Review: Klipsch GiG - the first real Bose Soundlink Mini contender?

There are hundrets of similar sized or even larger portable speakers than the Soundlink Mini, but so far none of them really managed to reach the level of Bose. Although many claim the UE Boom to sound much better, or even the JBL Charge, in reality they are both just better kitchen-radios.

Apart from JBL not many real speaker companies (I won't call Logitech a speaker company, they usually make mice and keyboards, and UE was making in-ear monitors before) have tried to bring out something really comparable or even better. The bigger part of the Bluetooth speaker market is produced by some no-name companies from Asia without any real audio-background.
But Klipsch is a well known brand with a long history in audio with their professional speakers. Their portable KMC-3 boombox is one of the best I have heard, the smaller KMC-1 was pretty average but I was curious to hear their smallest speaker "GiG", which indeed seems like a direct competitor of the Bose Soundlink Mini.

Recently I finally managed to get my hands on a Klipsch GiG and wanted to do a short review. I'll try to concentrate on the facts and avoid any long and unneccessary explanations.

The Klipsch GiG is pretty well made and leaves an overall good impression. It is a bit larger in capacit than the Soundlink Mini, but it is slightly lighter at the same time. Funnily the grille of the GiG seem to be made of exactly the same perforated plate as the grille from the Soundlink Mini.

I liked the main big knob which is used like an old analogue volume-control but it also acts as a multifuncional button when pressed, and it shows you different states of the speaker with different LED-colors, last but not least it can also show you the current battery-state with 3 steps.

If you really want to use the multifunctional button, you probably have to learn all commands by heart, because depending how often you press, you can either stop music, skip a track forward or back, you can even start a call etc. The Klipsch GiG has indeed a hands-free built in, in contrast to the Soundlink Mini. The GiG also has NFC, which is equally missing on the Bose, and in case of the GiG you really seem to need NFC as Bluetooth pairing was a pain in the ass every time I turned it on.
I have maybe tried hundrets of different Bluetooth speakers, and all of them automatically paired to the last known device when turned on. Not so with the Klipsch. You turn it on and it does nothing. You have to repair from your phone every time again. Sometimes it won't even accept any connection, I had to reset it, it was really a frustrating experience. Once the connection was established, everything worked fine, Bluetooth reach was long enough, but dare to turn it off again. That's why NFC is probably really useful on the GiG. Maybe Klipsch thought all will tap their phones to the device to establish a connection every time they turn the speaker on... well, I doubt this is really how NFC was meant to be used, maybe Klipsch just misunderstood something.

What annoyed me more were the already known guitar-chords, that you can also hear on the KMC-3 and KMC-1, when the speaker is turned on or off or paired with a device. The sounds are much too loud and somewhat cheesy. I wished I could turn them off completely.

I am not sure what to think about the rotatable stand. It doesn't make sense at all, because why should I put the speaker vertically if I would lose any stereo-imaging, at least the one that theoretically should be there. Also the stand is only fixable in one single position, you cannot tilt the speaker freely as you want, because the stand will just collapse on its own, if it won't lock in the single possible position. Also for turning the speaker on, you always have to tilt the stand away, I found this design pretty clumsy to tell the truth.

How does it sound?
Not bad, but nothing to write home about. The GiG definitely pumps out a more serious sound than the JBL Charge or UE Boom and those alike. But it is still behind the Soundlink Mini. You won't get any "Wow"-effect from the GiG, until you turn it up a little bit. The Klispch GiG needs some volume to really sound convincing until it starts to lose bass again within the last quarter of its volume.
Bass is indeed impressively deep on the GiG. While the Bose has hardly any response below 60Hz, the Klipsch even seemed to play down to 50Hz, but the complete low-frequencies were rather restrained, thus bass was never that bloated as on the Bose, which many might even like more. The biggest difference between both was at lower levels. While the Bose sounds really "fat" and voluminous at low levels, making the whole base vibrate, the Klipsch sounds rather like an average clock-radio. It is not as bad as on the larger KMC-1, but Klipsch doesn't seem to apply any dynamic and volume-dependent equalization. It is only at maximum level where both speakers dial back any bass that was present before. Both also reach more or less the same volume and at maximum volume the differences in overall sound become smaller, but the Bose starts to compress dynamics quite heavily depending on the song, while the Klipsch remains pretty dynamic even at top volume. For this reason the Bose hardly has any distortion problems even at top volume, but with the Klipsch I noticed some crackling and unpleasant noises with loud piano sounds, when played at maximum volume. I checked the same songs on the Bose and no such effects occured.
What surprised me most was the pretty muffled treble-response of the Klipsch GiG. I mostly complain abot the Soundlink Mini to sound veiled, but the Klipsch sounded even worse. Due to the the deep but conservative bass and the subdued treble at the same time, the GiG left a rather mid-focused sound, which starts to become really harsh at higher levels.

I prepared a  video with the Klipsch directly compared to the Bose at different volume levels:

If the Klipsch GiG was considerably smaller than the Soundlink Mini while still retaining the same sound quality, or if it was cheaper, it could be a winner. But as it is now it costs exactly the same as the Soundlink Mini, while being larger but with worse sound in the end. Of course the GiG has additional features like NFC, Apt-X support and hands-free, but for me it is the sound quality that really counts. Although the Bose is not perfect, the Klipsch GiG is it even less.

+ gives the impression of a high quality product
+ a "real" volume knob instead of +/- buttons
+ more serious sound than most similar sized contenders
+ rechargable through micro-USB
+ hands-free built-in
+ NFC and Apt-X enabled
+ track controls through multifunction-button


- weak treble response, muffled and directional
- deep bass but hardly any amplitute
- sound very unimpressive at low levels
- sound harsh and mid-focused at high levels
- no automatic Bluetooth-reconnection after power on
- annoying and loud welcome-sounds
- volume not synced with connected device
- tiltable stand does not really make sense
- too expensive

Saturn �sterreich: Beats Pill XL um 229,- Soundlink III um 249,-

F�r unsere �sterreichischen Leser diesmal, falls es �berhaupt solche geben sollte (bitte aufzeigen, wenn jemand aus �sterreich mitliest ;-)

Ich verfolge selten diverse Flyer, die einem ins Haus schneien, wir haben das ganze Werbematerial sogar abbestellt, da es unseren Briefkasten immer �berf�llt hat. Diesmal h�tte ich einen wirklich interessanten Flyer sogar fast �bersehen, und mir wohl in den A... gebissen!

Der Saturn in �sterreich bietet jetzt n�mlich ein "zweites Urlaubsgeld" (nur noch bis 28.06) und im Zuge dieser Aktion gibt es einige interessante Angebote. Die bieten tats�chlich die Beats Pill XL um 229,- an, statt den regul�ren 299,-. Auch den Soundlink III kann man dort derzeit um 249,- kaufen. Kein schlechter Preis wie ich finde.
Ebenso der Sony SRS-X5, zu dem ich demn�chst noch einen kleinen Review verfassen werde, ist dort g�nstiger zu haben, Amazon bietet ihn gerade aber auch nur unwesentlich teurer um 179,- an.

Ich habe beide Beats und Bose im Laden mal nebeneinander etwas spielen lassen, und der Soundlink III hatte nicht die geringste Chance gegen den Pill XL. Je lauter es wurde, desto besser und kraftvoller wurde der Pill XL, desto schlechter und hohler der Klang von Bose. Die 20 Euro Aufpreis f�r den Bose kann man sich schenken, wenn man eine echte portable Boombox mit langer Akkulaufzeit (etwa 8 Stunden unter Volllast!), einem fetten Klang und hohe Lautst�rken ben�tigt

PS. ich habe mir sogar noch etwas g�nstiger den letzten Austeller ergattert und werde euch demn�chst hoffentlich ein paar Vergleiche von Pill XL mit einigen anderen Spielsachen bieten k�nnen...

Wavemaster MOBI and MOBI-2, the most popular ultraportable speakers

Meanwhile there are tons of pocket-sized portable speakers around. I haven't heard all of them, but the Wavemaster MOBI was one of the most popular ultraportable speakers and top-seller in Germany for a long time. You could also find it under different brands like "Cabstone Sounddisc", or "Divoom Pop" and many others.
Fact was that compared to many similar speakers like X-Mini, Raikko Nano etc, the MOBI managed the best balanced sound somehow. The sound was still far away from anything really serious, but it was better than all the rest. I still own my old MOBI, which was one of my very first really portable speakers that small.

There has been a revised Bluetooth version out for some time now called MOBI-2, which took the crown and is now best selling speaker system according to Amazon.de. I wanted to check how much different both sounded and if the new version was any better costing 1/3 more. I prepared a video which hopefully can show you some differences in sound as well as which one will play louder etc.
Although the new version has Bluetooth I recorded both with a wired connection to get exactly the same conditions and not to disadvantage one of them.


I am also expecting a sample of the Teufel BT Bamster to arrive soon and will try comparing it to my Soundlink Mini using the same track as above, so you will hear the difference in sound ;-)

Update: Have a look here, how this sounds on the BT Bamster and Soundlink Mini.

Bose Soundlink Mini um �139!

F�r all unsere deutschen Leser: Morgen 12.06.2014 wird in K�ln der Saturn Hennef neuer�ffnet, da gibt es dann neben einigen anderen Schn�ppchen auch den Bose Soundlink Mini um 139,- zu ergattern.
Die Er�ffnung startet um 6:00 Uhr fr�h, also schnell hin, wenn man sich einen sichern will, als Geschenk f�r die Mama, oder als Zweitger�t f�r seinen eigenen, oder wenn man noch keinen hat.

Review: Anker MP141 Bluetooth Speaker

Anker sent me a sample of their new Bluetooth speaker, the so called MP141. Until now I only knew Anker from their Powerpacks, I also own one, but it seems they started to get into audio as well.
So far I have not heard much about this speaker. I started reading some reviews which were all positive, and found the design to be really appealing, so I decided to try out the speaker on my own as well.

The speaker is available in black and white, mine arrived in white in a very simple nearly eco-type of box. Inside there was the speaker and the USB-cable for charging a manual and a carrying pouch.

Designwise the Anker speaker is really chic. It reminds me a bit of a mini Sonos, especially in white. Also my wife who normally isn't into speakers, loved its design.
There are only 3 buttons at the front, a play/pause button surrounded by the volume buttons. The power switch is located at the side as well as the micro USB-port for charing. As there is no power supply included, you have to charge the speaker with some existing charger you already own, or just just plug it in into your computer. A little red LED beside the USB-port will show the charging procedure.
What is directly noticeable is the heft the speaker has. I have some comparable little speakers at hand and the Anker is one of the heaviest. Of course it is not as heavy as the Bose Soundlink Mini as the Soundlink Mini is in a completely other category, not only regarding price but also sound. 

Just turn it on with the little switch at the side and the speaker jumps directly into pairing mode with some "bleep"-triad sound and a blinking LED at the top. The volume of the pairing-sound is much too loud for my taste. Not sure why a more more conservative sound could not be used or if it needs any sound at all.
The speaker will show up as "Anker MP141" in your device list and it will signalize successful pairing with a "klick"-sound.
When in Bluetooth mode you can turn the speaker louder or lower, and you can pause or restart music. There is no way to skip between tracks, and the Anker speaker has its own volume control independent from the player's volume, which makes you deal with two separate volume levels.

If you don't want to use it through Bluetooth, just plug in a 3.5mm wire into the aux-in port and Bluetooth is turned off automatically. In aux-mode the volume buttons as well as the play/pause button have no function at all. You have to turn louder or lower directly from your player, as the volume cannot be controlled on the speaker anymore.
I haven't found any way to force pairing mode on the speaker, if I wanted to pair it with another device. You have to turn off the speaker and after restarting it will automatically search for already paired devices, if it doesn't found any, you can pair from a new device. This is a bit clumsy, because if you want to pair a new device, but your previous one is still in Bluetooth mode, the Anker speaker will probably automatically repair to the already known one. You must disable Bluetooth on your first device, to be able pairing another.

While my little son loved his new "toy", we noticed that bluetooth reach was particularly bad. Holding the speaker between his legs and trying to press the funny little knobs to see what's happening while I was holding the phone right beside me could already result in connection dropouts. The JBL Wireless Micro as well as the Wavemaster MOBI-2 that I had for comparison had both a much longer reach. I could even walk to the next room and still listen to music, which was not possible by any means with the Anker. But at least the built quality seems to be excellent and "baby-proof" as the speaker had to withstand some unwanted floor-contact without any sign of damage.

If you look closely you will notice a little opening at the front bottom of the speaker, this is where the microphone is hidden. The Anker indeed has hands-free built in. You can take calls by just pressing the play-button, or you can reject them, by keeping the play-button pressed. If you want to start a call you have to keep the play-button pressed until voicecall gets active or Siri, or whatever is setup on your phone.
Speakerphone quality was so-so. I wanted to use the Anker during a call of with mum, but she immediately asked why I was sounding that far away (with the speaker standing just in front of me at the table).

What interested me most was how good the Anker actually sounded, especially with regard to all the positive reviews so far.
The Anker is not that small anymore. You cannot just slide it into your pocket like you can do with the JBL On Tour Wireless or the Wavemaster MOBI-2 for example. So the Anker should have at least some advantages regarding sound quality, volume or battery life etc. I assume the heavy weight comes from the internal battery, which seems quite powerful, as Anker claims up to 20 hours of battery life. Of course I haven't tested it accurately, but I have used the Anker for several hours a day for an entire week and the battery didn't show any signs of weakness.

I had some other comparable speakers at hand, that come within a similar price-range, so that I could really judge the Anker MP141 objectively when comparing them all together.
According to current prices on Amazon.de the Anker will cost about 40�, the JBL Micro Wireless is a bit more expensive and costs 46�, but it is considerably smaller and could be even put inside a shirt-pocket. A cheaper alternative and when collapsed still a little bit smaller than the JBL is the Wavemaster MOBI-2 speaker which should cost about 30�. And I also have a slightly larger AmazonBasics speaker (looking like a copy of the popular Jambox) costing about 47�.

First time I listened to the Anker, I noticed quite a nicely-bodied sound with some welcome low-end, but relatively dull at the same time. The Anker could play surprisingly loud, but there was noticeable distortion on some particular tracks when turned to the maximum, especially on kick-drums. When comparing the Anker to the Wavemaster MOBI-2, the Anker produced a fuller sound, with a more pronounced bass, but with pretty muffled sounding treble. The Wavemaster MOBI-2 had quite harsh mids, but an overall clearer sound. Surprisingly the bass reached lower on the Wavemaster, but it was not very loud, wich made it sound rather thin. Then I switched over to the JBL Micro Wireless and despite being less than half the size of the Anker, the JBL sounded considerably better, with even better low-end and much crisper sound, easily outperforming the Wavemaster speaker and still sounding more convincing than the Anker. While listening to the Amazon "no-name" speaker this one sounded most mature, especially at higher levels, with better low-end than any of these, and clearer treble, which for my taste was a bit too sharp, but overall the Amazon speaker sounded definitely best with the most natural frequency response. It was also by far the loudest reaching about the maximum volume of the Bose Soundlink Mini or even outplaying it on some tracks, albeit with some severe distortion at top-level. You had to turn volume down 1-2 notches to really bring distortion down to acceptable levels, but this was still louder than what the Anker was able to achieve. The Anker doesn't seem to have any limiter or DSP built in, unlike the JBL Wireless Micro, which compresses peaks at top volume and manages to bring bass down a little bit at higher volumes. The Anker might be able to play slightly louder than the JBL, but it does so at the expense of some distortion, while the JBL will reach a slightly lower maximum volume without any annoying distortion problems.
Both the Anker and JBL seem to have a bass reflex port. With the Anker you can hear some pretty deep low-notes when putting the ear against the grille near the corner where the port is located, but you won't hear it from some distance anymore. The JBL seems just better tuned to maximize the physically possible low-frequency output while the Anker port seems to be tuned too low, making the port output barely hearable. The Amazon Basics speaker has a large passive radiator at the back. You won't hear much of it at lower levels, making the speaker sound hardly better than the others, it just comes to life when you crank the speaker a little bit. The Wavemaster seems to be a closed design with an extendible acoustic chamber, which can make the sound a bit fuller compared to collapsed, but it is still tinnest compared to all the others, despite having the lowest possible output.

I prepared a video to demonstrate the sound of all 3 speakers. In contrast to my other videos where the microphone was always facing the speaker-front directly, in this case all speakers have the driver mounted at their top which makes them emit sound more or less omnidirectionally (I didn't include the AmazonBasics speaker for this comparison as it has a more focused and directional sound dispersion). So this time the microphone was positioned at about 45� above the speakers with a distance of 65cm. The speakers were playing at about 3/4 of their maximum volume where distorion or obvious DSP-effects shouldn't be an issue yet.



Putting all together, the Anker MP141 is a nice looking but pretty avarage speaker without any outstanding qualities. You get hands-free and a long lasting battery, but I expected a more impressive sound considering all the raving reviews so far. If it was cheaper I could see it as an alternative to all the other mini speakers in the price range of 20-30�. But as it is now I would definitely choose the JBL as best ultra portable listening solution. It costs only slightly more but has better sound than the Anker and is much smaller and lighter, making it very convenient for transport. The only advantage the Anker might have is hands-free and longer battery life. On the other hand the JBL has the ability to be daisy-chained with other JBL Micro Wireless speakers to maximize output etc. The Wavemaster MOBI-2 might be the loudest of the bunch, but sounded worst to my ears. If size doesn't matter the AmazonBasics speaker would definitely give the best audio-quality at a similar price-range. But at this size there are already dozens other speakers like e.g. the Bose Soundlink Mini which is much more expensive, but able to produce a much more serious sound which is in a completely different class, while being still smaller than the Amazon speaker. Another cheap alternative might be the Grundig GSB120 or the Philips BT2500B which can play really loud.

+ elegant and simple design
+ better low end than many cheaper speakers
+ high maximum volume
+ long battery life
+ hands-free
+ carrying bag included


- dull treble response
- distortion at top volume
- very short bluetooth range
- not possible to force bluetooth pairing  
- annoying and loud status-sounds
- too big and heavy for given performance

TDK TREK Max A34 - the better A33?

TDK just announced the TDK TREK Max or simply A34, which seems to be a successor of the very popular A33.
The A33 is not a bad speaker, but I was not impressed with it due to some bad experiences I had made.
The A33 had a pretty weak and unreliable battery built in. I got a brand new device and it could only play for several minutes on top volume before shutting down on its own.
Also sound was not the best you could get in its class, but still better than most of its competition. I didn't like the rather tinny sound at lower volumes, apart from that it sounded really powerful and nicely balanced from medium volume upwards.

The new A34 seems to have gained NFC-connectivity and track-skipping buttons. Also design is a bit different now, still not sure if I liked the old one more. But it is still splash resistant, so if you are going to use it near a pool or at the beach, the A34 should safely do the job.

If other than that much changed especially regarding the battery and sound, has to be tested. The A34 seems to be available soon through Amazon.com, but there is no availabilty for Europe yet.