With the holidays coming up fast you may be hunting for a new Bluetooth speaker to give as a gift and Soundcast are crossing their fingers you might consider their Soundcast VG1 as a possible purchase. The old saying, good things come in small packages rings true with the Soundcast VG1 with powerful and clear sound. Read on for the full Soundcast VG1 review.
Specifications
- True Wireless Stereo (TWS) capability, pair two VG1 units together
- Hands free operation with Siri integration
- IP67 rated good for pools and bathrooms
- High-Def audio Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX and AAC
- 15 hour battery
- Two aluminum-cone drivers with butyl rubber surrounds
- Rear-firing weighted passive radiator provides deep bass extension
- Frequency Response – 76Hz-20KHz
- Connections 1/8″ (3.5mm) auxiliary input – 1/8” (3.5mm) loop output – MicroUSB charging input
What’s In The Box
- Soundcast VG1 speaker
- Instruction manual
- 3.5mm braided AUX cable
- MicroUSB to USB Type-A braided cable
- Lanyard
- Pouch to carry cables
Design
Speakers come and go from my desk on what seems a daily basis and for the most part, I’ve liked a lot of the designs. The Soundcast VG1 design is a little bit different. It breaks away from a pill shape or rounded corners in favor of a more angular stance and sharp corners. I like that you tip the speaker back on its bottom ridge giving it a slight angle up when playing music. The whole unit is made of very premium materials and has a very solid feel in the hand, this wasn’t just thrown together. Everything looks and feels tight on this little speaker as it should since it is IP67 rated.
On the front of the speaker is the Soundcast logo which is simple and almost retro looking. Moving up to the top you’ll find your LED indicator, power/Bluetooth pairing button, volume down button, volume up button, and Play/Pause/Call button. The only other ports on this speaker are found on the right side where the MicroUSB charging port, AUX port in and AUX port out are located. The speaker isn’t heavy but it is heavier than it looks. One would expect a chintzy piece of hardware at first glance but this is a solid piece of construction and really nice design.
Ease of Use
Setting the speaker up is a breeze as most Bluetooth devices are these days. When you power the unit up, just hold the power button down until you hear the pairing tone. Head over to your device and pick the Soundcast VG1 from the list and you’re in!
Sound
So this is the part that really counts, after all, this is a speaker. First let me say, at full volume, this thing holds strong with no cracking or distortion. The bass is evident but like many speakers these days, they keep it balanced and not overwhelming. I played a variety of different genres of music from country and rap to pop and metal and they all sounded rich, vibrant, and clear. The mids and highs are very well balanced and that bass just rumbles ever so slightly underneath it all. If you’re a bass lover and really need a huge kick this is probably not going to satisfy that itch. Overall the sound is really amazing for the size of this speaker and it does it without distortion. The one thing I would have liked is separate volume control for the speaker. I’d rather not have the volume linked to the smartphone.
Reception/Call Quality
Call quality is as good as it gets for a Bluetooth speaker. Callers did have some trouble hearing me if I wasn’t close enough to the speaker. Reception is typical Bluetooth range, 30 – 40 feet depending on what’s in the line-of-sight.
Battery Life
Advertised at 15 hours, I was able to get just about 14.5 hours at 60% volume. Battery life will vary with volume as well as Bluetooth connectivity strength so it’s possible to get more or less.
Price/Value
At a sturdy $149.99USD the Soundcast VG1 isn’t cheap but it’s also really well built with big sound, IP67 rated, and a really good build quality.
Wrap Up
Would be a nice premium holiday gift for someone looking for great sound, small package, and IP67 qualities.
[rwp-review id=”0″]*We were sent a review unit of the Soundcast VG1 for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on January 23, 2017.
