Review: Decent sound and simple to use
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 13, 2012
I've been using the MatchStick now for about 4 hours total.Unboxing the unit was pretty simple. Open the box, remove the cardboard side protectors and pull off the plastic wrap. Done.Setup was bang on simple as well. Plug the power adapter into the power input port on the back of the MatchStick. Now put your Kindle Fire in the cradle and ensure it's firmly secured into the USB and audio jack at the base of the cradle (can't stress this enough, ensure it is SECURELY setup, as otherwise I've found as another reviewer has, the power doesn't always work reliably).Once you have it plugged in and your Fire docked, press the power button on the Kindle using the button at the base of the cradle. Power on the speaker with the power button on top then start the music from your Kindle's interface. Adjust volume to taste.In terms of audio performance, this isn't aBowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air Wireless AirPlay Speaker Dock. The sound out of this will not tickle an audiophile's ear drums. Then again, you aren't paying that kind of price for a dock either. If you want good performance on a reasonable budget, this is a really good device.Out of the box, the standard EQ setting isn't very good. The audio is about as flat as can be. But that's why you have a Bass and Treble setting!Bass performance, when you adjust the EQ using the remote, can be pretty good. No complaints. It's not going to vibrate the house, but it's good enough to make the audio much fuller than out of the box and as long as you don't expect floor standing speaker performance, you should be fairly happy with it.I also found I needed to adjust the treble to make it sound the way I wanted.My only complaint about the EQ is that the only way to control it is with the remote. If you lose the remote, you're toast.I believe there are Android apps that could control EQ via the device instead of externally, but I haven't looked much.In terms of portability, it's sort of portable. It's not something you'll put in the luggage for a trip unless you're a masochist, that's for sure. But if you just want to move it around the house, it's not stress-fully heavy or anything.The nice part about the cradle is it can be setup for horizontal or vertical positioning. If you're listening to music, either position works. If you're watching NetFlix, set it to horizontal for proper widescreen orientation and BOOM! Instant portable movie theater.I've also tried out the external source function using my ancient Zune and performance is, as expected, the same. It won't charge anything other than the Kindle, but that's OK.4 stars because of the power button funkiness and audio quality is simply GOOD and not GREAT (didn't expect GREAT at this price, but it would have been welcome!).Pros:Relatively inexpensiveGood soundExternal source option is usefulCharges Kindle Fire and plays audioCan be used as speakers to watch movies or listen to musicCons:Not always easy to dock properlyGood sound (this is only a con if you're an audiophile)Disclaimer - I received a free review device from Grace Digital. This has, in no way, changed the content of this review.