Comprehensive Review of the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor Speaker

The Xiaomi Sound Outdoor Speaker has emerged as a game-changer in the portable Bluetooth speaker market, combining robust features with a budget-friendly price tag. Designed for music lovers on the move, it aims to deliver a powerful audio experience with surprising versatility. Let’s dive into a detailed review of this intriguing device.

Design and Build Quality

Xiaomi has opted for a functional yet stylish tubular design for the Sound Outdoor Speaker. Wrapped in durable fabric, the speaker boasts a rugged feel while maintaining a sleek aesthetic. The rubberized strip at the back doubles as a grip and incorporates a loop for easy portability. The contrasting orange loop on the black variant adds a touch of flair, while the red and blue models maintain a cohesive design with matching loops.

The IP67 rating ensures that the speaker is not only dustproof but can also handle being submerged in water, making it ideal for outdoor adventures.

Audio Performance

At the heart of the Sound Outdoor is a dual-driver system consisting of a 20W woofer and a 10W mid-range driver. Passive radiators on both ends amplify the low-end frequencies, resulting in a sound profile that is rich and punchy indoors. The speaker impresses with its ability to maintain clarity and avoid distortion, even at maximum volume.

However, outdoor performance slightly diminishes. The bass response weakens in open spaces, and the overall sound becomes flatter. Additionally, the lack of a dedicated tweeter impacts the highs, which can feel dull in some scenarios. Critical listeners may also notice directional limitations, as the mids and highs require the speaker to face directly toward the listener for optimal clarity.

Connectivity and Features

Equipped with Bluetooth 5.4, the Sound Outdoor offers reliable and energy-efficient connectivity. Pairing is manual due to the absence of NFC, but the process is straightforward. Its standout feature is the ability to pair with up to 99 other units, creating an incredible chain of 100 synchronized speakers. While this extreme feature is difficult to test practically, even pairing just two speakers for stereo sound adds significant value.

Unfortunately, the speaker lacks an aux input, restricting usage to Bluetooth-only scenarios.

User Experience

With a simple control setup, the Sound Outdoor is easy to use. Buttons for power, pairing, and syncing are neatly placed at the back, alongside a USB-C charging port protected by a flap.

The speaker’s mono output is an understandable limitation for its form factor, but it may disappoint users accustomed to stereo configurations. Music with wide stereo imaging can feel condensed, which is another reason to consider a second unit for stereo sound.

Latency performance with a single speaker is excellent, making it suitable for watching videos. However, synchronization with multiple speakers may introduce lag, especially with video content.

Battery Life and Charging

The Sound Outdoor offers a respectable 12-hour battery life at 50% volume, aligning with industry standards. It charges fully in about 2.5 hours using a 15W charger. However, the speaker doesn’t support reverse charging, so it cannot double as a power bank.

Microphone Performance

The integrated microphone for calls is a significant letdown. Testing revealed poor audio quality, rendering it virtually unusable for voice calls. This is one area where Xiaomi could make significant improvements.

Value for Money

At an attractive price of INR 3,999 / $46, the Xiaomi Sound Outdoor Speaker is a compelling choice for budget-conscious buyers. It offers features and performance that rival more expensive brands like JBL and Sony, making it a fantastic value proposition.