Gear: Minimum Size, Maximum Sound
By Karlo Samson
Written on 1 July 2008
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Finally, travel speakers that fit in your pocket and fill up a room with sound.
XM-I's X-MINIMAX capsule speakers
Each pod pops open to reveal bass resonator.
Product name: X-MINIMAX Capsule Speakers
Made by: XM-I
Web Site: www.xm-i.com
The great thing about my day job as a tech reviewer is all the cool gadgets that land on my desk. The not-so-great thing about my day job as a tech reviewer is that you get tired of seeing the same cookie-cutter gadgets again and again, such as portable speakers for digital audio players. But, once in a while, something comes up that captures my fancy and tickles my ears, something like the X-MINIMAX capsule speakers.
By “capsule,” I mean that these speakers, undeployed, take the shape of a large antibiotic pill, the kind you shove down your throat to kill off any nasty infections. Two speaker units connect magnetically at the base to form the distinct capsule shape, small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. Setting up is a matter of cracking them apart and connecting them to your audio source via the supplied retractable cables. Once you’ve connected everything, position each speaker pod on either side of your audio source and crack ‘em open. By that, I mean each pod actually cracks open to reveal pop-up bass resonators. These are supposed to simulate a subwoofer cabinet and add a gut punch to your audio.
When you press play, you can’t help but wonder: how’d such a big sound come from such a small gadget? While Bose’s legendary Acoustimass cube speakers come to mind, the X-MINIMAX isn’t at par with Bose audio quality, they do manage to put up a good effort. They’re certainly louder than a lot of travel speakers on the market but it’s in audio clarity that these speakers perform well. Across the mid-range, the X-MINIMAX renders sound pretty damn good, though at high volume in the high frequency range, they have difficulty keeping highs from breaking up. In terms of bass, while they won’t be replacing your subwoofer anytime soon, the pop-up bass resonators do manage to produce a sound that is almost warm.
When you’re talking about a size-to-performance ratio, the X-MINIMAX displays considerable advantage to other travel speakers available on shelves. They’re small yet pack a considerable wallop. The deal-breaker, perhaps, would be its reliance to a USB port for charging, but if you’re the type who travels with his Macbook Pro, then you won’t have any problems. Fully charged, the X-MINIMAX can churn out your tunes for about 6 to 8 hours, just enough time for a nice afternoon at the beach
This article has been submitted to the recurring theme “Essentials for Travelers.”
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