SoundBot's SB571 Bluetooth speaker aims to give a worthy performance without burning a hole in your pocket.
A relatively lesser known company in the audio market, SoundBot has recently launched a new affordable Bluetooth speaker. Priced at Rs 2,799, the SoundBot SB571 is a portable Bluetooth speaker that comes with a decent set of specifications and features. If you’re looking for an affordable Bluetooth speaker, the SoundBot SB571 could be a tempting option to consider for the price, but just how does it sound? We’ve reviewed the device and here’s what we think about it.
SoundBot SB571 Design and Specifications
The SoundBot SB571 comes in a range of color choices and we had the ‘black-on-black’ variant for review. Rectangular in shape, the SoundBot SB571 has a sleek and simple design. Black is usually the preferred color choice for a gadget but there could be some wanting something fancier or more ‘blingy’. The SoundBot SB571 doesn’t aim to offer much in the way of style but maintains a rather sturdy and inoffensive look. It’s pretty light and easy to carry around, and with dimensions of 6 x 2 x 1.6 inches, it doesn’t take up too much space either. On top are controls for call, volume, and playback, while at the back the power button, 3.5mm audio jack and USB port are located. There are two 40mm unidirectional speakers on the device delivering 6W of sound each.
In terms of specifications, the SoundBot SB571 comes with Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, and is powered by a 1,000mAh battery. Along with the speaker, you get a USB cable for charging and a 3.5mm audio cable as well. The claimed playback time goes up to 12 hours when connected to a source device using a 3.5mm cable, and up to 10 hours when using Bluetooth. Some of the features available on the SoundBot SB571 include a large speaker cavity and a passive bass port for bass. An advantage for iPhone and iPad users is that the battery level of the speaker is displayed on these devices when connected wirelessly.
SoundBot SB571 Performance
We tested the SoundBot SB571’s performance to its maximum in terms of connectivity and audio output. Connecting the device via Bluetooth was pretty smooth for Android smartphones, iPhone and laptops as well. The same goes for connecting via the 3.5mm audio jack as well. However, while playing songs via Bluetooth, changing songs using the playback buttons is quite slow and a few seconds are missed after the song starts playing due to the delay in the track switch. ALSO READ: Toreto Aqua TBS 325 Bluetooth Speaker Review: Waterproof and impressive sound
To test the audio quality of the SoundBot SB571, we played music from popular genres of hip-hop, indie, pop, EDM and rock as well. Firstly, the speakers are fairly loud thanks to the 12W of power on tap. Since the two speakers are placed on the right and left side as well, the stereo separation is fairly good as well. Playing music at the highest volume didn’t poorly affect the overall sound as the treble and bass levels were maintained quite well.
To test how strong the bass output is we played a few songs like Low Life by Future, I’m The One by DJ Khaled and Do Re Mi by Blackbear. The passive bass-port does help in providing decent bass, but it isn’t quite as aggressive as some might prefer. As is the case with some other wireless speakers, the SoundBot SB571 doesn’t have any mode to boost bass, but if you have an equaliser on your source device, you can tweak the sound from there. For Indie and pop tracks such as International Love Song by The Black Skirts and As If It’s Your Last by Black Pink, the audio was quite impressive on both high and low levels of volume. The same goes for rock which we tested by playing Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N Roses. ALSO READ: Sony SRS-XB40 Review: Lights and sounds kinda thing
Speaking about power backup, the 1,000mAh in-built battery takes around 3 hours to fully charge, and playback via Bluetooth goes on for about 8 hours. Something that was personally disappointing was the LED light indicator which appears in red and blue colors, as it isn’t very appealing aesthetically. Also, the SoundBot SB571 doesn’t feature FM radio or SD card support which could be the determining factors for some consumers who use those modes are audio sources. There is a microphone on the device, so you can use it for hands-free calling as well.
SoundBot SB571 Verdict
Taking its price into consideration, the SoundBot SB571 does lack in some key features which can be found on other Bluetooth speakers in the same price range. However, the audio in terms of volume and quality is pretty good for a Bluetooth speaker at this price.
SoundBot is a California-based company and competes with the likes of Portronics and JBL which are frontrunners in this category. But while the company may not be well-known, it has managed to deliver a sturdy device with good sound output. The SoundBot SB571 fits in well for a small get-together indoors and outdoors, and also for personal use at home.