They say that good
things come in small packages. Whoever 'they' are obviously mean
things like jewellery, atoms and babies (which we've yet to review).
But here at The Test Pit we've never paid much heed to what 'they'
say because 'they' usually like watching The X Factor and know who
Kim Kardashian is. That is until now. Because 'they' have got
it spot on this time as a very good thing does indeed come a small
package: the Bitmore e-Storm LabyrinthX Super Bass Speaker.
Before you all chirp up
with "Not another bluetooth speaker?" we will remind you
that these things are both popular and undeniably functional. We've
reviewed the good and the not so good in the past, all of which
possessed a similar style and feel. So we weren't expecting much when
we first heard of the e-Storm LabyrinthX speaker, but thankfully, we
were in for a treat.
First things first, you
can connect this round little beauty to your phone via bluetooth and
listen to music on the go (thanks to the built-in battery). There,
that needed saying. From then on however the similarities with other
bluetooth speakers end and you realise you actually have in your
possession an extremely well designed piece of tech.
The looks, for one, are
striking while not being fanciful. The speaker is solidly built and
reassuring weighted with high quality materials that feel as if they
would last into the next decade. This may all be due to the Bitmore
e-Storm being waterproof, a point that alone would make it stand out
from the crowd. Imagine your picnic now; no pawing at the grass to
make sure you don't place your bluetooth speaker on a damp patch.
Take that nature!
The quality of sound
this wee thing kicks out is astounding. We were genuinely impressed,
particularly with the richness of the bass, at how this speaker
handled a multitude of music genres and file types. Despite being
able to sit comfortably in the palm of a midget's hand, the e-Storm
can create what we consider 'room-filling' audio, handling a mixture
of treble and bass with aplomb without losing vocal emphasis.
Speaking of speaking,
the e-storm is also a pretty nifty speakerphone thanks to the
built-in microphone. Just as with the music, the quality of call is
high, with both parties able to hear each other as if in the same
room. Which they weren't (unless the person we called, along with all
of Cardiff, have relocated to our airing cupboard).
Probably our favourite
unique feature of the e-Storm is the addition of a microSD slot that
can support cards of up to 8GB. The reason for this is very simple
but brilliantly conceived, chiefly that should your phone be about to
run flat of juice all you need do is pull out the SD card, on which
are saved all your tunes, and slip it in the e-Storm to continue to
enjoy. A great innovation considering that smartphone batteries still
leave a lot to be desired in terms of longevity. The picnic has been
saved.
When the time comes to
charge the speaker you'll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly that
lithium battery attains a full recharge via the included USB cable:
just over two hours of being plugged in provided nearly eight hours
of continuous Bluetooth streaming.
So, this good-looking
speaker wins top marks for sound and voice quality and also for being
relatively cheap. We adore the SD slot and the water resistance of
the e-Storm LabyrinthX and very solidly recommend this plucky little
thing to be your summer companion.
