The American brand Braven recently launched the Active series. Besides Stryde, there is also an omnidirectional 360 and a big brother XL. Stryde is a relatively large and heavy speaker, which might better fit in your luggage than in your handbag. It feels extremely sturdy and can withstand both dust and water. Its battery is …
Two years ago we tested the Envaya Mini in a similar test of travel speakers, and we concluded that it was the best buy. Here comes the sequel, confusingly enough with the same name. So it is important to keep track of the product designation. One of the shortcomings of this was the water protection, …
We previously tested both Geneva Touring L and Touring S, where the letters indicate size. Now is their little brother’s turn, a speaker that falls into the travel category. Besides the size, the features are different. The larger models also have radio, while the XS must make do with only Bluetooth. The design hails back …
Scepticism towards wireless speakers is understandable. In our tests, we have learned that there are often compromises in sound quality and usability. So if someone is disappointed with wireless speakers, we get it. There are always exceptions. Dynaudio’s Xeo-Series and ELAC’s AIR loudspeakers are examples of successful speakers with regards to sound quality. Unfortunately, the …
SoundTouch 300 is the latest addition to Bose’s multi-room family, an easy-to-use soundbar, where one can also purchase a wireless subwoofer if you want, and even supplement with wireless back speakers. But it also works well on its own. The SoundTouch 300 has a HDMI output, but interestingly enough no corresponding input. This is because …
The look is rough and masculine, with a length that best matches TVs at 46 inches and up. The soundbar has an HDMI input that supports HDCP 2.2 and hence all the latest video resolutions. However, it lacks a display, so you need to get close in order to see the input and sound modes. …
After the classical Japanese brand Aiwa was engulfed by Sony in the 80’s, it eventually disappeared altogether. It has now been resurrected as an American company. Their debut product Exos-9 is a decent piece that could have been brought back from the 90’s. The aim has been to create a wireless speaker that is powerful …
With its 10 inch down-firing subwoofer, clearly the biggest in this test and in its price range, the JBL Bar 3.1 is not to be overlooked. The soundbar not only has one but three HDMI inputs, which all support HDCP 2.2 and thereby 4K-video from Blu-Ray. It has a large and clear display in the front, …
In the 80’s, every teen movie and music video contained break-dancing and huge ghetto blasters that played hip hop. They quickly became popular due to their relatively portable size and impressive sound. The link to the hip hop culture was strong, and groups like The Beastie Boys were strongly associated with them. Then came the …
As the name suggests, Braven XXL is the largest of Braven’s outdoor speakers. It is splash proof, which means it can handle a little water hitting it. However, you cannot throw it in the pool. It not only looks like an armoured vehicle, it also feels really sturdy. This means it also weighs a lot. …
If Braven XXL is somewhat reminiscent of military hardware, the Superstar Monster Blaster looks like it was taken from a secret lab of an intelligence agency. With its metallic soft, yet sharp forms, it resembles something that could be used to neutralise escaped aliens in Men in Black. Its ease of use is just as …
When you unbox the Vooni Boombox, it is mildly amusing. It’s so big, you think it’s a joke. When you try to lift it out of the box, you end up hurting your back, and then you stop laughing. They can’t seriously believe that this is a portable music device? Party speakers in the same …
We have tested many of the JBL’s portable speakers, like the bass heavy JBL Flip 4 and the smart JBL Charge 3. With the JBL Boombox, they’ve taken everything they’ve learned from travel speakers and taken it to the extreme. The Pringles-size has increased to more than double in all aspects. Despite that, this is …
LG SJ8 is the widest of the test and looks great with big TVs. It is sleek and elegant and is user-friendly with a clear and straightforward display in the front. Besides the HDMI input that supports all video formats, SJ8 has both wireless and wired network functionality. Spotify customers can enjoy direct streaming with …
HW-N660 supports 4K-video from Blu-ray through the HDMI input, and it also extends the sound in height in order to give an additional dimension. Unlike Sony there is no decoding of 360 audio formats such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. Instead, Samsung scales the volume in height from regular two-dimensional audio formats. The usability is …