. See O
peration > Pairing
a
Bluetooth® Device to learn how to connect a Bluetooth device.
3
. Previous / Next Buttons
Press these buttons to adjust the main volume. The volume will be synchronized with your
connected Bluetooth device.
In FM mode, press these buttons to go to the previous or next station. Press and hold these
buttons to seek the previous or next strong station.
In Bluetooth and USB modes, press and hold these buttons to go to the beginning of the
current track or skip to the following track, respectively. Press the P
revious button again
within one second to skip to the previous track.
4
. Play/Pause Button
Press this button to start and stop Bluetooth or USB audio.
5
. Radio Button
Press this button to select FM radio mode. O
peration > Using the Radio to learn more.
FEATURES
1 2
33
4
5
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 8
Rear Panel
Click a control below to jump to that section.
Note: Pull the tab on the protective rubber panel to release it and access the rear panel ports.
1
. USB-A Charge Port
You can use this port for charging a USB device, such as a tablet or smartphone. To charge
a device that is streaming music via Bluetooth, pause the music first and then wait for it to
reconnect after the USB cable (not included) is inserted. See O
peration > Using the USB
C
harge Port for more information.
2
. Aux In
Connect a CD player, MP3 player, or other audio source to this 1/8” (3.5 mm) input.
3
. USB-C® Charging Port
Connect the USB-C® end of the included cable to Tailgater® Tough here. Then connect the
USB-A end to a 5V, 2A USB power adapter (sold separately) and plug it into a power outlet,
or your computer (powered on). See S
etup > Charging and Battery Information for more
information.
4
. Mic In
Connect a microphone (not included) to this input using a 1/4" (6.35 mm) cable. Press the
M
IC In -/+ buttons to control the mic volume.
5
. Mic In -/+ Buttons
Press these buttons to adjust the microphone volume.
OPERATION
1
2
3
4
5
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 9
App Control
IMPORTANT: To ensure the best possible experience with the app, use the most current
Android OS or iOS on your device.
Follow these steps to download the free app on your device:
1. Open the Apple App Store or Google Play on your device. Then, search for the ION Sound
Control® app.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the app. Once downloaded, the
ION Sound Control® app will appear on your device's home screen.
3. Connect your device to Tailgater® Tough via Bluetooth. See Operation > Pairing a
Bluetooth® Device to learn how to do this.
4. Open the ION Sound Control® app. If prompted, allow the app to access your device's
Bluetooth and Location Services.
5. Follow the steps on screen to find and connect to your Tailgater® Tough. Once connected,
you can control various functions of the speaker, such as:
• Source Selection: Select the source to use (Bluetooth, USB, FM, or Aux).
• Volume: Adjust the speaker's volume.
• Mic Volume: Adjust the volume of the Mic input.
• EQ: Adjust the speaker's equalization.
• FM Radio Stations and Preset Selection: Use the app to save radio preset stations. The
presets on the app will sync with the presets on Tailgater® Tough.
• Voice Prompts: Enable or disable the voice prompts.
• Battery Life: Check the speaker’s battery life status.
• Over-The-Air Firmware Updates: Stay up to date with the latest firmware installation.
Press and hold the Source button on Tailgater® Tough to view the firmware version.
• Support: Visit ionaudio.com, contact Technical Support, and view Warranty
information and Frequently Asked Questions.
OPERATION
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 10
Pairing a Bluetooth® Device
1. Turn on your Bluetooth device.
2. Power on Tailgater® Tough by holding down the P
ower button for 2 seconds.
3. Press the B
luetooth button to pair.
4. Navigate to your device’s Bluetooth setup screen, find T
AILGATER TOUGH, and connect.
The B
luetooth icon will appear in the display, and if voice prompts are enabled, you will
hear “Bluetooth Connected”.
Note: If your Bluetooth device prompts for a pairing code, enter “0000”.
T
o disconnect a paired device, do any of the following:
• Turn o Bluetooth from your device’s Bluetooth settings. The speaker will enter
Bluetooth pairing mode to make it available for another device.
• Double-press the B
luetooth button to disconnect and re-enter pairing mode.
• Briefly press the B
luetooth button to disconnect and enter Aux mode.
Once you have disconnected, you will hear “Bluetooth Disconnected” if voice prompts are
enabled.
Tip: Double press the Power button to turn voice prompts on or o.
1 - PRESS AND HOLD FOR 2 SECONDS
2
TAILGATER™ TOUGH
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 11
Linking Two Speakers
If you would like to play music from a Bluetooth device, you can first “link” two Tailgater®
Tough speakers together in order to listen to your music in stereo. One Tailgater® Tough will
serve as the left speaker and the other will serve as the right speaker.
To link two Tailgater® Tough speakers together:
Note: When you begin the Stereo-Link® process, any connected Bluetooth devices will be
automatically disconnected. You can also disconnect your device prior to beginning by
double-pressing the Bluetooth button.
1. Power on speakers and press the B
luetooth button on each of them. Do not connect to a
Bluetooth device until the Stereo-Link™ is successful.
2. After you hear the voice prompt “Bluetooth pairing,” double press B
luetooth button on
each speaker to enter Stereo-Link™ mode and the speakers will automatically connect.
Note: The linking process can take up to 30 seconds to complete. The closer the two
speakers are to each other, the quicker the link is established.
3. Once linked, the primary (left) speaker will enter Bluetooth pairing mode. Navigate to your
Bluetooth device’s setup screen, find T
AILGATER TOUGH, and connect. The Bluetooth icon
on the primary speaker will flash to indicate it is searching for a Bluetooth device to pair
with.
When the connection is successful, you will hear "Bluetooth Connected" from the primary
speaker (if voice prompts are enabled). When audio playback begins, you should hear it
through both speakers. The primary speaker will play the left channel while the secondary
speaker plays the right channel. Playback controls are active on both speakers.
T
o disconnect two speakers or cancel linking between the two, double press the Bluetooth
b
utton on either speaker.
Note: Pressing and holding the Power button on the primary speaker while in Stereo-Link®
mode will power o all connected speakers. Tailgater® Tough speakers powered o in
Stereo-Link® mode will automatically enter Stereo-Link® mode the next time they are powered
on and begin searching for secondary speakers to connect to.
2 - SPEAKER 2 - DOUBLE PRESS
1 - SPEAKER 1 - DOUBLE PRESS
3
TAILGATER™ TOUGH
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 12
Using the Radio
To use the radio, press the Radio button and FM radio will be selected.
While in FM mode, briefly press the P
revious and Next buttons (-/+) to move to the previous
or next station. Press and hold the -
/+ buttons to seek for the next strongest station in that
direction.
T
o save a radio station as a preset, ION Sound Control® app.
T
o recall a previously saved preset, briefly press the Play/Pause button to cycle between
the 6 presets.
3- PRESS AND HOLD TO SEEK
1 - PRESS
2- PRESS TO SELECT PREVIOUS OR NEXT STATION
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 13
Using the USB Charge Port
To use the USB charge port:
1. Connect a USB type-A cable to the U
SB Charge Port on the rear panel of your Tailgater®
Tough speaker (see image).
2. Connect the other end of the cable to the charging input on your smartphone, tablet, or
other compatible device.
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 14
If the unit is not charging: Make sure the USB-C® cable is properly connected to the power
input, the power adapter, and the power outlet.
I
f the sound is distorted: Try lowering the volume control of your sound source.
I
hear a hum when cables are connected:
• Disconnect cables from the input jacks to see if it’s a faulty cable.
• Make sure the signal cables are not placed near power cables.
• Connect all audio equipment power cables to outlets which share a common ground.
I
f there is a high-pitched whistling noise when using microphones: This is probably
feedback. Point the microphone away from the speaker.
I
f you can’t hear the microphone over the music volume: Turn down the music volume from
your source.
I
f there is too much bass: Try adjusting the tone or EQ control on your sound source to lower
the bass level. This will allow you to play the music louder before clipping (distortion) occurs.
I
f you cannot connect your audio device to Tailgater® Tough via Bluetooth:
• Have your audio device (e.g., smartphone or tablet) and Tailgater® Tough as close together
as possible while trying to connect. Make sure both the audio device and Tailgater® Tough
are unobstructed by walls, furniture, etc.
• Double-press the Bluetooth button to disconnect Tailgater® Tough
from any other audio
device and restart the search process. If this does not work right away, power o Tailgater®
Tough and then power it back on. See O
peration > Pairing a Bluetooth® Device for more
information.
• Reset the Bluetooth connection on your audio device by turning Bluetooth o and back
on. You can find this under the Bluetooth menu in the Settings for your phone or other
audio device.
If this does not work, and you have connected to Tailgater® Tough
before, find Tailgater®
Tough in the list of available or previously connected devices in your audio device's
Bluetooth menu, tap the "gear" or “i” icon located next to it and then select U
npair or
F
orget. Turn Tailgater® Tough o and back on and try pairing again once it reappears in
your available devices list.
Note: If Tailgater® Tough has been paired to another audio device recently that is still within
range, you may need to repeat this process with that audio device to fully disconnect.
TROUBLESHOOTING
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 15
Technical Specifications
Speakers Low Frequency: 6.5" (165.1 mm) woofer
High Frequency: 2.0" (50.8 mm) tweeter
Frequency Response 55 Hz – 15 kHz (-3 dB)
Bluetooth Profile: A2DP, AVRCP
Bluetooth Version: 5.3
Range: Up to 100 ft. (30.5 m) *
Stereo-Link® Range: Up to 75 ft. (22.9 m) between speakers
Battery Capacity: 2600mAh/11.1V, 28.86Wh
Battery Life: Up to 10 hours **
Charge Time: Up to 5 hours
Power Cable: USB-A to USB-C® Charging Cable
Input Voltage: 5V DC, 2A
Dimensions
(width x depth x height)
12.38” x 7.25” x 11.25”
31.4 x 18.4 x 28.6
Weight 10.05 lbs.
4.6 kg
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
* Bluetooth and wireless reception and range are affected by walls, obstructions, and
movement. For optimal performance, place the product so it is unobstructed by walls or
furniture and is raised off the ground.
** Battery life may vary based on temperature, age, and volume usage of product.
APPENDIX
ION Audio Tailgater
®
Tough User Guide 16
Trademarks & Licenses
ION Audio is a trademark of inMusic Brands, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such
marks by ION Audio is under license.
App Store is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Android and Google Play are registered trademarks of Google Inc. All other product names,
company names, trademarks, or trade names are those of their respective owners.
ionaudio.com
Manual Version 1.2
