Wireless speakers and audio accessories for iOS devices are a growing trend, providing a great deal more convenience than devices that require docking while still offering excellent sound. Logitech’s Mini Boombox ($99, link) is an excellent example of what a wireless audio accessory should be – high quality, easy to use, and affordable.
Design
With its pleasing curves, small form factor, and solid build quality, the Mini Boombox is very well designed. It’s large enough to house a decent speaker, yet small enough to throw in a backpack. Even better, it doesn’t slap you in the face with its branding.
Unlike many 3rd-party accessories, you’ll see no large and hideous logo plastered on the Mini Boombox. Instead, Logitech has smartly combined a small logo with a blue glowing light near the bottom of the speaker grill to tell you when a device is connected.
The sides of the device have a pleasing matte finish with glossy black accents on the top and the bottom, and the rubber feet on the bottom are large enough to keep it from bouncing around without being an eyesore.
Functionality
One of the nicer and more interesting features of the Mini Boombox is that it includes touch controls. The device features only a single small power switch, and uses glowing touch-sensitive buttons on the top to control playback.
Despite its minimal approach to controls, the Mini Boombox nevertheless features an auxiliary port for plugging in non-Bluetooth audio devices, as well as a mini-USB port for charging, both of which are tastefully concealed around the back of the device.
The device is a snap to set up on any device that supports the A2DP bluetooth wireless standard (such as any recent iOS device). I was able to set mine up and begin playing audio in less than 30 seconds. I was able to crank out audio for a little over 9 hours on a single charge, which I felt was pretty good. As an added bonus, the Mini Boombox also works quite well as a portable speakerphone.
Sound
With any audio device, what’s really important is the way it sounds, and the Mini Boombox doesn’t disappoint. While you aren’t going to crank out ultra-deep booming bass from the Mini Boombox, it does offer very good sound quality overall, especially for the price.
The sound is remarkably full for a device this size. The bass is fairly deep and robust, and trebles are relatively sharp and clear. Granted, it won’t sound quite as good as more premium (and more expensive) speakers, but if you’re looking for a modest Bluetooth speaker with overall decent audio quality, the Mini Boombox may be just what you need.
Verdict
The Mini Boombox is a pretty remarkable device. It’s tastefully designed, has excellent sound performance for its size and price, has a long enough battery life that you won’t need to keep a charger handy, and comes in at an affordable price. This is one of the best values I’ve seen among accessories for iOS devices.
Rating & Conclusion
Rating: 5/5[rating:5]
For its solid performance, pleasing design, and affordable price, I award the Logitech Mini Boombox a full five out of five stars. I’m not convinced that Logitech (or most any brand) could produce a much better device at such an affordable price point.
The Mini Boombox is available direct from Logitech for $99.99, although at the time of this writing it can be found on Amazon for as little as $86.45 with free shipping (Amazon Link). For more information, head on over to Logitech’s product page on the web.
Pros
- Affordable
- Great sound quality for its size and price
- Excellent battery life
- Supports 3.5-mm input for older devices
- Excellent design and build quality
- Small and portable
Cons
- Larger than many competing devices
- Doesn’t hold up well to dropping, rough handling or moisture
