[General Accessories] vectron:
This is a Review of Inateck BTSP-10 Plus Bluetooth mini Hi-Fi speaker. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PFDT07Q and http://www.inateck.com/bluetooth-speaker-btsp10-plus-inateck/

For those who are skeptical about small speakers being able to deliver a big sound, the new Inateck BTSP-10 Plus mini hi-fi wireless Bluetooth speaker is a perfect example of how it should be done! It has been awhile since I reviewed any budget priced wireless speaker because I came across too many similarly looking “boxes”, nothing original or exciting. Inateck new release caught my attention because I found its spec to be quite impressive for such a tiny footprint. While being a fan of German design and engineering, I had to check it out, and here is what I found.

Arrived in a common environmentally safe all carton packaging, I was pleased they decided to spice up the appearance by adding details to the outer sleeve with glossy notes print. Under a sleeve on a cover of the box there was a very simple description of the features with corresponding icons – very clear and to the point with an overview of a high capacity 2000 mAh battery, support of BT4.0, Stereo Music playback (from 2 speakers), Super bass sound enhancement, and Hands Free phone (speakerphone functionality). Inside of the box beside a speaker itself, you will find a quality usb/micro-usb cord, 3.5mm audio cable, large velour storage pouch, and a detailed Instruction manual. Right away it’s a plus that a speaker uses a common micro-usb port, unlike some that still use mini-usb or a proprietary wall adapter with a round connector. Audio cable is also a plus if you want to play your music wired directly from your phone or a tablet in case if it doesn’t support Bluetooth or speaker battery is discharged.

Looking closely at BTSP-10 Plus, you can’t help but notice how small and lightweight it is under 390g and with dimensions of 2" x 2.4" x 6.5". Even next to my Note 4 it felt small. The outer housing of the speaker has a rubbery texture and hexagon theme all over it – everything from hex buttons at the top, to hex shaped non-slip feet, and other design details around the top and the front grill. The grill itself is metal, a fine mesh painted in red and protected from outside by overlapping hex shapes. In general, it’s a fresh looking design which definitely going to catch the attention, though it’s not just the looks but the actual functionality that makes it standout.

Starting from the top you have 3 dedicated buttons, a multi-functioning Bluetooth pair up button which also works as Play/Pause/Call, and Volume Up/Down button for volume control. On a side, you have an auxiliary input for 3.5mm audio cable, a dedicated on/off button (no more guessing if you press soft power button long enough – always a problem with other speakers), and 5V micro-usb port to charge the battery. Fully charged, the battery can last up to 15hrs when you play music at a moderate volume level. Wireless pair up was simple, and within seconds I was connected to the phone and media audio. Speakerphone function worked as expected, and the actual wireless connection worked for up to 40 feet away from the phone.

When I got to the actual sound test, I had to take a step back because I didn’t expect such a loud and clear sound. Packed with a pair of 3-watt 40mm dynamic drivers, Inateck refers to them as “Rotunded 16-core NdFeB magnetic driver”. I’m not too familiar with such drivers, but I can tell you the sound was full and balanced and apparently under control of multi-band compressor, and had a nice bass response thanks to its bass port at the bottom of the speaker. Even at the max volume there was no distortion, and down to a minimum level I was still able to hear everything clear. A lot of budget portable speakers focus on appearances and just a basic delivery of a sound, while Inateck actually paid attention to a quality sound tuning. Also, this speaker has a wide soundstage with a nice stereo separation which is quite enjoyable when you take a few steps back. Bass is not necessary booming, you can’t expect that from such a small housing and with a pair of 40mm drivers, but it definitely has a nice clean bass rumble and a snappy mid-bass punch.

Overall, I found BTSP-10 Plus to be surprisingly good in every aspect from a catchy design, to a build quality, battery durability, wireless performance, and the most important – sound quality! It can really compete with a sound quality of a number of other wireless speakers that cost over $100. Unlike so many other portable wireless speakers with a tiny thin sound and thumping beat without any supporting bass, Inateck wireless speaker actually sounds like a mini hi-fi system which I really enjoyed. Definitely gets my recommendation!

Here are the pictures.