Nyne Bass :: First Impressions
by Volker Weber
When I went to the Plantronics event at IFA two months ago, there was another customer of Plantronics' agency present. Nyne, a company I never heard of. They are based in Oxnard, Ca, and the CEO had come over to introduce its products at IFA. And boy, they sure were different.
The company makes a line of Bluetooth speakers in all sizes and shapes, but there is a theme to most of them:
I was in no hurry to test any of them so I asked the agency to send me the biggest and badest, once that became available. Since the Nyne Rock isn't yet on the market, they sent me the Bass, top of the C-Series, which is comprised of three more models: Cruiser fits your bike, TT your suitcase, and Mini, which is ... mini.
Nyne Bass is a Bluetooth speaker with NFC pairing. It has two high/midrange drivers and a woofer, in bass reflex configuration. How does it sound? That depends very much on where you put it. When you put it on the ground, a foot in front of the wall, it becomes a very powerful speaker, that delivers quite the punch. When you put it in the middle of the room and you don't sit in front of it, it sounds rather dull. However, if you place it carefully, it's quite enjoyable.
The speaker has all controls you would expect from a Bluetooth controlled device: Play/Pase, Forward, Rewind, Volume Up/Down. You can also answer phone calls in conference mode, because it houses a microphone. The battery is specified to run the speaker for 8 to 10 hours. It has a round charge connector, which is a easy to plug in, but a little unfortunate given that most devices charge over MicroUSB these days. There is a USB plug, where you can recharge your phone from the massive internal battery. The speaker comes with a universal charger and a collection of plugs for world wide use. There is a line-in and a cable to fit this connection from a computer or phone. On the back there is a handle, so it's easy to carry around.
It's quite an impressive kit and very affordable. The body is a matte rubberized finish that looks like it can take a beating. Since it sits on it's two sides you won't be afraid to put it on the ground. What's missing? An IPX rating that would make you confident, it won't be easily damaged by a rain shower.
Just to give you an idea. We are talking about 150 €, which is less than you need to buy the UE Roll 2. And there is a rule of thumb: there is no replacement for displacement. If it's bigger, it's going to make more noise. That is why I am still waiting for the Rock. Which also has an IPX-3 rating.
Comments
Sounds interesting. Will you take a look at the other speakers too?
Nur den Rock
