Name: Logitech s715i Speakerdock| Price: $149.99 [Buy it] | Rating: 5/5
Logitech are a big player in the iPod/iPhone portable speakerdock scene, so whenever they release something new it’s usually worth checking out. They just released the ‘Logitech Rechargeable Speaker s715i’, and were kind enough to send us a review unit to check out! Read our thoughts after the break.
Design:
The s715i’s are a serious looking piece of kit. While previous Logitech portable speakers have tried to mimic an iPod design (think the Pure-Fi Anywhere line, with it’s clean, white design), this new set has a more rounded look, opting for somewhat of a ‘bone’ shape. It definitely works, and the speakers look good in any surrounding, be it a living room or outside at a campsite.
They have an expensive look to them as well, despite being extremely reasonably priced (at $149.99) for what you get. They’re very well put together, and it’s clear that a lot of thought went into their design.
On the front, you have a large speaker grill to cover 6 of the 8 speakers located in this set. On the front alone, you get two half-inch tweeters for the high range, two 3 inch laser tuned drivers for the mid range, and two 2 inch passive radiators for the bass. On the backside, there are two more passive radiators for even more bass response – that’s 8 speakers, all in a small portable form factor! Logitech have definitely left all other portable speakers in the dust, and they’re going to have to work hard to catch up.
Back to the front, you have your standard on/off button, volume up/down buttons, and a IR port for the included remote control. There’s also a cover for the iPod dock at the top, which doubles as a stand when it’s opened.
Speaking of the iPod dock at the top, Logitech have come up with a new way to hold your iPod/iPhone, so you don’t need those annoying dock adaptors which you needed to change every time you used them with a different device. The dock connector moves somewhat, so it can accommodate any type of iPod, and it’s slightly spring loaded meaning it holds your device against the back wall so it doesn’t move when it’s in the dock. It’s a really good system, which despite being very simple, works very well. If you have a particularly thick case on your device however, you may have to remove it to dock it, but the vast majority of cases will fit fine.
Round the back, all you’ve got is those two speakers we talked about before, an auxiliary jack enabling the speakers to be used with virtually any source of music, and a power jack.
Also included in the box, as well as the remote control which offers basic controls like play/pause, skip tracks and the ability to turn on shuffle, is a travel bag for the speakers, and a power adapter.
Performance:
Admittedly, I’ve never really thought too much of this type of portable speaker dock, as I’ve been let down so many times in the past by mediocre, flat sound. Even with expensive docks, they usually lack the ability to provide a really rich soundspace, all the way from crisp highs to booming lows. This set however changes everything.
With it’s 8 custom tuned speakers, the s715i plays music amazingly. I’ve never heard music sound so good from such a small portable speakerset. The 4 passive radiators provide very deep bass, without being too ‘boomy’. This means that it can equally handle less bass-reliant music genres like classical easily too.
The sheer number of speakers also means that these small speakers can easily fill a relatively large room with sound. They also go really loud, so they’d work brilliantly for a party or whenever you need loud sound. For $149, I’ve certainly never heard anything this good, and even at higher price points you’d be hard pressed to find a set that really sounded substantially better.
Battery Life:
The Logitech s715i has a built in rechargeable battery NiMH battery, which means you can listen to music without being plugged into the wall for up to eight hours at a moderate volume. It’s worth noting that when the speakers are being used off the battery, the maximum volume is decreased, and sound quality is slightly diminished, with the bass being automatically turned down for example. They still sound exceptionally good though.
Conclusions:
I’ve never been a massive fan of portable speaker docks, but the Logitech Rechargeable Speaker s715i has completely reversed my take on them. For the price, they should be at the top of anyone’s list of speakerdocks, and thoroughly deserve their 5/5 rating.
You can buy the Logitech s715i speakers for $149.99 [Buy it].
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