Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker has a reasonable price and great features. Why I liked it so much?

Summer is associated with travel, and I am unequivocally a proponent of the idea that the right choice of electronics can make every trip or vacation more enjoyable. Different types of devices are naturally suitable for different scenarios, but what I can’t do without is a Bluetooth speaker – it goes with me practically everywhere, whether I’m sleeping in a campsite, a cabin, or just somewhere in a hammock. 

Xiaomi equipped me for my last two trips with the relatively recently launched Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker, which costs 1,799 CZK in the Czech Republic.  Despite this, it offers surprisingly high 40W power and pleasing craftsmanship. Let’s see what might potentially please you too.

Premium Craftsmanship and Enhanced Durability

Even upon first removing the speaker from its packaging, I was impressed by its design and construction. While the cylinder-shaped device, with a height of 20.2 cm, is unlikely to fit into a handbag, and you’ll genuinely feel its weight of 660 g, its appearance can compensate for these drawbacks.

Thanks to its plastic bases, the speaker is easy to place on a table or any other, at least somewhat flat surface – for example, even outdoors in the grass, which I used very often. The casing is conceptually divided into two halves by a control panel with buttons and a strip containing an RGB light (which we’ll describe later), and these halves are covered with fabric. This fabric can be quite easily cleaned of dirt or other impurities, which you will likely encounter when listening to music outdoors.

In my opinion, a very nice idea was to divide each half into six strips using edges placed under the fabric surface. This makes the speaker not look like a boring cylinder, but is more interesting both visually and to the touch.

Last but not least, we can highlight the IP67 rating, thanks to which the speaker is not afraid of dust or splashing water. Placing it in wet grass or carrying it in hand during rain is therefore not a problem. The USB-C charging port is cleverly covered, but it’s a bit harder to access.

The Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker also includes a fabric strap in its packaging, which you can thread through the opening near the control panel.

RGB Lighting Enhances the Visual Experience

One of the key design elements is the RGB strip, which can liven up your party a bit. Xiaomi integrated it into a wider silver-colored strip, which, although it appears to be made of metal, is actually ordinary plastic.

The properties of the RGB strip can be configured in the Xiaomi Home app (where it can also be completely turned off if desired). You get a choice of three effects: “flowing,” where individual colors smoothly change and create the sensation as if they are flowing from one edge to the other; “blinking,” which honestly doesn’t evoke blinking much for me, and the difference from the first one is essentially just that colors alternate one after another without smooth transitions; and “breathing,” where your set shade gradually lights up and fades out. There is also a mode where one specific color constantly glows.

The brightness of the strip is not exceptionally high, but it’s enough to see under your own feet in a cave (tested, although from a practical point of view, it’s really just a curiosity).

Practical NFC Pairing and Connectivity

A feature I highly appreciate is the ability to easily pair with other devices. Fortunately, the Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker is equipped with an NFC contact (located on the same strip as the RGB light), which allows for faster connection with a smartphone. Bluetooth 5.3 technology is used for data transfer, and support for the audio codec LHDC 5.0 is a welcome addition. Since I started DJing, the presence of a 3.5mm jack plays a relatively big role for me, which the Xiaomi speaker unfortunately does not have.

Volume Pleasantly Surprised

What truly dropped my jaw from the very first music playback was the volume. Xiaomi states a maximum value of 93 dB, and although I’m not equipped with the technology to measure it, I can honestly say that the new Bluetooth Speaker is incredibly loud for its price. Even when listening to music in my apartment at 50% volume, I was afraid that an annoyed neighbor would ring my doorbell at any moment – and I didn’t even try to push the volume higher. 

Therefore, when listening outdoors or at a party with more people, the speaker will truly not disappoint you. 40W is, after all, an absolutely top-tier value in this price category – even my JBL Charge Essential 2, with a purchase price of around 3,000 CZK, boasts the same power on paper (although I would accept the argument that I paid a lot for the brand with it).

Sound Quality and Equalizer

The Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker relies on a five-unit acoustic configuration. Specifically, we are talking about two tweeters, one mid-to-low frequency unit, and two passive radiators, which do a really great job. The manufacturer boasts 360° sound output, which is especially ideal for group listening outdoors. Although the sound truly feels spatial, it is possible to notice that it plays better from one spot than from elsewhere. The software tuning HARMAN AudioEFX and Xiaomi’s own algorithm ensure a more balanced sound experience.

In the Xiaomi Home app, you can customize the sound using preset profiles or the equalizer. As for features, you’ll also appreciate the ability to connect two units to create a stereo effect or group playback from up to 8 Xiaomi speakers.

Great Battery Life

With a 4,800 mAh battery capacity, the speaker boasts up to 17 hours of battery life on a single charge (while supporting up to 22.5W power). This is one of the benefits brought by the somewhat larger construction mentioned at the beginning of the article – you wouldn’t get such a number with small travel speakers. 

Verdict

The Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker costs little (1,799 CZK), yet offers a solid amount of music – literally. In short, it’s another product from the popular Chinese manufacturer that boasts a fantastic price-to-performance ratio. If you manage to catch it on sale, you definitely won’t go wrong with the purchase. 

For less than two thousand [CZK], you get top-notch performance wrapped in a nice package, which also pleases with RGB lighting and a high degree of durability. On longer trips, you’ll appreciate the strap opening and 17 hours of battery life.

How do you like the Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker?