Huawei Sound X Review
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Features
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Design
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Price
Summary
Pros
- The Sound X boasts exceptional sound quality for a Bluetooth speaker. For a room filling, clear and punchy audio experience, you will not be disappointed
- The glossy finish and mesh bottom ooze quality design, it would look great in any contemporary setting. Not only that, but the materials used in its design are also solid.
Cons
- As far as your run of the mill Bluetooth speaker goes, you will more often than not benefit from portability which this does not offer.
- The price is also on the upper end of available bluetooth speakers on the market. This premium speaker offering comes at a cost that exceeds the likes of LG and Apple.
The Huawei Sound X is a speaker made in collaboration with French audio specialists Devialet – developers of the critically acclaimed Phantom speaker. This continues a trend from Huawei in working with experts in any particular field, they similarly partnered with Leica in co-engineering their camera technology on the P40 smartphone.
Huawei’s first foray into premium speaker design is a noteworthy entrant for the relative newcomer. Find out more in our review below.
Design
The sleek black finish on the cylindrically designed unit is exceptionally eye catching. Its glossy polycarbonate surface coupled with it’s two cut outs that display the subwoofers, and the splash and stain-proof mesh covering below look and feel as solid and well-made as you’d expect out of a premium Bluetooth speaker.
The very top of the speaker displays 4 backlit touch-sensitive buttons and a colourful ring indicator to demonstrate volume control. You can also neatly cover the top of the speaker with your palm to pause and unpause with ease.
Perhaps the only drawback is a consequence of its functionality, its powered directly from your plug socket and sadly doesn’t have a battery to allow for maximum portability. The direct connection to your socket however does allow for more power to the speakers.
The speaker also comes with a soft case to prevent scratches when in transit. The Sound X itself weighs around 3.5kg, again providing a solid well-made feel but perhaps on the heavier side if you consider throwing it into your backpack and carrying it regularly.
Technology and Sound
You’d imagine that Devialet had a heavy hand in developing and producing the overall sound output. In general, it provides fantastic mid-range sounds and a balanced bass offering (down to 40 hz).
It doesn’t pump extreme lows for fans of heavy bass but should offer most audiophiles who may be looking for a premium sound in the Bluetooth speakers category with excellent clarity, and a general sound that is very pleasing.
I tested the speaker in a variety of music genres but mostly enjoyed listening to the likes John Mayer and Hall and Oates on the Sound X as it demonstrates the acoustic sounds exceptionally well.
Hardware-wise, the speaker is loaded with two subwoofers, six tweeters, and a 360-degree output. You can also pair two speakers to offer more of a surrounding ambience.
It also recognises whether or not it’s been placed next to a wall and will adjust the sound accordingly. Devialet also used their expertise to develop added control when played at loud volumes, their “Push-Push Acoustic Design” technology is supposed to manage high volumes by limiting vibrations and distortion – this is especially effective despite the fact that two subwoofers are housed side by side. As well as that, Devialet’s Speaker Active Matching (SAM®) technology is also on offer – it recognises the sound and alters the output to best suit the listening experience. The Sound X also offers NFC connectivity for easy pairing.
Verdict
Overall given its premium price, you’d expect at the very minimum a well-rounded speaker offering great sound quality and design, and thankfully you get that with the Huawei Sound X. For a Bluetooth speaker it definitely sounds top of the range, and in spite of not having smart features such as Alexa or Google Home, or a battery to offer portability, for a kitchen, or bedroom, or even a larger living room, one would imagine great satisfaction in hearing your favourite Spotify playlist on the Sound X.
The price is high when comparing with others in the Bluetooth speaker market, the Bose SoundLink Revolve Plus Bluetooth Speaker retails for £279.95, or the Apple HomePod is available for £199. However, both the look and sound supersedes its competition hands down, thus providing the best option if your budget allows.
