Antec a.m.p. SP1 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

Today we are going to take a look at the Antec Mobile Products SP1 Portable Bluetooth Speaker which is designed for those who travel frequently and aren't satisfied with the poor sound quality offered by their laptop or smartphone. It's available in three colour combinations: black and red, white and pink and green. We have the green version to test today. The SP1 is one of the first products in Antec's new range of mobile products, which carry an a.m.p. sub-brand, short for Antec Mobile Products. This range of products is designed to be fully functional with all brands of smartphone and laptop which are bluetooth enabled. The SP-1 has an integrated microphone, meaning you can use it to take calls via your smartphone or to chat with people on Skype with your laptop. Specifications Size: 158(H) x 41(W) x 62(D) mm Weight: 0.38 kg Communication Range: 10 M (30 ft) Playback Time: 10 hrs Frequency Response: 2.402 ~ 2.480 GHz Battery Capacity: Li-lon Battery 3.7V Bluetooth Standard: Bluetooth 2.1+EDR Support Profiles: Supports Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) 1.2, Hands-Free Profile (HFP) 1.5, Headset Profile (HSP) 1.1 The SP1 is supplied in a very attractive looking packet which consists of a clear plastic upper section that slots into a cardboard base. This packaging is both protective and visually effective so is very well suited to the product. The rear of the packet contains a vast amount of detailed information about the features and specification of the speaker. Inside the box, the only accessories we find bundled with the speaker is a thin USB cable for charging and a thin 3.5mm audio cable. The SP1 itself is very compact, measuring 15.8 cm long, by 4.2 cm wide and 6.2 cm high. This makes it ideal for those who travel frequently and are looking for a high-quality speaker that is compatible with all of their mobile devices. While the bright green colour scheme might not be for you, it's also available in two different hues; white and pink and black and red. The main body of the speaker is rubberised, meaning it should stand the test of time pretty well. The three main buttons are integrated into the rubber finish on the top of the speaker. The two outer buttons control the volume of the speaker, while the centre button is a function button to control the Bluetooth functionality of the device. We find the power switch on one end of the speaker, alongside the micro-USB connector for charging and a 3.5mm audio jack input. There are grilles on both sides of the SP1, but only one side is actually functional. This is the slightly longer side of the two, as the profile of the speaker isn’t quite symmetrical. The entire unit feels pretty solidly put together as a whole and we don’t imagine it damaging easily even if abused. The 380g weight is about what we would expect considering it features an inbuilt battery. From a physical point of view, the Antec a.m.p. SP1 Portable Bluetooth Speaker is an enticing proposition. But a well designed speaker is useless if it doesn't have decent sound quality to match. Setting the speaker up is very easy indeed. Simply hold the function button until the power button flashes quickly, and then search for the device using your Bluetooth enabled device. Alternatively, you can just play music via the 3.5 mm connector. We found that Bluetooth offered a better experience, though, because the volume was significantly more impressive. We are happy to say that the SP1 offers pretty decent sound quality and offers an impressively full sound for such a compact unit. We were impressed by the lower registers which have a decent amount of power considering the size of the unit, however it doesn't seem so good when it’s compared to slightly larger units. The overall sound is fairly evenly balanced and doesn't seem to have much of a bias towards any of the sound frequencies. One unusual aspect of the speaker is that it actually boosts a call function. Using the inbuilt microphone, you can use it as a hands-free speaker, answering your call using the function button on the top of the unit. The call quality is surprisingly good too. When it comes to value, we feel that the SP1 is a little overpriced at £64 from Amazon. We would like to see it falling to around £40 before it would win our Must Have award. Apart from the price we think this is an excellent little speaker and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Pros: Impressive sound. Portable design. Solidly built. Hands-free capability. Cons: Price KitGuru says: A great little product from Antec, let down by an inflated price tag.

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Antec a.m.p. SP1 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

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