Wow... this speaker is powerful. I've owned about 3 Bluetooth Speakers in my life (one more expensive, one cheaper) and I can honestly say this is the best experience that I have ever had with a Bluetooth speaker in my entire life. From initial use, probably the best 'bang for your buck' bluetooth speaker.
PROS
✓ Anker Brand -> Anker has to be the best company that I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. From every product that I've ever purchased from them, they've all been exceptional and miles above the competition, this speaker still holds true to that sentiment. I will ALWAYS spend the extra dollar to buy Anker products, not only are they incredibly high quality and reliable, but their customer service is exceptional. I highly recommend you buy Anker products when applicable.
✓ Sound Quality/Volume -> For the sake of this review, I turned it up the volume to max and I can honestly say that it is completely unnecessary. This speaker, especially for its size, is probably the most powerful Bluetooth speaker I've ever owned. Not only is it loud, but the sound quality is awesome. The lows (mainly bass) are incredibly powerful yet don't take away from the highs. Please note, however, that when the volume is close to being maxed, the highs become very harsh - though rarely will you need the volume that high, if ever. These speakers are very well balanced and whether you prefer lows, mids or highs, your going to be satisfied with how they sound.
✓ Perfectly Minimalistic -> This speaker sells itself and it knows it. It looks extremely sleek and doesn't try to be anything it's not. The controls are simple as can be, there are 5 buttons: Power, Volume Down, Pause/Play, Volume Up and Pair, and they all do their jobs perfectly; nothing fancy. I love the look of this speaker.
✓ Battery Life -> Although I am yet yo be able to test the 24-hour advertised playback, I have used this device for about 5 hours now and it shows no signs of running out of battery (no sound quality or volume changes). Absolutely perfect for camping (especially if you have no access to power).
✓ Connectivity -> For a Bluetooth speaker, this is probably one of the most important features. Right out of the box (After being charged for about 30 minutes) it took me roughly 15 seconds flat to connect this thing to my phone, and 10 seconds of that was human error. In the 5 hours that I've had it running today, it hasn't disconnected once, absolutely amazing connectivity. In terms of range, I was able to go from my office downstairs, all the way to the other side of my backyard before it disconnected (roughly 55-60 feet). The range is incredible.
CONS
✘ Harsh highs (At high volume) -> If you listen to any songs with a lot of highs (Hotel California, for example), you may experience some harsh sounding highs, however, I only experienced this with a few songs (and it was still bearable). I recommend you test it for yourself and see how you like it - whether something is harsh is completely subjective.
✘ Fingerprint Magnet -> Although it's not that noticeable on the black surface, the soft plastic is definitely a fingerprint magnet. If this is something that bothers you I recommend wiping it down with a microfiber cloth every now and then to keep it clean. However if you're someone like me and it doesn't bother you too much (especially since you don't need to be looking at the speaker to enjoy it) then this shouldn't be a problem for you.
✘ Short Charging Cable -> This isn't the end of the world, but if the charger dies and you still want to listen to music, you are going to be very limited to where you can put the speaker. The charger uses micro USB so there is a very good chance that you have a longer cord somewhere around your house, and if you don't, you can easily pick one up here .
FINAL THOUGHTS ⚖
This is probably the best Bluetooth Speaker in its price category right now... by far. If you are looking for a cheap yet extremely high-quality Bluetooth speaker, look no further. This speaker is incredible for its price.
RATING☆
Price ★★★★★ [5]
Quality ★★★★★ [5]
Design ★★★★★ [5]
Volume ★★★★★ [5]
Connectivity ★★★★★ [5]
FINAL SCORE ★★★★★ [5] **Hands down the easiest 5-star rating I've ever given... awesome speaker.
**NOTE: The attached video doesn't do justice to how loud it really was, the camera I was using wasn't designed to pick up audio. Trust me... it's loud.