Michal Ždanský We received six Logitech speakers designed mainly for iPhone/iPod in various sizes and designs. If you are considering buying some accessories for listening to music, be sure not to miss our test.
What we tested
- Mini Boombox – a speaker with compact dimensions, a built-in battery, which can also be used as a loudspeaker thanks to the built-in microphone.
- Portable Speaker S135i – Relatively small speaker with bass enhancement and dock for 30-pin connector.
- Rechargeable Speaker S315i – Stylish speaker with flip-out dock, slim body and built-in battery.
- PureFi Express Plus – 360° speaker with built-in alarm clock and remote control.
- Clock Radio Dock S400i – Radio alarm clock with remote control and “shooting” dock.
- Rechargeable Speaker S715i – A travel boombox with a battery that contains eight speakers.
As we tested
We exclusively used an iPhone (iPhone 4) for testing in order to determine all the speakers. No equalizer was used in the iPhone. The device was always connected via a 30-pin dock connector or using a quality cable with a 3,5 mm jack connector. We did not evaluate the quality of the transmission via bluetooth, as it is generally worse than the "wired" form of transmission and causes considerable distortion, especially at higher volumes, moreover, bluetooth included only one of the tested speakers.
We mainly tested sound reproduction, metal music to test bass frequencies and pop music for sound clarity. The tested tracks were in MP3 format with a bitrate of 320 kbps. I will also note that the audio output from the iPhone is relatively weaker compared to the iPad or laptop.
Logitech Mini Boombox
This miniature speaker was the big surprise of the test. It's about the same length as an iPhone in width and can fit in the palm of your hand. The speaker is made of shiny plastic only on the sides it has rubberized red bands. The device stands on two black elongated feet with a rubberized surface, yet it tends to travel on the table with bigger basses.
The upper side also serves as a control, where the red control elements light up when switched on. The surface is tactile. There is the classic trio for playback (play/pause, back and forward), two buttons for volume control and a button for activating bluetooth/accepting a call. However, the aforementioned control applies to connecting the device via bluetooth. There is also a built-in small microphone on the upper left side, so the speaker can also be used as a speakerphone for calls.
On the back, you will find an input for a 3,5 mm jack connector, so you can connect virtually any device to the speaker. The parts here are a mini USB connector for charging (yes, it also charges from a laptop) and a button for turning it off. Also included in the package is a rather ugly adapter and interchangeable attachments for US/European sockets. Surprisingly, the speaker also has a built-in battery, thanks to which it should last up to 10 hours without power, but do not count on this value by using bluetooth.
Sound
Due to the size of the two speakers in the body of the device, I expected a rather poor reproduction with pronounced center frequencies and poor bass. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Although the sound has a central character, it is not so noticeable. In addition, the boombox has a subwoofer between the body and the top plate, which, given its miniature dimensions, delivers very decent bass. However, due to its low weight and not ideal anchoring, it tends to slide on most surfaces during bass tracks, which can even lead to it falling off the table.
The volume is also surprisingly high. Although it won't sound the party in the big room, for relaxing in the room or for watching. At maximum volume, there is no significant distortion, although the sound loses a little clarity. Nevertheless, it is still pleasant to listen to. Changing the equalizer to “Small speaker” mode did a great service to the speaker. Although the volume was reduced by about a quarter, the sound was much cleaner, lost the unpleasant center tendency and did not distort even at maximum volume.
[one_half last="no"]
advantages:
[Checklist]
- Pocket size
- Good sound reproduction
- USB power supply
- Built-in battery[/checklist][/one_half]
[one_half last="yes"]
Disadvantages:
[bad list]
- Instability on the table
- Missing dock[/badlist][/one_half]
Logitech Portable Speaker S135i
The S135i was a huge disappointment compared to the Mini Boombox. Both belong to the compact category, yet the difference in processing quality and sound is striking. The entire body of the S135i is made of matte plastic and has a shape reminiscent of a rugby ball. The speaker looks very cheap to the eye, which is also helped by the silver hoops around the grilles. Although all Logitech products are made in China, the S135i oozes China, and by that I mean the China we know from Vietnamese markets.
In the upper part of the speaker there is a dock for iPhone/iPod with a 30-pin connector, at the back there is a classic pair of inputs for power and an audio input for a 3,5 mm jack. Although the inputs are slightly recessed, a cable with a wide connector, which ours also had, can be connected to the audio input. On the front we find four buttons for volume control, on/off and Bass.
Power is provided by the included adapter, this time without universal attachments, or four AA batteries, which can power the S135i for up to ten hours.
Sound
What a look, what a sound. Even so, the sound performance of this speaker could be characterized. The characteristic is bass-mid, even without the Bass turned on. The level of bass frequencies surprised me quite a bit, I was even more surprised when I turned on the Bass function. The engineers didn't really guess the measure and when you turn it on, the sound is disproportionately over-bassed. In addition, the bass is not created by any additional subwoofer, but by the two small speakers in the body of the S135i, thus enhancing the bass by simply changing the equalization.
In addition, high frequencies are completely absent. As soon as you increase the volume somewhere in half, the sound starts to distort significantly to the absolute extreme if the bass is turned on. In addition to the distortion, an unpleasant crackling can also be heard. The sound volume is relatively high, a little higher than the Mini Boombox, but the price for this is a huge loss in quality. Personally, I would rather avoid the S135i.
[one_half last="no"]
advantages:
[Checklist]
- Small dimensions
- Price
- Dock for iPhone with packaging[/checklist][/one_half]
[one_half last="yes"]
Disadvantages:
[bad list]
- Bad sound
- Unusable Bass boost
- Cheap look
- Missing playback controls[/badlist][/one_half]
Logitech Rechargeable Speaker S315i
At least at first glance, the S315i is one of the most elegant pieces in the test. The white plastic plays nicely with the green-sprayed metal of the grille, and the dock is solved quite interestingly. The middle plastic part folds back and reveals the 30-pin dock connector, while the folded part serves as a stand. This is how it grips the speaker with a surface of some 55-60°. The docked iPhone then opens by the upper edge of the opening, a rubberized protrusion protects it from contact with the plastic. Compared to the other speakers tested, it has a significantly narrow body, which adds to portability, but takes away from the sound quality, see below.
However, the rear part is not very elegantly designed. On the left side, there are volume buttons that are not exactly displayed, and in the upper part there is a switch for turning off/on/saving mode. The worst part, however, is the rubber cap that protects the two recessed connectors for power and audio input. The space around the 3,5 mm jack connector is so small that you can't even plug most of the cables into it, making it almost unusable for devices other than iPhone and iPod.
The speaker has a built-in battery that lasts approximately 10 hours in normal mode and 20 hours in energy-saving mode. However, in power saving mode, you get longer endurance at the expense of a sound that is much "narrower" and more mid-range with virtually no bass.
Sound
If we are talking about sound in normal mode or with an adapter connected, the S315i suffers from its narrow profile. Shallow depth means small and thin speakers, which degrade the sound. Although it does not have a subwoofer, the two speakers deliver fairly decent bass, however, at higher volumes, you can hear an unpleasant hiss. The sound is generally more mid-range with a lack of treble.
The volume is about the same as that of the S135i, i.e. sufficient to fill a large room. At a higher volume above two-thirds, the sound is already distorted, the middle frequencies come to the fore even more and, as I mentioned above, that not very pleasing to the ear sizzle appears.
[one_half last="no"]
advantages:
[Checklist]
- Nice design and narrow profile
- An elegantly designed dock
- Built-in battery + endurance[/checklist][/one_half]
[one_half last="yes"]
Disadvantages:
[bad list]
- Worse sound
- Recessed audio jack
- Missing playback controls[/badlist][/one_half]
Logitech Pure-Fi Express Plus
This speaker no longer falls into the portable category, but it is nevertheless a pleasantly compact device. One of the most interesting functions is the so-called Omnidirectional Acoustics, which can be loosely translated as omnidirectional acoustics. In practice, this means that you should be able to hear the sound well from angles other than the direct one. They have 4 speakers to ensure this, two each located in the front and in the back. I have to admit that compared to other speakers, the sound was more noticeable, from the side and behind. Although I wouldn't call it 360° sound, it will improve the musical experience.
The body of the speaker is made up of a combination of polished and matte plastic, but a large part is covered by colored textile protecting the speakers. The elegant impression is somewhat spoiled by the buttons around the LED display, which look a bit cheap and their processing is also not the most thorough. The chrome-plated rotary control, which also functions as a "snooze" button, does not spoil the good impression, but the transparent plastic part behind it, which lights up orange when turned on, does not have a positive effect on me. However, this may be due to personal preference.
On the upper part we can find a tray for docking an iPhone or iPod, in the package you will also find several attachments for all devices. If you decide not to use it, it will fit in your iPhone dock with the case. However, the attachments are difficult to remove, I had to use a knife for this purpose.
Pure-Fi Express Plus is also an alarm clock that displays the current time on the LED display. Setting the time or date is relatively easy, you won't need instructions. Unfortunately, the device cannot use music from an iPhone or iPod for wake-up, only its own alarm sound. Radio is completely absent here. The package also includes a remote control with basic functions for controlling iDevices and volume, other functions are missing. By the way, the controller is really ugly and not of very good quality, although in a way it resembles the first generation iPod. You will find a hole for it in the back of the speaker where you can put it down.
Sound
Sound-wise, Pure-Fi is not bad at all, those omnidirectional speakers do a fairly decent job and the sound really spreads more into the room. Although there are speakers for lower frequencies, there is still a lack of bass. Although the sound reverberates into the room, it does not have a spatial effect, rather it has a "narrow" character. Although the sound is not completely crystal clear, it is more than sufficient for normal listening for the price, and in the test it was one of the best of the reviewed speakers.
The volume is by no means dizzying, just like the others, it is enough to fill a larger room for normal listening, I would rather not recommend it for watching movies. At the highest volumes, I did not notice significant sound distortion, rather just a shift to the center frequencies. Thanks to less bass, there is no annoying crackle, so at maximum decibels, Pure-Fi is still usable for normal listening, for example at your party.
[one_half last="no"]
advantages:
[Checklist]
- Sound into space
- Alarm clock
- Universal dock
- Battery powered[/checklist][/one_half]
[one_half last="yes"]
Disadvantages:
[bad list]
- Worse processing
- The radio is missing
- Cannot wake up with iPhone/iPod
- Limited Remote[/badlist][/one_half]
Logitech Clock Radio Dock S400i
The S400i is a clock radio in the shape of an elegant cuboid. The front part is dominated by two speakers and a monochrome display that shows the time and the icons around it let you know about other things, such as the set alarm clock or which sound source is selected. The entire device is made of matte black plastic, only the top plate with the buttons is shiny. In the upper part you will find a large rotary control, which is also a Snooze button, the other buttons are evenly distributed over the surface. Above the buttons you will find a dock under the firing cap. It is universal and can even fit an iPhone in a case.
The buttons are quite stiff and loud and not exactly twice as elegant, nor is the cover designed in a particularly interesting way. It's more of a plastic standard. But the remote control is better. It is a small, pleasant flat surface with slightly raised circular buttons. The only flaw in the beauty is their significantly stiff grip. The controller contains all the buttons you find on the device, there are even three more for storing radio stations.
In order to catch FM radio frequencies, a black wire is hardwired to the device, which acts as an antenna. It's a shame that there's no way to disconnect it and replace it with a more elegant antenna, that way you'll hear from the device whether you need it or not, and there's no way to attach it, except for the fact that the wire creates a small loop at the end. The reception is average and you can catch most stations with a fairly decent signal.
You can search for stations manually with the forward and backward buttons or hold down the button and the device will find the nearest station with a strong signal for you. You can save up to three favorite stations, but only with the remote control. In the same way, they can only be switched on the controller, the corresponding button for this is missing on the device.
The alarm clock is nicely solved; you can have two at once. For each alarm, you choose the time, alarm sound source (radio/connected device/alarm sound) and ringtone volume. At alarm time, the device turns on or switches from the current playback, the alarm clock can be turned off either on the remote control or by pressing the rotary control. The device also has the nice feature of being able to synchronize the time with your docked device. It is the only one of the devices that does not have the option of an alternative power supply, at least the backup flat battery keeps the time and settings when the device is not plugged in.
Sound
In terms of sound, the S400i was a little disappointing. It only contains two regular speakers, so it largely lacks bass frequencies. The sound in general seems muffled, lacks clarity and tends to blend in, which is a typical symptom of small, cheap speakers. At higher volumes, the sound begins to scatter and although it reaches the same volume as, for example, the Pure-Fi EP, it is far from reaching the quality of its reproduction, even though it is 500 CZK more expensive. It might be enough for an undemanding user, but considering the price, I would expect a little more.
[one_half last="no"]
advantages:
[Checklist]
- Better remote control
- Dock for iPhone with packaging
- Alarm clock with radio
- Waking up to iPod/iPhone music[/checklist][/one_half]
[one_half last="yes"]
Disadvantages:
[bad list]
- No alternative power supply
- Worse sound
- The antenna cannot be disconnected
- Less intuitive controls[/badlist][/one_half]
Logitech Rechargeable Speaker S715i
The last piece tested is the relatively large and heavy boombox S715i. However, its weight and dimensions can be justified by the fact that, in addition to the built-in battery for 8 hours of playback, it has a total of 8 (!) speakers, two each for a specific frequency range.
At first glance, the device looks very solid. in the front, it boasts a wide metal grille protecting the speakers and the only three buttons on the body - for power off and volume control. Under the fourth false button, there is still a status diode indicating charging and battery status. In the upper part, there is a hinged lid that reveals the dock and works as a stand at the same time.
However, the fixing of the stand is solved a bit strangely. The lid has a recessed metal head in the rear part, which must be inserted into the hole, which is rubberized on the inside and outside, after tilting. The metal head is inserted relatively stiffly into it and is removed just as stiffly. However, friction causes abrasions on the rubber and after a few months of use you will be glad if you still have some rubber left. This is definitely not a very elegant solution.
The dock is universal, you can connect both an iPod and an iPhone to it, but only without the case. In the back, you will also find a pair of bass speakers and a recessed input for a 3,5 mm jack and a power adapter protected by a rubber cap. The cover is a bit reminiscent of the S315i speaker, but this time there is enough space around the jack and there is no problem connecting any wide audio jack.
The S715i also comes with a Pure-Fi-matched remote control, which doesn't exactly stand out in terms of looks, but at least you can use it to control playback, including modes and volume. The package also includes a simple black case in which you can carry the speaker. Although it has no padding, at least it will protect it from scratches and you can put it in your backpack with peace of mind.
Sound
Since the S715i is the most expensive device in the test, I also expected the best sound, and my expectations were fulfilled. The four pairs of speakers do a really great job of giving the sound amazing space and range. There is definitely no lack of bass, on the contrary, I would rather reduce it slightly, but that is rather a matter of personal preference, it is definitely not excessive. What bothered me a little are the more prominent highs that push through other frequencies, especially in the case of cymbals, which you will hear more prominently than other instruments in the song.
The speaker is also the loudest of all the ones tested, and I wouldn't be afraid to recommend it for a garden party as well. It should be noted that the S715i plays significantly louder with the adapter connected. The sound begins to distort only at the last levels of volume, since even eight speakers cannot cope with oversizing. Nevertheless, with this device you can reach the highest volume of the previous speakers with very good sound quality.
The reproduction of the 715i really impressed me, and although it cannot be compared with home Hi-Fi speakers, it will serve more than well as a travel boombox.
[one_half last="no"]
advantages:
[Checklist]
- Great sound + volume
- Dimensions
- Built-in battery + endurance
- Travel bag[/checklist][/one_half]
[one_half last="yes"]
Disadvantages:
[bad list]
- A solution for fixing the lid as a stand
- Dock for iPhone only without case
- The antenna cannot be disconnected
- Weight[/badlist][/one_half]
záver
Although Logitech is not one of the best in audio accessories, it can offer quite decent speakers at a reasonable price. Among the better ones, I would definitely include the Mini Boombox, which surprised me with its sound quality considering its size, and the S715i, with its high-quality sound reproduction supported by eight speakers, certainly belongs here. The Pure-Fi Express Plus didn't fare too badly either, with its omnidirectional speakers and alarm clock. Finally, we have also prepared a comparison table for you so that you can get a better idea of which of the tested speakers would be suitable for you.
We thank the company for lending the speakers for testing DataConsult.
I had pure-fi. Then I went to the mountains with a group, me with pure-fi and my friends with JBL Radial…. long story short, pure-fi slo out of the house almost immediately. The sound quality is absolutely incomparable.
but don't JBL Radial cost at least three times as much? if I look at the price correctly and it is not about
JBL Radial micro.
Question to the surrounding area: Do you happen to know of any dock device that could be connected to the existing audio system, for example via audio cinch or optics. purely just as another source…
thanks for the help
I use the universal docking cradle from Apple for the iPhone 4S http://store.apple.com/cz/product/MC746ZA/A?fnode=MTY1NDAzOQ
The output from it is a 3,5 mm jack, which I lead to the amplifier using a cable with 2x cinch. Plus, it has a nice aluminum remote control just like the Apple TV. :-)
Good day. I would be quite interested in a comparison of the Verszo Chopin loudspeaker (http://www.verszo.cz/) e.g. with S715i. But it's probably not sold anymore. I originally chose (and bought) it over the smaller and lighter Mini Boombox reviewed here, and I hope I didn't make a mistake. The sound is really excellent (when connected via the dock), but I didn't have the opportunity to compare it with others. Does anyone have experience?