Question 1

I plan to use this speaker with a classic ipod. no bluetooth. will it work?

Accepted Answer

I had mine for the past 10 months. I love it! 
The battery life is very long! Yes it does have a aux jack so you should be able to use it without the blue tooth. It's one of the best portable speaker on the market.

Question 2

How is the microphone?  Can I use this in a conference call at a conference table with several others talking and is the voice sound quality on both sides effective?

Accepted Answer

The mic is only on the front and is noise cancelling which means you will need to be within 5 feet for it to work well. I found any further distance requires you to raise your voice and sometimes yell when over 10 feet away.
I got these for the garage, outside BBQs, and other uses that may expose them to the elements and abuse. Since they are "weatherproof", the sound is a little less defined as desired. This may make the mic less sensitive. But still decent sound, loud, and rich for small-ish battery powered speakers. Battery life is great too! Very durable! Heavy and sturdy build!
If you are looking for a conference speaker for indoor use check out the 850 from Braven. Same battery life and power output but may be a little clearer since they are not "weatherproof". Mic may be better too.
Great speaker and more than I expected. Ended up buying a second speaker to pair as discrete left and right channels. Though in pairing two speakers I notice a delay between source and output if you are playing from video (dialog/reading mouths vs audio). Not a big deal if you are just listening to music. 
Highly recommended!

Question 3

is this a refurbished product?

Accepted Answer

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us with your question. The item is brand new. It will come closed in the original retail package with manufacturer seal. Normally, if the item was refurbished or open box it would be listed on the product page.

Thank you, 
Newegg Support

Questions & Answers