Professionals
- Compact
- Superb sound for its small dimension
- Good worth
- Totally waterproof
Cons
- Sounds barely overdriven with bass increase on
Bose’s glorious SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker, which we awarded a CNET Editors’ Selection, is among the top-selling Bluetooth audio system on Amazon, with hundreds of consumer critiques there. For sure, opponents took discover and determined to supply up their very own spins on the Flex, which lists for $150 however generally goes on sale for much less. The Soundcore Motion 300 is Anker’s reply to that Bose speaker. Across the similar dimension because the Bose, it would not sound fairly pretty much as good, however it sounds spectacular for its compact dimension and prices solely $80. In consequence, we have awarded it a CNET Editors’ Selection as a robust worth decide within the transportable Bluetooth speaker class.
Learn extra: Best mini Bluetooth speakers
Soundcore Movement 300 design
The Movement 300 weighs in at 1.76 kilos and is somewhat heavier than the 1.3-pound SoundLink Flex. However just like the Flex, the Movement 300 might be laid down flat with its speaker firing up towards the ceiling or sky or propped up as proven within the picture above (Anker says its SmartTune expertise senses adjustments to the speaker’s orientation and adjusts the sound to enhance the listening expertise).
The speaker IPX7 waterproof and appears fairly sturdy. I left it out within the rain for about half-hour and likewise submerged it in a sink stuffed with water. It labored advantageous afterwards.
I left the speaker out within the rain for half-hour.
At the least Anker made some effort to distinguish the design of the Movement 300 from the SoundLink Flex, giving it extra rounded corners and a particular metallic grill on entrance. (Anker says the “metallic mesh preserves sound high quality and has a rugged, industrial really feel.”) Tribit’s Stormbox Flow (1.47 kilos) is extra of a direct knockoff, with a form and metallic grill that is much more just like that of the Bose. The Movement 300 has a sturdy strap built-in into its design whereas the StormBox Circulation has a less expensive trying lanyard. Each are removable.
One of many causes the Bose is so common is as a result of it is sort of the right dimension for a conveyable speaker — not too massive and never too small. In fact, the opposite purpose is that it sounds pretty much as good because it does — and performs as massive because it does — for its dimension. The identical is true for each the Movement 300 and Stormbox Circulation.
Soundcore Movement 300 options
The Soundcore Movement 300 has a considerably sturdy characteristic set for an $80 speaker, together with help for Sony’s LDAC audio codec for Android and different units that help Bluetooth wi-fi streaming with LDAC.
Whereas Anker would not promote the speaker as having speakerphone capabilities, it does. I linked my telephone to the speaker after which put my telephone in one other room and coated it with a towel to cowl its microphone after which had a dialog utilizing the speaker. You do need to be near the speaker for the microphone to choose up your voice, however individuals stated they heard me advantageous in a quiet room.
The Soundcore by Anker Movement 300 is available in three colour choices.
Whereas Anker describes this as a stereo speaker, the drivers are shut collectively so you may get minimal stereo separation. Nevertheless, you may wirelessly hyperlink two Movement 300s collectively for an actual left/proper stereo speaker arrange.
The Movement 300 is appropriate with the Soundcore app for iOS and Android, which lets you tweak the sound profile, alter the brightness of the LEDs on its buttons and improve its firmware. It delivers as much as 13 hours of audio at average quantity ranges (my exams confirmed that may be a pretty correct ranking)
Soundcore Movement 300 sound high quality
Most of those mini Bluetooth audio system are strongest within the midrange and treble, and the Movement 300 is not any exception. It provides first rate readability and likewise performs loud for its compact dimension and outputs an affordable quantity of bass, giving the sound a certain quantity of depth and richness that you just usually do not discover in audio system on this value vary.
The speaker has a bass increase button that does amp up the low finish a bit. However I truly thought the speaker sounded a bit higher with out the bass increase engaged as a result of it appeared barely overdriven with the increase on. The bass simply would not sound that tight at larger volumes. That is the place the Bose does higher.
Tribit’s StormBox Circulation is a barely hotter speaker and may very well sound barely higher than the Movement 300, edging it out for bass efficiency by a tad. However the Anker speaker does provide barely extra element and readability and wins on design. Whereas it might be a plus that it has help for the LDAC audio codec, I did not actually discover a distinction in sound high quality once I was streaming to the speaker from an Android telephone that helps LDAC vs. what the sound was like once I paired an iPhone to it. You’d seemingly want a way more premium speaker to listen to any vital distinction with LDAC streaming.
Soundcore Movement 300 remaining ideas
Whereas the Bose SoundLink Flex remains to be the mini Bluetooth speaker to get should you can afford it, the Movement 300 is a superb worth different that is solely a small step down by way of efficiency and design. I additionally just like the Tribit Stormbox Circulation for a similar value. It has a extra generic design however has higher battery life and sounds barely hotter, which you’ll — or could not — want.
Each the Movement 300 and the StormBox Circulation record for $80, however we must always see some flash gross sales that convey the value down a bit. Anker additionally makes the Motion 100, a smaller Bluetooth speaker that lists for $60 and can be a great worth. Nevertheless, should you can afford it, the Movement 300 does sound higher and I want its design.
