Today I’ve got a unique little product
for review called the XMI X-Mini II Mini Speaker, and it’s exactly
what it sounds like, a mini speaker. Sure there are many of these
types of products out there and I’ve tried a few of them myself, but
this one is the best of the bunch really. It’s small, portable and
has excellent sound. One of the best features I think is that it uses
a built-in rechargeable high capacity battery that gives you about 11
hours play time and charges from any USB port.
Product
Name: XMI
X-mini II Mini Speaker
Author: Kristofer
Brozio
Sponsor: MobileFun
Tech
Specs,Features or the Basic Info:
So what makes these speakers so
special?
*A 40mm driver, that delivers
an an amazing richer and fuller sound
*The X-Mini II now boasts a
staggering 11 hours of continuous playback from a single charge!
*The “Buddy Jack”
system allows you to connect one X-Mini II to another and another and
another etc. Capable of forming a near endless “Daisy Chain”.
*An inbuilt 3.5mm audio
connection cable. No more running around looking for your 3.5 mm
cable.. The audio cable neatly slips away underneath the speaker when
not in use.
The X-mini II introduces a
larger 40mm dirver to project richer fulled sounds resulting in
superior end-user experience from its innovative capsule design. Be
it for indivdual or group entertainment, the X-mini II us the perfect
audio enhancement for any music or video player. Not only does the
new design deliver unsurpassed audio quality, it now performs even
longer. Three times the capacity of its predecessor, the new X-mini
II comes with a new built-in high capacity rechargeable battery
capable of sustained output for 11 hours of nonstop audio pleasure.
The new modular ‘Buddy-Jack’
system enables you to connect one X-mini II to another capable of
forming an almost endless daisy chain to create a self-powered
bass-enhanced portable speaker system. With this new feature you can
now combine your X-mini II together with your friends to hold a
spontaneous party anywhere you go.
To eliminate cumbersome audio
cables dangling from the speaker, XMI has designed a connecting audio
cable that can be tucked neatly into the base for a cleaner and
sleeker look.
Specifications:
*Compact size, Matte black
finish
*High quality sound, with clear
bass resonance
*11 hours of continuous
playback from one charge
*Included USB charging cable,
felt bag
*Integrated 3.5mm audio lead
Price: £19.95 ($31.79)
A
Better Look at Things:
The X-mini II comes in a color
box, with specs and features listed on the back:
Included with the X-mini II is a
carrying pouch, instructions and a USB cable that can be used for
charging the speaker.
The X-mini II is a small orb. On
the top is the speaker and on the bottom you’ll find the 3.5mm jack
tucked away in the base, along with an LED indicator and rubber feet.
On each side of the X-mini you’ll
find something, on one side you’ll see a picture of a lock, and under
that is the USB port for charging, there’s also the power switch
volume control and a 3.5mm jack that can be used to connect to
another X-mini. The X-mini twists to unlock, when you twist it the
whole unit expands upwards and almost double the height this allows
for more bass.
Installation,
Testing and Comparison:
The LED on the bottom is a very
bright blue when you turn the speaker on:
For testing I used it for a week
with my Zune120:
When I first got this speaker I
really wasn’t expecting much at all from it, I really thought it was
some gimmicky little toy really, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The sound quality is actually very
good. You can use the speaker without extending it, but when you
expand the speaker you get more bass. You get a lot of bass actually,
I set it and my Zune on the table and the speaker actually vibrates
and move around at higher volumes. Not sure if that’s a good thing or
not though that it bounces around, but that’s just at very high
volumes. The volume can get very high, considering it’s so small, I
was very surprised by just how loud it can get.
The X-mini is nicely made, it’s
solid and the included carrying pouch is a nice addition to help
protect the speaker during travels.
I like the fact that it’s
rechargeable, no batteries to buy, and the charge last for quite a
while, I got at least the rated 11 hours out of the battery and then
a bit more. Recharging is done via a standard USB port so you can
charge it from your laptop or desktop so you’ll always have power
somewhere.
It’s only one speaker so it’s not
exactly stereo sound, but it sounds very good nonetheless. If you
have another X-mini II you can chain them together for even bigger
sound.
I also used the X-Mini II with my
netbook as well and it really improves the sound, much better than
the built in speakers.
Originally I was thinking the
price was a bit high on this product, but considering build quality
and sound quality I think the price is fine. This product should last
quiet a while and I think most anyone will be happy with it’s
performance overall.
Summary
and Comments:
I’ve tried a few different types
of these mini speaker systems and the others used regular batteries,
I really like the fact that the X-mini uses rechargeable ones. The
batteries are just one part of it though, the sound is excellent and
it’s very portable, you’ll be able to easily take it with you and
charge it on go with your laptop or netbook.
I’ve got a couple netbooks and the
sound quality is ok, but it’s lacking really, using the X-mini II
with my netbook really improves the sound experience. It can be used
for much more than just your MP3 player, most any device with a 3.5mm
output will work like your phone even.
DragonSteelMods gives the XMI
X-mini II Mini Speaker a 5 out of 5 score and our Recommended Award
as well.
Pros:
+Small and portable
+Easy to use
+Excellent sound
+Can chain two together
+Well made
+Includes carrying case
+No batteries, rechargeable
+Charge lasts long time
Cons:
-None really
I
would like to thank MobileFun for the chance to review the XMI
X-mini II Mini Speaker and
for their support of DSM.
review# 613