Speaker Reviews

Xiaomi Cylinder Bluetooth Speaker Review

Xiaomi are at it again with a new Bluetooth speaker sporting a stylish new cylinderical design, improved audio specs and an incredibly elegant control system.

I want to say thanks to Everbuying for sending me a sample to review. Use coupon EXMSP to get it for $27.59.

Check Price at Everbuying

Xiaomi Speaker Technical Specifications

  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.1
  • Transmission Distance: ~10m
  • Speaker Impedance: 4 ohm
  • Power Output: 5W
  • Battery: 1200mAh
  • Playback Time: 7 hours
  • Weight: 260g
  • Dimensions: 60x60x93mm
  • Colors: Black/White

What’s In The Box?

Xiaomi-Bluetooth-Speaker-3-Review-Inside-The-Box

Xiaomi have kept up their tradition of keeping inclusions to a minimum and their new speaker is no different.

Inside the box, you’ll get the Xiaomi Bluetooth speaker, a rubber band to keep the controls from spinning and a Chinese instruction manual. I’m disappointed that Xiaomi didn’t include a micro USB cable for charging as it feels like an inclusion that really should be in the box.

Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker Review: Design

Xiaomi’s latest Bluetooth speaker sports a brand new cylindrical design. It’s a sleek, matte-
finished tube with the speaker located on the top of the unit.

Both black and white versions are available, but I’ve opted for the black variant.

Xiaomi-Bluetooth-Speaker-3-Review-Front

The front of the unit sports a small dual-color power LED whilst the rear has a micro USB port for charging.

Xiaomi-Bluetooth-Speaker-3-Review-Back

The top of the unit is actually the controls. It’s one of the most minimalist yet elegant control systems I’ve seen in a long time.

Xiaomi-Bluetooth-Speaker-3-Review-Top

Pressing and holding down the top will turn the speaker on or pause the current track if you’re already listening to music. Turning the top section controls the volumes.

The entire unit feels incredibly well made, as is par for the course for Xiaomi speakers.

Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker Review: Using It

Powering up the speaker is done by holding down the top of the unit for a few seconds. The device automatically jumps into pairing mode.

Pairing is a matter of selecting the speaker in your phone’s Bluetooth menu. The speaker’s name is all in Chinese but it should be easy enough to figure out which one it is.

When it pairs up, there’s a spoken confirmation (in Chinese) and you’ll be ready to go.

Xiaomi-Bluetooth-Speaker-3-Review-02

Music playback is essentially controlled entirely by your smartphone. You can pause/play the track by pressing the top of the speaker.

The speaker’s volume is tied to your smartphone rather than being independent like some of the speakers I’ve tested recently. Thus, turning the control of the speaker will adjust the volume on your smartphone too.

Xiaomi-Bluetooth-Speaker-3-Review-06

Battery life was good, with 3-4 hours of playback leaving me with 50% battery remaining so I feel comfortable with Xiaomi’s estimate of 7 hours.

Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker Review: Audio Quality

Xiaomi’s Bluetooth speakers are rarely a slouch in audio quality and their latest is no different.

The Xiaomi Bluetooth speaker offers excellent low and mid performance. Bass is impressive too though it does tend to dominate when you hit maximum volume.

Xiaomi-Bluetooth-Speaker-3-Review-04

Volume is pretty impressive from such a compact speaker. It’s plenty for a small or medium room but it won’t compete with a proper stereo system. I didn’t experience any distortion at all during testing either.

Verdict

Xiaomi-Bluetooth-Speaker-3-Review-05

Xiaomi’s latest Bluetooth speaker is another winner. It brings their usual excellent build and sound quality with stylish design.

The lack of aux in may be disappointing for some but the design, quality and unique control method more than make up for it. Thoroughly recommended.

Getting One

The Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker is available from Everbuying for under $30. Use coupon EXMSP to get it for $27.59.

Check Price at Everbuying

Alternatively, it’s available from Banggood.

Mpow AquaPro Bluetooth Speaker Review: Waterproof Wonder?

The Mpow AquaPro is a rugged IPX7-rated Bluetooth speaker. This means that you should be able to submerge it to 3ft for 30 minutes without any issues – making it the perfect beach companion.

I want to say thanks to Mpow for sending me a sample to review.

Check Price at Amazon

What’s In The Box?

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-Inside-The-Box

Mpow have included a good set of inclusions in the box:

  • 1x Mpow AquaPro Bluetooth speaker
  • 1x micro USB charging cable
  • 1x 3.5mm-to-3.5mm audio cable
  • 1x English Instruction Manual

There’s no power adapter in the box, but the Mpow AquaPro charges via micro USB so pretty much any USB charger should do the job.

Mpow AquaPro Review: Design

The Mpow AquaPro is a surprisingly compact Bluetooth speaker. At around 100x100mm and being reasonably lightweight, it’s the ideal size to chuck into your bag to take around with you.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-Front

The unit’s square design is dominated by its large speaker grill, its grey contrasting with the bright green casing. The grills and rear plates feature panel detail and fake screws adding to the rugged aesthetic.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-08

Pretty much everything is hard plastic though so it does feel a little on the cheap side.

The top of the unit houses the  device’s four buttons: power, play/pause and skip tracks. To keep the unit waterproof, the buttons are embossed in the plastic frame. This gives the buttons a cheap feel but it’s an understandable design decision.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-07

A rubber flap on the right side hides the unit’s micro USB and Aux in ports. There’s also an SOS button which activates an incredibly loud alarm if you need it.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-Ports

On terms of build quality, the Mpow AquaPro feels well made though its heavy reliance on plastic does cheapen its feel. It’s designed to be waterproof not ultra-rugged like the Mpow Armor Plus so I can’t image it’ll stand too much physical abuse.

Mpow AquaPro Review: Using It

Charging the internal 800mAh battery via micro USB takes around a couple of hours.

After powering up the unit by holding down the power button, it’s ready to pair. Just select Mpow AquaPro from your smartphone’s Bluetooth menu. The speaker will reconnect automatically to the last paired device quickly.

Music playback is controlled via your smartphone or the onboard controls. The volume buttons also pull double-duty. Holding them down skips tracks.

Aux in works as expected. Just plug the included 3.5mm cable into the speaker and your phone and you can play your favorite tracks from devices that don’t support Bluetooth.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-06

The SOS function is impressively loud, sounding a siren after holding down the button for a few seconds. However, it can only be triggered when the speaker is switched on which is frustrating. If you were in an emergency situation, I hardly doubt you’d want to both power up the speaker and trigger the SOS function when needed.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-Right

The Mpow AquaPro is waterproof, capable of being submerged under 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. It’ll also float so it’s also easy to fetch if it falls into a swimming pool or river. That’s an impressive feat that makes the AquaPro an excellent candidate for those with an adventurer streak.

The in-built 800mAh battery should be good for around 8 hours of usage according to Mpow. After a week of regular usage, this seems to be about right.

Mpow AquaPro Review: Sound Quality

The Mpow AquaPro’s audio quality is impressive, particularly when you take into account its waterproof status.

At low to moderate volumes, the speaker sounds fantastic. Audio is nice and clear with good mids and highs, though bass may be a little light for some users. I personally liked how it sounded as I prefer more balanced audio than drowning my tracks in bass.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-02

When you hit maximum volume though, the bass can’t quite keep up, with audio sounding harsher due to dominant mids and highs. Overall clarity is maintained however and I didn’t experience any distortion at all.

It’s important to note that audiophiles aren’t the target audience though, so the waterproofing will be worth the audio quality tradeoff.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-05

The Mpow AquaPro’s volume is independent from your smartphone’s volume. By maxing out both your phone’s and the speaker’s volume, you can output an impressive amount of sound from the unit’s 3W speaker. It’ll be plenty for a small to medium sized room.

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-03

Mpow AquaPro Review: Microphone Quality

The Mpow AquaPro also features a built-in microphone. The function is a “nice to have” but the tiny microphone isn’t sensitive enough so the person on the other end tended to have difficulty hearing me. Audio quality when receiving a call was excellent though.

Verdict

Mpow-AquaPro-Review-04

The Mpow AquaPro is a great little Bluetooth speaker. It’s compact, well-made and sounds great. Couple that with it’s waterproof design and SOS features, it’s a solid package if you need the extra durability it affords.

Though the plastic feels a little cheap, the Mpow AquaPro is great value and the perfect speaker to accompany you on your adventures.

Getting One

The Mpow AquaPro is available from Amazon.

Check Price at Amazon

Blitzwolf F1 Bluetooth Speaker Review

The Blitzwolf F1 is the rising company’s new Bluetooth speaker. With dual 5W drivers, a dedicated subwoofer, in addition to a massive 1800mAh battery, AUX In and handfree calling.

I want to say thanks to Banggood for sending me a unit to review.

Check Price

Blitzwolf F1 Technical Specifications

  • Speaker Power: 2 x 5W,S/N ≥60dB
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0+EDR (A2DP, AVRCP), 3.5mm Aux In
  • Range: Approx. 10m
  • Battery: 1800mAh
  • Battery Life (Rated): 10-12 hours (Playback)
  • Power: micro USB 2.0 port for charging
  • Size: 162×62.6×28.6mm
  • Weight: 270g

What’s In The Box?

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-Inside-The-Box

Blitzwolf have provided a solid set of inclusions. Inside the box, you’ll get:

  • 1x Blitzwolf F1 Bluetooth Speaker
  • 1x 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable
  • 1x Micro USB charging cable
  • 1x Wrist Strap
  • 1x Instruction Manual

Blitzwolf F1 Review: Design

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-Front

The Blitzwolf F1 looks fantastic  The Blitzwolf F1 features a solid aluminium shell that has a nice sandblasted finish. Each speaker grill has it’s own pattern, with a bold X on the front and a diamond on the rear. 

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-05

It’s also a good size – around the size of a pencil case. This means that it’s small enough to chuck in a bag and take with you.

The top of the speaker features 5 diamond-shaped rubber buttons for skipping tracks (oddly labelled as +/-), answering calls/pairing, play/pause and a power button. There’s also a tiny hole for the microphone.

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-Top

Only the larger Call/Pairing button is backlit. I would have liked to see them all lit up to make it easier to use in the dark but it’s not a big issue.

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-11

The ends of the speaker are capped with contrasting red rubber. A flap on the right side hides the charging and Aux in port, resulting in a very clean looking unit. These rubber flaps also help the unit achieve its IPX-5 rating, with Blitzwolf claiming that the unit should be safe from splashes, dust and drops.

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-Side

The left side has a connector for a wrist strap which is nice inclusion but I have to admit I didn’t use it at all while I was reviewing the unit.

Blitzwolf F1 Review: Using It

Holding down the power button for a few seconds boots the unit. Pairing is done like pretty much every other Bluetooth speaker, by selecting the “Blitzwolf F1” from your smartphone’s Bluetooth menu. There’s a tone that lets you know when it’s paired that sounds pleasant unlike a recent speaker I reviewed.

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-06

Music playback is either controlled via your phone or the unit’s onboard controls. Whilst the Play/Pause button’s function is obvious, the +/- buttons actually pull double duty. A short press will skip tracks whilst holding them down will adjust the speaker’s internal volume. This is actually independent of your smartphone’s volume so you can push the speaker pretty hard.

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-04

There’s also the Call button which will answer an incoming call on the speaker, whilst holding it down will put the speaker into Pairing mode.

The Bluetooth connection is rock solid, and I didn’t experience any breakups at the 10m limit, even through a wall. Bluetooth can be a bit of a drainer on your smartphone’s battery though. Thankfully, the Blitzwolf F1 supports Bluetooth 4.0, meaning the speaker sips energy from your smartphone when paired.

Auxiliary input is handy for devices that don’t support Bluetooth. Connecting up the included 3.5mm cable automatically switches the speaker to using the cabled connection making it incredibly easy to use.

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-10

Blitzwolf claims that the speaker should be good for around 10-12 hours and that feels about right. After a few hours of blasting sweet metal, I’m only down to 75% so their estimate seems right.

Blitzwolf F1 Review: Sound Quality

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-03

The Blitzwolf F1 is a great sounding Bluetooth speaker. I found low, mids and highs to be fairly balanced. It’s clear the dedicated subwoofer is at work here, as most Bluetooth speakers sound tinny due to tiny drivers not being able to cope with lower frequencies.

Bass-heavy tracks such as Hard by Tech N9ne and Bass Face by The Midnight Beast sounded great, maintaining their punch. Mellow tracks showed off good detail whilst the chaos of death metal balanced bass with treble to ensure the complex vocals remained clear over powerful drum beats.

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-09

That said, at maximum volume, highs became slightly more pronounced as the subwoofer tried to match the drivers volume. That said, audio still sounded excellent, outperforming most other speakers in this price range.

Distortion was incredibly rare, with only a single test track creating some slight crackling at maximum volume.

Speaking of volume, the Blitzwolf F1 is pretty loud. According to my sound meter, I was able to hit 95db at 30cm at 90 at 1m, which is pretty impressive, particularly for such a compact unit. BlYou won’t be replacing your home theatre or dedicated stereo system with it, but filling up a small to medium sized room was no issue.

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-07

The hands free feature is a nice addition but in practice is pretty useless. Whilst I had no issue hearing the person on the other end, the Blitzwolf F1’s microphone simply isn’t sensitive enough so I could barely be heard. Don’t throw out your Bluetooth headset just yet.

Should You Get One?

Blitzwolf-F1-Review-01

The Blitzwolf F1 is an impressive Bluetooth speaker. With great audio quality, a good mix of features and top-notch build, the Blitzwolf is a great option that offers the style and most of the features of Xiaomi’s top-of-the-line speaker without the price tag. A great option.

Getting One

You can get the Blitzwolf F1 Bluetooth speaker from Banggood for around $35.

Check Price

Alternatively, it’s available from Amazon.