You can’t get a big bass sound from a little speaker. No way, no how.
Well, there’s another truism out the window. I took a chance and ordered a foxL from the soundmatters website last week — without having heard it. I had read the glowing reviews and figured it would be worth a try, especially at $20 off (it’s on sale through October 1).
I can confirm the foxl is truly remarkable. I had real doubts that a small (5.6 inches by 2.2 inches by 1.4 inches) and lightweight (9.5 ounces) speaker system could outperform speakers ten times its size.
It operates up to five hours with the rechargeable battery. An AC-power adapter/charger is included, though you can also recharge it via a USB connection. When AC powered, the audio output doubles from 2 watts to 4 watts. Unfortunately, the internal battery isn’t user replaceable. You’ll have to send in the entire unit to have the battery replaced.
In addition to having foot-stomping bass, the audio sounded clear across a full range of frequencies with very little distortion. On the downside, there’s no stereo separation because the two internal speakers are only a few inches apart. If your MP3 player supports a lossless audio format, you’ll be amazed how well it performs alongside a foxL. It could be an ideal companion for a small laptop or projector (movie night, anyone?).
A more expensive model — the foxL mb — adds a microphone and Bluetooth radio. If your cell phone or laptop supports the Bluetooth A2DP profile, you’ll be able to use the foxL mb as a handsfree speaker phone or to stream your music wirelessly.
Why didn’t anyone do this before? After all, it isn’t rocket science. Scratch that. Maybe it is rocket science. It turns out that the soundmatters founder and audio designer, Dr. Godehard Guenther, is a former NASA engineer.