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Bang & Olufsen adds Alexa to its Beosound A1 Bluetooth speaker
B&O says this is the first Bluetooth-only speaker with Alexa built-in. The first A1 sounded great for its size, but B&O says it improved the sound quality for the 2nd-gen model. The 2nd-gen Beosound A1 is available now in black and grey color options from B&O and select retailers.
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Sonos Move review: Versatility doesn't come cheap
It's late September, but still technically summer, so I'm writing this on my back deck, listening to the first Sonos speaker built to be used outside. The Move represents a number of firsts for Sonos: It's built to be used outdoors, it has a battery and it supports Bluetooth. These design choices add up to a speaker that's far more versatile than any Sonos has made thus far. Instead of it living in one spot, I've been testing the Move all over my home, inside and out. Because of this versatility, everyone who buys a Move will use it differently, which makes it tricky to evaluate. But regardless of whether you plan to use it inside, on-the-go, in the backyard, or some combination of all three, the Move needs to deliver on sound quality, durability, battery life and wireless connectivity. Especially since it costs $399 -- or about double the price of the UE Megaboom 3, which is itself a pretty expensive Bluetooth speaker. To justify that cost the Move not only needs to do a lot more, but it needs to do all those things well.
The Sonos Move is more than a Bluetooth speaker
For its entire history, Sonos has prided itself on delivering high-quality, wireless home audio. Among other things, that's meant using WiFi rather than Bluetooth to stream music. Even as "premium" Bluetooth speakers flooded the market, Sonos stuck to its guns, convinced it was doing things the "right" way. And even though the company's speakers generally deliver an excellent audio experience, plenty of its fans still have asked for Bluetooth over the years. In the same vein, Sonos users have been asking about outdoor speakers for years now. So far, all Sonos speakers have been designed to be placed in one spot and left there; the company doesn't make any battery-powered devices, and everything is dependent on an internet connection. That all changes later this month when Sonos releases the Move, its take on the battery-powered, portable speaker. The $399 Move is the first Sonos speaker with batteries and Bluetooth, and it's built to resist pretty much any environmental situation it could be subjected to. In these ways, it's the most unique speaker Sonos has made in years, and it required the company to drop some dogmatic thinking about the technology in its products.
The new Soundboks Bluetooth speaker is still massive and louder than ever
Portable Bluetooth speakers usually come in pint-sized pocketable versions or larger tabletop varieties that can push out decent sound to a group of people. The extra-large versions are rarely talked about or seen in the wild, but like exotic animals, they have a visceral impact by their very nature. The Soundboks speakers fall into the latter category for me. The second edition arrived two years ago, and while it costs a pretty penny, the product was a party-inducing powerhouse. Today, the company has announced its most recent upgrade with the new Soundboks. It's still a premium product, both in materials and price ($999). But as you'd expect, there are a few new features, including wireless daisy chaining for up to five units using the TeamUP function.
Engadget giveaway: win a Kilburn portable speaker courtesy of Marshall!
Whether you're listening to Motörhead, Spinal Tap or Taylor Swift, the Kilburn portable Bluetooth speaker should do it justice. It may not be the biggest of Marshall's speaker lineup, but it's the first to offer a built-in battery for true portability and provides up to 20 hours of listening on a charge. You also get all the classic rock n' roll flourishes that you'd expect from Marshall, including knob controls for volume, bass and treble (only up to 10, sorry) along with a cloth covered grill and guitar-like strap. It's the perfect complement to the company's new London phone, as well. We have two of these powerful boomboxes for a duo of Engadget readers this week. All you need to do is head down to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at winning. Winners: Congratulations to Elias W. of New York, NY and Nate O. of Newburgh, NY!
Waterproof Bluetooth speaker blasts tunes without your phone
If you want a vacation from your smartphone but still need tunes, a Bluetooth speaker called Drifter may be just the gadget. Yes, the rugged, waterproof and buoyant model is aimed at the boating and beach crowd, but there are already plenty of wireless speakers with those qualities. What makes it unique is the customized Android OS, touchscreen and 16GB of storage, which lets you leave your fragile smartphone in a drawer. At the same time, when you're at home or within range of a WiFi or Bluetooth network, it'll stream music like a regular Bluetooth speaker.
Engadget's new buyer's guide picks: LG's G4 and a ton of audio gear
It's been almost two months since we've updated our various buyer's guides, but we've made up for lost time by adding a dozen new picks. Most of those are in our portable audio category, with nearly everything replaced with something newer (or better). We've rounded out our other categories too, though, with the LG G4 ranking as one of our new favorite phones, and the Fitbit Charge and LG Watch Urbane getting nods in the wearables section. Those are some of the more notable additions, but feel free to poke around -- and stay tuned to see what we add next month.
Does bigger mean better for UE's popular 'Boom' speakers?
It's taken me years to overcome my vinyl-based anachronistic tendencies. I've been particularly reluctant to buy digital music files; to me it's right up there with e-books -- spending good money on "virtual" products. Still, the accessibility of digital music and being able to stream wirelessly are more compelling than being a Luddite. So I began the search for a quality portable speaker. That ended two years ago after I tried the UE Boom. It quickly won me over with its design, sound quality and 360-degree speaker setup. I stowed it in my backpack's side pouch for long bike rides and could easily hear it over the wind. The speaker never sounded "boxy" either, with its omnidirectional output. This year, Ultimate Ears decided to pump up the specs, size and, inevitably, the price for its newest model, the aptly named Megaboom. I was curious to see how this would compare, since it seemed less portable. So I took the Megaboom (a pair of them, actually) for a spin to see how they stacked up.
Sony's voice-controlled speaker can follow you around the room
The jury is still out on Amazon's voice-controlled Echo speaker, but that hasn't stopped Sony from developing a competitor. The 'Smart Bluetooth Speaker BSP60' is a petite black orb that pairs with Android devices and vocalizes basic information, such as the weather forecast and your daily schedule. Once triggered with the phrase "okay speaker," you can ask it to perform simple tasks too, such as setting timers, alarms and checking your phone for new messages. The built-in microphone accommodates conference calls and the tiny wheels underneath allow it to scoot around a flat surface, similar to the Sony Rolly. (Try snoozing that 6am alarm now...) By far its most eye-catching feature, however, are the twin sections that pop out of the top. The device then looks like a Tron-style alarm clock, with bright lights that change color underneath. They're mostly for show, but give Sony's speaker a charming little personalty. If you're interested, be prepared to shell out some serious cash -- Sony says it'll cost €299 ($355) when it debuts in Q2 2015.
Engadget giveaway: win a Megaboom speaker courtesy of Ultimate Ears!
We've been fond of the UE Boom since its arrival in 2013 and I've personally logged dozens of hours biking to its respectable 360-degree audio output. There is, however, only so much sound you can pump out of such a small speaker and Ultimate Ears decided to increase the volume (and size) this year with its new UE Megaboom. This larger model has the same feature set as its predecessor, but the Bluetooth range has been bumped up to 100 feet, the battery life is now rated for up to 20 hours and it's waterproof, just in case the party gets messy. As before, you can pair two of the speakers using the Megaboom app for stereo sound. Like what your hearing so far? Ultimate Ears has been kind enough to provide one of these big beat boxes (err, cylinders) for two Engadget readers this week. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to three chances at winning one of these party rocking speakers. Winners: congratulations to Mark S. of Saint Peters, MO. and Edwin L. of Carson, CA.
UE MEGABOOM is the new authority in Bluetooth portable speakers
Last week I wrote on the announcement of UE MEGABOOM (US$299.99) Bluetooth speaker, the new big brother to the UE BOOM ($199.99) and the UE MINIBOOM ($99.99). I reviewed the UE BOOM last year and was thrilled with its performance as a portable, durable and great sounding wireless speaker. It's the portable Bluetooth speaker I've been recommending to everyone that's been asking. This last week I've had the pleasure of putting UE's MEGABOOM through its paces, especially in comparison to the smaller BOOM. Read on to find out how the MEGABOOM fared. Design and Features In terms of design, the MEGABOOM looks like a super-charged version of the BOOM. All the design cues and details are virtually identical to the BOOM. In my BOOM review, I likened the BOOM's shape to that of an old-school cylindrical pencil case. The MEGABOOM is exactly like that, only the bigger version that holds about a dozen more pencils. It's 8.3 inches tall and has a diameter of 3.3 inches. The MEGABOOM weighs 1.93 Ib or 875g, which is just over 300g heavier than the BOOM. It's still extremely solid, and really easy to pick up and carry around with one hand. Although those 300g are noticeable when carrying the MEGABOOM for extended periods of time in comparison to the BOOM, the extra weight is negligible in day to day use. It's the size in form factor which is the dramatic change here. It's the difference between shoving the BOOM into a small satchel or even a coat pocket and the MEGABOOM requiring a backpack or something of that ilk. Still, I would consider the MEGABOOM a truly portable wireless speaker. From its capacious 20-hour battery life (up from 15 hours for the BOOM) and 100-foot Bluetooth range (up from 50 feet on the BOOM), to the smallest details of the design, the MEGABOOM will perform in just about any environment. For example, like the BOOM, the MEGABOOM's cylindrical shape means that there are no edges or potential hooks for it to grate or snag on. The fact that you can feel your way around the speaker without needing to look at it; the on / off button is indented at the top while the Bluetooth pairing button is raised. The volume-up and volume-down buttons are indented along the rubbery back of the speaker in "+" and "-" symbols. Furthermore, the MEGABOOM is IPX 7 certified, which means it's waterproof in up to 1 meter of water. Awesome! The USB charging port and 3.5mm audio input jack have rubber doors to make the MEGABOOM air tight. You've no need to worry about drops into the bathtub, swimming pool or if you leave it out in the rain, which means you don't need to bother with carry cases or protective covers. It's design that serves both form and functional that means there's no fuss. You just focus on the music. Performance Pairing to the MEGABOOM on my iPhone, iPad and also my Mac over Bluetooth was really easy and straightforward. When you first connect to the speaker, you're prompted to download the easy-to-use MEGABOOM app, which is there for the extras, like EQ settings, software updates and other features. In terms of audio performance, the MEGABOOM builds on everything the BOOM delivers. The 360-degree room filling audio that comes from the cylindrical shape is enlarged and well-rounded. High-end is open, clear and spacious, while the low end is much warmer and fuller than what the littler BOOM offers. The fantastic My Brightest Diamond's track Pressure puts the MEGABOOM to the test. Tight snare with a big kick and fat toms are punchy and detailed, but it's the bass riff that drives while the vocal is clear and smooth, front and center. Wind instruments are the icing, while synths and BVs enhance and fill everything out. It's a brilliant song and the MEGABOOM handles it well. If I was to be picky, It'd be in those booming low frequencies that things can get slightly muddied. Of course, positioning of the MEGABOOM will make a big difference to the sound it produces. The accompanying MEGABOOM app allows for custom EQ settings to adjust to your preferences. Speaking of which, the MEGABOOM app also allows for over-the-air software updates to the MEGABOOM as well as the ability to pair the MEGABOOM with up to 10 other MEGABOOMS. What a party that would be! There's also the alarm clock and and a new feature that lets you turn on or off the MEGABOOM from the app, for those late nights or early mornings where you can't be bothered to get out of bed. Conclusion The MEGABOOM is a real level-up in comparison to the BOOM. For a truly portable speaker, design, portability and overall audio performance are top-notch. Sure, it may be bigger than the BOOM, but the enhanced audio, Bluetooth range and battery life far outweigh the extra bulk. The only downside of significant note is the price. The $299.99 price feels a little on the expensive side. But if your budget can reach for it, the MEGABOOM is the Bluetooth speaker to get. However, If you do need something a little smaller or you can't justify the price tag, the smaller BOOM is still a worthy contender.
CES 2015: Braven announces Fuse audio mixer, luxury speakers line, Bridge
One company is really making a splash at CES this year, and that company is Braven. Yesterday we gave you the news about three new speaker lines from the accessories manufacturer. Today, the press release flood continued with news of the US$99.99 Fuse audio mixer, the 1100 ($249.99), 2200b ($299.99), and 2300b ($349.99) luxury speakers, and the $299.99 Braven Bridge "executive conference call companion". First up is the Fuse audio mixer, described as a portable Bluetooth audio mixer. Seen in the image at the top of this post, the device has multiple Bluetooth connections so that it can link to two audio sources and two speakers. On the little box (less than 5 inches long) are a plethora of onboard controls, including volume and low/mid/high tuners for each audio source, a source level equalizer, a headphone out switch to listen to different audio sources, and a cross fader. Running off an internal 1200 mAh rechargable battery, the Fuse Audio Mixer can operate for over 12 hours on a single charge. It will be available in the second quarter of 2015. Next, the company expanded its design series speaker collection adding three premium Bluetooth speakers. The Braven 1100 supports aptX encoded audio and uses TrueWireless to pair with a second Braven speaker for true stereo sound. It will be available in the second quarter of 2015 as well in black, dark gray, light gray, red, orange and blue colors. The Braven 2200b and 2300b are designed to deliver "room-filling ultra-premium HD sound in an awe-inspiring package." All hyperbole aside, both speakers feature left and right channel stereo, interchangable grill options, and the ability to receive over-the-air firmware updates. Those grills will be available in black, dark gray, red, orange and blue, and the speakers should ship in the second quarter of 2015. Finally, Braven is building on its reputation for making speakers with excellent speakerphone capabilities with the Braven Bridge. It's a stylish accessory designed for executives who want to make loud and clear conference calls while on the road, and like the rest of these accessories it should be available in the second quarter. The Braven Bridge features dual omnidirectional microphones built into a aluminum body with leather accents. As expected with a product like this, there are 360-degree HD microphones and noise cancelling technology built in. The battery inside has a capacity of 2800 mAh and can be used to charge mobile devices.
CES 2015: Ultimate Ears announces the MegaBoom
Ultimate Ears has added the MegaBoom (US$299.99) to its line-up of truly portable Bluetooth speakers, alongside the Boom and Mini Boom. Last year I reviewed the UE Boom and found it to be the best all-round portable Bluetooth speaker I had the pleasure of listening to in 2014. It sounds fantastic, has great battery life, and it is remarkably portable and durable. UE says the MegaBoom builds on everything the Boom delivers. Key features include a large, 360 degree sound with heart-pounding bass, 20 hours of battery life with ultra-fast micro-USB charging, a 100-foot Bluetooth range, and less than two pounds of weight. Furthermore, the MegaBoom is IPX7 certified against water -- it's waterproof! Like the Boom, the MegaBoom uses the accompanying iOS app for sound customization and additional features, including pairing with other MegaBoom or Boom speakers for stereo sound. UE says the MegaBoom will be available in the U.S. and in select countries in Europe and Asia in January. We'll hopefully get our hands on the MegaBoom in the coming weeks for a full review.
New portable speakers from Philips add some physical pop to your music
Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen these days, so new products need an extra bit of zing to make an impression on us. Or, in the case of the Philips FL3X speaker from Woox Innovations, a pop. The FL3X is a pocket-sized circular speaker with sides that can be pulled out, transforming it from a disc into a small cylinder that delivers richer bass than many similar-sized portable speakers.
PERI Duo: It's a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi speaker, a battery case, and more
If there are two product areas that seemingly don't need any new entries, those are probably portable Bluetooth speakers and iPhone battery cases. But what if you could get both of those product genres in one product? That's the idea behind the PERI Duo, an iPhone case (5/5s/6/possibly 6 Plus) that integrates a detachable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker system with a 2500mAh battery. The PERI Duo is currently an Indiegogo campaign that is 51 percent funded with a month left. For as little as $79, you'll be one of the first to get the device, which comes in three different color combos: White/Gold, Red/Black, or Black/Silver. As you can see from the accompanying video, the PERI Duo features both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, can handle Multi-Casting (the ability to create a peer-to-peer Wi-Fi network and stream music to more than one device), has a high-resolution digital-to-analog coverter, and will have an app to offer equalization settings. Add a case that should keep your iPhone safe from drops and recharge it with a 2500mAh battery, and you've got a truly multi-function case. Judging from the interest in this campaign, there's a good chance the PERI Duo will go into production. Let's see if TUAW readers can help push the campaign over its goal. You can also check out the PERI website for more information about the design and internals of the Duo.
Cambridge Audio Bluetone 100: Room-filling, thrilling sound
If the recent glut of Bluetooth speaker reviews on TUAW is any indication, it might be time to change our name to "The Unofficial Bluetooth Speaker Weblog". We've reviewed quite a few low-end Bluetooth speakers, including the surprisingly good $26 Inateck BP2001, but we rarely see speakers at the other end of the spectrum. Today I'm looking at the Cambridge Audio Bluetone 100 (US$299.99), a 100 Watt speaker designed to let you fill any sized room with pure amplified sound. Specifications Dimensions: 13.9 x 7.2 x 4.6 inches (354 x 182 118 mm) Weight: 9 lbs. (4.1 kg) Amplifier power output: 100W Standby power consumption: <0.5W Drive units: 2 x 100mm (4 inch) Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) drivers Input voltage: 100V - 240V (50/60Hz), AC cords for all major markets included. Design Unlike a lot of the Bluetooth speakers we review here at TUAW, the Bluetone 100 isn't designed for portable use. It doesn't have an interior battery, and at 9 pounds you're not exactly going to want to drop it into your backpack for a trip to the park. This baby is designed for in-home or in-office use, and that's where it excels. The Bluetone 100 is very attractive, featuring one color - black - and a case that will be at home in any study, office, kitchen or family room. All of the controls are on top of the case; on one side are a power button and volume up/down controls, while on the other are source buttons for Aux, MP3, and Bluetooth. Cambridge Audio used a different kind of Bluetooth into this speaker. Called aptX Bluetooth, it means that it can receive high resolution music streams from devices that support that standard, or use regular Bluetooth from most other devices. Most of the owners of the Bluetone 100 will use Bluetooth to stream music to the speaker, but there are RCA and 3.5mm inputs on the back if you'd prefer to connect some other device to it. The Bluetone 100 uses patented Balanced Mode Radiator speaker drivers (two at 4 inches diameter each) that move both in and out like traditional drivers, and also horizontally. There's a Class D amp pushing power to the drivers, and built-in digital sound processing ensures clean and loud music. Functionality With speakers and headphones, the proof of quality is just how good the sound is to the listener. As usual, I'll throw out my caveat that how my ears discern sound from a particular source is not exactly how your ears are going to hear it. What I may think sounds great, you may think is dull and lifeless. Setup is quick: you just plug in the Bluetone 100 and a tiny LED in the front speaker grill goes from red to flashing blue indicating that it wants to pair with a device. With a tap on the device name in Bluetooth settings, it's paired. Select the Bluetone 100 from AirPlay, and you're ready to go. As you'd expect from Cambridge Audio, the Bluetone 100 provides excellent sound reproduction. There's a bass adjustment on the back of the speaker, so if you want a bit more "thump" with your music, a twist can provide it. Not being dependent on a puny battery pack, the Bluetone can really be cranked up, too - enough to upset cats. While other speakers seem to "stutter" and lose Bluetooth connectivity easily, the Bluetone 100 never dropped a connection at any time during my testing. I wondered if that was attributable to my new iPhone 6 Plus or the Bluetone 100, so I tried from an older device. To pair with the other device - an iPad 3 - all I needed to do was tap the Bluetooth button on the speaker to make it discoverable. It appears that it is all the Bluetone's electronics that are making it so stutter-free, as the old device worked just fine -- even well beyond the usual advertised 33 foot range of Bluetooth. Conclusion Anyone in the market for a high-quality Bluetooth speaker with top-of-the-line sound reproduction should seriously consider the Cambridge Audio Bluetone 100. I found nothing at all to dislike about this speaker, and it's well worth the $300 price tag. After listening to the Bluetone 100, I'm not sure I can ever go back to a portable Bluetooth speaker. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
Inateck BP2001: The little Bluetooth speaker that could
I'll soon be reviewing a rather pricy speaker from another hardware vendor, so today I'm going to look at a less expensive solution from Inateck. The BP2001 10W Bluetooth Stereo Speaker (US$59.99 MSRP, available for $25.99 on Amazon) is affordable for just about anyone and features a design that acts as an iPad stand as well. How does this low-cost Bluetooth speaker fare? Read on, then have a chance to win one from Inateck and TUAW. Specifications Dimensions: 9.45 x 2.44 x 1.61 inches (240 x 62 x 41 mm) Weight: 11.7 ounces (332 grams) Effective performance: 5 watts per speaker, 2 speakers Signal distance: up to 10 mm (33 feet) Supported wireless mode: Bluetooth v2.1 and EDR Battery: Lithium ion, 800 mAh Design While the BP2001 isn't the most gorgeous speaker I've ever seen, it's also not bad looking and the iPad stand feature works like a champ. The front is dominated by a large "Inateck" button cover which had fallen off when I opened the box -- it's attached to a lower button with adhesive and stuck right back on with a push. On the back of the speaker is an on/off switch, an AUX port, and a micro-USB port for charging. There's also a support that flips out of the back of the speaker to hold up the weight of an iPad -- if you're not going to use the BP2001 as a stand, you can just flip it back in. Although this image shows an iPad Air mounted atop the BP2001 in landscape mode, it also works very well in portrait orientation -- and there's even a small indentation to help you access the Home button on your iPad. The front of the speaker has a nice black perforated grille and metal-looking highlights, while the stand section is made of a matte finish plastic material. The rest of the BP2001 is made of a shiny plastic that has a habit of picking up fingerprints. On the bottom are a pair of "feet" to keep the speaker from sliding. Functionality After flipping the power switch on the BP2001 to the on position, the speaker made a nice chime to tell me that it was on, then supplied a pair of tones to let me know that it wasn't currently paired with anything. A small white Bluetooth icon near the large front button was flashing, indicating that the speaker needed pairing. Using Settings > Bluetooth on iOS 8 beta quickly showed the Inateck BP2001 and the speaker paired with a tap, making a happy tone (I can't describe it any other way) to let me know the two were now talking. Now it was time to pump some tunes to the speaker. I have to admit being surprised. For a speaker that you can pick up for $26, this thing really has some volume. There's not much punch to the bass, but the high end is covered well and the speaker has a nice full tone to it. All of your volume control needs to come from the device you're beaming music from, which really isn't a problem -- in fact, I've often wondered why manufacturers insist on putting volume buttons or dials on Bluetooth speakers. I always test Bluetooth speakers with a variety of music genres, just to make sure that the speaker isn't just "pre-set" to sound good with one type of music. Whether it was the jazz of Dave Brubeck or the EDM of Daft Punk, this little speaker sounded pretty darned good. Conclusion Although the construction is a bit suspect (the button cover that had fallen off in shipping) and this device can pick up fingerprints better than a CSI, the surprisingly loud and clear sound combined with the low price tag give it a pretty good rating. If you're looking for a combo iPad stand/speaker and just don't want to blow the nest egg on it, you can't go wrong with the Inateck BP2001. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway So, want a Inateck BP2001 of your very own to rock out with? We're giving one away! Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before September 15 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive an Inateck BP2001 Bluetooth Speaker Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Denon Envaya is a portable Bluetooth speaker with loads of oomph
Denon is an audio company renowned for producing high-quality, high-end hi-fi equipment. The Envaya (US$199) represents Denon's current offering into the portable speaker market. Having recently reviewed Ultimate Ear's Boom and the pricier (compared to both the Boom and Envaya) Libratone Zipp, I was keen to see how the Envaya compared. Design Where the Boom and Zipp are cylindrical, the Envaya takes a more traditional rectangular shape. It's fairly large compared to the Boom (width 25.5 cm x height 1.41 cm x depth 4.75 cm) and weighs just under 3 lbs, so it's not as large as the Zipp. Having said that, the Envaya could easily be carried around in-hand or slipped into a rucksack. I wouldn't say the Envaya has an exciting, bold design like the Boom, or a sophisticated look like the Zipp, but it's not bad looking either. Similarly, it doesn't feel cheap, but it doesn't feel premium either. The Envaya comes in either black or white, but on the front is a grill with an interchangeable, colored cloth underneath. There are four colors (lunar, indigo, fandango, sunset) which do give the speaker some personality, but it's subtle. The Evanya may not stand out with its looks, but it's well put together and has a sturdy, durable quality. There's a kickstand round the back that snaps out with a squeeze to stand the Envaya upright. The kickstand collapses with a satisfying click when you press down, to make it easier to transport or store. On top is a row of large, back-lit buttons (power on / off, pairing, mute, volume up / down, and aux) as well as a battery indicator light. On the right hand side is a power input, a 3.5mm aux input, a reset button and a USB port for charging your iOS device from the Envaya's battery. On the bottom is a rubbery grip, keeping the Envaya steady and stable. Inside are what Denon calls two Full Range Drivers and in between them is a Passive Radiator for the bass, all driven by a digital amplifier. Performance Pairing the Envaya to my iPhone was really easy with Bluetooth. The Envaya chimes when pairing is complete and the Bluetooth pairing button's backlight is constantly on to indicate the connection. Multiple devices can be paired with the Envaya. I found the Envaya had really good Bluetooth range, too. The first thing I noticed from the Envaya when I played a track through it was that it had oodles of bass. It was surprising just how much of a punch the Envaya had, especially compared to the Zipp, where I felt bass was slightly lacking. However, the extra bass comes at the expense of higher end detail and openness. Things tended to sound a little muffled in the upper ranges. The Envaya has loads of volume though, easily filling a good-sized room with music. Denon says the Envaya has 10 hours of battery life and charges in 2.5 hours. I found the battery life to be on par with that, lasting a good few days with intermittent usage. The speaker's USB port for charging is a nice extra for those emergency low-battery moments, too. Conclusion For a portable speaker, the Envaya has a great deal of volume and bass oomph, making it a great choice for impromptu parties and the like. Battery life and Bluetooth performance are solid, and the USB charging port is a useful extra, but the veiled high-end left me wanting a little more from its audio performance. Having said that, if you're a bass-heavy fiend, the Envaya will be exactly what you're looking for in a portable speaker.
Soen Audio's sexy Transit XS Bluetooth speaker launches on Kickstarter
Bluetooth speakers are a hot growth item in the mobile world. It seems like every week, TUAW is inundated with pitches for a few more speakers from companies ranging from high-end audio equipment manufacturers to those that we say "Who?" about. The speakers range from cheap and dirty to high-end as well, with sound quality that can be as crisp and realistic as being at a concert to sounding like a scratchy low-power AM radio station on the car radio of a 1965 Chevy Impala station wagon. I recently had the opportunity to test an absolutely beautiful Bluetooth / NFC speaker from Soen Audio that launched on Kickstarter today. The Transit XS (US$130, but limited early bird backers can get one for as little as $60) looks incredible, but what about the sound? Read on for details. Specifications Dimensions: 6.25 x 2.5 x 1 inch (158.75 x 63.5 x 25.4 mm) Weight: .6 lbs (.27 kg) Design Highlights In stark contrast to many of the inexpensive Bluetooth speakers that pass through the TUAW Labs, the Transit XS is drop-dead gorgeous. The prototype I tested is off-white, with a rubberized material covering the top, back, bottom and sides. The front grille appears to be constructed of a perforated metal material the same color as the case. But the cool design feature is a brushed aluminum strip that extends all the way around the middle of the speaker. On top are three buttons -- one for volume down/skip back, one marked with an infinity symbol for play/pause, and a volume up/fast forward button. On the left side of the speaker as you look toward the front are a power switch, an AUX input port, four white LEDs for determining remaining battery, and a micro-USB port for charging. The right side features the patented Momentum Port, which I'll talk about in a minute. Finally, on the back of the speaker is a 1/4 inch screw mount that can connect the speaker to a tripod or a bicycle mount. Soen also plans to ship the Transit XS with a belt clip to make the speaker wearable. The Kickstarter page shows the Transit XS in five different colors: black, red, blue, purple, and white. Functionality Highlights Let's get the minor features out of the way first. That rubberized material is awesome, making the speaker quite easy to grip and also isolating it from vibration on hard surfaces. Soen provides a standard 3.5mm (1/8-inch) audio cable if you want to plug your Transit XS into a device without Bluetooth or NFC, as well as a USB to micro-USB charging cable. Powering up the Transit XS is as simple as sliding the power button. Unlike some of the jarring BEEEPs or voice prompts telling you that the speaker has been powered up, the Transit XS provides a two-note bass guitar riff -- nice touch. Similar bass riffs sound when you press the "infinity button" atop the speaker to enable Bluetooth pairing and once again when the two are paired. One feature that I saw with iOS 8 beta that I had never seen before was that the speaker's battery level showed up in a tiny vertical battery icon on the iPhone. I'm not sure if that's something that will work with all Bluetooth devices or perhaps just those running Bluetooth 4.0 -- or it could be an iOS 8 feature -- but it's kind of cool that my iPhone displays the speaker's battery level. Now the big fun -- listening to the speaker. It has surprisingly good sound quality and volume for such a small device. A bass port on the right side of the Transit XS seems to accentuate bass fairly well, so if you love deep, pounding bass, you're going to love this speaker. That's not to say that it doesn't do a good job with mid- and high-range sounds as well: it does. Conclusion While the Soen Transit XS still has 29 days to go in its Kickstarter campaign, it's already reached 65 percent of its funding. I think I know why -- it's a good looking and well-built Bluetooth speaker with great sound that can be mounted just about anywhere. I have no doubt that it's going to blast by its funding goal in no time at all. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
