UE Boom got shunned by the reviewer, but nevertheless it has excellent sound, a standard micro USB charging port, is waterproof, has a microphone for speakerphone use, a 10-hour battery (really), and can be paired with a second UE Boom to obtain full stereo separation and increased loudness. UE Boom also comes in a variety of colors and patterns to fit with any decor (or personality ;-)
Sorry, this is still illogical... You're essentially saying you'd be willing to buy a sub-par product over the superior product, just because of a corporate logo on the superior model. That completely defies rational reasoning. Almost every consumer electronics product made today, whether computers, home appliances, TV's, stereo amplifiers, coffee makers, have the corporate brand logo (and sometimes model number) emblazoned on the front of the product. As long as the product I want is made by a reputable brand, and provides the quality and benefits I'm looking for, I don't care if it has a brand logo.
BTW, MacBook Pro's have the illuminated ? logo on the back of the display, and I show it off proudly when in public. This is also corporate branding.
You may be misapplying the term "illogical", unless you feel THAT strongly about this. You may think it is unreasonable (I don't), but nothing I have written defies the laws of nature or mathematics (in the strict sense) or is unreasonable or nonsensical. Some people only use products with logos-that is their preference-but it does not make them nonsensical. That aside, much of our preference in consumer electronics is subjective, not objective. I don't think I've seen anyone say the Bose unit was superior to all others-ojectively. There exists a class of products that are decidedly minimalist and understated because many people feel the way I do. Let me give you another example, if the GAP made the softest, best fitting, most durable cashmere sweater out there, I still would not wear it if "The GAP" were emblazoned on the chest.
To your last point, I anticipated that argument. I'm not against all corporate branding. Apple does not have an ? or "Apple" on the front of my MacBook, AppleTV, iPhone, or iPad. Apple, unlike other corporations, "thinks different". They chose to put one on the back or top so that "the user" does not have it in their face. They designed these products for a reason-perhaps the best designer in the world thought it would get in the way of the experience of using the product. The mark is there (on the back or top) but it does not get in the way of the experience. It's one of those non-quantifiable qualities of the products that some people may not consciously know they love. I hear that your opinion is different and concede that my personal taste preferences are somewhat peculiar-but not as much as you may think.
Now, gotta go and make the guacamole for my Super Bowl party!
UE Boom got shunned by the reviewer, but nevertheless it has excellent sound, a standard micro USB charging port, is waterproof, has a microphone for speakerphone use, a 10-hour battery (really), and can be paired with a second UE Boom to obtain full stereo separation and increased loudness. UE Boom also comes in a variety of colors and patterns to fit with any decor (or personality ;-)
The UE Boom simply doesn't have the bass performance of the Bose. Otherwise, it is a good choice that offers are few advantages.
The crazy excuse I ever heard. The logo in the front is hardly visible and sound it more important than a mini logo in the I this case.
That's just insane that's the reason getting this speakers. Wow.
If that was directed at my comments, c'mon; that logo is hardly small! If only. Crazy, insane? That's a bit hyperbolic. I gave lengthy explanations of my thinking above and don't think any of it is insane. Are we looking at the same photo?! It covers just about half of the grille! Also, think about it. Why? I really can't think of another BT speaker that has this. Not one. Again, it's not as if this speaker blows everything else out of the water.
I'll give yet another example of brand mark overkill. I love Ralph Lauren polo shirts. I still remember with pain how one was stolen from my college dorm laundry and that was decades ago. J Crew and Gap are ok, but not nearly as well made as I am concerned-not even close. I pay a premium for them, not the logo. When RL came out with a Polo shirt with a very large polo pony on the chest, I said to myself that I would never wear that. And I won't. You could see it from a NYC block away. If I got one as a gift I would return it for store credit. Again, that's just me.
I understand some... But. This case I cant. Every one at work that comes by my area is super impress they hardly even talk about the logo. It doesn't compute on this situation.
Does it use aptx as the codec for bluetooth? Suitable only for android. (Likely. Csr gives away the codec for free.)
Does it use AAC as the codec for bluetooth? Works for apple. (Unlikely. Apple gives it away but CSR and other Bluetooth chipset mfrs charge to put it in.)
Does it drop back to the lowest common denominator for Bluetooth audio (yes) - ick.
What is the frequency response? Measure it at all? Listen to wav files of pure frequencies being played (20,25,30,50,80,120hz, on up to 23000 hz?) you don't know where it gives up and can't reproduce highs or lows.
Did you take a look at the battery pack? Is it a custom unit from Bose or a part you can pick up at a batteries plus or Amazon? Points deducted for non-standard parts that may quickly become no longer available from Bose.
I'm glad you were happy with it. I don't think there's a world where it's a 4.5 out of 5 product, unless it has AAC as the Bluetooth audio codec
Does it use aptx as the codec for bluetooth? Suitable only for android. (Likely. Csr gives away the codec for free.)
Does it use AAC as the codec for bluetooth? Works for apple. (Unlikely. Apple gives it away but CSR and other Bluetooth chipset mfrs charge to put it in.)
Does it drop back to the lowest common denominator for Bluetooth audio (yes) - ick.
What is the frequency response? Measure it at all? Listen to wav files of pure frequencies being played (20,25,30,50,80,120hz, on up to 23000 hz?) you don't know where it gives up and can't reproduce highs or lows.
Did you take a look at the battery pack? Is it a custom unit from Bose or a part you can pick up at a batteries plus or Amazon? Points deducted for non-standard parts that may quickly become no longer available from Bose.
I'm glad you were happy with it. I don't think there's a world where it's a 4.5 out of 5 product, unless it has AAC as the Bluetooth audio codec
Don't be afraid to be critical.
I'm sorry what are you even taking about. No Bluetooth out there transmit wav.
The fact that even dare to say WAV on a Bluetooth speakers shows how out of place you are. This is not an audiophile system. This is a Bluetooth speaker to listen on the road NOT meant for serious audiophile grade listening.
Put against ALL the other Bluetooth speakers of the SAME SIZE this speakers is a great performer.
It would be stupid of your part to bring out frequency to this conversation.
Should be glad they even give you the option to replaced the battery, the rest of the speakers out there of the SAME SIZE not even offer that option.
You want audiophile grade ? You should be smart enough to stay away from Bluetooth in first place.
This speaker out perform many others in THIS CATEGORY.
In THIS CATEGORY it does deserved this rating. Stop trying to compare this to other categories. Makes look not smart.
This speaker was is one of the best purchases I've ever made. The sound is ample for a small house party. The auxiliary input connects to my TVs headphone jack for use as a soundbar. I love that it's portable with great battery life. Very easy to pick and take to any room of the house or even the backyard, park or beach.
The bluetooth connections can be a bit fiddly to set up if juggling multiple devices.
To your last point, I anticipated that argument. I'm not against all corporate branding. Apple does not have an ? or "Apple" on the front of my MacBook, AppleTV, iPhone, or iPad.
The Bluetooth sync on the Bose speakers has two modes. The first mode is when you press the pairing button long enough for the Bluetooth indicator to blink slow. In this mode it unpairs from the device it way previously paired to if any and is waiting to pair with a new device. When it's blinking slow you should be able to pair it to your device by selecting the speaker from the Bluetooth setting on your device. Once it's paired with a device it will automatically pair with the same device the next time you turn on the speaker. If you want to pair it with another device you have to repeat the same sequence with the long press on the pairing button to get the slow blink. The speaker will remember the last few devices it was paired with. If you turn on the speaker and it pairs to a device other than the one you want it to pair to and the one you want it to pair with is in the pairing history you can press the pairing button quickly which will cause the Bluetooth indicator to blink quickly. While it's blinking rapidly you should be able to pair it to a device it was previously paired to by selecting the speaker from the Bluetooth setting on your device.
I have both of the Bose SoundLink products and I'm happy with them. The Bluetooth can be a bit slow at times compared to other products like the Jawbone Jambox Mini but the pairing is reasonable once you understand the modes. Toggling the Bluetooth on the device off and back on is sometimes required but they always pair.
The UE Boom simply doesn't have the bass performance of the Bose. Otherwise, it is a good choice that offers are few advantages.
IMHO the bass performance of all of these speakers is more of a distraction than an accurate representation of the original signal. Hard to listen to for long--unless you're high and dancing.
APTX and AAC are codecs for the audio transmission over BT.
WAV is a source audio file - you use this to see if the speaker can reproduce an uncompressed audio file accurately, knowing that the audio is getting compressed by the BT audio codec in transmission. I wouldn't do it for any files other than the ones of the frequencies.
It's not good to recommend spending 200 dollars without knowing where the speaker gives up and the bass drops off a cliff or the highs become whisper-quiet. This isn't audiophile nonsense, it's knowing the basics about whether a speaker will reproduce audio, the basic job it's being asked to do. If that doesn't matter, then what's the difference between this and a 70 dollar iHome or a 30 dollar ODM JENSEN or JVC product?
The specs on the box are lies. Wattage, frequency response that always cites 20Hz-20kHz, especially when they don't state +/- 3dB... the least the author can do is play the frequencies and tell us where the bass and the treble drop off, so we know how good or crappy the thing is. And this isn't even hard to do.
My husband is a real B&O person so most of our audio components are from them, including our lighting and other home automation toys. Though I agree the BeoPlay 9 is a force to be reckon with I found the A2's to be fairly week when comparing them with other speakers for less money. Since the A2 was a Christmas gift and not a purchase from me I do like owning one, great battery and design but I would recommend the Bowers & Wilkins T7, smaller, better sound, especially in the lows and mids. The Bose are also really great, well worth the 200. I would even go so far and suggest one as the must have portable speaker, the only negative is the weight might be a little to much for some, their much heavier than their actual size suggests. The Beats Pill series are no match for any of the speakers listed, even the design looks cheap and unimpressive when lined up next to them. I just don't get the popularity with the Beats.
And what's the deal with all the ripped jeans and dropped crotches right?
In the mindset of a teenager, which of the following would seem like the better choice?
It's more about the image and the experience. The quality just needs to be good enough to not detract from the experience and Beats meets that quality standard.
Great review and honest review. I've had one these for over a year now and I am pleased. Connects simply and fast like you said. I agree about the remote but again it is not a deal breaker. And as you said the sound is great. I had initially gotten the Jawbone Mini but was to flat in my opinion. So replace them with the SoundLink Mini. Glad I did.
Comments
I imagine he's got the Bose Mini connected to the audio out of the Samsung TV, not directly to the Apple TV. That's how we use our sound bars.
UE Boom got shunned by the reviewer, but nevertheless it has excellent sound, a standard micro USB charging port, is waterproof, has a microphone for speakerphone use, a 10-hour battery (really), and can be paired with a second UE Boom to obtain full stereo separation and increased loudness. UE Boom also comes in a variety of colors and patterns to fit with any decor (or personality ;-)
You may be misapplying the term "illogical", unless you feel THAT strongly about this. You may think it is unreasonable (I don't), but nothing I have written defies the laws of nature or mathematics (in the strict sense) or is unreasonable or nonsensical. Some people only use products with logos-that is their preference-but it does not make them nonsensical. That aside, much of our preference in consumer electronics is subjective, not objective. I don't think I've seen anyone say the Bose unit was superior to all others-ojectively. There exists a class of products that are decidedly minimalist and understated because many people feel the way I do. Let me give you another example, if the GAP made the softest, best fitting, most durable cashmere sweater out there, I still would not wear it if "The GAP" were emblazoned on the chest.
To your last point, I anticipated that argument. I'm not against all corporate branding. Apple does not have an ? or "Apple" on the front of my MacBook, AppleTV, iPhone, or iPad. Apple, unlike other corporations, "thinks different". They chose to put one on the back or top so that "the user" does not have it in their face. They designed these products for a reason-perhaps the best designer in the world thought it would get in the way of the experience of using the product. The mark is there (on the back or top) but it does not get in the way of the experience. It's one of those non-quantifiable qualities of the products that some people may not consciously know they love. I hear that your opinion is different and concede that my personal taste preferences are somewhat peculiar-but not as much as you may think.
Now, gotta go and make the guacamole for my Super Bowl party!
UE Boom got shunned by the reviewer, but nevertheless it has excellent sound, a standard micro USB charging port, is waterproof, has a microphone for speakerphone use, a 10-hour battery (really), and can be paired with a second UE Boom to obtain full stereo separation and increased loudness. UE Boom also comes in a variety of colors and patterns to fit with any decor (or personality ;-)
The UE Boom simply doesn't have the bass performance of the Bose. Otherwise, it is a good choice that offers are few advantages.
That's just insane that's the reason getting this speakers. Wow.
The crazy excuse I ever heard. The logo in the front is hardly visible and sound it more important than a mini logo in the I this case.
That's just insane that's the reason getting this speakers. Wow.
If that was directed at my comments, c'mon; that logo is hardly small! If only. Crazy, insane? That's a bit hyperbolic. I gave lengthy explanations of my thinking above and don't think any of it is insane. Are we looking at the same photo?! It covers just about half of the grille! Also, think about it. Why? I really can't think of another BT speaker that has this. Not one. Again, it's not as if this speaker blows everything else out of the water.
I'll give yet another example of brand mark overkill. I love Ralph Lauren polo shirts. I still remember with pain how one was stolen from my college dorm laundry and that was decades ago. J Crew and Gap are ok, but not nearly as well made as I am concerned-not even close. I pay a premium for them, not the logo. When RL came out with a Polo shirt with a very large polo pony on the chest, I said to myself that I would never wear that. And I won't. You could see it from a NYC block away. If I got one as a gift I would return it for store credit. Again, that's just me.
Does it use aptx as the codec for bluetooth? Suitable only for android. (Likely. Csr gives away the codec for free.)
Does it use AAC as the codec for bluetooth? Works for apple. (Unlikely. Apple gives it away but CSR and other Bluetooth chipset mfrs charge to put it in.)
Does it drop back to the lowest common denominator for Bluetooth audio (yes) - ick.
What is the frequency response? Measure it at all? Listen to wav files of pure frequencies being played (20,25,30,50,80,120hz, on up to 23000 hz?) you don't know where it gives up and can't reproduce highs or lows.
Did you take a look at the battery pack? Is it a custom unit from Bose or a part you can pick up at a batteries plus or Amazon? Points deducted for non-standard parts that may quickly become no longer available from Bose.
I'm glad you were happy with it. I don't think there's a world where it's a 4.5 out of 5 product, unless it has AAC as the Bluetooth audio codec
Don't be afraid to be critical.
I'm sorry what are you even taking about. No Bluetooth out there transmit wav.
The fact that even dare to say WAV on a Bluetooth speakers shows how out of place you are. This is not an audiophile system. This is a Bluetooth speaker to listen on the road NOT meant for serious audiophile grade listening.
Put against ALL the other Bluetooth speakers of the SAME SIZE this speakers is a great performer.
It would be stupid of your part to bring out frequency to this conversation.
Should be glad they even give you the option to replaced the battery, the rest of the speakers out there of the SAME SIZE not even offer that option.
You want audiophile grade ? You should be smart enough to stay away from Bluetooth in first place.
This speaker out perform many others in THIS CATEGORY.
In THIS CATEGORY it does deserved this rating. Stop trying to compare this to other categories. Makes look not smart.
Typical...
The bluetooth connections can be a bit fiddly to set up if juggling multiple devices.
I have both of the Bose SoundLink products and I'm happy with them. The Bluetooth can be a bit slow at times compared to other products like the Jawbone Jambox Mini but the pairing is reasonable once you understand the modes. Toggling the Bluetooth on the device off and back on is sometimes required but they always pair.
The UE Boom simply doesn't have the bass performance of the Bose. Otherwise, it is a good choice that offers are few advantages.
IMHO the bass performance of all of these speakers is more of a distraction than an accurate representation of the original signal. Hard to listen to for long--unless you're high and dancing.
APTX and AAC are codecs for the audio transmission over BT.
WAV is a source audio file - you use this to see if the speaker can reproduce an uncompressed audio file accurately, knowing that the audio is getting compressed by the BT audio codec in transmission. I wouldn't do it for any files other than the ones of the frequencies.
It's not good to recommend spending 200 dollars without knowing where the speaker gives up and the bass drops off a cliff or the highs become whisper-quiet. This isn't audiophile nonsense, it's knowing the basics about whether a speaker will reproduce audio, the basic job it's being asked to do. If that doesn't matter, then what's the difference between this and a 70 dollar iHome or a 30 dollar ODM JENSEN or JVC product?
The specs on the box are lies. Wattage, frequency response that always cites 20Hz-20kHz, especially when they don't state +/- 3dB... the least the author can do is play the frequencies and tell us where the bass and the treble drop off, so we know how good or crappy the thing is. And this isn't even hard to do.
Yes, it is an icon, but it's also a brand designation and trademark.
Also, you did specifically write...
http://www.beoplay.com/products/beoplaya2#at-a-glance
or even better (static solution)
http://www.beoplay.com/products/beoplaya9?redirected=true#at-a-glance
More money but boy it packs a punch!!
My husband is a real B&O person so most of our audio components are from them, including our lighting and other home automation toys. Though I agree the BeoPlay 9 is a force to be reckon with I found the A2's to be fairly week when comparing them with other speakers for less money. Since the A2 was a Christmas gift and not a purchase from me I do like owning one, great battery and design but I would recommend the Bowers & Wilkins T7, smaller, better sound, especially in the lows and mids. The Bose are also really great, well worth the 200. I would even go so far and suggest one as the must have portable speaker, the only negative is the weight might be a little to much for some, their much heavier than their actual size suggests. The Beats Pill series are no match for any of the speakers listed, even the design looks cheap and unimpressive when lined up next to them. I just don't get the popularity with the Beats.
And what's the deal with all the ripped jeans and dropped crotches right?
In the mindset of a teenager, which of the following would seem like the better choice?
It's more about the image and the experience. The quality just needs to be good enough to not detract from the experience and Beats meets that quality standard.