Speakers on most phones leave quite a bit to be desired when playing music out loud and more so when trying to make a call over a speakerphone. Bluetooth speakers come in quite handy in such situations. The SW50 comes in a very standard package and looks diminutive at first glance. But as is often said, looks can be deceptive. Read on for our impressions of the SoundWave.
Finished in soft white plastic, the speakerphone attracts dirt very easily but thankfully it is simple to wipe off. The speaker dome is red in color and mostly out of reach due to the grill on top. We aren’t huge fans of the open grill as it inevitably leads to dust accumulation on the speaker and would’ve definitely preferred a mesh on top.
A small toggle switch is present on one side of the speaker allowing you to easily switch it on or off. A miniUSB slot is also located on a 3rd side (not pictured) which lets you easily charge up the SW50. Unfortunately, it is not possible to playback music over mini USB from a computer. Charging time is approximately 2 hours after which you can enjoy 12 hours of talktime (rated) and several hours of music playback. Your mileage will vary depending on the volume at which you play music as well the amount of usage. We were able to get a solid 6 hours of music playback across 2 days before the battery started giving out. Not bad considering the size.
Lets get down to the most important part, audio quality. You don’t expect phenomenal quality out of a £20 product but we were quite pleasantly surprised to see how well the SW50 performs. The vents at the bottom of the speaker (see below) allow audio to ‘flow’ freely through. Audio quality remains crisp with the mid channels being a bit more prominent. The speaker struggles a bit with the high end but is somehow able to deliver quite decent bass as long as you keep the volume in check. Cranking up the volume above 70% exposes the limitations of the speaker as it struggles to deliver clear audio. All said and done this is leagues ahead of any other product we’ve used in this price range and gets extra cookie points for delivering above average audio performance in such a small package. It is possible to use the SW50 like a hands free speakerphone as it comes with an inbuilt microphone which is quite sensitive. Pressing the green button when receiving a call will activate it and another tap cuts the call.
Conclusion
At the low low price of £20 / Rs 1720, the SoundWave SW50 is a no brainer if you’re looking for a cheap yet great performing bluetooth speaker. Sure it only outputs in mono and the design is nothing spectacular but the above average audio playback and good battery life make up for it. As a bonus, it doubles up as a great hands free speakerphone too while being priced much lower than competitors like the Jawbone Jambox ! Recommended.
Disclaimer : FoneArena was provided a review sample of the SoundWave SW50 by MobileFun