XMINI 2ND GENERATION

Before anything else, if you get your own X-Mini II, HEED THE WARNING written at the front of the box: Warning: Unbelievably Loud

I didn’t. Which is why when I greedily opened the package containing the speaker and hastily plugged it in, and without reading the instructional material (who does anyway? ) I was totally not prepared for what came next. I almost jumped out of my skin when the music blared on the speakers – it was THAT loud. Sure, sure I heard reviews saying that the sound is unbelievable for its size and that it will rock your shoes off but experiencing the real thing is waaay much more convincing. I know I’m convinced.
Portability is a no-brainer. The X-mini scores a 10.5/10 for portability and geekness/coolness factor. Who’d believe you when you say that the small disc in your hand that closely resembles a hockey puck is a speaker? Not many – until you twist it, plug your device, and turn it on. You’d get the “Woooow” and the “Oooooh” and the “Haneeeeeps” you wish you’d get when you flex your muscles.
I tried it on different types of files: Music, Movies, Game sounds, everything sounded solid and great. Lyrics sounded clear and not muddled, and the same goes for the dialogues in the movies. I’m no music aficionado but even I appreciate the amount of bass the X-mini has. Out of the box, the X-mini sounded great but if your device has EQ settings, you might get better results. Not stereo? Listen to the X-Mini for 5 minutes and you won’t notice the difference – unless of course you are an audiophile and a perfectionist to boot. On the other hand, you might want to listen to around 85-95% volume max – the sound tends to break-up at the higher levels. Don’t be fooled though: that 95% volume is LOUD.
The multiple ways you can plug the X-mini to different devices is excellent as well. You have the built-in 3.5mm plug, the included mini-USB to 3.5mm (which doubles as a charger as well) and the Buddy Jack port as well. I used a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable that costs 40 bucks in ACE hardware, and it worked perfectly. Battery life is something to marvel as well. My fully charged iPod went poof first before the X-Mini. Unless you plan to listen to music for 3 straight days, the rated 12 hours of usage should be enough for most users.
All in all, I consider the X-mini II as an excellent investment. Coupled with your portable netbook, the X-mini is perfect for that on-the-go sound trippings and movie marathons.

Love the red color on black

 volume control and connecting jack

 

audio jack

on and off switch

indicator light