Review: AudioActiv Vault LS waterproof case for Soundlink Mini

<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqusVyaN8FKBeRoNhkSSW_JdGIj9FnarxFiiMovMFv6h1ELvv-rKqLhmu_oKS-fkXrGW_j1BnKRDzYHShq7O2SQHyDOOGJZ2-G8lhcjKRWcEO594xqfHEdYqjyDDAF5tTxp2LTA8lDLaUW/s1600/case-title0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqusVyaN8FKBeRoNhkSSW_JdGIj9FnarxFiiMovMFv6h1ELvv-rKqLhmu_oKS-fkXrGW_j1BnKRDzYHShq7O2SQHyDOOGJZ2-G8lhcjKRWcEO594xqfHEdYqjyDDAF5tTxp2LTA8lDLaUW/s1600/case-title0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.audioactiv.com/" target="_blank">AudioActiv</a> asked me if I was interested in testing their Vault series waterproof speaker case and sent me one for the Soundlink Mini.<br />I was looking forward to trying it out, because I use the Soundlink Mini quite regularly also near the pool when swimming, so it could be nice to either have the speaker finally protected somehow against splashes, or even take it directly into the water for an even better and more immersive sound experience.<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/AVvXsEiBMwA3Olo4OPCihLdd93GXUAAEoS8j0VOzaC57jkGtaFG_pwOz-9dFpIn-EAEwr7KhRJI9u5rILuVobTfPJ1_NR0SOvybi5-KK1spmXHlCyOa1PyyjrUEMaFV00BrlQeqwrhmTz7q95XNf/s1600/series1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMwA3Olo4OPCihLdd93GXUAAEoS8j0VOzaC57jkGtaFG_pwOz-9dFpIn-EAEwr7KhRJI9u5rILuVobTfPJ1_NR0SOvybi5-KK1spmXHlCyOa1PyyjrUEMaFV00BrlQeqwrhmTz7q95XNf/s1600/series1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhYFOdObmjRsTEKT-tUsY-pGHDU10noQ25mCP_rltpxaQs01kTwgNrPRbyVnhGmUzYyheiHQ2dXsR3bXyAHG16i5DpE88BjEr7NjrZtJ6wsFQq0s7AT6slajCbaNJNHHR5Xe0Q79pi2WK/s1600/series2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdhYFOdObmjRsTEKT-tUsY-pGHDU10noQ25mCP_rltpxaQs01kTwgNrPRbyVnhGmUzYyheiHQ2dXsR3bXyAHG16i5DpE88BjEr7NjrZtJ6wsFQq0s7AT6slajCbaNJNHHR5Xe0Q79pi2WK/s1600/series2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yzF3PEHim7qBpH12Z1gJcaFUhORgtJp2OuHWoZ-SN9tyd0gOh8pEOjoadTB-HKX0XJpveQW_8mVYTWt2hFoPmA9IOXmUM9GSMOC_pKrP4J8pyNJgHT6XQiOZ_PDBPJHOB84NdRzyrofN/s1600/series3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9yzF3PEHim7qBpH12Z1gJcaFUhORgtJp2OuHWoZ-SN9tyd0gOh8pEOjoadTB-HKX0XJpveQW_8mVYTWt2hFoPmA9IOXmUM9GSMOC_pKrP4J8pyNJgHT6XQiOZ_PDBPJHOB84NdRzyrofN/s1600/series3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />        Here a first short demonstration video:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/M9NcF4mVyeY?rel=0" width="853"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I sometimes already tried taking the original Jambox with me into the pool and placed it on the mattress right beside me. With the passive radiator facing the mattress directly bass could be reinforced to some more impressive levels, the mattress acting like an additional resonator. But I was always afraid the Jambox (not even worth half of the asked 199 by then) could fall into the water, when I wasn't careful enough, therefore I haven't dared to try such experiments with the Soundlink Mini yet.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwU3bUg3pEI9GPJPuZLRitjgSpkxG9riQNEJqdBsqxEutfxNyGkLwBWkFFRq_dVL_H85lvFqs2xi1ojjnvnSpNLI1AhJI_b-gb5KfCAyW9JGDb8qp3cjg32vDa5XA4DVT8bw9YJ8XKUttc/s1600/soundlink-mini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwU3bUg3pEI9GPJPuZLRitjgSpkxG9riQNEJqdBsqxEutfxNyGkLwBWkFFRq_dVL_H85lvFqs2xi1ojjnvnSpNLI1AhJI_b-gb5KfCAyW9JGDb8qp3cjg32vDa5XA4DVT8bw9YJ8XKUttc/s1600/soundlink-mini.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />Meanwhile another unexptected source of danger is my dear little son who seems to be even more interested in my speakers than I am. But he is still pretty clumsy and tends to drop them sometimes and I am pretty sure he would also like to test how the Soundlink Mini might sound under water. For that reason I thought the AudioActiv case would be a welcome aid to keep the gadgets alive, without the need of forbidding him to use them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWucVcZ_3Bxeyrpunt_Rshy5DTVHbrezIrOINOyM0_TJ2Qo5O6mw4b20HY7xuuXBZf-ZBcC5K6wZd90aJff4KsLgIsf8fZEPF9oDf6pcltXGDNTWkgOQTSGyD9si5AQ4oQz4f4PnOMnZE/s1600/case-open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWucVcZ_3Bxeyrpunt_Rshy5DTVHbrezIrOINOyM0_TJ2Qo5O6mw4b20HY7xuuXBZf-ZBcC5K6wZd90aJff4KsLgIsf8fZEPF9oDf6pcltXGDNTWkgOQTSGyD9si5AQ4oQz4f4PnOMnZE/s1600/case-open.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The cases from AudioActiv are available in various sizes and it seems they are available in either black or white, mine came in black, although for outdoor use I would definitely choose the white one. The biggest model should be able to accomodate the BIG Jambox, and it has also the right openings to fit a Soundlink II or III beside some place for the mobile phone etc.<br />Before ordering your case, you should make sure to select that one which fits your speaker.<br />Although the cases for the Soundlink Mini and Jambox are pretty much equal, the inlays inside are prepared to be used with the correspondent speaker. The inlays are made of a conventional foam material and are very accurately fitting. I managed to fit the Sony SRS-X2 inside the case with some force, but the bigger SRS-X3 wouldn't fit before cutting the holes within the foam inlays bigger.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusjHkPg_3kJfnvL7RsFn3ueb3G5FUIgyQ4IMlJ0JF6_QODocoOxLpmhdJwo6T7XLFQmfAVcCt_TzngUKQ_UF4t7R7IGYuo_KhUUBB_zTXRQNwfG5Z1tcL2ekAonubGwCRq2fHf9PNG2Od/s1600/case-carry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgusjHkPg_3kJfnvL7RsFn3ueb3G5FUIgyQ4IMlJ0JF6_QODocoOxLpmhdJwo6T7XLFQmfAVcCt_TzngUKQ_UF4t7R7IGYuo_KhUUBB_zTXRQNwfG5Z1tcL2ekAonubGwCRq2fHf9PNG2Od/s1600/case-carry.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />The build quality of the case gives a pretty tough impression. The interior is padded so that a Soundlink Mini should be pretty safe inside even when dropped. There are holes at the front and the back of the case, where I first thought they would allow water to enter, but behind the holes you can see a thin membrane when looking close. This membrane should be acoustically transparent and is called AudioClear by AudioActiv. Let's see later if this membrane compromises audio quality in some way, or if it is rather negligible.<br />The AudioActiv cases are equipped with different lugs at the sides and at the top, to either use them with some strap or maybe even allow tethering to other objects or whatever.<br /><br />In order to use the case there is not much to do, just open the case as you would do with a suitcase, place your speaker inside and close the case again. For testing if it is waterproof according to the included manual you should submerge it under water for 20 seconds and look inside afterwards if everything is still dry.<br />The AudioActiv Vault cases do float and they are waterproof to some degree, but shouldn't be submerged deeper than 30cm. The case is not meant for keeping the speaker inside the water permanently, but rather to keep the speaker protected in case it falls inside or gets some unwanted splashes.<br /><br />I tested the case with the Soundlink Mini inside and let it float around in the pool for several minutes and the speaker remained completely dry. Later I put a cheap no-name speaker inside that I bought especially for my son and kept it inside for the rest of the day. My son was playing with the case, taking it into his baby-pool, splashing it with the hosepipe etc, finally when I took out the speaker afterwards it was quite humid, so be careful to use the case advisedly.<br />I think that applying some kind of vaseline and lube the rubber seal might also help making the case tighter. I remember when I was trying an underwater camera-case for the first time, there was a similar oily medium included in order to apply it to the seals.<br /><br />You can see in the following video how my son already took possession of the speaker. Thanks to the case, I could let him play the whole day with it without fear he might damage something.  <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/8OI8IN7wnoc?rel=0" width="853"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />What about sound?<br />To tell the truth, there is indeed quite a difference in sound depending if the speaker is inside the case or not. Unfortunately the Bose Soundlink Mini doesn't seem to be a good match for the AudioActiv case soundwise. It is already pretty muffled and directional, but when inside the case the sound suffers even more, becoming really dull and mid-pronounced. As there is some additional distance added from the speaker grille to the case-openings, the sound seems to become even more focused and makes the speaker hardly audible from the side, except if some serious treble boost is added.<br />I tried measuring the sound of the Soundlink Mini inside the case and outside, and as you can see from the frequency response graph, the treble already starts being compromised above 3kHz when played from inside and remains entirely below the original curve with a treble-decrease up to -10dB.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeSkN53UbdKItiezvfNmVrde-w6vepuz5ztLtEQGlFlvpFK17FJa5YQn-ROg-S42vF-9kVm-8MTRopmFEHnKQ1bBmCdPTpbmwOb63-dqFBoh8hl8z153btuJ1_UxB46OtC-4lVrt41W4D/s1600/frequency-response-both.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCeSkN53UbdKItiezvfNmVrde-w6vepuz5ztLtEQGlFlvpFK17FJa5YQn-ROg-S42vF-9kVm-8MTRopmFEHnKQ1bBmCdPTpbmwOb63-dqFBoh8hl8z153btuJ1_UxB46OtC-4lVrt41W4D/s1600/frequency-response-both.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I also prepared a video where you can hopefully hear the change in sound:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1fzVV4OOBVg" width="853"></iframe> </div><br />I even tried other speakers inside the case that would still fit into the original Soundlink Mini inlays. The Sony SRS-X2 for example sounded considerably more acceptable as it has very clear treble to begin with. It didn't vibrate that much inside the case either, which made the overall sound more pleasant listening to, while the Soundlink Mini sounded too heavy and buzzing when inside.<br />Also the JBL Flip sounded nice and within the case suddenly didn't give such a tinny impression anymore, probably because the capacity of the case seemed to add a little bit of resonance at lower frequencies.<br />I would have loved to try the Sony SRS-X3 with the case too, as it is my favorite portable speaker right now, but didn't want to damage the case by cutting the original inlays. I am quite sure the SRS-X3 would sound pretty good. By enabling the additional "sound"-mode it should sound clear enough to make it sound still acceptable from inside.<br /><br />Apart from the obvious change in sound, I didn't notice any side-effects on Bluetooth reach etc. The speakers still had a similar reception when inside the case. But you have to bear in mind, that when intended to be used with the case, the speaker cannot be operated that easily anymore. You have to turn on the speaker first, do Bluetooth pairing, set the volume on the speaker to a high enough level, so that you can still lower it from your streaming device and then close the case and forget about it. If you want to change some setting on the speaker later, you must open the case each time.<br /><br />I think AudioActiv made some pretty useful and unique cases if one necessarily needs the protection for his speaker. I am only afraid that the Soundlink Mini might not be the best choice to be used with the case, as the sound will change too much for the worse. But the AudioActiv cases should sound more acceptable with other speakers that have an overall clearer and less bommy sound. I don't like the added bulk and would have preferred a smaller case, better customized to the size of each speaker. But this would probably increase the price even more. I am not sure that many are willing to spend about 60$ (or even more for the larger models) for a simple speaker-case.<br />I would also welcome additional and exchangeable inlays to be bought separately. One could buy a single case and just add the needed inlays, in order to make the same case usable with different speakers.<br />Apart from that there is not much to complain about. Let's just hope AudioActiv will extend sale of their cases to the European market as well!<br /><br /><br /><b>+ easy and hassle-free usage </b><br /><b>+ perfect fit for the Soundlink Mini</b><br /><b>+ thanks to high quality build the speaker inside becomes shock-resistant to some degree</b><br /><b>+ good protection against water, dust, dirt...</b><br /><b>+ floats on water</b><br /><b>+ no side effects on Bluetooth reach</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>- makes the speaker quite a bit chunky</b><br /><b>- sound is compromised above 3kHz quite much</b><br /><b>- speaker cannot be operated when inside the case</b><br /><b>- might be too expensive for some</b></p>

AudioActiv asked me if I was interested in testing their Vault series waterproof speaker case and sent me one for the Soundlink Mini. I was...

Speaker news and rumors: BoLse, Audio Dynamix and Fugoo

<p>"BOLSE", yeah right, Bose but with an "L" contacted me recently, if I would like to test their <a href="http://www.hifi-forum.de/redirect/go.php?goURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FDefinition-Bluetooth-Technology-Play-time-Speakerphone%2Fdp%2FB00LIADN96%2Fref%3Dsr_1_cc_1%3Fs%3Daps%26ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1404421527%26sr%3D1-1-catcorr%26keywords%3Dbluetooth%2Bspeakers%2C%2BB00LIADN96" target="_blank">newest speaker</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8eNxwEUhip6Zp69CmUhyTYrycCl0xF-JUoPQkaZ2BM_eZsyJlE9V9gYBpelgt_3H5sjfUoICeFtw4_P02NtpAiDU1_AOBDbv5Jc_fKnU8K1nHIsw1dI-FW9wktUQuuYEaGFjpNXmg2pR/s1600/bolse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8eNxwEUhip6Zp69CmUhyTYrycCl0xF-JUoPQkaZ2BM_eZsyJlE9V9gYBpelgt_3H5sjfUoICeFtw4_P02NtpAiDU1_AOBDbv5Jc_fKnU8K1nHIsw1dI-FW9wktUQuuYEaGFjpNXmg2pR/s1600/bolse.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><a name="more"></a><br />After some research and incidentally reading in a German HiFi-forum about a similar speaker which (according to the owner, who already ordered one from <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Audio-The-Rechargeable-Pulse-compatible-Silver/dp/B00JFD8D20" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk</a>) should sound better than the Soundlink Mini while being cheaper, I noticed that the Audio Dynamix Pulse, and the mysterious Bose-speaker but with an L seem both to be exactly the same thing (expect the different branding of course):<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIhYEKnI_imMKp3wUhj0NKJqoWMJamwQfPOvkovdVc_8phBT_GGkioz1yfPC5tV1Phf3ky2vCJw01motB1J85o0C1VP1F-WC4s508YINgdUrRpDYiwWJc913lp8k69vuZ3sjYUsqScMT8/s1600/audiodynamix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIhYEKnI_imMKp3wUhj0NKJqoWMJamwQfPOvkovdVc_8phBT_GGkioz1yfPC5tV1Phf3ky2vCJw01motB1J85o0C1VP1F-WC4s508YINgdUrRpDYiwWJc913lp8k69vuZ3sjYUsqScMT8/s1600/audiodynamix.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />There is no single negative review on <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00JFD8D20/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk</a> about the Audio Dynamix Pulse and many compare it to the Soundlink Mini prasing it for comparable or even better sound. Even Audio Dynamix introduce the speaker <a href="http://audiodynamix.co.uk/the-pulse-2" target="_blank">on their site</a> with the following phrase:<br /><b><i>"The Pulse is our answer to the Bose Soundlink mini"</i></b><br /><br />If the Bolse speaker is really the same it should be quite a bargain costing just 59$ thus making it probably the best all-around value among portable speakers, provided that the rumors about quality of sound are true at all. The British Audio Dynamix version costs quite a bit more and is listed with 90<span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">�, which would make it more than twice as expensive. Maybe Audio Dynamix tuned their version better, or included some more advanced DSP, or better drivers, I cannot say for certain without having heard both in person. </span></span><br /><br /><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">I already replied to Bolse that I would willingly love to prepare a review of their speaker and do some audio comparisons as well, but I am not sure if they are really about to ship this speaker to Europe. I will keep you updated. </span></span><br /><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">Meanwhile I also conacted Audio Dynamix, if they would like to provide me a review sample as shipping from Britain should be possible more easily. </span></span><br /><span id="actualPriceValue"><b class="priceLarge"><br /></b></span><span id="actualPriceValue"><b class="priceLarge"><br /></b></span><span id="actualPriceValue"><b class="priceLarge"><br /></b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.androidheadlines.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Fugoo-Style-Cutaway-Labeled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.androidheadlines.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Fugoo-Style-Cutaway-Labeled.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">Another speaker worth mentioning, although in a higher price-range is the <a href="http://www.fugoo.com/" target="_blank">Fugoo Bluetooth</a> speaker. I was already following Fugoo since the beginning as their speaker seemed to include nearly all points of <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2013/01/der-perfekte-portable-lautsprecher-eine.html" target="_blank">my original wishlist for a perfect portable speaker</a> and I think this is one of the most interesting outdoor speakers on the market right now, have a look at <a href="http://youtu.be/tdpFDM16v24?t=2m52s" target="_blank">this video</a>, what the guy does to the poor little speaker. My Bose Soundlink Mini already got scratched without even having touched it!</span></span><br /><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge"><br /></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3k20EaKBKVcHusevtkzZpJVyB8kKiSCK-_cQKzoNlfO-5xIrfNNHZW0Kpetdy0TH-bOrAguGKDSP6VsJk7MiO_inXlkzwDGnsfdkPP7MDMAUxzWKxQ2R5qqA3zZI9KGPgZ2vCRiu645T0/s1600/fugoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3k20EaKBKVcHusevtkzZpJVyB8kKiSCK-_cQKzoNlfO-5xIrfNNHZW0Kpetdy0TH-bOrAguGKDSP6VsJk7MiO_inXlkzwDGnsfdkPP7MDMAUxzWKxQ2R5qqA3zZI9KGPgZ2vCRiu645T0/s1600/fugoo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge"><br /></span></span><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">The Fugoo is small, rugged, waterproof, has exchangeable "jackets", an incredible battery life of 40 hours, and thanks to its 6 drivers </span></span><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge"><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">spread to all sides</span></span> including 2 passive radiators it should provide a full-bodied omnidirectional 360� sound, something completely missing from most portable speakers, which are extremely directional most of the time.</span></span><br /><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">Initially there seem to have been some problems with maximum volume, but with the latest firmware this should be sorted out according to Fugoo as the speaker has an additional new "loud"-mode now.</span></span><br /><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">Currently Fugoo speakers are only available in the US, but the CEO of Fugoo recently mentioned their speakers should come to the European market within the next 3 months. </span><span class="priceLarge">As I didn't want to wait for that long, I felt free to contact him asking cheekily for a review sample. He actually already responded to think about it first...</span></span><br /><br /><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge"><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge">As you can probably see from this photo quite well, </span></span>I think the Fugoo is also one of the most esthetic speakers I have seen so far </span></span><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge"><img alt="Laut lachender Smilie " border="0" src="http://www.hifi-forum.de/images/smilies/4.gif" />:</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.gadgetmac.com/storage/product-images/Fugoo-Sport-Beach2.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1401353489796" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="http://www.gadgetmac.com/storage/product-images/Fugoo-Sport-Beach2.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1401353489796" width="640" /></a></div><span id="actualPriceValue"><span class="priceLarge"> </span><b class="priceLarge"><br /></b></span></p>

"BOLSE", yeah right, Bose but with an "L" contacted me recently, if I would like to test their newest speaker : After so...

Review: Sony SRS-X3 - The Bose Soundlink Mini killer?

<p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNanq3wFm3vAYH5l-16nxbYRyU2rg6REcvar5-qpVdXCQXPMRscq9ln0toaSb1YEh3hgVM3ZEGSEltu1LX3cIkCEq4uWs91phyheo-FXk0rsLkXhG9zx96UdT3aNELV8oD4cjPCnF74q3i/s1600/title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNanq3wFm3vAYH5l-16nxbYRyU2rg6REcvar5-qpVdXCQXPMRscq9ln0toaSb1YEh3hgVM3ZEGSEltu1LX3cIkCEq4uWs91phyheo-FXk0rsLkXhG9zx96UdT3aNELV8oD4cjPCnF74q3i/s1600/title.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Happy Birthday to my Soundlink Mini, as it will be exactly one year ago to the day that it made me 200 bucks poorer, when I carried it out from the Bose store. As much as I had used it over the time and thought it would be my last portable speaker bringing my search for the perfect portable speaker finally to an end, instead everything seems to have started again from the beginning.<br /><br /><a name="more"></a>Although I still really like the Soundlink Mini even after one year, I was never completely satisfied with it. I liked the deep and pronounced bass of it, but I hated the restrained treble response, which unnecessarily was also very directional at the same time making the Soundlink Mini sound boomy and muffled when not positioned well all the time.<br />For a portable speaker this is quite a limitation because you cannot put it just beside you on the ground, when outside with friends sitting on the lawn somewhere, as it will sound boomy and dull at the same time. Put it on some elvated position and aim it directly towards you, and it should be fine though, but dare moving around...<br /><br />During this year I porbably tested more different speakers, than I did before owning the Soundlink Mini. So far nothing really came close in overall performance. Some other speakers might have been even louder like the UE Boom, but the overall sound quality rather resembled that of a kitchen radio, not a fully grown up speaker. I am sure if Bose didn't come up with the Soundlink Mini, all portable speakers would still sound like clock-radios or Jamboxes and companies would still be asking premium prices for their toy-speakers, like Beats is still trying to rip-off customers with their small Pill.<br /><br />The Klipsch GiG that I <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2014/06/review-klipsch-gig-first-real-bose.html" target="">reviewed</a> recently, seemed to be one of the few real alternatives to the Soundlink Mini, but it was still far from impressive. Now Sony had announced the SRS-X3 just when I was testing the larger SRS-X5 reviewed <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2014/07/review-sony-srs-x5-vs-denon-envaya.html">here</a>. As the X3 was claimed to keep its full 20 Watts of power from battery as well, my hope was, that it might come close to the X5 performance wise despite missing the extra woofer of the SRS-X5 and being nearly half as small. It took some time to compare the SRS-X3 extensively to the Soundlink Mini and the larger SRS-X5, so here we go: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpph-uXAWFwwRXdDhSGFw4XLkWEaFLhkQD52o69ZVDb6sUsId34UmkTEucwoT1YrEVOsSnQKSCfLVtyHaxcU89LiyUFr9O-xzZ_xdbZQzciQuzgFePLPqUa2hoxZRLmksfH_aAaRHjsLM1/s1600/x3x5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpph-uXAWFwwRXdDhSGFw4XLkWEaFLhkQD52o69ZVDb6sUsId34UmkTEucwoT1YrEVOsSnQKSCfLVtyHaxcU89LiyUFr9O-xzZ_xdbZQzciQuzgFePLPqUa2hoxZRLmksfH_aAaRHjsLM1/s1600/x3x5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />It seems that Sony finally managed to beat Bose in some aspects, but Bose still seems to have the edge when some other details are considered. If you are in the market for a compact portable speaker which doesn't fall short of delivering a full-range sound despite the small size, I want to show you why and when you should choose the Sony SRS-X3 over the Bose Soundlink Mini and vice versa.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2civtRftbCkNje4D1nOeLfqnBfCNNAQ9DOyoqjIWn0rVGVYE5m0d2VmETkIxwRmR-lG4tfGJW8MwhF8iqq1zZQpJNxrUBJ9BBoglxsdjDCVCzZOqzbbJA8oVqIeYy27pbnCZ4l5ucbYd/s1600/x3-mini2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4Vh9sjsbJNTYW5T90HR7ipEw50dZLzXAr-SCSTIgGGUhRaceF0YgMnF0N4GKU1v8hFO7uHJJDUxgqkWu62oBOPRxynT2UUBOfF608Gp0C3jOtDqOTnuuw-BxECYRzNhr5A5Z5D2qN5b5/s1600/x3-mini1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4Vh9sjsbJNTYW5T90HR7ipEw50dZLzXAr-SCSTIgGGUhRaceF0YgMnF0N4GKU1v8hFO7uHJJDUxgqkWu62oBOPRxynT2UUBOfF608Gp0C3jOtDqOTnuuw-BxECYRzNhr5A5Z5D2qN5b5/s1600/x3-mini1.jpg" width="400" /></a><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2civtRftbCkNje4D1nOeLfqnBfCNNAQ9DOyoqjIWn0rVGVYE5m0d2VmETkIxwRmR-lG4tfGJW8MwhF8iqq1zZQpJNxrUBJ9BBoglxsdjDCVCzZOqzbbJA8oVqIeYy27pbnCZ4l5ucbYd/s1600/x3-mini2.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br />The Sony SRS-X3 is slightly bigger overall than the Soundlink Mini. It has nearly the same length and about the same thickness, but it is slightly higher. The differences are not huge, but you might notice it when trying to put it inside your trousers-pocket, while I managed easily with the Soundlink Mini, it probably won't be possible with the Sony because of its thickness. Nevertheless it seems as if Sony was trying to match the X3 as close to the Soundlink Mini as possible, the Soundlink Mini being the one which has to be beaten.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqpM4it7jo_Nkfy5frkgujSugf725SZLMiAvuALpu6Oe1fbZ11BNRQkVMQkyHmoMGPBpPSmiJq6oAYM0D39aKcDBUXq0MqlEh4U8O_ipFirqB0-UzvMaUtVRhTWeEsMu5hy4HhtrnvL3K/s1600/outdoor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqpM4it7jo_Nkfy5frkgujSugf725SZLMiAvuALpu6Oe1fbZ11BNRQkVMQkyHmoMGPBpPSmiJq6oAYM0D39aKcDBUXq0MqlEh4U8O_ipFirqB0-UzvMaUtVRhTWeEsMu5hy4HhtrnvL3K/s1600/outdoor.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Sony design is minimalistic and elegant at the same time. The speaker will look equally good outdoors, when put on a lawn, and it should also look good in your living room on a shelf. What it misses though is the premium feel you get from the Soundlink Mini. The Sony just feels like a portable speaker, while with the Bose you have the impression of holding something expensive in your hand.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKlytT-z7e4Um4BnUa9vc3lmICI2Vl0kK-1yMSfl_-xVSRsAwPYaot1cZSm4MfdKwhm2hjh5rIR3DV4nsdcqvetibCkKZkx3O3lAZiyPyqgEwyTlEeoE_41kqFxUTM4u8EfYKr-p2_8Cr/s1600/sonos-sony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKlytT-z7e4Um4BnUa9vc3lmICI2Vl0kK-1yMSfl_-xVSRsAwPYaot1cZSm4MfdKwhm2hjh5rIR3DV4nsdcqvetibCkKZkx3O3lAZiyPyqgEwyTlEeoE_41kqFxUTM4u8EfYKr-p2_8Cr/s1600/sonos-sony.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />Especially the bottom thin plastic base of the Sony leaves a very cheap impression, it feels pretty hollow when knocking against it. Also squeezing the body slightly with your hands, might result in some crackling as it yields slightly under pressure. I also noticed some slight resonance with the enclosure on the Sony when playing deep bass notes which went away after squeezing the speaker a bit. It was nothing serious, but I never experienced that with the Bose as it has a massive aluminium body. Only the grille is quite sensitive on the Bose and scratches pretty easily. Not sure how resistant the Sony is in this regard.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4uHk9oq-iwbG1BzNucA6MYbul8JGR80-T8auWSV8-zGicz1A1UR7m8e6E42NMaOSGqMvvXthBQHx1ZE3hiYNQpek5mpV0_O689DDKoObUA-53FscrZOoMEaOkA5bdIhWEiDwTTRXxBhf/s1600/x3-top.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4uHk9oq-iwbG1BzNucA6MYbul8JGR80-T8auWSV8-zGicz1A1UR7m8e6E42NMaOSGqMvvXthBQHx1ZE3hiYNQpek5mpV0_O689DDKoObUA-53FscrZOoMEaOkA5bdIhWEiDwTTRXxBhf/s1600/x3-top.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Apart from the plastic base and the metal grille the rest of the body is covered by some rubber-coating, including all the buttons at the top, which is a good thing, because it seems as if the Sony could also be operated with wet hands, without being afraid of moisture entering some slit.<br />I am only a bit concerned about the rubber coating, because so far I had made rather bad experiences with such kind of coatings. The Tivoli PAL which was also rubber covered nearly lost all of it at the edges, the same was the case with my Panasonic G1 camera where the rubber-skin started to peel off on many spots pretty soon.<br /><br />The edges on the Sony are rounded, which not only makes the design of the speaker more appealing but according to Sony this should also avoid any diffraction of sound.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VykqQqCredsWUEeLUv7IMW4h6QdF4B5xxueSnbZMCVxwdP_LCE5T5-AySlB-IFAR9jRlISY_Bh51baNiCeJ0XMkNiJ7Lk3dNlAgR_oKY8wfFTTeFttxTCKGcPWYZ618lMPg3PHYeSCmt/s1600/sony-edges.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VykqQqCredsWUEeLUv7IMW4h6QdF4B5xxueSnbZMCVxwdP_LCE5T5-AySlB-IFAR9jRlISY_Bh51baNiCeJ0XMkNiJ7Lk3dNlAgR_oKY8wfFTTeFttxTCKGcPWYZ618lMPg3PHYeSCmt/s1600/sony-edges.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Sony SRS-X3 comes only with an own USB-Charger and a micro USB cable, no other accesories are included. Yes, it can be charged directly from USB, something many were complaining about with the Bose, which needs its proprietary 12V charger. But the Bose has its charging cradle, which I personally find very useful, as I just have to put it into the cradle without any hassle with wires and trying to fit them into the small port.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp0x15rJU14cfL6WP44aIGKgGNPC3hICjb8DxJDBETz0pqLUPCZ_YNIJmh8xvcT5u1Agml5EiZQvUPI1ntBHCu85pN99GVPod5MX7O2nxiJsrCrAZBsBZdiofODwGqOKihj2hxybkl8Ly/s1600/x3-back.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp0x15rJU14cfL6WP44aIGKgGNPC3hICjb8DxJDBETz0pqLUPCZ_YNIJmh8xvcT5u1Agml5EiZQvUPI1ntBHCu85pN99GVPod5MX7O2nxiJsrCrAZBsBZdiofODwGqOKihj2hxybkl8Ly/s1600/x3-back.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu4uHk9oq-iwbG1BzNucA6MYbul8JGR80-T8auWSV8-zGicz1A1UR7m8e6E42NMaOSGqMvvXthBQHx1ZE3hiYNQpek5mpV0_O689DDKoObUA-53FscrZOoMEaOkA5bdIhWEiDwTTRXxBhf/s1600/x3-top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />Charging takes about 3-4 hours, although it says 5 hours in the manual. Unfortunately you cannot listen to music during charging, as the speaker is only charged when off. This is probably because of the low 5V USB-voltage which won't be able to power both the speaker and charge the battery at the same time. I am not sure how much I can trust the charging-electronics, but the Soundlink Mini for example won't charge if it is already charged, while when the SRS-X3 finishes charging and you attach it afterwards, it will again start charging for about 5 mintues. You can try this several times one after the other, and I wonder if the battery will be charged to 150% then? <strike>I also doubt the battery can be exchanged as I haven't found any screws, maybe they are underneath the rubber-feet wich are permanently glued to the base. I really hope the battery is of high quality, as the Sony might otherwise become an overpriced paperweight soon.</strike>  See update below, with a photo of the battery!<strike><br /></strike><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNqaedVql9T8hmtM9Z9Bq6W5jz3-tH6xNBQ0zLhyphenhyphenkwfD3M57AmTFI30XyoDeSgNagNbWLqEh7MHx0LbttE0swanILHJhM-iqm1UV2cuaCcBPN-P3lum5YDtaOQIW4CCda_Na0kKcH_BHu/s1600/sony-bottom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNqaedVql9T8hmtM9Z9Bq6W5jz3-tH6xNBQ0zLhyphenhyphenkwfD3M57AmTFI30XyoDeSgNagNbWLqEh7MHx0LbttE0swanILHJhM-iqm1UV2cuaCcBPN-P3lum5YDtaOQIW4CCda_Na0kKcH_BHu/s1600/sony-bottom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Update: Thanks to Joachim from a German Hifi-Forum who took the risk to remove the glued rubber-feet, there are indeed screws below, if the bottom-plate is removed the battery becomes exposed and looks like this. Each cell is 67mm long with 18mm diameter, which would hint on 2 18650 cells soldered together. If someone knows how to easily replace the battery with a stronger model, please let us know:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuA3mGkgZ_QfFsSSsc4rDqlWGyy-FBB8gZ4dZ0RePyJURmYDz964Yey6XKT1H_0sGmxdN0LWKt3uqnUrwohTCST9K0ksOMyIJoFjlv5QLc1-l8YHKEXLw2NFYamiXpF5GA0eB0LOIsZmTr/s1600/srs-x3-battery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuA3mGkgZ_QfFsSSsc4rDqlWGyy-FBB8gZ4dZ0RePyJURmYDz964Yey6XKT1H_0sGmxdN0LWKt3uqnUrwohTCST9K0ksOMyIJoFjlv5QLc1-l8YHKEXLw2NFYamiXpF5GA0eB0LOIsZmTr/s1600/srs-x3-battery.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Battery life for the SRS-X3 is claimed to be 7 hours. At lower listening levels you should easily be able to reach or even excel this. I only found that when listening at high levels (close to maximum) the battery drain is much faster. At high levels I hardly got longer playing times than 2 hours, but the biggest issue is that the Sony SRS-X3 automatically lowers the maximum volume to about half when battery is starting to get weak. This can become quite annoying, as I was using the speaker for some hours at lower levels and then wanted to crank it for some particular tracks to the max, but after some minutes the speaker automatically lowered the volume on its own, the "charge" light started to flash and I was not able to increase the volume anymore. I think that the battery inside the Sony is rather weak compared to the one Bose uses. I am able to use the Soundlink Mini for more than 4 hours at the highest level. If you need high levels over a longer period, the Sony might be the wrong choice. You could try using an external power-pack, although it won't charge the speaker as long as it is turned on, at least you can continue using it. I have an older power-pack from Anker and it works flawlessly with the Sony. I haven't tried yet, how long the Sony would play when powered merely by the external battery. At least this might be a compromise for some. It is harder to find a suitable power-pack for the Soundlink Mini, providing the necessary 12V.<br /><br />For transport there is an extra case available. It costs about 20� or $ and is considerably cheaper than that from Bose for the Soundlink Mini. But unlike the Bose case the Sony case doesn't seem to have any additional space for the charger or the charging cable. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIijT2FsMzVBv6vPW9ejB1GcNEa0P9_AMo0B1X9VFlNIm_umxBgYbhNe4gU9HifNtYezYqiYfh9YbvNyTGXd6ZjBv_dKTpHCyvJNeHrwYtXaGEpVWicBJtaULKnFth2Zw-cqatR09a_88h/s1600/x3-x5-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIijT2FsMzVBv6vPW9ejB1GcNEa0P9_AMo0B1X9VFlNIm_umxBgYbhNe4gU9HifNtYezYqiYfh9YbvNyTGXd6ZjBv_dKTpHCyvJNeHrwYtXaGEpVWicBJtaULKnFth2Zw-cqatR09a_88h/s1600/x3-x5-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzm2uJJny4yMud5ZKOrmZpMx-4VO9qt8ZpKMQXF4xSR5PnF4L6IyVXzEC3mBdqXSirS3MCd-qidI1GYmqsGMdBHNtGSKZlyWbKhW8Gtqs1JXzbdSBzJG4KdI93pOEvARoph7yquECitqO/s1600/x3-x5-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzm2uJJny4yMud5ZKOrmZpMx-4VO9qt8ZpKMQXF4xSR5PnF4L6IyVXzEC3mBdqXSirS3MCd-qidI1GYmqsGMdBHNtGSKZlyWbKhW8Gtqs1JXzbdSBzJG4KdI93pOEvARoph7yquECitqO/s1600/x3-x5-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />When turning the speaker on, it will play some sound, not unpleasant but pretty loud. The larger X5 remained silent, I have no clue why Sony decided that it needs a sound this time. A similar counterpart sound is played when the speaker is turned off. You force Bluetooth pairing with a long press of the Bluetooth button, this will produce a loud beep, then the speaker can be paired with any Bluetooth device. Although many Bluetooth speakers do meanwhile accept multiple connections, the Sony doesn't. You can just be paired with one device at the same time. The Sony is also missing AptX for better streaming quality, or the feature of being able to pair 2 speakers for wireless stereo, but it has NFC and built in hands-free, both of which are missing on the Bose.<br />It seems the Bluetooth reach of the Sony SRS-X3 is particularly stable. I am not sure if the reach is really that much longer than on the Soundlink Mini, but I had the chance to compare the Sony to the JBL Flip from a friend and the Sony had easily twice the reach without even producing a single drop-out, with the JBL stuttering and interrupting just half way.<br />The only thing that the Sony won't do is to automatically pair with previously paired devices. Which means that if the last paired device is absent or off, but one of the previously paired devices is present, the Sony won't pair with them on its own. The Bose does usually does this, and it works pretty well. If it cannot find the last paired device it will search for the next to last paired one and then automatically connect on its own. On the Sony you have to force pairing from your streaming device instead each time you want to change the streaming devices.<br /><br />While the Bose has some kind of power saving mode and will turn off on its own after 15 minutes or so, if there is no music playing and even when attached to mains as well, the Sony will stay powered on as long as a Bluetooth device connected regardless if there is something playing or not. Many always complained about the power saving mode of the Bose because they intended to use it as an alarm, but didn't manage to keep it powered on. This should indeed work with the Sony, regardless if the speaker is running from battery or plugged in.<br />So feature wise the Sony beats the Bose and is furthermore cheaper. The Bose can only score on material quality and looks.<br />But now lets take a look (or better listen) at the sound of the Sony SRS-X3. Which one sounds better, which is louder etc.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03RjaPLHYlcCWVeLYcaPAimDMdNdP-TB9NH9XGmLzEOVl7p2dAm7BLxSlqjRcgd4dh9xSI40L-NMhOOmNRnEnkXH_2TDb39rnPINQaMz8tr1nxMQZxvfV-yqSMqfMwDpNtLdHu_4hHNgw/s1600/sony-open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03RjaPLHYlcCWVeLYcaPAimDMdNdP-TB9NH9XGmLzEOVl7p2dAm7BLxSlqjRcgd4dh9xSI40L-NMhOOmNRnEnkXH_2TDb39rnPINQaMz8tr1nxMQZxvfV-yqSMqfMwDpNtLdHu_4hHNgw/s1600/sony-open.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The first thing you notice when you hear the Sony for the first time is a really serious full-range sound with extremly clear treble and deep bass, that isn't boomy by any means. The Sony doesn't sound like a tin-can speaker as so many similar speakers do, but rather like a fully grown up system, of course only as long as you keep the volume under control. When I played both X3 and X5 side by side, I was surprised to hear the X3 being able to produce a similar amount of bass while sounding much clearer than the bigger model. Directly compared with the Soundlink Mini the latter will sound pretty muffled and boomy at the same time. The bass on the Sony is louder at 60Hz than the Bose and reaches even slightly below that, but it isn't as boosted above 100Hz as on the Bose. The upper bass boost on the Bose can make the bass buzz and drone if you listen to it in small rooms or place it near a corner or near a wall. You can equally push bass on the Sony a little more when putting it near a wall. Both Soundlink Mini and SRS-X3 seem to have exactly the same driver configuration consisting of 2 full-range drivers and 2 opposing passive radiators, one at the front and one at the back, the opposing radiators avoid any stronger vibration or rattling, which you get from many other speakers, that have the passive radiator on one side only. By placing the speaker back near a wall, you will boost the bass that normally would be emitted to the back and might get otherwise lost to some degree. On the Sony this works indeed pretty well, as you make the bass stronger and louder, but not boomier, unlike with the Bose Soundlink Mini which rather profits form a completely free positioning for not to sound too heavy on bass especially in conjunction with the recessed treble, which will give the impression of being boomier than it actually is.<br />Biggest problem of the Bose is, that treble dispersion is very focused. When you aim the speaker directly at you, it sounds pretty balanced, but turn it away slightly or tilt it up or down and you will lose all the treble. Although the Sony also sounds best when directly aimed at the listener, treble still remains acceptable if you turn the speaker away. It even sounds clearer than the Bose if you turn it around backwards.<br />The treble of the Sony sounds a bit thin though, it can become even slightly harsh with some recordings. A hi-hat on the Bose has still some presence in the lower frequencies, while it is only fizzling in the upper frequencies on the Sony. While I thought the X5 to sound better with "sound" mode enabled, because it boosted treble at the same time and made the sound clearer. This sound-mode is completely overdone on the X3 as it boosts the already boosted treble even more. I even tried to wrap the X3 in some kind of "sock" to tame the treble a little bit as it is fundamentally too sharp and resonant for my taste, which probably is also the reason why it still sounds acceptable from behind, while on the Bose you won't hear any high frequencies when turned backwards.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpZScEr2qEVRfo-_NuMo0FW2iQmZEcL6euPiUii59_FbrypD5zeNrnZYvCossQCNi0oyXDFRbHmGK7ddN8PsljSlv-MBiXebBCAoeKOscEOM-wW_CrlkWRak84VnXUvIkGn3pIxK4mh1_/s1600/sock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpZScEr2qEVRfo-_NuMo0FW2iQmZEcL6euPiUii59_FbrypD5zeNrnZYvCossQCNi0oyXDFRbHmGK7ddN8PsljSlv-MBiXebBCAoeKOscEOM-wW_CrlkWRak84VnXUvIkGn3pIxK4mh1_/s1600/sock.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Mids seem to have more presence on the Bose. On the Sony vocals are sometimes less clear and instruments like piano or guitar can sound a bit thin, probably because it is missing the basshump above 100Hz. This was not that obvious on the larger X5, which had a more rounded mids-reproduction.<br /><br />It is hard to definitively decide which one is better, because both have their strenghts and sound is also a matter of personal taste. The Soundlink Mini obviously shines with bright recordings that are a bit light on bass, while the X3 sounds pretty convincing on older more muffled recordings.<br />While the Sony sounds better indoors most of the time, because you can just put it on some shelf, walk around and still get an acceptable sound, the Bose will sound veiled pretty quickly when you move too far to the side. Both have enough bass power to really create a convincing foundation for the music not to sound lifeless or anemic, but both are tuned differently, in such a way that the Bose might sound slightly more powerful overall at the expense of a duller treble response.<br /><br />It is different outdoors. The deeper bass of the Sony can get lost more quickly than the Bose. Also the treble continues to sound thin and sizzling on the Sony, while it comes better through on the Bose. I compared both thoroughly outdoors on our patio and most of the time I preferred the rendition the Soundlink Mini gave me. The boomier bass was indeed an advantage outdoors with a noisy enviroment, while the Sony just sounded thinner because the deeper bass couldn't be heard that much outside. The Sony profits quite a bit of a wall or even putting it on the ground will considerably enhance bass outdoors. As treble dispersion is not such a big problem on the Sony, you could even just put it on the ground and listen to it while standing above. The Bose would just sound dull and bassheavy like this. So for a picnic, where you sit around together on the ground with the speaker somewhere placed beside or in the center, the Sony should be the better choice, as it would be able to produce a powerful  bass because of standing on the ground and enough treble, because of its superior clarity.<br /><br />Volumewise both reach more or less the same loudness, but both do not sound too convincing at their top level anymore. Bass is reduced on both of them, but while Bose tries to keep the frequency spectrum intact with just lowering the bass amplitute, the sound seems to shift on the Sony, making the bass thinner and pushing treble even more. Both are not really perfect for high volumes, they sound best up to medium level or slightly above. From 3/4 upwards the low frequency balance starts to dissolve together with some dynamic compression that kicks in, and everything starts sounding forced. If really high volume is your priority, I think that the Soundlink Mini still sounds more convincing as it sounds fuller up to highest level, while the bass on the Sony becomes too thin from a certain point. Some of its lower bass remains, but the amplitute is reduced that much, that it won't sound full-bodied anymore. The difference between medium volume and high volume is too radical in case of the SRS-X3, while I would still see it acceptable with the Soundlink Mini.<br />Both speakers can distort at top volume, but while the Bose has problems with keeping its bass-level clean enough thus would start farting, it is rather the mid-tones that can make the Sony start crackling at high levels. I tested both with some pretty heavy mixes from pianoplayer and Smoothjazz artist <a href="http://www.brianculbertson.com/" target="_blank">Brian Culbertson</a>, and while the Bose started to buzz with deeper bass notes but apart from that was still very clean even at top volume, the Sony on the other side kept bass rather distortionfree but also with lower amplitute, instead it had problems with loud piano-notes which started to crack sometimes.<br />With very bassheavy recordings both can struggle a bit even at medium volume. At levels between 50-60 Bose tries to keep bass as strong as possible which might result in an already dirty reproduction. You will mostly hear it on kick-drums, on deep bassnotes like that from a Hammond Organ etc. At comparable levels the Sony seems to have bass better under control, but you can hear how the bass-notes bleed into the treble. It is mostly noticable with ride or crash cymbals, triangle etc. They start to flutter when there is some lower bass played simultaneously. The Bose does the same, but it is not that obvious because it sounds overall more muffled, as the Sony sounds so clear this effect is quite noticeable. You should also hear it in my videos during some parts.<br /><br />Both speakers are rather meant for low and medium volumes. The Sony has 30 volume-steps, while the Bose has 100. When the Bose is set to 50, it would play with similar loudness as the Sony when this is set to 10. The volume curve seems to be non linear for both, because they meet loudnesswise again at their top setting. I would say that the Sony sounds quite good up to step 15, the sound starts to deteriorate from there pretty quickly. The Bose sounds good up to 60 and still acceptable at 75, then it starts getting worse very fast too. The only problem with the Bose is the bass distortion that it might show on very heavy mixes within the already mentioned range between 50-60%. This distortion goes away if you turn it either lower or louder, it really seems to be just this range, where bass is boosted slightly too much for the small drivers to handle it.<br />At lower levels I prefer the Sony. It sounds clearer and bass is still present but not owerpowering. It sounds even good at the very first volume-step, which is impressive. Not sure if anyone would ever listen to music that low, but Sony really seems to have tuned the loudness-curve pretty well including boost of treble at lowest levels as well, which is just the way the human ear reacts to low and high frequencies at lower levels. Bose only seems to boost bass at lower volumes to compensate for the loundess-loss, but it doesn't do enough for treble, at least this is the impression I have, because the sound becomes more and more muffled the lower you turn volume.<br />Unfortuantely both speakers have their own volume control independent of the volume control from the streaming device. This might lead to strange artefacts, especially regarding loudness-compensation if you start messing around with both settings. If you set the speaker's volume to the maximum, while lower the volume on your player, both Sony and Bose will sound considerably different, than if you have the player set to maximum, and the speaker decreased to a lower value. This is a problem that most speaker seem to struggle with, especially when they apply loudness-compensation depending on the volume level. But the compensation seems not to be dependent on the final output-loudness only, but rather on both the input-level and the level the speaker ist set to. The Sony fights with this problem quite heavily, as the sound changes drastically depending on how both separate volume-controls are set.<br /><br />Moreover I noticed some strange dynamic compression which I already heard from the larger SRS-X5 as well but didn't pay much attention to it back then. Especially when directly compared to the Denon Envaya or Soundlink Mini on the X5 drums didn't sound that punchy and snares were less snappy compared to the others. I had the impression as if Sony was trying to compress the dynamics on their speakers similar to most radio stations which do the same in order to increase the signal to noise ratio before transmission. This compressed dynamics is even more obvious with the X3. I played around with various volume levels and finally found that the compression mostly occurs if you set the volume on your streaming device to the maximum, which I normally always did until now. But doing so with both Sony speakers you will end up not only with a more compressed sound, but also a different sound overall including sharper treble and more recessed mids. During fooling around and listening closely at various volume settings, I finally discovered that decreasing the volume 4 notches on the iPhone and increasing it 2 notches on the speaker to achieve the same loudness as before would result in a more natural sound with less compression as well as better mids and slightly less resonant treble. You can try finding your own best setting by increasing volume on your player until you notice that the overall volume won't change much anymore during the last notches. Choose that one step below, where a change in volume is starting to become more obvious.<br />During my measurements of the SRS-X3 I also wanted to see how this input-level reduction would show up in the graph. I measured the speaker with a calibrated MiniDSP UMIK-1 microphone from a 50cm distance in my usual recording room, where I also do all audio recordings now. There is definitely some room-influence that I cannot avoid, but the measurements should be correct relatively to each other. You can see clearly from the blue curve that treble and bass is boosted in relation to the mids, this is what you get when the player is turned up to the maximum. When turning the player down to 75% and raising the volume on the speaker instead to normalize the output to the same level as before, you will get the red curve with a smoother response overall. I also included "sound" as additional factor which is shown in cyan for the maximum volume measurement and orange for the measurement with reduced input-volume to 75%:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25W2XBtmF65eZbtCiEqIp6GTQ0Jp_pexBw_EWYdsZkvNHQbb-U4bOfgD6SU4_Q54S4PDHKa1goewG6ShpGM7WRlNUP-5pX3_0Iz1TwVlrKpqbPgdlzogs_4ycdyZNm6zxraoNIJlrtJBH/s1600/sony-x3-sound-settings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25W2XBtmF65eZbtCiEqIp6GTQ0Jp_pexBw_EWYdsZkvNHQbb-U4bOfgD6SU4_Q54S4PDHKa1goewG6ShpGM7WRlNUP-5pX3_0Iz1TwVlrKpqbPgdlzogs_4ycdyZNm6zxraoNIJlrtJBH/s1600/sony-x3-sound-settings.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>  </div>I am not sure what Sony tried to achieve with this. Apart from the strange frequency shift which I cannot explain, maybe they were afraid of a too high input-level and decided to add some dynamic compression to avoid any distortion and be on the save side, who knows. But I was already about to nearly dismiss the SRS-X3 for these compression and sound-issues until I discovered that lowering the input volume would prevent most problems. But then this dynamic compression might even help at really low volumes to make music sound more constant, as it avoids strong peak-changes, therefore it is not too bad to have an indirect option of either accepting it or avoiding it.<br /><br />Moreover I wanted to show a direct frequency response comparison at medium level between the Soundlink Mini and the SRS-X3, with the more balanced sound-setting at 75% input-volume as demonstrated above being used for the Sony:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWhRmcSclDlhwl8Xq-n7cPtKvSCRLN2up1S_l7G1fmVjZehANu_iolUUe8kIM_mMhGrZ6XdSm58pE2K2Hk1jRmL_D66im_T67RYwCSCbXVrgzKuPJ9HdepcnItUAYWzi55HXApn97jpmo/s1600/slmini-sonyx3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWhRmcSclDlhwl8Xq-n7cPtKvSCRLN2up1S_l7G1fmVjZehANu_iolUUe8kIM_mMhGrZ6XdSm58pE2K2Hk1jRmL_D66im_T67RYwCSCbXVrgzKuPJ9HdepcnItUAYWzi55HXApn97jpmo/s1600/slmini-sonyx3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />In the following off-axis measurement recorded from 37� above with the same distance of 50cm the Sony measures even more balanced (cyan curve) as opposed to the direct frontal on-axis measurement (black curve), while the Soundlink Mini (see measurement below) suffers considerably when listened like this, losing all its treble above 7.5kHz already. This is one of the worst results I have measured from any speaker so far and nearly unacceptable making the Soundlink Mini sound extremly muffled and boomy, when not positioned exactly at ear-height. The Sony sounds indeed better if not aimed directly at the listener which is quite unique but not a bad thing for a portable speaker which you place just somewhere and walk around. Maybe I should have also performed a measurment with the Sony turned backwards? I guess it would still show better treble extension than the Soundlink Mini positioned optimally.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54M3p13shWiMEf0berHZQrtZgJengNyqOZG5mlKDBKJQWJMjt0g5onuKR4TT5_UoTbpCVx-G7JP-Lm7KbmsyAhW1ZtZg-XC_PruPmYMud0ExRA0NcxMXVY3ed282U7oRZvHOobxLZT_eQ/s1600/sony-x3-off-axis-measurement.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54M3p13shWiMEf0berHZQrtZgJengNyqOZG5mlKDBKJQWJMjt0g5onuKR4TT5_UoTbpCVx-G7JP-Lm7KbmsyAhW1ZtZg-XC_PruPmYMud0ExRA0NcxMXVY3ed282U7oRZvHOobxLZT_eQ/s1600/sony-x3-off-axis-measurement.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXVemaGXbDk_JWa0zDJeNCmsGb-Tm2ztbtmSj7oumoa61x2gqKYUBBO09r5Sp9dey2zHZKOIdNVsAhhXKiR75IQqqIiuwvlKDx5SLhxPToIe5vgRQKFBh3h1n48p5rWDBNexsH0wX9KA6/s1600/soundlink-mini-off-axis-measurment.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOXVemaGXbDk_JWa0zDJeNCmsGb-Tm2ztbtmSj7oumoa61x2gqKYUBBO09r5Sp9dey2zHZKOIdNVsAhhXKiR75IQqqIiuwvlKDx5SLhxPToIe5vgRQKFBh3h1n48p5rWDBNexsH0wX9KA6/s1600/soundlink-mini-off-axis-measurment.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I also prepared two different videos comparing the SRS-X3 with the Soundlink Mini. The first video tries to demonstrate the difference in sound, when both speakers are heard off-axis. While the Sony will still sound acceptable to some degree, the Bose is hardly audible anymore.<br />In the second video I tried to demonstrate how the sound changes, if you set the player to the maximum instead of lowering it slightly and how both speakers would sound at different loudness levels.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/O0TNs8aUaz0" width="853"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4EA3VyXot98" width="853"></iframe></div><br />In the third video you will finally see a comparison between the SRS-X3 and the bigger SRS-X5. You decide which one sounds better.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cNnbmJ3hqLQ" width="853"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />So which one to get? Soundlink Mini or SRS-X3? To tell the truth there is no clear winner as both have their own benefits, therefore I tried to compile a list which shows where each speaker has an advantage over the other, now you must decide which features have the biggest importance for yourself.<br /><br /><b><u>Sony SRS-X3:</u></b><br /><br /><b>+ cheaper</b><br /><b>+ clearer and less directional treble</b><br /><b>+ less boomy bass</b><br /><b>+ less critical with placing</b> <br /><b>+ more balanced and open sound indoors  </b><br /><b>+ better sound at very low levels </b><br /><b>+ additional sound mode with enhanced stereo effect </b><br /><b>+ built in hands-free </b><br /><b>+ charging through micro-USB</b><br /><b>+ NFC</b><br /><br /><br /><b><u>Bose Soundlink Mini:</u></b><br /><b><br /></b><b>+ smaller and slightly lighter</b><br /><b>+ more distinct sound outdoors</b><br /><b>+ sound more solid at high levels </b><br /><b>+ clearer and fuller sounding mids </b><br /><b>+ more precious look and materials</b><br /><b>+ probably higher resale value </b><br /><b>+ included charging cradle</b><br /><b>+ stronger battery </b><br /><b>+ battery replaceable</b><br /><br />What about me? I was already seriously thinking about selling my Soundlink Mini, as I repeatedly found myself grabbing the Sony more often than the Bose, when I wanted to quickly listen to some music around the house or garden. But meanwhile I think that I will probably keep both and check if there will be something new coming from Bose soon...<br />I also really hope that the SRS-X3 will become as popular as the Soundlink Mini, because Sony might indeed have the potential to improve things even further. Who knows how good the successor model would sound? I would wish some advanced features like wireless stereo pairing of 2 speakers, or multipoint Bluetooth connections, as this would enable the speaker for serious listening, while many other speakers do offer all those features, they all just sound like beer-cans.<br />On the other side Bose seems to be sleeping a little bit with only negligible updates, as you could see from the evolution of the Soundlink 1 to the Soundlink 3 which took more than 3 years. In the end the Soundlink 3 doesn't offer any new features or sound that much different and despite some slight improvements is still quite a bit shy of treble. I really have the impression as if Bose as a whole was trebleshy somehow!</p>

Happy Birthday to my Soundlink Mini, as it will be exactly one year ago to the day that it made me 200 bucks poorer, when I carried it out f...

Review: Sony SRS-X5 vs. Denon Envaya - priced small like a Soundlink Mini, sound big like a Soundlink III?

<p>Lately I concentrated rather on more portable speakers, with the hope of maybe finding some better alternative to the Soundlink Mini. Apart from the Pill XL that I have already reviewed <a href="http://oluvsgadgets.blogspot.co.at/2014/07/review-beats-pill-xl-ultimate-portable.html">here</a>, I haven't tried any larger speakers, because for my own personal purposes they would be just too large to be carried around all the time. The Soundlink Mini is able to produce enough loudness for my needs, and the sound from the Soundlink Mini is full and bassheavy enough to make listening to music really enjoying, thus I didn't feel the need to try out something larger and heavier.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEv6yiIKF58Enol08ylq92wpcmHRIc3msW81iviMAZn5IoeHwr3eXyoO0EasEkr9_ZmU9-r-yUaabuJmSeLwFq9jqbsbNFwjbyioWjtRAVV0oKdImWfLBk_d8WpZM6QF3olO8ubvsybX10/s1600/sony-denon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEv6yiIKF58Enol08ylq92wpcmHRIc3msW81iviMAZn5IoeHwr3eXyoO0EasEkr9_ZmU9-r-yUaabuJmSeLwFq9jqbsbNFwjbyioWjtRAVV0oKdImWfLBk_d8WpZM6QF3olO8ubvsybX10/s1600/sony-denon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><a name="more"></a><br />When I heard the Sony SRS-X5 in a store, priced lower than the Soundlink Mini, but sounding considerably more balanced and equally full-bodied, I became curious to hear it once in a more controlled enviroment. Meanwhile Denon had announced their new <a href="http://usa.denon.com/us/product/pages/productdetail.aspx?catalog=denonna_us&pcatid=cocoonipoddocks%28denonna%29&catid=bluetooth%28denonna%29&pid=dsb200bk%28denonna%29" target="_blank">"Envaya" portable speaker</a>, priced nearly equally. Statements like <i>"enhanced DSP processing from MaxxAudio to deliver lower lows and higher highs, than any other speaker this size"</i> made me even more curious and because the <a href="http://www.areadvd.de/tests/test-denon-bluetooth-lautsprecher-envaya-moderner-chic-und-typische-klangstaerke-fuer-199-eur/" target="_blank">first reviews</a> of the Denon Envaya were all positive, I finally decided to try both side by side. I emailed Denon and asked them to send me a review sample, but they didn't even answer! <br />So I bought it when it finally became available and included the Sony SRS-X5 as well, to have some direct comparison, for not to use my Soundlink Mini all the time as only reference, because many already rant me a Bose fanboy etc.<br /><br />Both Sony SRS-X5 and Denon Envaya are comparable in size and weight, resembling a bit the Soundlink II, TDK A33 etc. thus both are quite a bit larger than the Soundlink Mini. At the same time both are priced below 199$ or 199�, the Sony being even a bit cheaper at least in Europe where you can get it for 179$, while the Bose Soundlink Mini can be currently had for <a href="http://www.amazon.de/Bose-SoundLink-Bluetooth-Speaker-silber/dp/B00D42A8J4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404825777&sr=8-1&keywords=bose+soundlink+mini" target="_blank">175� at amazon.de</a> instead of the original 199�. If not for size, all 3 speakers would at least be comparable for value costing nearly the same.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHppcUneC62udDucErUH8JaFRY0-Kk8tAEaGJS4MJQO_twccUEukWJDXG1cz3a8LHUQTIeJW__DZiB-5y4QT1CR17BQES1n8yyWlVWSY7WjBTay1cCOSQLVWSPcpkgFcRucrnd2iV7FlYR/s1600/denon-cover1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHppcUneC62udDucErUH8JaFRY0-Kk8tAEaGJS4MJQO_twccUEukWJDXG1cz3a8LHUQTIeJW__DZiB-5y4QT1CR17BQES1n8yyWlVWSY7WjBTay1cCOSQLVWSPcpkgFcRucrnd2iV7FlYR/s1600/denon-cover1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Denon Envaya has a more organic rounded look. The Sony looks simple and edgy like a boring brick. I like both designs to tell the truth and I went with the white color for both, because it should be more forgiving outdoors with some sun shining. The Sony is also available in red and black, while the Denon comes in either white or black, but they also include some colored inlays that you can exchange for your liking. Not sure how often one would like to change the color of the speaker, I would have preferred a cover or bag for transport, as both speakers have some picky surfaces, which might scratch easily during transport. Sony offers at least an additional transport cover for the X5, while I have not found anything suitable for the Envaya yet.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0Eq4LsGKM7VWwiK7svqRAVTQyDhVesRCGQmypKBn5912KB4q5WQWzlFg6D28jZ4PjzopJyomHzYgs9eQTEKArKvVowXTFhLIjLAUNU_FODQKx6VrhZpHeh2U1z4ZnASsoHxsHmHqB0Nq/s1600/denon-stand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0Eq4LsGKM7VWwiK7svqRAVTQyDhVesRCGQmypKBn5912KB4q5WQWzlFg6D28jZ4PjzopJyomHzYgs9eQTEKArKvVowXTFhLIjLAUNU_FODQKx6VrhZpHeh2U1z4ZnASsoHxsHmHqB0Nq/s1600/denon-stand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Because of the rounded edges the Denon Envaya should also be easily to pack away for transport. The Sony is not really bigger, but because of the design it just looks as if it would take away more space. The Denon has some fold-out stand, without whose help it won't stand at all. You press an area at the top of the back-side and it flips out pretty easily. Standing like that the Envaya is tilted slightly upwards, while the Sony will stand vertically without the need of any additional stand. Both should stay like that quite stable, but could fall over when on the move (if you intend to use them in a car or something).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0CTQ0eAF8_8ZDzp5MhXu3CvuC0gFkKqQ37nVq7u_msO8NwgIThCN3e1EvlPZ5T9QHGiM_AhpKXv6n5rptAIeDNRJVq_PoNkrlqp6310VLE8A3FK5OH6fx8sXj1PkK2ZK4THKSDiVbri2/s1600/denon-bose-mini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0CTQ0eAF8_8ZDzp5MhXu3CvuC0gFkKqQ37nVq7u_msO8NwgIThCN3e1EvlPZ5T9QHGiM_AhpKXv6n5rptAIeDNRJVq_PoNkrlqp6310VLE8A3FK5OH6fx8sXj1PkK2ZK4THKSDiVbri2/s1600/denon-bose-mini.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Sony has hands-free built in, which is missing on the Denon. Both need their proprietary chargers, and both have an USB-port for charging other devices. The Denon is rated for 10 hours playback, while the Sony should play for 7 hours. Of course playback time will vary depending on the volume level and if other devices are charged at the same time. I haven't tested the Sony that accurately, but I have used the Denon quite often at higher levels and noticed that near top volume the battery would hardly last 2.5 hours, which is pretty poor if you ask me. I repeated my test twice, and fully charged the Denon Envaya, but when playing at high volume both times the power LED started blinking after 2 hours and the speaker turned off automatically shortly after.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsl3ip7KKEWUwSHSMq6pyV6tayMtUNdAqh661Ss-k6lp8V-FhcFpFFwQFTzsdK4jFmMExOrzkNvzlCgLf3YLALhoZv3STpx8uLB6CCjNZTvP7m4OUpzS3eExplqcB0MFAKbyQqN-Q-fTc/s1600/sony-bose-mini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsl3ip7KKEWUwSHSMq6pyV6tayMtUNdAqh661Ss-k6lp8V-FhcFpFFwQFTzsdK4jFmMExOrzkNvzlCgLf3YLALhoZv3STpx8uLB6CCjNZTvP7m4OUpzS3eExplqcB0MFAKbyQqN-Q-fTc/s1600/sony-bose-mini.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Both speakers are equipped with NFC, but only the Denon supports the advanced AptX codec for better Bluetooth quality. The Denon Envaya also accepts multipoint Bluetooth, which means you can stay connected from 3 streaming devices simultanously, without having to break the connection of the previous device, if you want to stream from another. As soon as you have paired all three devices with the Envaya, the next time you turn on the speaker you will be able to connect from all 3 again simultanously, although the speaker will automatically connect to only one of them. The other connections must be forced from your streaming device every time again.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzdstAN-Yx1xa0Mr8EsvwZAEAhUDOfjC7wWPZgIfRiO74Cp2tN5qALpjXsre8m1cz3CEeh8jCEmsn5AtdvCIFmr66bF6vqZrQaXPjWiKl9rKHBrUoBJRfTcccb_bBDTLfbkgkJbBWKNIn/s1600/denon-top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUzdstAN-Yx1xa0Mr8EsvwZAEAhUDOfjC7wWPZgIfRiO74Cp2tN5qALpjXsre8m1cz3CEeh8jCEmsn5AtdvCIFmr66bF6vqZrQaXPjWiKl9rKHBrUoBJRfTcccb_bBDTLfbkgkJbBWKNIn/s1600/denon-top.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />On the Sony only the power button and the call-button are physical buttons, all other buttons are just touch-sensitive areas. They are not lit either and with the black glossy surface in dark surroundings it is hardly distinguishable where to touch to change volume, you have to illuminate the speaker first not to touch a wrong area, but maybe with some time and usage you can learn where to touch.<br />The Denon has dedicated buttons for all functions and at least the volume buttons are differently curved, so that you can actually feel which one to press for either increasing or decreasing volume.<br />While the Denon plays some chordal every time you turn it on or off, the Sony stays completely silent. It only beeps when you force Bluetooth pairing mode.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ktmmSQBGbdWK41HrxdrnBq3_7V2Lc-B6NJqc7itEcuUBbc3FbjVmRz72SYRS7RejX4AtOC0eDPCcfw78llX-AAVOP3HFQGgZwFgT-JoktBwAvgMLMmPv4mbhplVk8aK3L6gRKMrwB5U9/s1600/denon-drivers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ktmmSQBGbdWK41HrxdrnBq3_7V2Lc-B6NJqc7itEcuUBbc3FbjVmRz72SYRS7RejX4AtOC0eDPCcfw78llX-AAVOP3HFQGgZwFgT-JoktBwAvgMLMmPv4mbhplVk8aK3L6gRKMrwB5U9/s1600/denon-drivers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The Denon uses 2 large full-range drivers, the Sony has 2 smaller drivers and an additional woofer and both speakers are equipped with an additional passive radiator for bass enhancement, the Sony even two of them at the back. On both speakers they are mounted only to one side, which might result in some unwanted vibration due to some imbalance. Usually passive radiators have more mass compared to the main drivers, which is needed for proper tuning. If a driver moves you won't have as much vibration as if a passive radiator moves. Therefore opposing passive radiators are better to avoid any unwanted vibration.<br />I noticed with both speakers, that they might slip around at higher levels and stronger bass-notes. The Sony has soft rubber feet, which even seem a bit sticky. Despite vibrating heavily on higher levels, it usually won't rattle against the base, only if you have the power-cord attached, the cord might cause some rattling, which would sound like distortion. Also the Denon vibrates and standing on a table it might make nearby objects rattle too. Just be sure to place both speakers on a hard surface with no objects nearby touching them.<br /><br />So how do they sound?<br />First you notice that both are capable of a nicely defined full-range sound with quite a deep bass even at lower levels unlike many similar models like the Loewe speaker2go or the TDK A33 etc, which tend to sound rather thin until they don't reach a particular loudness.<br />My first impression was, that the Sony sounded smoother than the Denon, the bass was deeper, but at the same time less boomy and treble was clearer. Overall the Sony was just more natural sounding and more pleasant to listen to. The Sony also has some "sound"-mode which seems to act like a stereo-enhancer, or pseudo-surround, as I would call it. It probably works with some typical phase-shifting and it sounds quite nice, without destroying the sound completely due to processing artefacts. The sound becomes broader and more open, because at the same time treble is raised quite a bit, which makes the Sony clearer. Bass seems to be left without any processing, it is just the stereo-enhancing effect and some treble boost.<br />When switching over to the Denon I found it to sound quite dull and rather directional, especially after having listened to the Sony with "sound" enabled. The bass was there, but it had this kind of Bose type of bass, which is quite a bit bloated, and without the corresponding treble definition the whole speaker sounds muffled. To double check I took my Soundlink Mini and started comparing it with the Denon Envaya and to my surprise I liked the sound of the Bose more. It sounded clearer, the mids where much more distinct, on the Denon I had rather the impression as if the singer had its hand in front. Also piano attacks were easily discernible on the Bose, while they were rather muted on the Denon. Overall bass amount was quite similar on both, but the Denon sounded more bloated to me, I had the impression as if the Soundlink Mini had better bass quality, despite being much smaller in size. The treble seemed to be slightly clearer and smoother on the Denon reaching higher, but it was equally directional as on the Bose. As soon as you moved to the side and left the sweet-spot the Denon started to sound dull and boomy. I did not find any sound attribute on the Denon which would make me like it more than the Soundlink Mini. The only advantage the Denon clearly had over the Soundlink Mini (and over the Sony SRS-X5 as well) was an overall higher loudness, without obvious dynamic compression or bass reduction. It still sounded very dynamic with hardly any bass loss even at its top level. The Denon Envaya might be not the loudest speaker in its category, from memory I am sure the Soundlink III is louder overall, but it does so due to applying lots of dynamic processing and bass reduction to achieve this higher level. The Denon still sounds very natural at its top level. There is some distortion on higher levels with the Denon. Heavy bass notes start to fart a little bit, which seems to come from the passive radiator.<br />The Sony SRS-X5 on the other hand does hardly distort, but at the same time it is not even able to reach the loudness of the Soundlink Mini when playing from battery let alone the loudness of the Denon Envaya. At low levels the Sony sounds rounded and nice, but raise the volume a bit too much and the sound starts falling apart. Bass is reduced nearly completely with only some hum remaining, and lots of dynamic compression is applied which even results in some volume fluctuation and a pumping sound. When connected to AC-power the loundess is higher, but still with the same bass-less sound and lots of compression. Even from AC-power the Sony was not able to reach the loudness of the Denon but at the same time the Sony sounded much less dynamic and tinny. <br />According to the specs the Sony should play with 20 Watts when running from AC-power and 8 Watts only when playing from battery, which would explain the loss of power at high levels and defeats a bit the purpose of a portable speaker if it is limited as much when used from battery.<br /><br />If I had to choose between both, I would probably choose the Denon, if I wouldn't already own the Soundlink Mini. Funnily I still liked the Soundlink Mini more, as it was much smaller but in the end didn't really sound worse than the Denon, only falling short of not being able to reach the same high volume. The Denon was able to keep the sound level over its entire volume-range with only some slight distortion on bass heavy tracks, but it sounded good at low and at high levels. The Sony sounded best of all at low levels, but was nearly unusable at slightly raised volume. It would be acceptable maybe, if it managed to keep the same sound level when playing from battery as it does when attached to mains. I liked the Sony much more for casual listening at home, it was less directional, with a smoother sound and the additional "sound" mode could enhance the experience even more, depending on the kind of music, but every time I tried to increase volume too much, it ended in a rather frustrating outcome.<br /><br />I prepared a comparison video where I tried to put the Sony and Denon directly against each other:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lGmoWiHrdyc" width="853"></iframe> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>I also did two further videos where I separately compared the Sony and the Denon to the Soundlink Mini. So have a listen which you like most overall and if the higher volume of the Denon is really that grave!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QNudmQLU9qQ" width="853"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YiyAtYyot_Q" width="853"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /></p>

Lately I concentrated rather on more portable speakers, with the hope of maybe finding some better alternative to the Soundlink Mini. Apart ...

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...