ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 2
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 3
Box Contents .............................................................................................................. 3
Support ......................................................................................................................... 3
SETUP ........................................................................................ 4
Charging and Battery Information ..................................................................... 4
Outdoor Use and Care ............................................................................................ 4
FEATURES ................................................................................. 6
Top Panel ..................................................................................................................... 6
Rear Panel .................................................................................................................... 8
OPERATION ............................................................................... 9
Pairing a Bluetooth® Device .................................................................................. 9
Party Mode .................................................................................................................. 11
Light Modes ................................................................................................................ 12
Using the Radio ......................................................................................................... 14
App Control ................................................................................................................ 16
TROUBLESHOOTING ............................................................... 17
A
PPENDIX ................................................................................. 18
Technical Specifications ........................................................................................ 18
Trademarks & Licenses .......................................................................................... 18
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 3
Thank you for purchasing the HydroGroove Speaker. 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-C 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 3 hours (depending on the
specifications of your adapter). This helps ensure the longest life for your battery.
Box Contents
HydroGroove
USB-C® to USB-C® Cable (3.28 ft / 1 m)
Carabiner Clip
Quickstart Guide
Support
For the latest information about this product (documentation, technical specifications, system
requirements, compatibility information, etc.) and product registration, visit i
onaudio.com.
For additional product support, visit i
onaudio.com/support.
INTRODUCTION
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 4
Charging and Battery Information
For the quickest charging time, power o HydroGroove and use the included USB-C 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 3 hours, depending on the specifications of your 5V, 2A
adapter. To hear a callout of the battery level (to the nearest 10%), press both -
and + buttons.
W
hen powered off and charging, the top light ring will be solid red. Once the speaker is fully
charged, the top light ring will turn o.
W
hen powered on and charging, the top light ring will be solid red and the bottom light ring
will show the current light mode. Once the speaker is fully charged, the top light ring will
change to the current light mode. If HydroGroove is in Bluetooth pairing mode, the Bluetooth
pairing light will illuminate until Bluetooth is paired, at which point, the top light ring will follow
the above charging behavior.
I
f no audio is played through HydroGroove for 15 minutes, the speaker will enter standby
mode to conserve battery life. This may mean the Bluetooth signal is paused, or the volume is
set to 0. To wake the unit, simply resume the audio signal or press any button.
I
f no audio is played through HydroGroove for 60 minutes, the speaker will automatically
power o. Press the P
ower button to wake the unit up.
SETUP
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 5
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
Please review the tips below to get the best performance from your HydroGroove:
• HydroGroove is IP67 waterproof, submersible up to 3 ft. (1 m) for 30 minutes, and dust-
/dirt-/sand-proof.
• Ensure the I/O port cover is fully closed before submersing in water. If the speaker cavity
fills with water, tilt the speaker to drain water.
• Please do not connect a power adapter to HydroGroove 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.
• If HydroGroove is exposed to saltwater, we recommend that you rinse it with tap water to
maintain long term performance of your product.
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 7
1. + / - Buttons
Press and release these buttons to raise or lower the volume in all playback modes.
In Bluetooth mode, press and hold the -
or + button to go to the beginning of the current
track or skip to the following track, respectively. Press the -
button again within one second
to skip to the previous track.
In radio mode, press and hold these buttons to seek the previous or next strong station.
To hear a callout of the battery level (to the nearest 10%), press both of the -
and + buttons
simultaneously.
2
. Play / Pause
Press this button to start and stop Bluetooth audio.
In radio mode, press and release to cycle through saved radio station presets.
Press and hold this button to save the current radio station to the next available preset.
See O
peration > Using the Radio for more details.
3
. Radio Button
Press this button to enter radio mode. Press this button again to exit radio mode. See
O
peration > Using the Radio for more details.
4
. Bluetooth® Button
After powering on, press this button to enter Bluetooth pairing mode (unless you are
already connected to a Bluetooth device). When connected to a Bluetooth device, press
this button for 2 seconds to disconnect the paired device and re-enter pairing mode.
In radio mode, single press the Bluetooth button to turn o the radio and switch to
Bluetooth playback. See O
peration > Pairing a Bluetooth® Device to learn how to connect
a Bluetooth device.
5
. Lights Button
Press this button to cycle through the light modes.
Press and hold this button for 3 seconds to turn o speaker lights and backlights. When
lights are OFF, press and release this button to return to the previously selected light mode.
See O
peration > Light Modes for more information.
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 8
6
. Party Button
Press this button to enter transmitter mode. See O
peration > Party Mode for more
information.
Double press this button to disconnect the link.
To reset the speaker to factory default settings, press and hold this button and the P
ower
button for 8 seconds.
Notes: The App will not work when the speaker is in Party mode.
While in Party mode, the Dual Connect function (connecting two phones to Bluetooth
audio) is not available.
7
. Power Button
Press and hold this button to turn HydroGroove on and o.
Double press this button to enable or disable voice prompts.
The lights will show the battery level as a percentage of the circle of lights on the top. The
color will change depending on the battery charge level (g
reen = above 50%, orange =
between 20 - 50%, r
ed = less than 20%). When the battery level reaches 10% or less, the
speaker will announce ‘low battery’.
R
ear Panel
Note: Pull the tab on the protective rubber panel to release it and access the rear panel port.
1. USB Charge
Connect the included USB-C to USB-C® cable from this charging port to a USB power
adapter (DC 5V 2A, not included) connected to a power outlet, or to your powered-on
computer.
Tip: Press the + and – buttons simultaneously to hear a voice prompt of the battery level.
1
HYDROGROOVE
3
2 - PRESS FOR 2 SECONDS
1 - POWER ON
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 9
Pairing a Bluetooth® Device
1. Turn on your Bluetooth device.
2. Turn on HydroGroove by holding down the P
ower button for 2 seconds. When the unit is first
turned on, it will automatically enter Bluetooth pairing mode. When in pairing mode, the
Bluetooth button LED will flash blue. If necessary, press the B
luetooth button to select
Bluetooth mode.
3. Navigate to your device’s Bluetooth setup screen, find H
YDROGROOVE, and connect. if
voice prompts are enabled, you will hear “Bluetooth Connected”. When Bluetooth is
connected, the LED will be solid blue.
Note: If your Bluetooth device prompts for a pairing code, enter “0000”.
D
ual Connect Mode:
Note: While in Party mode, Dual Connect mode is not available.
1. Connect your first Bluetooth device to HydroGroove, as outlined in the steps above.
2. On your second Bluetooth device, find and connect to HydroGroove. When connected, the
music that is playing from your first Bluetooth device will not be disrupted.
3. When you play music from your second Bluetooth device, your first Bluetooth device will
pause, and the music on your second Bluetooth device will play through HydroGroove, and
vice-versa if you connect to your first Bluetooth device.
Note: The transition time for switching between phones will be approximately 10 seconds.
OPERATION
HYDROGROOVE
3
2 - PRESS FOR 2 SECONDS
1 - POWER ON
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 10
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.
• Press the B
luetooth button for 2 seconds to disconnect and re-enter pairing mode.
Once you have disconnected, you will hear a test tone if voice prompts are enabled. When
Bluetooth is disconnected, the Bluetooth button LED will be white.
Tip: Double press the Power button to turn voice prompts on or o.
HYDROGROOVE
3
2 - PRESS FOR 2 SECONDS
1 - POWER ON
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 11
P
arty Mode
To listen to music in stereo you can link two HydroGroove speakers together. One
HydroGroove will serve as the left speaker and the other will serve as the right speaker.
Notes:
The App will not work when the speaker is in Party mode.
While in Party mode, the Dual Connect function (connecting two phones to Bluetooth audio)
is not available.
T
o link two HydroGroove speakers together:
Note: Before you begin the linking process, make sure to first disconnect any connected
Bluetooth devices.
1. Connect your Bluetooth device to the primary speaker.
2. Next, press P
arty button to enter transmitter mode. The top light ring will flash twice solid
green to show that it is the primary speaker. It will then return to the current light mode.
Notes:
The linking process can take up to 30 seconds to complete.
Speakers should be within 75’ (22.9 m) of each other to properly link. The closer the two
speakers are, the quicker the link is established.
3. Make sure the secondary speaker(s) is not connected to a Bluetooth device, and then press
the P
arty button on the secondary speaker(s) to enter receiver mode. The top light ring will
slowly flash white until it links with the receiver.
4. Once the secondary speaker(s) are connected to the primary speaker, the top light ring will
flash twice solid white and play a 'synced' sound. The current light mode from the primary
speaker will be shown.
1
HYDROGROOVE
2 - PRIMARY SPEAKER - PRESS AND RELEASE
3 - SECONDARY SPEAKER - PRESS AND RELEASE
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 12
T
o disconnect two speakers or cancel linking between the two, double press the Bluetooth
button on one HydroGroove.
Notes:
When turning o the primary speaker, all connected speakers will also power o. When the
secondary speaker is turned o, only that speaker will power down.
.dnuos onom tuptuo lliw srekaeps eht ,deknil nehW
PRESS
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 13
L
ight Modes
When the speaker is first powered on, all LEDs will send red lights from the bottom to the top.
The eect will hold for 2 seconds and then fade out. Then all LED’s will fade in and out in blue
until a Bluetooth device is connected to the speaker. When paired, all lights will flash blue 2
times.
Press the L
ight button repeatedly to toggle between one of the modes for the LEDs on
HydroGroove.
Press and hold the L
ight button to turn o the speaker lights. When the lights are OFF, press
and release this button to return to the previously selected light mode.
Note: For the best lighting eect, you may need to increase the volume of your connected
device or input source.
The speaker LED light modes are:
• C
razy Rainbow Beat-Sync: All lights will move clockwise like a rainbow. The rainbow
will speed up and slow down based on the bass level.
• S
tarlight: Randomly selected LEDs in all zones will flash a random color and slowly fade
away.
• E
xploding Fireworks: A light streak will move from the bottom to the second from the
top LED. Then all LEDs will flash and fade down. Once the color fades away, the next
color appears on the other side of the speaker and moves to the second LED from the
top to repeat the lighting eect.
• B
eat Sync Star: The LEDs spin around the speaker clockwise. The speed will change
based on the bass level. The ring LEDs will light up in sync with the stars’ speed on the
boarder LEDs.
• L
ight Pulse Beat Sync: All LEDs react to the bass level by changing the brightness of
the LEDs. All LEDs will cycle through the color spectrum.
• C
olorful Waves:
The lights will move from right to left in a wave pattern and change
color every time the wave changes direction, repeating through the color spectrum.
• T
wo-Tone Fade: All LEDs will fade down through the color spectrum in a two-tone color.
• C
olor Cycle: All LEDs will be the same color while cycling through the color spectrum
in a slow and smooth transition from color to color.
PRESS
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 14
• Static Color: All LEDs stay the same color (the color can be adjusted from the ION Sound
Control™ app). The default color is white unless changed in the ION Sound Control™
app.
• R
andom: The lights will randomly cycle through the eect modes every 3-5 seconds
(excluding Static Color mode).
• O
ff: All lights are o.
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 15
U
sing the Radio
1. To use the radio, press the Radio button to turn on the FM radio.
2. Press and hold the +
/- buttons to seek for the next strongest station in that direction.
Note: If Voice Prompts are turned o, the voice feedback for the radio stations will also be
turned o.
T
o save a radio preset, press and hold the Play/Pause button for 5 seconds. A confirmation
tone will be heard.
Note: The radio station will be saved to the first preset location that is set as 87.5 (factory
default). Subsequent savings will overwrite the next 87.5 default preset until all 87.5 presets
are replaced. Then preset saving will begin at preset 1 and continue through presets 2 - 6,
before starting back at preset 1.
T
o recall a saved radio preset, press and release the Play/Pause button to cycle through the
saved radio station presets.
T
o reset the speaker to factory defaults (erasing all radio/EQ presets, light mode, and user
settings), press and hold both the P
ower and Party buttons for 8 seconds.
1 - PRESS 2 - PRESS AND RELEASE
PRESS AND HOLD
PRESS AND RELEASE
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 16
A
pp Control
IMPORTANT: To ensure the best possible experience with the app, use the most current
Android OS or iOS on your device.
F
ollow these steps to download the free app on your device:
Note: The App will not work when the speaker is in Party mode.
1. Open the Apple App Store or Google Play on your device. Then, search for the I
ON Sound
C
ontrol™ app.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the app. Once downloaded, the
I
ON Sound Control™ app will appear on your device's home screen.
3. Connect your device to HydroGroove via Bluetooth. See O
peration > Pairing a Bluetooth®
D
evice 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 HydroGroove. Once connected, you
can control various functions of the speaker, such as:
• V
olume: Adjust the speaker's volume.
• R
adio: Select the FM radio station or a saved preset.
• E
Q: Adjust the speaker's high, mid, and low equalization or select a preset.
• V
oice Prompts: Enable or disable the voice prompts.
• L
ights: Change the light modes or adjust the Static Color mode.
• B
attery Life: Check the speaker’s battery life status.
• O
ver-The-Air Firmware Updates: Stay up to date with the latest firmware installation.
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 17
I
f the unit is not charging: Make sure the power cable is properly connected to the power
input and the power outlet.
I
f the sound is distorted: Try lowering the volume control of your sound 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 HydroGroove via Bluetooth:
• Have your audio device (e.g., smartphone or tablet) and HydroGroove as close together
as possible while trying to connect. Make sure both the audio device and HydroGroove are
unobstructed by walls, furniture, etc.
• Press the B
luetooth button for 2 seconds to disconnect HydroGroove
from any other audio
device and restart the search process. If this does not work right away, power o
HydroGroove 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 HydroGroove
before, find HydroGroove
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 Forget. Turn
HydroGroove o and back on and try pairing again once it reappears in your available
devices list.
Note: If HydroGroove 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.
I
f you experience audio dropouts while playing music from a Bluetooth device, this may be
happening because your unit is trying to link to another speaker. This can occur if you power
o a speaker that was linked to your unit or if you have just turned on your unit and it is in
Party mode. To stop the audio dropouts, exit Party mode by double-pressing the B
luetooth
button. Alternatively, you can wait for your unit to link to another speaker if there is one within
range.
TROUBLESHOOTING
ION Audio HydroGroove User Guide 18
Technical Specifications
Speakers (3) 1” (25.4 mm) tweeters, (1) 3.1” (78.8 mm) woofer
USB USB-C port for charging, 5V DC, 2A
Water Resistance Rating IP67
Wireless Technology Bluetooth®
- Classic Audio
Wireless Range * Bluetooth Range: Up to 100 ft. (30.5 m)
Party Mode Range: Up to 75 ft. (22.9 m) between speakers
Dual Connect Range: Up to 75 ft. (22.9 m) between speakers
Battery Capacity: 2000 mAh/7.4V
Battery Life: Up to 10 hours ** (50% volume with LEDs off)
Charge Time: Up to 3 hours
Dimensions Diameter: 9.10” / 23.11 cm
Height: 2.87” / 7.28 cm
Weight 3.00 lbs / 1.36 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.
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.
APPENDIX
