Logitech Mini Boombox Bluetooth Speaker: Powerful Sound in a Futuristic Suit [Review]

The Mini Boombox ($100) is Logitech’s entry into the hotly contested Bluetooth micro-speaker contest. Like its contemporaries (the Jawbone Jambox and Monster iClarityHD are two prime examples), the Boombox supplies big sound in a tiny, wireless, battery-powered package — only in this case with Logitech’s signature sleek, stylish approach and a futuristic control panel. Let’s take a look at how it stacks up.

The Mini Boombox is Logitech’s entry into the hotly contested Bluetooth micro-speaker contest. Like its contemporaries (the Jawbone Jambox and Monster iClarityHD are two prime examples), the Boombox supplies big sound in a tiny, wireless, battery-powered package, with a microphone so it can double as a speakerphone — only in this case with Logitech’s signature sleek, stylish approach, and a futuristic control panel. Let’s take a look at how it stacks up.
The Good:

This is, without a doubt, the sexiest pocketable Bluetooth speaker out there. It almost looks like a building designed by the great Frank Lloyd Wright, but miniaturized to fit in your pocket. Besides a power switch and some inputs at the back, nothing interrupts the Boombox’s smooth black surface. When the Boombox is switched on, blood red touch-sensitive controls suddenly appear from beneath the unit’s sleek top. Hot.

It’s also one of the smallest of the mini Bluetooth speakers, making it easy to carry around.

The Boombox pumped up the volume to an impressive degree; it was easily as loud as Monster’s iClarityHD, though bassier and with slightly less treble than the Monster speaker. The Boombox sound was pleasantly rich, with a deep quality that belied its diminutive size; it did a great job as a companion for movies, and really shone with music.

Bluetooth range was about average, with the signal breakign up at about 25 feet or so. Battery longevity was pretty good, and provided about eight hours of use.

Charging was easily achieved through a mini-USB port at the back. There’s also an auxiliary port for using the Boombox as a speaker sans-Bluetooth.

The Bad:

Though I’ve never been a fan of touch interfaces on anything other than smartphones and tablets, I held out hope that the Boombox’s sexy interface would impress me; it didn’t. I often had to tap the virtual buttons more than once in order to get them to work.

But by far the most annoying feature of the Boombox was the microphone — it just didn’t work very well. Callers were constantly complaining they couldn’t hear me unless my mouth was inches from the unit (in which case I could have been using an actual phone instead).

Verdict:

The Mini Boombox has the best sound-per-dollar and sound-per-size ratio of any of the mini Bluetooth speakers we’ve tested thus far, but a poor microphone and cool-but-finnicky controls mar its appeal. A great choice if you’re going to use it primarily for music or movies; consider other options for use as a speakerphone.

Rating:

The backlit, touch-sensitive control panel looks cool but tends to be a little finicky.

Turned off with the controls blacked out.

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