Hasta La Ideas

Is this the best bluetooth speaker for under $70? I’ve tried many portable speakers and man, they’ve come a long away. They’re loud, bassy, and generally distortion free. The good ones all cost $100+ so when Soundfreaq sent me the Sound Spot to try out, I was a little skeptical. However, I am familiar with the company as I’ve tried their original Sound Platform speaker before and came away quite impressed. So what do I look for in small, compact bluetooth speaker? It has to look good, sound good, and painless to pair. Hit the jump for my review.

The first thing you notice about the Sound Spot is the design. It’s got mid-century modern mojo to it. Most competitors opt for a techno look but the Sound Spot is meant to look right at home, in your home – an accessory on your shelf when not in use. The front panel is made from wood while the main body is high quality textured plastic. The face is pretty much devoid of any branding save for a tiny logo mark in the center of the speaker grill. On top, you’ll find touch controls for basic navigation. Behind are standard line in/out inputs, a toggle that functions like a basic equalizer, and the ability to charge your phone via USB.

It sounds great! The Sound Spot is just barely taller than a standing iPhone 5 yet cranks out enough sound to fill a full 400 sqft living room. I did notice a little distortion with the volume turned up, but nobody in their right mind is going to blast their music that loud. The toggle switch in the rear lets you augment the speaker with 3 presets – flat, warm, bright. I’ve found with almost all the music I tested from classical to hip-hop to dance, warm provided the right amount of balance. Flat and bright seem better suited for spoken word and audio podcasts.

My only complaint about the Sound Spot is how long it takes to charge. The power button blinks to indicate charging status and I swear it took forever and a day to get it fully juiced up. Once it’s charged, expect about 6 hours of non-stop music with the volume set somewhere in the middle. Curiously Soundfreaq purposely left out a built-in microphone. Most competitors allow you to use their speakers as a speakerphone of sorts with varying degrees of success so I’m not particular peeved at the omission from the Sound Spot.

I totally recommend the Sound Spot to anyone on a budget looking for a portable speaker with good sound and great looks. A comparable $70 speaker I picked up from a department store was equally audibly gifted but looked more like a desktop computer peripheral than a designed audio device. I’m actually thinking about including it in our annual holiday gift guide. Comes in black or white. Get you some!

Designer: Soundfreaq, Buy it here

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
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(Best Bluetooth Speaker Under $70? was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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The age of the shoulder boombox is long gone, but premium sound quality on-the-go is here to stay! The Media Bucket combines the novelty of the boombox with sophisticated audio and a stylish modern form. Lightweight, durable and super-portable, users can play take their favorite CDs or MP3s to the beach, park, or even on roller blades with this easy rechargeable unit.

Designer: Sang Hyun Jeong

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Shop CKIE – We are more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the CKIE store by Yanko Design!
(Bucket O’ Sound was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Imagine driving a Lamborghini, but never breaking 90 miles an hour. Rolling down the road in one of the world’s top cars would still be quite an enjoyable experience, but that isn’t what the machine was designed to do. The same can be…

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I thought it was just me and my tiny ears, but apparently Apple’s Earpods are a tough fit for lots of us! Instead of replacing the buds, just snap on a pair of Sprng clips to make em’ stay put. The ergonomic design stabilizes the Earpods with a soft elastomer tip that snaps into the concha of the ear and won’t interfere with glasses or hats. You can even slide the pods up and down for a custom fit. Ordering mine now! Get yours here!

Designer: OHM Industrial Designers, Inc.

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Shop CKIE – We are more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the CKIE store by Yanko Design!
(Quick fix to an Apple goof! was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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Timbre, by Casey Lin, trims the essence of the speaker down to the bare minimum, allowing the inherent qualities of the materials to become the focal point of the design. With superfluous elements stripped away, all that remain visible are glass and wood, chosen for their enhanced acoustic qualities. Placing different objects on the raw wood block instantly changes the sound, encouraging user interaction and a deeper connection to the object. Jump to the video to hear how it works!

Surface transducers are mounted on the interior of the wooden box, vibrating the surface and turning the box into a speaker. The glass vessels act as physical equalizers, where the vibrations transfer through the wood into the glass and changes the timbre of the sound. The wooden box can act as a standalone speaker, or alternatively, vessels of other material, size or shape can be placed on the speaker to change the sound according to the users taste.

Designer: Casey Lin

Timbre Speaker from Casey Lin on Vimeo.

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Yanko Design
Timeless Designs – Explore wonderful concepts from around the world!
Shop CKIE – We are more than just concepts. See what’s hot at the CKIE store by Yanko Design!
(Timbre Timber was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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