That built-in speakers in phones iPhone they have never belonged to top sound technology, we don't need to say twice. In addition, unlike many competing devices, they have included a mono output on the bottom of the device since 2007, when it was iPhone introduced for the first time. A few days ago, our editorial office received a package in which, after opening it, two smaller boxes with even smaller speakers "lighted up". These speakers are manufactured by the Singapore company X-mini and today we will review the first of them X-mini Uno.
Unpacking
Unpacking the product is one of the most beautiful things about any product. I expected the same for the speaker X-mini, but in the case of this package, I was rather disappointed by its impractical opening. When you open it, you feel as if its authors want you to practically never unpack the product and start using it to the fullest, along with all the contents inside. At a time when companies are trying to come up with the simplest packaging X-mini it comes so that you also involve your brain in unpacking and think about how to actually open this box without damaging it. After a successful, if lengthy, opening, a speaker, manuals, a sticker, a power cable, a bag and also a small leaflet informing you about XMI's cooperation with the Children International Foundation lie on your desk.
Design
The design of the speaker itself has its advantages and disadvantages. I definitely have to praise its authors for an interesting and quite attractive appearance, but at the same time I have to criticize the way of "closing" the speaker. Namely, an integral part of all speakers X-mini is a smaller harmonica that doubles as an amplifier, offering two modes – active and passive. The transition to passive mode, when it is necessary to push the upper part of the device into the lower one, seems impractical, and for proper closure you have to turn the top and lock it into the levers, but you are afraid that these levers will break at any moment. Adding to these concerns are moments when the top itself pops up if you don't close it enough. The harmonica I mentioned is part of the patented Bass Expansion System technology, which uses the sounding of the bottom pad to amplify the bass, and which is found on the speakers of the Singaporean company. The manufacturer decided to use plastic for practically the production of the entire speaker, but thanks to the shiny, rubberized layer, it feels pleasant and soft when held in the hand. Whether you like it or not, you're aware of plastic, especially if you frequently manipulate the controls. The model we reviewed was blue, but we will be able to find it in stores at the end of January in five other colors - purple, green, orange, red and shiny metallic, called Gun metal. At the same time, XMI also released a special Hello Kitty version, which is characterized mainly by the contours of its head and availability in two versions - white and pink.
X-mini it has four very efficiently arranged elements on its side, which are used to turn it on / off, change the volume, charge, and we also find a 3,5mm on it audio jackThe reason why this jack we find, it's simple - If you like the sound of the speaker itself and are interested in buying another, you can simply connect it and voila! The mono speaker instantly becomes stereo. It is precisely for this possibility that we find a small cable on the bottom, which the manufacturer decided to name BuddyJack. You always have it at hand and you can use it to connect your speakers or connect them to yours iPhone.
X-mini Uno vs. Damson Cisor BT5
I decided to compare the sound produced by the speakers with the Damson Cisor BT5 speaker, whose review you can read read here. Both loudspeakers compared are almost similar in size, but they differ in their characteristics. X-mini they belong to affordable speakers, so you don't have to expect the highest sound quality from them, which would be achieved by Harman Kardon technology. However, for almost €35 you get a device that can fill your home with sound for several hours and at the same time can compete with the aluminum Damson Cisor. The latter, on the other hand, offers a cleaner sound and stronger bass for a larger surcharge, but at the highest volumes there are problems with vibrations, which, if you are listening to electronic music, will interrupt the sound with a typical growl. X-mini in turn, it brings a huge advantage in the form of a material equalizer, which I described above. If you don't want to listen to bass tracks and enjoy a cleaner sound without bass, just close the speaker. A big advantage X-mini so is the battery life. While the competing Damson lasts only 4-9 hours on a single charge (depending on the playback method), the Singaporean company's speaker can play music for up to 21 hours, but at the same time it does not contain Bluetooth and thus playback is completely dependent on a cable connection. This, like the BT5, supports a number of players, phones and other electronics that can be fitted with additional headphones or speakers. The sound test was thus successfully completed not only in the case iPhone, but also iPad mini and the iPod shuffle. In addition, it is the shuffle that works with the speaker X-mini not only as a music storage, but also as a convenient controller, which now you don't even need to disconnect and take with you. So if you want to add new songs to the device.
Our music test consisted of playing several different songs and four main genres - electronic, rock, hip-hop music, and there was also a soundtrack. If you choose to use your X-mini for playing electro, such as those from the Dutch DJ Tiesto or the German Paul Kalkbrenner, the speaker is quite an ideal solution for smaller gatherings with friends, whether on various trips or elsewhere. Likewise, the device does not have major problems playing Eminem or Tupac, but in the case of rock and other non-electronic music, you can already hear quite a lot of noise, which is apparently assumed by the XMI development team itself, which, according to the profiles on the official English version, mainly listens to "computer" genres such as Trance or House. Not to mention the quality of the soundtracks, Hans Zimmer sounds on X-mini really strange, but you have to take into account that you really won't play Zimmer or Two Steps from Hell at smaller parties with your friends, unless you're organizing a meeting of film and opera music lovers.
Summary
If you're looking for a small speaker that's affordable, offers good sound quality, and can keep playing music for a long time, X-mini Uno is the ideal solution for you. The Singaporean company XMI has created a speaker that has all the listed features and at the same time you will love its design. However, tuning it will initially be a problem for you and also the fear that it will be damaged. Fortunately, this is only a concern and it is only a small oneancand that to break off these components occurred during its use. With its volume, the speaker can sound the living room of your apartment, but it can also be used on the terrace or balcony during summer days. Due to its focus, it is suitable for these areas, since it is precisely the high battery life that causes that Uno you will lose especially at various, for example, house parties. In addition, price is often a decisive factor and X-mini he knows that. In addition, if you often travel, you have a pocket available in its package, in which you can store the speaker. Final advice? If you intend to listen to more classical music, such as rock, I would definitely activate one of the available equalizers on your iDevice.
label MagikMuzik, where are those times :-) Just Be (Antillas club mix)
Hey, good old Tiesto, not his new commercial crap :))