Looking for an affordable portable speaker for less than $100 is always a difficult task. There are a lot of them and we at TechWalls have reviewed some well-known products but just a few of them can meet our expectation.
We’ve just got a chance to test two cheap wireless speakers from Rapoo. Today, I’m going to review the first one, Rapoo A500.
Unboxing Video
Design & Features
I was quite surprised when unboxing the Rapoo A500. The manufacturer really knows how to show off its product, it comes in a nice little box with aluminum base and transparent plastic. You can find the speaker, audio cable and mini-USB cable inside.
The surprise continued when I took the Rapoo A500 out. I can’t imagine how the manufacturer can get profit with such a great packaging and design. The speaker is so comfortable to hold with its soft-touch finish on the whole back and sides. This is a seamless design and you won’t be able to see any screw.
On top of the speaker, there are NFC chip, microphone, volume up/down and Bluetooth/Answer phone calls button. The power switch, mini-USB port and AUX port are located on the back.
This is a very basic wireless speaker but you also can enjoy quick connect via NFC and make hands-free calls. The battery of the speaker is said to last around 8-10 hours. I haven’t tested it to the limit yet but I can play it for more than 4 hours without any problem.
Audio Quality
Having surprised with the build quality, I am a little disappointed with its audio quality. It is exact like what I expect from a small portable speaker at the low price range. The sound lacks of bass and gets treble spike sometimes. The mids are clear but still needs a lot of boost. When I pair it with my phone, the volume level is still quite low even when I crank it up on both the speaker and my smartphone. It becomes louder when I pair it with my MacBook, but remember that this is a portable speaker, it should work better with smartphones.
You can check out the sound test of the Rapoo A500 in the video below.
Conclusion
Pros
- Good design and build quality.
- Affordable
Cons
- Mediocre sound quality.
The Rapoo A500 speaker is available for around $50. It absolutely sounds better than the built-in speaker on laptops and smartphones, but it is still not something enjoyable.
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BESTMobile Telco says
my brother buying identical portable speaker with your speaker but using different brands name. The audio sound great
Carmela says
My Rapoo did not work anymore. After I charged it. When I turned on the bottom at the back it suddenly did not light up. What do you think is the problem?
Mike says
I connected mine to a charger then turned the back panel on then disconnected my charger