Best portable Bluetooth speakers (Oluv's personal favorites 2014)

<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUDydWP1_DGtJOhRU9J2yQ72vHt2NZTVY-FaoWpEYsXqfkN84GLTsfG5HxEftzI0Q9UMVCIcNhVgqcc3tDP8Jzmip7QFhZSza0SblYb_h6j2IBo9I27dYyxiNZH9ToZXSX8mAkeMDNkQT/s1600/all.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvUDydWP1_DGtJOhRU9J2yQ72vHt2NZTVY-FaoWpEYsXqfkN84GLTsfG5HxEftzI0Q9UMVCIcNhVgqcc3tDP8Jzmip7QFhZSza0SblYb_h6j2IBo9I27dYyxiNZH9ToZXSX8mAkeMDNkQT/s1600/all.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />With this list I want to show you my personal favorite portable speakers that I use on a regular basis including some explanation why I have chosen them over some others and when I use this instead of that. It's been quite a long time I wanted to prepare a kind of best-of list of all portable speakers I know or that I have heard. But after having heard so many, I thought that a real best-of is simply not doable as each speaker has its own strengths or weaknesses. After all those years it seemed I would still not be able to find a single speaker which would satisfy all my needs not until I have heard the new <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2014/12/review-denon-envaya-mini.html">Denon Envaya Mini</a>, which mixed up my whole perspective and made my whole list until now pretty useless. The Denon Envaya Mini finally persuaded me to sell all other speakers I currently own, including <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2014/09/review-jbl-charge-2-failed-new-benchmark.html">JBL Charge 2</a>, <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2014/08/fugoo-bluetooth-speaker-first.html">Fugoo</a>, <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2014/07/review-sony-srs-x3-bose-soundlink-mini.html">Sony SRS-X3</a> etc. Therefore I would like to present *drum roll* the Denon Envaya Mini as my current favorite portable speaker.<br /><br /><a name="more"></a>As it had already taken me some time to prepare this whole list, I will nevertheless add all the other speakers below, although I probably wouldn't consider them at all anymore. Please let me clarify that my main goal is high audio quality. Most will have probably noticed that I have a weekness for a full-bodied sound. There must be at least some base for the music with enough bass to make it sound satisfying, otherwise I cannot enjoy music and prefer not to listen at all. I don't care about speakers that can play screamingly loud but fail completely at lower levels, or speakers with tons of nice features that only sound like my old clock radio. <br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b>Denon Envaya Mini </b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRWAXz-sQ-RQFUM9_bFB3zKml2MkeZZ7aHDZ6nZibK_w13ThZA7vfg5PjXQUQb-9OlGqIEAbPeiByAAH6YyuLYE4ylItY57zUfqEHZkrijpYMkPss2TbHW9O9MdVQosyyyP8z0w8u5dCb/s1600/denon-envaya-mini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRWAXz-sQ-RQFUM9_bFB3zKml2MkeZZ7aHDZ6nZibK_w13ThZA7vfg5PjXQUQb-9OlGqIEAbPeiByAAH6YyuLYE4ylItY57zUfqEHZkrijpYMkPss2TbHW9O9MdVQosyyyP8z0w8u5dCb/s1600/denon-envaya-mini.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Buy it from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SFZ4EWC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00SFZ4EWC&linkCode=as2&tag=oluvsgadgets-20&linkId=CFYDE7W7J7FAKJNY">amazon.com</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00NBXJ9NW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B00NBXJ9NW&linkCode=as2&tag=oluvsgadgets-21&linkId=JGWZNAJDL5OFG3HG">amazon.co.uk</a> or <a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00NBXJ9NW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1638&creative=6742&creativeASIN=B00NBXJ9NW&linkCode=as2&tag=oluv-21&linkId=SOY2BX3R45BYYGK5">amazon.de</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-de.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=oluv-21&l=as2&o=3&a=B00NBXJ9NW" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" width="1" /><br />I doubt there is any better sounding speaker available that small right now, therefore the Denon Envaya Mini gets my first vote to become the overall "winner". It is extremely portable, splash water resistant and has a professionally close to hifi tuned sound. It is not the loudest speaker nor the one with the biggest bass, but it sounds as close to flat as possible at that size with full bass response down to 80hz which appears even deeper thanks to some psychoacoustic algorithms. There is some stereo separation and the Envaya Mini sounds perfect at low and at highest levels with hardly any distortion or dynamics compression at all. It should satisfy 70% of most needs, just if you need higher loudness, you will probably wish for something more powerful, this is where my Infinity One jumps in, which you can find next in this list below. <br />Another alternative to the Envaya Mini would be the the <b>JBL Charge 2</b>. Until I heard the Denon, JBL Charge 2 might have been close to a "near-perfect" portable speaker, but unfortunately JBL managed to screw it up making it unsable at low levels and unlistenable with many tracks because they cause noticeable distortion, otherwise the JBL Charge 2 would probably be the best sounding speaker in its class that I would recommend over all the others more or less on par or above the Denon. I feel still so sorry about all the issues it suffers from, and that JBL doesn't really care to offer any fix. It seems they just recently started to sell a new batch of devices, which don't suffer from any distortion, although they still seem to have some issues at lower levels. Apart from that I also hate the status tones the JBL Charge 2 will play if you turn it on, or when it will connect to a device. The tones are so annoying that you cannot even turn it on in a silent enviroment. The JBL Charge 2 is not usable at low levels, it will sound just poor with bass sounding strange and with additional artefacts noticeable during the first 4-5 volume steps. I usually welcome a mirrored volume control between speaker and device, but in case of the JBL Charge 2 the volume steps are very rough and the speaker becomes too loud too quickly. The JBL Charge 2 has pretty non directional treble response. It still sounds quite good from above or from the side unlike most other similar speakers. I also like the fact that the JBL Charge 2 will retain more bass and sound more dynamic than most other competing models. Even at maximum volume you will be able to hear every drum-kick attack, while the Bose Soundlink Mini or the Sony SRS-X3 will compress them away. Sometimes I would prefer it even louder, especially outdoors, that's why I finally settled for an Infinity One described below. <br />Other speakers in this smaller class worth having a deeper look: I really liked the <b>Fugoo</b> a lot as an all around speaker but also for use at home from room to room etc. It might not be a very loud speaker and bass could take some stronger punch, but it is small enough to be carried around and thanks to its "jackets" is rugged to be just tossed inside some bag or stuffed inside a jacket pocket without any additional protection or pouch needed. Unfortunately none of the jackets does have any clip-on option without the additional mount-pack. It would have been great if Fugoo had included some simple lug in any of the jackets, so that the speaker could be quickly clipped on somewhere. The Fugoo is also one of the few speakers that really withstands a complete submerge under water, it is not just splash resistant like many others, but entirely waterproof.<br />Bluetooth connectivity is great and the Fugoo connects automatically to any found device unlike most other speakers, which seem to be still waiting for the latest one. <br />I also like the fact that the Fugoo remains nearly silent during operation if all voice prompts are disabled. Overall the sound of the Fugoo is quite full-bodied, it is not overly bloated but pleasant to listen to, with a similar bass-amount to many larger speakers like Soundblaster Roar etc, although the sound starts falling apart a little bit above half volume which is not very loud and does not come close to the sound of the Denon Envaya Mini, which is much more serious, and much louder at the same time. If the Fugoo was slightly louder overall with slightly more bass, it would be definitely on my top list if I had to pick just one single speaker, but now the Denon Envaya Mini took this honour and the Fugoo has to go. Another strong contender loved by ones, hated by others is the <b>Bose Soundlink Mini</b>which has no problems like the JBL Charge 2, but I found the sound to be too muffled and too directional and sometimes too boomy. The <b>Sony SRS-X3</b> might be another worthy alternative and I think it sounds best for low volume listening, especially because you can fine-tune the final bass amount with the input-volume of your streaming device, a welcome side effect of the dynamic sound-processing, which becomes confused with lower input levels and dials bass back, because the speaker output needs to be raised. The X3 has some problems at higher volume levels though and battery life is not as stable, especially when cranked. Unfortunately both Sony and Bose play some kind of annoying tones if they are either turned on/off or if they establish a Bluetooth connection. Another alternative might be the <b>Bose Soundlink Colour</b>. The sound is not as mature or not as refined as of all the others, but it is nevertheless a pretty solid speaker with a nicely tuned sound for all volume levels. It will sound good at low and at high levels, without any side-effects or artefacts. Treble is less directional than that from the Soundlink Mini and the Soundlink Colour will not sound that boomy in most cases although mid-bass has quite an obvious boost with some stronger resonance, which can start sounding annyoing with some particular tracks. Also Bluetooth connectivity is one of the best I had experienced so far with automatic reconnection to 2 previous devices after power on, just don't expect any stereo sound as the Soundlink Colour is rather a stereo speaker with mono sound. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><b>Infinity One</b></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b></b></u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2wzXWW4ldbLDipKpHmQ_jD20nXHnWYV7gIQO3eW-z1kZOWG07IK_oNzoy7CgLQLPC4ewJ5kRI4OM4QoKYNCCHq1EO6nSZyoA7QilAZ6_F-Drq_sHto415q4ZFO8eKezFuDhexVzE7p7a/s1600/infinity-one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ2wzXWW4ldbLDipKpHmQ_jD20nXHnWYV7gIQO3eW-z1kZOWG07IK_oNzoy7CgLQLPC4ewJ5kRI4OM4QoKYNCCHq1EO6nSZyoA7QilAZ6_F-Drq_sHto415q4ZFO8eKezFuDhexVzE7p7a/s1600/infinity-one.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Still only available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LOL7HDC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00LOL7HDC&linkCode=as2&tag=oluvsgadgets-20&linkId=ITAEPPSEXO4IMGCQ">amazon.com</a>, funnily the Infinity One does not sound really that much better than the Denon Envaya Mini, the Infinity One's sound is just more powerful, which is not surprising given the size being 3 times as large. the Infinity One is basically a blown up JBL Charge 2. The sound is similar between both, with the Infinity One just sounding more blown up. The Infinity One is a bit too large and heavy to be carried around whole the time. But if you know that you will need a portable speaker which manages to deliver enough power at higher levels too, the Infinity One might be the best choice. When the Denon Envaya Mini is already at its top volume, resulting in some heavy bass-loss, although perfectly usable without any distortion, the Infinity One will still have enough headroom, although the Infinity One will suffer from some intermodulation distortion at these higher settings, but the Infinity One will be able to keep much more bass at comparable loudness settings and maximum volume should still be loud enough for any smaller outdoor event. The stronger intermodulation distortion at high levels is the biggest letdown of the Infinity One, it sounds more enforced than the Soundlink III and many bass-heavy tracks may start sounding really harsh because of this, while others might still sound perfect, Infinity should have added some simple tweeters to the front drivers, as the back drivers sound pretty clear as they are fitered for higher frequencies, where intermodlation becomes most obvious. Similar to the JBL Charge 2 the Infinity One will also manage to retain the dynamics of kickdrum attacks, unlike the Soundlink III, which will rather iron out any stronger punches. For house-music I would prefer the Infinity One over the Soundlink III, which might be better for Jazz and acoustic stuff due to less intermodulation distortion problems.<br />Unfortunately the Infinity One has the same loud status tones and the same mirrored volume control with even rougher steps than the JBL Charge. In case of an iOS device the volume control is not fine enough to really allow any sensitive adjustment. Thank godness the Infinity One does not suffer from any of the processing artefacts which plague the JBL Charge 2. I think that the Infinity One delivers the best performance of all speakers I have tested in this larger speaker-class aroung 1kg, including Bose Soundlink III, Beats Pill XL, TDK A34, Loewe Speaker2go and even the B&O Beoplay A2, which has its own qualities and problems, thus as total package I just regard the Infinity One as the best option right now.<br />A big problem for all non U.S citicens might be that the Infinity One is only offered in the U.S so you will have to import it on your own if you live outside, which is what I finally did. But for casual listening at home I prefer the Denon most of the time, even though it has slightly less bass, it sounds more natural with more stereo separation and is much easier to carry around.<br />Other possible alternatives: <b>Bose Soundlink III </b>sounds quite similar to the Infinity One, but has a more directional and more "edgy" sound while the Infinity One sounds rounder and more open. The Infinity One also has the option to be charged through USB in case of need and it can charge external devices too. Overall I prefer the Infinity One over the Bose Soundlink III, although the Bose has the better tuning for low levels with a more profound sound and obvious intermodulation distortion should be less of an issue. Other alternatives might be the <b>TDK A33 </b>which is pretty cheap now or the newer<b> A34</b> as both<b> </b>are pretty balanced sounding speakers unfortunately with a pretty bad battery and a questionable charging logic. I never manged to make the A33 play for longer than 6 hours even at lower levels, the A34 seems to suffer from the same problem. The <b>Soundblaster Roar</b> is very similar to the TDK A33 in sound but has tons of additional features which you might need or not need. It doesn't play as loud as the TDK, but overall it is the better speaker I think. It doesn't sound as full bodied as the Infinity One or the JBL Charge 2, but the sound is still quite nice, although it won't knock your socks off.<br />You might also like the <b>Denon Envaya</b> which sounds quite similar to the Bose Soundlink III although not quite as loud but also cheaper. The <b>B&O Beoplay A2</b> would have been my personal favorite if battery life was more predictable and the sound more constant on higher levels. I really like the design and sound tuning is simply impressive, but I couldn't live with the added distortion on many tracks especially at the given price being one of the most expensive speakers shown here. I would also like to add the <b>Beats Pill XL</b>, which is not a very good sounding speaker per se, but a very powerful one with great features, wireless stereo pairing etc. It is still one of the loudest I have heard at this size and manages to sound pretty controlled when the others are already struggling or reaching their limits with the Pill XL still being much louder than all of them.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><b>Bose Soundlink Wireless Music System </b></u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Xq3CPKlQvsU2HVgSoCIS4KIluYWU1TsVGuTOL5_HGn7xqrYFuPaQhIVcMvqT0DiHgKnlpfRpz6u7DzwicSrdNYAWM7mG0o5bc_Bv9CD_oqQNSmgZyjw0IVFh30LAeuSOVttktXeWAaLI/s1600/bose-soundlink-wireless-music-system.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Xq3CPKlQvsU2HVgSoCIS4KIluYWU1TsVGuTOL5_HGn7xqrYFuPaQhIVcMvqT0DiHgKnlpfRpz6u7DzwicSrdNYAWM7mG0o5bc_Bv9CD_oqQNSmgZyjw0IVFh30LAeuSOVttktXeWAaLI/s1600/bose-soundlink-wireless-music-system.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Although I currently don't use it that much, I still think that this old and discontinued Bose system is a spectacular and underrated portable Bluetooth speaker. It is based on the Bose Sounddock portable which was also discontinued in the meantime but with Bluetooth instead of the Apple-dock.<br />Thanks to its flat design it is still pretty portable despite being larger than the Infinity One and with just 2kg including the swappable battery it should find its place inside any even smaller rucksack. The Bose Soundlink Wireless Music System is one of the most powerful systems at this size. The amplifier delivers 40Watts (unlike the 25W of the Infinity One), and thanks to Bose's DSP processing they manage to push the loudness level quite above the limits of what the 2 fullrange drivers are able to handle by applying some stronger dynamics compression and dialing bass back. Although there is some stronger distortion at maximum volume the Soundlink Wireless Music System nevertheless manages to fill a large outdoor area with sound if you don't want to carry any larger boombox with you. It sounds very full bodied with the deepest reaching bass although it has a tendency to sound a bit muffled, especially at lower levels and off-axis.<br />A possible alternative might be the <b>IK Multimedia iLoud</b>, which is able to reach a similar loudness, but not without distortion either. Unfortunately the iLoud won't sound that full-bodied at lower levels and the built in battery seems to have some issues not being able to hold a charge after some time of usage according to my friend who had used his quite often.<br />Another interesting speaker might be the <b>Harman Kardon Onyx</b> or the much cheaper <b>Onyx Studio</b> which omits auxiliary input, Airplay and DLNA compared to the expensive version. They sound slightly better and are more powerful than the Bose, but are a bit lacking at lower volumes. They are also larger and not that easily portable with the battery life hardly exceeding 4-5 hours at high volumes. <br /><br />If you need still more power and more loudness, you must have a look at all the larger systems like the <b>Klipsch KMC-3</b> or some <b>Pioneer Steez</b> units or the<b> JVC Kaboom</b> series etc. But nearly all of them need extra batteries for portable use and will quickly exceed several kilos of weight. Maybe the new <b>Teufel Boomster</b> could do the trick as it has a built in battery which can be even extended by some additional AA-cells. So far I didn't feel the need for such a unit, it is just overkill for home use, I previously had the Altec Lansing IMT800, but didn't use it much because of the size and the hassle with batteries. But my friend loves his KMC-3 and uses it regularly for outdoor parties with friends.<br /><br />What is still completely missing though are speakers that can be easily put inside a pocket, or attached somewhere thanks to a dedicated clip or carabiner without adding any bulk or becoming tedious. Most of these I have tried so far sound rather tinny, not really comparable to those above, although I am sure with some clever DSP processing and really high-quality drivers even smaller speakers than the Denon Envaya Mini could be brought to respectable output. Here are my best findings for this class:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><b>TDK A12</b></u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u><b></b></u><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyeIbHlZQ9lPKGLLtPKSAbBgxbIoGs-vHG3kpz58PPSUsrbisnpvJWsdgaa2vkz6REDvCWHFgFh5rCXBMAkRPaQc-Y0DbsWHpkWWal7TbqRUMdeR_O9HmZ0tSpoOU6eet_IonkN4LHl_t/s1600/tdk-a12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyeIbHlZQ9lPKGLLtPKSAbBgxbIoGs-vHG3kpz58PPSUsrbisnpvJWsdgaa2vkz6REDvCWHFgFh5rCXBMAkRPaQc-Y0DbsWHpkWWal7TbqRUMdeR_O9HmZ0tSpoOU6eet_IonkN4LHl_t/s1600/tdk-a12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I think the TDK A12 (micro Trek) produces quite a balanced sound for being that small. It is not the loudest speaker at this size, but it just sounds "right". There is some upper bass which makes it sound appealing, but the TDK is not able to produce any deeper bass, thus it is not really full-bodied and quite a bit too thin for my own taste, but still better than not having a speaker at all. If you put it flat on some resonating surface, you can boost basst slightly, but the passive radiator doesn't really play anything below 100Hz, so don't expect any miracles like with many other vibrating speakers or like with the FoxL Dash 7 that are tuned much lower, but won't produce any hearable bass until they suddenly sound much more mature depending on the surface they are placed on, as shown in my <a href="http://youtu.be/etk4Xu_NGck" target="_blank">example video for the FoxL Dash 7</a>. Unfortunately most of the time there are no suitable surfaces around outdoors for enhancing the sound.<br />Therefore the TDK seems to apply some "virtual bass" algorithm. It sounds a bit as if the lower frequencies not reproducable with the tiny driver were subtly added transposed one octave higher (similar to what MaxxBass is doing). The A12 manges to give an even more full-bodied impression than the similar JBL Clip, although bass reaches considerably lower on the JBL Clip, when looking solely at the frequency response measurements. There is also some bass compression going on, maybe a side-effect of the virtual bass algorithm, but when directly compared it is quite noticeable that the TDK does some processing, which is not a bad thing, as any unwanted artefacts are still kept to the minimum.<br />The TDK A12 has no distortion even at maximum volume, but there seems to be some sample variation as I have tested several different units and on many of them the passive radiators started to rattle heavily at higher volume levels with bass heavy tracks, the resonance-frequency seems to be around 125Hz where rattling is strongest. Because of the single passive radiator at the back side the TDK A12 also has a tendency to vibrate or even creep around when put on certain surfaces. If you attach the included carabiner, this may rattle against the body at higher loudness-levels, that's the drawback of single passive radiator designs.<br />Battery life is somewhat short, especially at high volume. A nice feature is that you can pair 2 of them for true wireless stereo, in fact I have 2 of them and both cost me less than 60�. Strangely stereo pairing doesn't work that well sometimes. I am not sure if this is the speaker's fault, or if the Bluetooth connection of the iPhone is too blame here, but sometimes when in wireless stereo mode the audio quality is reduced considerably resulting in a sound which resembles that of a lower bitrate mp3-file. Sometimes only one will play, although both confirmed the connection. I have not found any regularity, but in case they behave unexpectedly, I have to go through the entire pairing process again to get rid of it.<br />Other similar speakers to consider: <b>JBL Clip</b> produces a similar overall sound but can play quite a bit louder. The JBL Clip can be daisy chained with another one with its built-in wire and it has speaker phone included. Due to its rounded design it is easier to put inside a pocket and the carabiner is already built in unlike with the TDK A12, which has the carabiner separate. The battery life of the JBL Clip seems to be even shorter than that of the TDK A12 though, but due to the included bassreflex port instead of the passive radiator the JBL Clip won't vibrate even at highest loudness levels.<br />I would regard the <b>Mini Jambox</b> as another alternative, although nothing special it is still able to deliver quite a solid sound and will also sound rounder and more full-bodied than both the TDK and JBL, although the maximum possible volume is quite limited. I have yet to find any better sounding speaker that small. Most of them might be louder for sure, but they just don't sound good at normal listening levels. Of course I welcome any other tips!<br /><br />3 years ago it was still unheard of a beverage can-sized speaker that it would be able to produce any bass down to 60Hz. After the Soundlink Mini which was pretty unique at the time of its release there are meanwhile some other alternatives available. The portable speaker market is evolving pretty quickly. So please just take this personal list as some temporary snapshot which may suddenly turn around with any new speaker released, just like it did, when I heard the Devnon Envaya Mini.<br /><br />There are some interesting speakers on the horizon like the electrostatic BenQ treVolo (formerly known as eVolo) or the Massfidelity Core, there is also some rumor about an upcoming larger and more powerful speaker from Fugoo, but I am not sure if I will be able to receive any of those units for a review. As soon as I can get my hands onto something interesting I will let you know. </p>

With this list I want to show you my personal favorite portable speakers that I use on a regular basis including some explanation why I ha...

Review: Beats Pill XL - the ultimate portable speaker?

<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9YedLg5idof4oKmsGmlA8r_xFS0u70Ogh2JOYRCbBFAQTpcNpw8FcMBACABmikx3LIyQd22iHgDvHhRt-YJi2apECHXqbYJEmLUjhX4HRbI5xN9hnOFoItTNbxEG15xL4EFaPdud9O3A/s1600/pill-ports.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgVyU65hCjeAtvb-DxaC8LcO6xggEKCjGYejQxZjLRpDJtTvD7K0ryqXzy-rw3ZKnABJhFNZiNSmE8vzjQDAWUTjsCW5acpUFoDFFw6e0CNSky3shqzWZRbpkrZni1mKK8WgH9fIYe2jD/s1600/pill1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgVyU65hCjeAtvb-DxaC8LcO6xggEKCjGYejQxZjLRpDJtTvD7K0ryqXzy-rw3ZKnABJhFNZiNSmE8vzjQDAWUTjsCW5acpUFoDFFw6e0CNSky3shqzWZRbpkrZni1mKK8WgH9fIYe2jD/s1600/pill1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />When people were asking me for the overall best portable speaker I was already raving about the Beats Pill XL without even having heard it in detail. The only chance I had for a short listen was outdoors together with a friend when we <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2014/05/first-impressions-beats-pill-xl.html">compared</a> his new Pill XL to his iLoud and my Bose Soundlink Wireless Music System. Of course I was pretty impressed by the Pill XL, as it was the sheer power easily blowing the iLoud out of the water, nearly matching the Soundlink Wirless Music System in overall loudness. But it is a completely different experience you get when you listen to a speaker indoors in a more controlled enviroment, where you don't feel the need to crank it to the maximum. Meanwhile I own the Beats Pill XL, and while it is indeed an impressively powerful speaker, it definitely has some quirks regarding sound.<br /><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fKJVoww2dvy0Z8UIMpZZjpYWx8AJEm8lDn-ace4XNlbtHZXNzlCezfXB-Ebc7extAK_PFdmPOQl-7sFam5wkSSRbv1rUqYqW1Z5Y6qtxM1HrwgKVItsRQNBNUXRqCB-LY8qH9Lunz0p-/s1600/pill2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fKJVoww2dvy0Z8UIMpZZjpYWx8AJEm8lDn-ace4XNlbtHZXNzlCezfXB-Ebc7extAK_PFdmPOQl-7sFam5wkSSRbv1rUqYqW1Z5Y6qtxM1HrwgKVItsRQNBNUXRqCB-LY8qH9Lunz0p-/s1600/pill2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Ahead of the Pill XL Beats already had the small Pill on the market, which was one of the most unimpressive portable speakers I have ever heard. The small Pill was extremely overpriced producing a tinny distorted sound that was not better than any of those 20$ minispeakers which you could get in every junk-store.<br />Beats had to come up with something considerably better to cover the embarrassment the original Pill had created, although there still seem to be many owners who actually love this piece of garbage. Meahwile there is even a new Pill 2.0 version out, which has some new features, but soundwise nothing changed at all. But now let's have a look at the bigger Pill and if it really can live up to the expectations with some facts about the speaker and its features first:<br /><br />The Pill XL is not a huge speaker, it is still pretty portable, weighting about 1.5kg which makes it slightly heavier than the contenders like Soundlink III, TDK A33 etc, but still lighter and more compact than the UE Boombox, or the Soundlink Wireless Music System or a Sounddock Portable. It has about the size of a 1.5l PET-bottle, therefore it should find space in any bag or backpack for transport. Beats also offers some additional shoulder strap, so that you can hang it just there, like an old school boombox, in case you manage to find the strap somewhere for order. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqZ0YGowNr0OJJUiw5JgjaeIeZJht9xevK65X2P4k6_uVIX0Gg2X7OHB4wOYeC0Carg4b9u6YvqavudYcyq8uKTW3DFZJt_kAvmAtP69QRMQvIgtiADlI2gHha5_Zp5DVNyJZ93UYszga/s1600/pill-bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqZ0YGowNr0OJJUiw5JgjaeIeZJht9xevK65X2P4k6_uVIX0Gg2X7OHB4wOYeC0Carg4b9u6YvqavudYcyq8uKTW3DFZJt_kAvmAtP69QRMQvIgtiADlI2gHha5_Zp5DVNyJZ93UYszga/s1600/pill-bottle.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />As the Pill XL has a handy grip, you can just grab it with your right hand, and have the main volume controls perfectly reachable with your thumb. Walking like that through the street with the Pill XL cranked to the max, you should definitely be able to annoy all other nearby pedestrians.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2L9DyPfv-gt8UPDzNEHfxM9Q7-QAbzI252LxLixtqzA8km5YKdYzvOru5IRuOFNezJseFtXxPmozlmrgqoiKEZH76c9qTnYndjtUjRmDsTyeYctcNOH0YRI3xkRCzQP_UIE96YpPi6FA/s1600/pill-grip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2L9DyPfv-gt8UPDzNEHfxM9Q7-QAbzI252LxLixtqzA8km5YKdYzvOru5IRuOFNezJseFtXxPmozlmrgqoiKEZH76c9qTnYndjtUjRmDsTyeYctcNOH0YRI3xkRCzQP_UIE96YpPi6FA/s1600/pill-grip.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />But the Pill XL is also a pretty well equipped speaker full of useful features. It can charge external devices through the built in USB-port. It can be paired with another Pill XL or the smaller Pill 2.0 for wireless stereo or double-mode. It even has an auxiliary output, so that it will act as a Bluetooth receiver. Plug in another speaker and you can boost the sound even more. Of course NFC and Apt-X is supported as well. All ports are hidden behind a rubber-flap with exception of the power-jack, which of course needs a proprietary 12V charger. There is also an update-port, which gives some hope for future support and maybe some software updates.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIhd_1B7HdCK3ksAZgRUNgvVn8Fw8w5_fdfFZTLd9g7WUDqnnzZ_voRE-Uxyz3cam_NpS74Ao2WbmS0JUFLREYNxwFj8LZFlFxoglFL2QblxvzXz_thXXD3T_qqZU0xExoGCCBbBRTxeu/s1600/pill-ports.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIhd_1B7HdCK3ksAZgRUNgvVn8Fw8w5_fdfFZTLd9g7WUDqnnzZ_voRE-Uxyz3cam_NpS74Ao2WbmS0JUFLREYNxwFj8LZFlFxoglFL2QblxvzXz_thXXD3T_qqZU0xExoGCCBbBRTxeu/s1600/pill-ports.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The lit Beats logo at the front acts as a control button, where you can stop or start music directly from the speaker, skip tracks forward or backwards and take calls. And last but not least you get a 5-step battery indicator with dedicated LEDs at the back and through an own symbol on your mobile phone.<br />Talking about the battery, it is indeed very impressive. Beats claims 15 hours although they don't say at which volume. I have tested it at top volume or slightly below and I got 7-8 hours out of one charge, which is really class leading, especially when the loudness is considered that the Pill XL is able to reach. Some other speakers I have tried didn't even manage to reach 6 hours at their half volume, which probably would be something like 35% on the Pill XL.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaa9zFHBllxifuZkTxpyrYTVrp0x6OvfbETsjmRi5voIxx3I04n0v7sqh8jvGPUlzVi5I0bfb1xwhHcvdVXnIEbLWrCV5qgaN1WOpbtGh1NXIeyeIlS_nnTPPF_5HqHWFgn9t_eDhtDxP/s1600/pill-press-button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVaa9zFHBllxifuZkTxpyrYTVrp0x6OvfbETsjmRi5voIxx3I04n0v7sqh8jvGPUlzVi5I0bfb1xwhHcvdVXnIEbLWrCV5qgaN1WOpbtGh1NXIeyeIlS_nnTPPF_5HqHWFgn9t_eDhtDxP/s1600/pill-press-button.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Pill XL seems to have it all, it is just the missing volume-sync beteween the speaker and the bluetooth device where it falls short. You have 2 different volume controls to deal with, but I found that setting the speaker to the maximum volume and then controlling the volume from the player afterwards, didn't result in any unwanted processing artefacts. The sound of the Pill XL (control of bass-output, soft limiter etc) seems to be adjusted dynamically by analyzing the input and not so much dependent on the absolute level the speaker is set to, unlike Bose speakers where you can definitely hear a difference in sound if the speaker is set to highest level, while the player only plays at low volume.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOowToySqGUZs7hb02iPFnwSUlVEvd8sXYR7izegOXyLXydU2gvCN__joS6LZytS0SBttAAioDTZPyK7YtSEJyvYDA7guesl84Aik5DyFq6ExZU8qRT8MRdUcT_3jQ1LI_pEoHyHJm-hr/s1600/pill-battery-indicator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOowToySqGUZs7hb02iPFnwSUlVEvd8sXYR7izegOXyLXydU2gvCN__joS6LZytS0SBttAAioDTZPyK7YtSEJyvYDA7guesl84Aik5DyFq6ExZU8qRT8MRdUcT_3jQ1LI_pEoHyHJm-hr/s1600/pill-battery-indicator.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Pill XL has 35 dedicated volume-steps. Already the lowest step is kind of loud. If you want to make it even softer, you have to additionally turn the volume down on your Bluetooth device. The first volume step of the Pill XL has about the same loudness as 25% on the Bose Soundlink Mini, which might be already a bit too loud for some enviroments like an office etc.<br />At highest levels on the other hand you will hear a bit of hiss, and I also noticed some crackling sounds in the background independent of the volume the speaker is set to, which probably might be some Bluetooth relicts. The hiss goes only away, if you turn the speaker volume down completely.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdyUgCmJ8i1UPag6QNLHPwdoFAKj1jnWibOnfQ0Mefm_UzVpzt-H7qVqGnPget_tBvGMMqhkEOGfsScwN5HroTjMzOhi1_Eo_uqUIc9aCVsyVqXVgtEaqPI7I0_XmCExI99X883hV4hOR/s1600/pill-back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdyUgCmJ8i1UPag6QNLHPwdoFAKj1jnWibOnfQ0Mefm_UzVpzt-H7qVqGnPget_tBvGMMqhkEOGfsScwN5HroTjMzOhi1_Eo_uqUIc9aCVsyVqXVgtEaqPI7I0_XmCExI99X883hV4hOR/s1600/pill-back.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Quite annoying are the welcome-sounds, which are rather loud. When powering the Pill XL up, you will hear some sweep tone, if you successfully pair a Bluetooth device, you will hear another intrusive tone, which is much too loud for my taste. When Bluetooth connection is lost or cancelled, you will hear a similar tone equally loud. The power down tone is another sweep, sounding as if the speaker was running out of juice. Although all these tones might appear funky to some, I think a speaker doesn't need that kind of attention getters.<br />After 15 minutes without any input, the Pill XL will power down on its down, which it fortunately does completely silent, without any tone or other effects.<br /><br />I think the build quality and design of the Pill XL are both top notch. The speaker feels as it could take some treatment. Only the shiny part at the back could be a little scratch-resistant. But the buttons at the back are all hidden behind a rubber-coating, so that you can even press them with wet hands. The choice of putting them at the back might appear strange, because they are hard to reach, when the speaker is set up and ready to play, but holding it in your hands, the buttons seem to be placed just perfectly. <br />The metal mesh that surrounds half of the speaker makes a rugged impression, but I am not sure how scratch resistant the coating might be. Have a look at the funny detail how the round openings of the mesh grille become squashed at the side endings. Here you can also find some retractable holes at the side, where you can probably just plug in the shoulder-strap.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4vLvF0MI8y1XV_RHALP95b5L9UJl628PEQYCK7jzJD5SjSHspjAN3kyLvZp7xdVqxRF0cJtJhbXZ3yGiZ267MLRIcUub5Q1xXFX0S6zyy8Lmzxed1zF7BPdjKQW_dT3c7ue-3ab95lMM/s1600/pill-sidedetail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4vLvF0MI8y1XV_RHALP95b5L9UJl628PEQYCK7jzJD5SjSHspjAN3kyLvZp7xdVqxRF0cJtJhbXZ3yGiZ267MLRIcUub5Q1xXFX0S6zyy8Lmzxed1zF7BPdjKQW_dT3c7ue-3ab95lMM/s1600/pill-sidedetail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Also a pity that the Pill XL is only available in black so far. The small Pill version comes in many different colors, maybe Beats will offer some other colors for the XL version too, which is to hope for, because black is the most unthankful color outdoors when the sun is shining. <br />I would also welcome an additional carrying bag for the Pill XL especially when much outdoor use is intended. Perfect would be a bag with acoustically transparent materials, so that the speaker can be left inside for listening. Maybe Beats will come up with some suitable cover on their own, or some other second parties might even offer something depending on the popularity of the Pill XL.<br /><br />First thing you notice when you try the Beats Pill XL, how much volume this thing is able to produce. Although the sound becomes quite harsh at the highest level, it remains still nearly distortionfree with only some hints of dirtyness. When I tried the Beats Pill XL in a store side by side with some other speakers like the Bose Soundlink III, you could easily hear how much more powerful the Beats Pill XL was able to play without even having to crank it up that much. While the Bose Soundlink III was already struggling with most bass heavy songs at slightly higher levels due to dynamic compression artefacts and heavy bass-reduction, the Pill XL was just starting to warm up.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WdpKgO9jcRZ9w1lOPjPMFKC5JCnwH5qTU5o-n3N9vyhXUHW9IbKvITpjThXl08kr7x1rz-vSthjASKq4SeaieMjQB8t7pnEK7-5u8r1NLQCZxAW206LX2144r4JNzxyQYQSSvRfZte_q/s1600/pill-home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WdpKgO9jcRZ9w1lOPjPMFKC5JCnwH5qTU5o-n3N9vyhXUHW9IbKvITpjThXl08kr7x1rz-vSthjASKq4SeaieMjQB8t7pnEK7-5u8r1NLQCZxAW206LX2144r4JNzxyQYQSSvRfZte_q/s1600/pill-home.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />But once you take it home and try playing some known tunes at comfortable listening levels, you notice some deviations of what you usually are used to hear. The Beats Pill XL has some strangely sculpted frequency response, with some frequencies sounding as if they were processed through a comb-filter. The treble ist thin and can sometimes sound quite sharp, and bass is powerful but boomy, without much depth, and everything in-between is somewhat subdued or missing. <br />When comparing the Beats Pill XL directly to the Sonos Play:1 a similar sized or even smaller speaker that is known for its rather unbiased frequency response, you will notice that the Sonos Play:1 just sounds "right", while the Beats Pill XL sounds "off". Just when you turn the volume higher, the Play:1 will start to struggle, while the Beats Pill XL will remain brave nearly up to maximum, which is quite a bit louder than the Play:1 is manage to output. Also worth mentioning that the Pill XL is not very directional. Of course it sounds worse, when listened from an angle, but you can even listen to it from behind and still get an acceptable sound field, probably because of the exposed tweeters that are mounted at the sides aiming upwards.<br /><br />But for listening at comfortable levels, the Beats Pill XL is not a speaker that really sounds convincing. The biggest problem is bass, which is pretty punchy with lots of attack, but lacks any deep impact. Even a Bose Soundlink Mini manages to produce a more profound bass.<br />In fact only the passive radiator at the back seems to be responsible for all the low-frequency output, you won't hear much lows, when listening closely to the main drivers. And although it is only one single passive radiator, the speaker does not vibrate too much when compared to some other speakers I have tried which have the radiators mounted on one side only. You can definitely feel the vibration when holding the speaker in your hand but it doesn't dance around or rattle against the base.<br />Outdoors it helps positioning the Pill XL directly on the ground, as the bass will disperse better like that. If you have some wall, you can also try putting the back of the speaker close to it, so that all most frequency energy emited to the back will not be lost somewhere but reflected to the front again.<br /><br />When I compared both Pill XL and Soundlink Mini at lower levels, I was surprised the Beats Pill XL to really sound worse. It is not that the bass is missing, it is more the tuning of the bass which sounds as if someone was playing with an equalizer without knowing what he was doing. The Pill XL has already quite a strong roll-off in bass frequencies below 80Hz, while the Soundlink Mini will play down to about 60Hz.  In fact I think that the Beats Pill XL is really just suitable for particular genres, where you usually won't care about an uneven frequency response. House and Dancetracks sounded really cool with the Pill XL. You felt the need to turn it louder and louder, just because the sound became more enjoyable the louder it got! Most similar sized speakers just cannot keep up with the power of the Pill XL. They start sounding worse, the louder you turn them, the Soundlink Mini being the best example. It sounds perfectly balanced at levels between 40-60%, but starts to lose most of its impact at levels above 75%. When the Soundlink Mini is played at maximum you will get lots of dynamic compression and an overall sound where not much of the original bass has been left. The Pill XL can easily play twice as loud but still without any signs of obvious limiting or compression. Bass starts to get dialed back during the last 5 notches, but up till there everything remains fine.<br />I only ask myself, when do I need this power and volume? It is nice to know to really have this potential, but most of the time, I won't listen to music that loud. Outdoors is one scenario, where you really need higher volume. If you intend to use the speaker outdoors very often you need all the loudness the Pill XL can provide.<br /><br />I prepared one video that shows a comparison between the Beats Pill XL and the Bose Soundlink Mini at different volume levels. You will notice in the very first part the Soundlink Mini to sound fatter and rounder. The Pill XL has less mids and a more boomy sound. The Mini starts to lose its advantage from 60% and above, and playing at its top volume, the Pill XL still sounds the same as at lower levels, while the Soundlink Mini has lost all of its bass and strong dynamic compression kicked in. Up from there the Pill XL can still play twice as loud although you will hear that now treble become sharper, while bass is slightly reduced. But distortion is pretty well under control and no obvious peak limiting is noticeable.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xPnnX_I6iW0" width="853"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Of course I also wanted to know how the Pill XL will compete against the bigger Bose Soundlink Wireless Music System. In the first part you'll see the indoor comparison with the already known sample song. It is interesting to see how the Soundlink sounds considerably more natural than the Pill XL, which has a more restrained sound, while the Soundlink has considerably deeper reaching bass, and better definition in the mids.<br />The second part shows an outdoor comparison of both speakers. The Soundlink Wireless Music System is still one of the loudest speaker I have tried that compact. The Pill XL can reach about 70% of the Soundlink's volume. Both still sound rather clean at this level. The Bose can play quite a bit louder, but only at cost of stronger distortion and a much more compressed sound which is not that punchy as that from the Pill XL anymore. <br />Soundwise the Bose wins. It has a more mature and more serious sound, while being hardly bigger. It weights nearly 2kg, which makes it 1/4 heavier than the Pill XL, but thanks to the bass-reflex port at the back which acts as a handle it is nearly equally portable as the Pill XL. If you have a bag where the Pill XL fits in comfortably, the Soundlink Wireless Music System should also find place, as it is higher but overall rather slim.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/RMuIGrj9qI8?rel=0" width="853"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The Pill XL surely is an impressive speaker if the power and loudness are considered. But regarding overall sound quality, it rather disappoints to tell the truth. The sound has a boomy and unbalanced character. The biggest problems is bass, which doesn't reach overly deep. It packs some serious punch, but misses the depth and deepness of the much smaller Soundlink Mini, if listened at comfortable levels. Regarding loudness, nothing comes really close, except larger speakers like the Soundlink Wireless Music System, which remains one of the loudest I have tried, ableit with strong distortion and lots of dynamic compression at higher levels, while the Pill XL remains pretty clean even at top volume. But none of the speakers comparable in size costing the same or even more do seem to have any chance against the Pill XL. If you need the loudness and volume, you can only go with the Pill XL. Also feature wise it doesn't disappoint. I especially like the possibility to be able to pair 2 of them for a true wireless stereo solution. Not many speakers provide that option yet, especially not such serious ones. I like the Pill XL, but would have expected more fineness to the sound. Especially when not cranked much, the Pill XL sounds hardly any better than a TDK A33 for example. It is only when you start turning louder and louder until the TDK A33 reaches its limits, while the Pill XL should still have enough headroom for being able to play nearly twice as loud. If Beats tuned the Pill XL for a more natural sound, it would be definitely a no brainer. But there are better and smaller sounding portable speakers out there, even cheaper ones, albeit not that powerful or loud. I would willingly recommend the Pill XL as the ultimate portable boombox, but unfortunately the sound per se is not that impressive, it is just the power and loudness while still remaining distortionfree and full-bodied at highest levels that really makes the Pill XL stand out compared to the competition. <br /><div class="postContent"></div><div class="postFooterLeft"></div><br /><b>+ nice design, great build quality</b><br /><b>+ not too big, not too heavy</b><br /><b>+ convenient carrying handle </b><br /><b>+ lots of useful features (NFC, AptX, charging of external devices, auxiliary output)</b><br /><b>+ pairing of 2 speakers for true wireless stereo or double mode</b><br /><b>+ abilitiy to control track changes or hands-free directly from the speaker</b><br /><b>+ very loud (by far loudest in its class) </b><br /><b>+ verly long battery life, even at top volume up to 8 hours</b><br /><b>+ very dynamic sound, no obvious limiting or dynamic compression noticable, even at top volume</b><br /><b>+ nearly distortionfree at top volume</b><br /><b>+ healthy amount of bass (up to 85% no obvious bass reduction)</b><br /><b>+ treble not very directional</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>- shiny surface on the back might be prone to scratches</b><br /><b>- no cover or carrying bag available</b><br /><b>- quite sculpted and unnatural sound</b><br /><b>- bass boomy but not overly deep (roll-off below 80Hz already)</b><br /><b>- treble a bit harsh, especially on top volume</b><br /><b>- sound below average at low levels</b><br /><b>- a bit of hiss and crackling sounds hearable </b><br /><b>- loud status and welcome tones</b><br /><b>- only available in black </b></p>

When people were asking me for the overall best portable speaker I was already raving about the Beats Pill XL without even having heard it i...

First impressions: Beats Pill XL

<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZ_TTObYG9yymThfHbZW1QEhKub4yl5r5Yr1AMVazDJ8NEp4wr6KVX_6UjJlrp0l2BRK617fwgYvRM6YYP3NXqyNSokhiXNuBxHzEQYtV0iGfoj4HUq69qh4lH8vstrORNkqE1y0IgHx0/s1600/beatspillxl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfZ_TTObYG9yymThfHbZW1QEhKub4yl5r5Yr1AMVazDJ8NEp4wr6KVX_6UjJlrp0l2BRK617fwgYvRM6YYP3NXqyNSokhiXNuBxHzEQYtV0iGfoj4HUq69qh4lH8vstrORNkqE1y0IgHx0/s1600/beatspillxl1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Today during lunch I met my friend, who just received a Beats Pill XL as probable substitute for his IK Multimedia iLoud, after the iLoud started getting battery-problems with self discharge after one day without usage etc.<br /><br /><a name="more"></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjwQyN0CRUc31h7T8FEZ1bsnUddeKlH9ZCsY7_FHGTECc9b49bsSRkQQLhDJs5H4U32s_b_n15cksSH1jal-iAkDQcpMIB0hoXm9DYXEk1aY-eRX_am_n9neTSaik54925jRXll4GZgET/s1600/beatspillxl-back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsjwQyN0CRUc31h7T8FEZ1bsnUddeKlH9ZCsY7_FHGTECc9b49bsSRkQQLhDJs5H4U32s_b_n15cksSH1jal-iAkDQcpMIB0hoXm9DYXEk1aY-eRX_am_n9neTSaik54925jRXll4GZgET/s1600/beatspillxl-back.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />We didn't have much time for any torough test, but he also had his iLoud as reference and I took my Bose Soundlink Wireless Music System to have a direct comparison. As we only listened outside I cannot say how good the Beats Pill XL would sound indoors. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrVCafOtV-pSrjsimKxqyYXGkGwA7Vq1mJ4tOhV9Qw4Je9LqcAdhOnnp0drOf56oGegXwaYxW5x5l7wPy3qn2rkTsap-IdJAvs8YCtXYf16GPO-A0R3jfkjT_GOyRNB9t4lp3i8GJdUmu/s1600/iloud-bose-pill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrVCafOtV-pSrjsimKxqyYXGkGwA7Vq1mJ4tOhV9Qw4Je9LqcAdhOnnp0drOf56oGegXwaYxW5x5l7wPy3qn2rkTsap-IdJAvs8YCtXYf16GPO-A0R3jfkjT_GOyRNB9t4lp3i8GJdUmu/s1600/iloud-bose-pill.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />First of all, the Beats Pill XL is a funky speaker. As bad as the original small Beats Pill was, as good and impressive is the Beats Pill XL. The first you notice is the weight the speaker has. It doesn't feel cheap, it really gives the impression of high quality, except the gloss-finish on some parts, which makes the speaker look pretty dirty after some touches.<br />The volume controls are awkwardly placed at the back, but usually you won't need them often. The big lit Beats logo at the front also acts as control button for pausing or resuming music, skipping tracks, taking calls etc.<br />The Beats Pill XL even has some kind of retractable ports at the sides, which probably should take a strap for shoulder-wear. I am sure the strap will come as an <a href="http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aajh_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-beats-Site/Sites-beats-master-catalog-en/default/v1392844244902/images/large/speaker-pillxl-standard-strap-O.png" target="_blank">accessory</a>, as it wasn't included according to my friend. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_Qk9eNLIffw8_qcA1vVrDBzLbqEMgqfIjcOMAtiSppBDh2pyPYzeIxX4if4t0GBDB7NwyAhxVcYMGmWmijYGHa_HCAt6w86GXWibWxw_O99cr741boHatjyytNTYozq4ZJxAuaNZOhci/s1600/pill-bose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_Qk9eNLIffw8_qcA1vVrDBzLbqEMgqfIjcOMAtiSppBDh2pyPYzeIxX4if4t0GBDB7NwyAhxVcYMGmWmijYGHa_HCAt6w86GXWibWxw_O99cr741boHatjyytNTYozq4ZJxAuaNZOhci/s1600/pill-bose.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Beats Pill XL might be slightly bigger in overall volume than a Bose Soundlink III or TDK A33 for example, but it packs much more punch and power. Because of the round form factor it is still pretty packable and should find space in every bag or rucksack. Meanwhile I have heard lots of portable speaker that compact, but so far the Beats Pill XL seems to be the most powerful.<br /><br />Strangely enough we noticed that output and maximum volume varied depending on the device used. The Android phone of my friend seemed to play with a considerably lower volume than my own iPhone when connected through Bluetooth. Also audio seemed to be loudest when streaming through Bluetooth compared to aux-in, which seems to hint at a rather low-quality pre-amp or ADC.<br /><br />Apart from that the Beats Pill XL reached nearly the top volume of the already loud iLoud, but it played cleaner at full volume, with only very slight hints of distortion. The iLoud was slightly louder but it had to fight heavily with distortion and clipping.<br />The Beats Pill XL didn't reach the top volume of the Bose Soundlink Wireless Music System, but it didn't seem to compromise sound much at high levels, unlike the Bose which starts to compress heavily with strong distortion and dialed back bass at the same time. When the Bose was playing at acceptable distortion levels, the Beats could keep up pretty well, producing a similarly powerful and loud sound.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy24WbXSgzy2SZiAcRk0oJ1GKnGGSzcsPUhv4DcytecXyBNwrHWXATlQj4lxV0PqzOHZDlQO4dgF9u_58LqtviN5oyrm-ZLB1JycYopKTI7Df21VDn-yRlxVTAnKNl_D2D2qzJ9sySUWHm/s1600/pill-bose2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy24WbXSgzy2SZiAcRk0oJ1GKnGGSzcsPUhv4DcytecXyBNwrHWXATlQj4lxV0PqzOHZDlQO4dgF9u_58LqtviN5oyrm-ZLB1JycYopKTI7Df21VDn-yRlxVTAnKNl_D2D2qzJ9sySUWHm/s1600/pill-bose2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I didn't notice much bass-decrease at high levels as sound remained bass-heavy and dynamic up to top volume, but the sound was especially thick at medium volumes, easily beating the iLoud in overall fullness. The iLoud might sound clearer and more natural, the Beats Pill XL has more of a sculpted sound, but it doesn't sound bad at all. Depending on the genre, this might be an advantage, especially for dance music or R'n'B or Hiphop. The Beats Pill has more upper bass than the Bose for example, and it has clearer treble. Also noticable are somewhat subdued mids when directly compared to both the iLoud or the Bose. The Bose had the deepest bass playing down to about 50Hz and even slightly lower. The Pill XL seemed to have the passive radiator tuned at about 60Hz, below there was hardly any output. As there are is no bass-reflex port bass seemed even cleaner and more powerful than on the Bose or iLoud, because any possible port noise was completely missing. I also noticed quite good treble dispersion, the Beats Pill XL seemed to be less directional than the others.<br /><br />With all the available features (Apt-X, NFC, stereo pairing of 2 speakers, charging of external devices) the Beats Pill XL might be one of the best choices if one looks for a powerful but still pretty portable speaker. The Beats Pill XL doesn't reach the power of a Klipsch KMC-3 for example or even bigger boomboxes, but it easily beats all comparably sized rivals I have heard so far.<br />If you don't need that sheer power, the much smaller Bose Soundlink Mini might still be an interesting choice. Up to its limits it should be able to keep up in sound quality with the Pill XL, maybe even beating it at lowest levels, where the Beats Pill XL seemed to sound a bit thin, at least from the short impression I had outdoors.<br /><br />I really liked the Beats Pill XL and if I was in the market for that kind of speaker, it would be definitely on top of my list, outperforming most similarly priced alternatives like the Bose Soundlink III, Loewe speaker2go, Big Jambox etc... </p>

Today during lunch I met my friend, who just received a Beats Pill XL as probable substitute for his IK Multimedia iLoud, after the iLoud st...