Sometimes, the most simple things can be among the most impressive.
I've been testing a product that seemed to be pretty simple, but turned out to be more than I expected. I like it when that happens.
The JBL Micro Wireless Rechargeable Portable Wireless Speaker requires a USB port for charging and a Bluetooth-compatible device. The product retails for $59.95 but currently is available for $10 off. More information is available at jbl.com.
The product is the JBL Micro Wireless Rechargeable Portable Wireless Speaker, provided by AT&T, which is one of the speaker's retailers.
The Micro Wireless speaker isn't necessarily micro, but it is small. It can fit in the palm of most adult hands, even mine. This round speaker is about 3 inches in diameter. A loop at the top allows it to be tied to clothing or other things. A power button lies to the left of the loop and doubles as the Bluetooth connection button. A small wheel below the power button adjusts the volume on the speaker.
The right side holds only a single 3.5mm jack. The bottom holds a micro-USB port. An included micro-USB cord is used to charge its built-in battery. When on, a blue LED beneath the front screen shows the power and Bluetooth connection, and blinks when it's time to recharge the speaker.
The back of the speaker holds a 3.5mm headphone jack. The wire is hidden in a thin crevice around the edge of the speaker.
Both the headphone jack and port are important to the Micro Wireless. The speaker is designed to be daisy chained, meaning you can connect the jack of one to the port of another to connect several speakers together for more sound.
The speaker is fairly light, and its size means it can easily be slipped into a pocket, making it one of the most portable "portable" speakers I've seen.
The speaker is easy to connect via Bluetooth. Holding down the power button puts the speaker into search mode, enabling it to connect to a smartphone or computer. It took just seconds to connect to my phone.
The battery on the speaker only takes a couple of hours to fully recharge and provides about five hours of playback time. While that's not a ton of time, it's enough to get the kids through an average car trip.
The speaker is from a company with a reputation for great sound systems, JBL by Harman. Seeing that name on the box, I expected better sound quality than what I usually hear from a small, portable speaker. Then I got even more than expected.
For a speaker that fits in the palm of a hand, the sound that comes out of this thing is incredibly impressive.
The speaker has a frequency response of 150Hz to 20kHz. I'm sure that means a lot to you audio lovers. To me, it looks too much like math.
I prefer to rely on my ears, and my ears received some pleasant sound. Most speakers this small that I've tested have a very shallow sound and often sound very "tinny." You know, that muffled sound you get that seems like you're playing a speaker through a tin can. That definitely wasn't the case here.
I tested the speaker with everything from hip-hop to alternative rock to 1960s-era music to Irish dance. I was surprised at the clarity not only of the bass, but also of the mid-tones that often remain elusive to most small, inexpensive speakers. The Micro Wireless provided a lot more depth than I expected, even in the Irish music, which isn't exactly known for its bass. The Micro Wireless delivered a rich, whole sound no matter what the music.
There was one thing that surprised me about the sound. I tested the speaker by connecting it to the phone by Bluetooth and by the headphone jack. For some reason, it seemed the sound was much better over the Bluetooth connection than using the headphone jack. It was a very subtle difference, but it likely would be enough to slightly degrade the sound if more than two or three of these speakers were chained together. Then again, they'd probably be loud enough to keep it from mattering too much.
The Micro Wireless comes with its own velvet carrying bag. However, given the loop at the top, I wish it came with something like a lanyard or carabiner to make it easier to attach to something.
These complaints are minor, given how well the speaker works. It's pretty rugged, so it would be a great thing for kids. As it turns out, the speaker has one more pleasant twist: Currently, it's being offered online for $10 off the retail price, placing it below $50. That's a bargain for this kind of sound.
It's nice to get a pleasant surprise.
Melissa L. Jones can be reached via email at mljones72@me.com.
SundayMonday Business on 09/29/2014