X-Mini WE Portable Speaker Review

By George Harding

Talk about a small speaker! This is certainly the smallest I’ve seen. This one is special, though. It’s not only a speaker, but it is Bluetooth and NFC enabled. That means that you can connect using Bluetooth technology, as do many devices, but also using NFC (Near Field Connection) methodology (ability to communicate with other NFC devices by touching or bringing near).

First of all, the X-Mini WE s really small – a slightly bulging cylinder about 1 ½ inches in diameter and 1 ½ inches tall. It has three connectors: a USB plug used for charging the internal lithium-ion battery, a3 1/2 mm plug for headphone jacks, and a micro-USB plug to attach to the speaker, usually for charging.

The product came to me from Singapore and the documentation is characteristic of products from Southeast Asia, meaning somewhat cryptic. The main leaflet has pictorial instructions only, most of which were not very helpful.

There is a small lateral switch on the side of the speaker with indications: I, O and *. I found out that I is used for charging, O is off and * is operation status. When charging, a red LED is lit. When in operating status, the LED flashes blue.

To use Bluetooth communication, you switch to * and use your smartphone or other Bluetooth device to connect. You can also use the earphone plug directly to play music.

To use NFC, you have to hold the speaker close to another NFC-enabled device in order to transfer data.

There is a lid on top of the cylinder, which protects the speaker from damage.

I found that the speaker’s response is surprisingly good at most frequencies. Its one failing is at low frequencies and higher volume. There is considerable distortion under these conditions. The packaging specifics are output 1.5 watts, frequency 20 Hz – 20k Hz.

This is a handy, compact device with reasonable sound reproduction. It is certainly small enough to be stored in a pocket or purse handily.

X-Mini WE Portable Speaker   
www.x-mini.com         
Price $40