Most netbooks today and even some laptops have built-in speakers that are quite lacking, they’re not exactly good for movies, let alone music. You can’t exactly upgrade the speakers inside of them, so the only options you have are to deal with it or get some sort of external speaker to replace them. Getting an external speaker is a better option than dealing with it, but as with anything external you’ll want something that’s portable and actually has decent sound.
Today for review Siig has sent me over the SoundWave Sphere Speaker, and by the name one could guess it’s a round ball. I’ve used it with my netbook and iPod and found that it’s actually decent sounding. One of the great features about this product is that it offer dual power options, you can power it via USB or use regular batteries, so you’ve choices and choices are good. So read on…
Info:
SoundWave Sphere Speaker – Blue
Portable & adjustable multimedia speaker offers crisp, clear & rich sound
Part #: IC-SP0712-S1
Features:
* High-quality amplifier delivers crisp, clear & rich sound
* Portable design makes it perfect for travel & use with notebook/desktop computers, iPod/MP3 players, DVD players & more
* Speaker angle adjustment for ideal speaker placement
* Built-in volume control & cable storage
* Dual power sources – powered by USB port or battery (batteries not included)
* Magnetically shielded speaker eliminates potential interference
Specs:
* Maximum power output: 5W
* Frequency response: 150-20KHz
* Signal-to-Noise (S/N) Ratio: > 68dB @ 1KHz
* Dimension: 2.75” (H) x 3.70” (W) x 3.70” (D)
MSRP: $29.99
What’ in the Box?
The Siig SoundWave Sphere Speaker comes in a colorful box.
When you unpack the box there’s not much in there, just the speaker and a USB cable that acts as the power source.
The speaker is basically a ball with a flat bottom, the audio cord wraps around it as storage.
On the bottom you’ll find the battery compartment, yes you can use either batteries for power or USB power. The main power switch is also on the bottom.
On the side you’ll find a master volume control, and on the back you’ll find a clip for the audio connection along with a mini-USB port that’s used for the USB power cable.
Usage:
Once you unwrap the cord you’ll find it’s fairly long, it’s 12 inches to the tip so it should be long enough for most uses.
When you turn it on there’s a blue LED on the bottom.
I used it with my netbook to watch some Netflix, I didn’t have batteries in it at the time so I used the USB power cable and it worked good.
I’ll be honest here, I was truly surprised by the sound that came out of this little speaker. It’s rather full sounding with decent bass and a bit of treble mixed in. It’s much better than the built-in speakers of the Aspire One netbook!
I also tossed some batteries in it and used it with my iPod nano 5th as well:
It’s much larger than the nano, and I don’t think I would want to carry them together, but it offers decent sound. Using it with the iPod though I noticed that at very high volumes it gets a little distorted for music, but most speakers do though really.
Conclusion:
Let’s face it, the speakers in most netbooks and even a lot of laptops aren’t very good for movies or music and something like the Siig SoundWave Sphere is a great replacement for those speakers. Even though it’s not stereo, it offers much better sound than the on-board speakers do. The SoundWave Sphere is plastic yes, but most things are anymore, it does seem well made though. The idea that you can use batteries is great really especially if you’re using it with your laptop or netbook, just use the USB and you’re set. All-in-all it’s not a bad little product…
| PROS | CONS |
| +Dual power, battery or USB +Many uses +Cable should be long enough for most uses +Surprisingly it sounds good |
-A bit expensive |
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