Xiaomi Portable Bluetooth Speaker 16W, US$55: Mi’s next portable Bluetooth speaker has the designation 16W in front of its name. Why? since it is larger and has more ports and controls. It is also heavier, and I don’t believe many people will stuff this one inside their cargo trousers or put it on anything like a bag.
Although most of the construction is now cloth, it is still sturdy and clean, making cleaning fascinating. It has two rubber pads on the bottom to prevent it from sliding off surfaces. There are several buttons, which are located on top.
A dedicated Bluetooth button to pair a new device and quickly disconnect a connected device, a power button to turn it on or off, volume controls that also serve as track skippers, a play pause button that also answers and ends calls, and finally, an infinity button that enables you to pair this speaker with another one to create left and proper audio separation. The one I received is blue; however, after glancing at the package, I believe the black one would be my first choice.
It has an IPX7 rating for water and dust resistance so that it won’t be bothered by a few splashes or sandy beaches. There are 2 of them. An aux connector for those who love to toy with cords and a USB-C port for charging. Speaking of which, I wish the box had an aux cable. Unfortunately, the only thing included is a USB cord for charging the speaker.
This one claims to have a battery life of up to 13 hours, but only at 50% volume. So it won’t survive more than 13 hours when books exceed 50%. It has a 2600mAh battery inside, and I find it surprising that they did not include a reverse charge capability, since I would have been able to use it as a power bank to charge my phone or the smaller speaker.
How does it sound?
It is louder, indeed. A lot louder. And indeed, the bass is stronger. The speaker vibrates and rattles the surface it is placed on during certain bass-heavy songs, and I rate the sound quality an A+. Up to its maximum level, it offers some robust bass, with the vibrations becoming more intense as the volume increases. In the loudest setting, the modest bass bias and high volume cause some aberrations. Some higher frequency instruments are slightly less precise and reliable when performing music. However, I’m speaking from the perspective of an audio fan.
This speaker is a fantastic speaker for the vast majority of you. For those who missed the allusion, it may be used in an ample space like a Zumba class. Even a simple outdoor event like a backyard braai, picnic, or birthday celebration might be used.
It features two preset equalizers. While the other has deep bass, the first is typical. By pressing the play/pause buttons, you may cycle through them.
Pros
- The volume is really high.
- The sound quality is excellent, and the bass is deep and full.
- There are several neatly located buttons.
- Auxiliary stereo pair for wired audio
- improved resistance to water and dust
- enough battery life
- USB-C
Cons
- Expensive at US$55
- not having a power bank
- no SD card reader or FM radio
