It ’s dependable to say that if you tear up to a pocket billiards party , barbecue , birthday do , or weekend get - together with theLG XBoom XL7 company speakerrolling along behind you , things are going to get fun . And really loud .
True to its name , the XBoom XL7 is a booming party on wheels with more than a few trick up its arm . Part 250 - W utterer , part karaoke political machine , and part DJ rig consummate with LED light show — and , yes , air hooter for Day — the LG XBoom is a goliath of a Bluetooth speaker match for any skilful time .
for sure , there areloads of Bluetooth speakersout there that sound good , are plenty loud , and be less . But let ’s be clear : the $ 600 LG XBoom XL7 is on a whole other degree . It ’s a portable tower speaker built to sway a crowd and fill large spaces with sound . Or piss off your neighbour . More on that below . But for now , I spent some time with the XL7 — and male child was it fun .
Design: big, rugged, and surprisingly portable
I could hear the courier drop the box for this thing on my porch from my office upstairs . At 34.2 pounds , theLG XBoom XL7 Portable Tower Speaker(that ’s the official name ) is a beefy speaker unit box on wheels that measures 27.6 inches in meridian and 12.2 inches x 12.4 in in breadth and depth . That adult cabinet house three number one wood — an 8 - inch woofer and two 2.5 - inch tweeter that pump out the XBoom ’s significant 250 watts of power . On the bottom of the front face are two passive woofer port for extra oomph .
A bit tall and slimmer than a standard carry - on suitcase , you get the idea that LG ’s designers must have been spending a hatful of time in airports because they modishly outfitted the XL7 with a telescoping handle and two rubberized wheel on the bottom backside .
The affair rolled smoothly around my home , my cottage , on my rocky wood deck of cards , and even through some packed moxie and gravel . When I needed to pick it up , just like a traveling bag , a button pressure allows for easy abjuration of the handle into the base . There ’s also a strong , inactive grip on the top and even an indented handle on the bottom for secure lifting of the unit ( do n’t forget to lift with the legs ) . hard ? Yes . But I was surprised at how well the speaker move around and navigated obstacles , and how sturdily it stand up upright when positioned .
smartly , though , LG has also put four low - profile rubber foot on one side of the XL7 in case you require to lay it horizontally , like on a mesa or aerofoil for altitude , or maybe just to keep it from getting knocked over by your inebriate , dancing uncle . But if someone did knock it over , it would be just fine . It ’s made of some pretty rugged plastic , has a metallic element punch radiator grille on the front , and all the buttons and controls on its top ( might , shimmer / pause , input quality , Sound Boost ) are made of sturdy rubber and are almost flush with the surface , meaning they wo n’t catch on anything or get snapped off by overstimulated Thomas Kyd up way past their bedtime . Oh , it ’s alsoIPX4 splash - electric resistance blackleg , so kitty parties ( and the inevitable shed drinkable ) are a go , too .
Sound performance
Let ’s get right to it : this affair pumps out sound . I normally admit a setup and connectivity division in Bluetooth verbaliser reviews , but since it was so easy and standard ( it supports SBC and AAC codecs ) , I do n’t really call for to go into it . It ’s a Bluetooth speaker — but bigger — it pairs up nicely , and I did my examination with a commixture ofSpotifyandTidal , even though the speaker does n’t corroborate the latter ’s hi - res music streaming . The XL7 also supportsBluetooth multipoint , which intend you and a friend can link up to the loudspeaker at the same time and deal songs back and forth , and it has a USB port on the back that you may play MP3 and WMA files off of . It will even charge a twist .
EQ settings
To put the XL7 to the test , I retreated northward of my menage in Toronto to my family ’s bungalow where I could really let it wing . With a Canadian holiday long weekend approach , I knew my noisy neighbors would be cranking the Steve Miller andThe Tragically Hip(nothing against either ) around their firepit till the wee hr . But this time I ’d be ready to reply .
First , I want to get a gumption of the XL7 ’s three EQ circumstance that are access through the LG XBoom app . I threw on Queen’sBohemian Rhapsody , which has a great range of David Low , mids , and highs , as well as quiet - to - flash spots . Twenty - five per centum volume is where I come out , andthe speakerfilled my bungalow ’s intermediate - sized , high - roof way with sound well , at a comfortable hearing grade .
The XL7 ’s Standard EQ preset is more or less flat , with lowly , mid , and mellow relative frequency all seemingly leveled at zero . This circumstance is actually the best in a pinch and a just stock pick for this speaker for most uses . SOUND BOOST ( yes , it ’s stylized in all caps ) was just that , a encouragement of jolly much everything . This one I did n’t like so much as it sound like all theEQ sliderswere just cranked up . It ’s bolder and a bit too aggressive at higher volume , but I could see it fall in handy for some supererogatory impact in a big bunch of noisy partygoers . Lastly , the Custom pick was my pet , as it offers a three - band Pseudemys scripta EQ ( more would have been nice , but this is n’t anaudiophile speaker , after all ) . I like most music with a blue - end boost , the mids a little below flat , and the highs boosted , too , about equal to the bass . The Custom setting impart you the basic shaft to dial it to your liking .
Bringing the boom
Friday dark rolled around and , right on discriminative stimulus , like abig ‘ ol jet-propelled plane airliner , the neighbors start a - rockin ’ me . So , I wheeled the XL7 out onto my back deck and hit them with Nine Inch Nails ’ intense and timeless trackCloserand Dua Lipa ’s club hitLevitating — I sleep together they ’d love that one — to screen out the freshwater bass . Even at 30 % volume , the utterer sounded fat , balanced , and clean . But push the XL7 into the 70 % to 80 % reach is where the magic really starts to come about , and I could n’t help but express mirth as the convincing exponent of the XBoom whole submerged the neighbor ’s usually prevalent arrangement in glorious , distortion - free , dresser - thumping phone .
My stop made , and not wanting to start a full - out volume war , I call down a beer in armistice , outcry “ dismal ! ” and switched things up with a lilliputian Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac at a more fairish volume to lease the mid and high details shine . Steely’sDo It Againconga intro bounced up into the surrounding trees while the shimmering acoustical guitar and kickdrum of Fleetwood and Co. ’sThe Chainseemed to be coming from all around , too , which is weird because the XL7 is not a stereo system utterer ( unless match with another XBoom ) . Perhaps the placement of the threefold tweeters at the top of the console contributes to the breakup . And in grammatical case you were curious , earlier examination indoors also let out the XL7 ’s ability to redeem rich mids and clear high gear that were not harsh or tinny , adding to its versatility .
In brusque , the XBoom XL7 voice estimable , does n’t devolve at high volumes , and can easily be put anywhere to do it , accommodating any kind of gathering , whether driven by vengeance or not .
Light show and DJ features
LG does n’t categorise the XBoom XL7 as a “ Party Speaker ” for nothing — it make out outfit with light-emitting diode lights and a bunch of playfulness and bum DJ features that you may operate and program through the app .
For the lights , the boldest drawing card is the light-emitting diode ring around the 8 - column inch woofer that give rise colorful lights that twisting , blink , and pulse along with the music or can be customized or set to one of a handful of presets that , while fun , all seem pretty random no matter which you choose — and that ’s fine . The XL7 is also fit out with two pocket-sized stroboscope light at the top and bottom of the verbalizer cabinet that work with your take presets and can even be synced up to actuate the flashlight on your machine-accessible smartphone . Not sure why anyone would need that , but maybe the tyke will call up it ’s neat .
The light show gets a little more interesting with the XL7 ’s “ Pixel LED ” panel that sits abovethe wooferand features 11 dot - animated scenes you could pick . They boast cute invigoration and moving round visualizations , as well as scrolling text messages that you’re able to customise ( I went with “ Steve Miller Sux ” and a winky emoji ) . you may even create your own animations in the app . Do n’t get me untimely here : the lights are fun and hopeful enough to offer a dazzling little light show in a small or medium - sized darkened room . But if you require nightclub - level visuals , leave those expectations at the coating check mark . perchance you could up the lighting wow factor by connect several XBooms together ( for added two-channel sound wallop , too ) via the Wireless Party Link feature . I only had one review unit , and I can only imagine the encroachment of having a few of these linked together .
If you do witness yourself MCing a knight bachelor company , not only is there a quarter - column inch mic stimulus tuck forth on the back panel of the XL7 ( more on that and the karaoke features in a sec ) , but the app features some hilariously fun DJ force , include aturntable - styledigital scratching pad and several sliders that can tot trippy nightclub effects to your medicine like flanger , phaser , wah , and delay . And what would your DJ kit be without a bunch of digs you may hit to sendair horn shots , cowbell , cymbal , hand blast , and spacey disco sounds out over the crowd ? you may even record or create samples with the app ’s Sample Creator to assign to a handful of empty DJ tablet slot . I told you , this matter is a company on steering wheel .
Killer karaoke
OK , the karaoke features of the XBoom XL7 were the last feature I test because I did n’t have a microphone uncommitted at first , but I have to say that they ’re unjustly understated in the marketing textile for the speaker because they ’re robust and a hell of a lot of fun .
hide out and protect behind a rubber panel on the back of the unit ( that riff open and thoughtfully magnetizes to the Earth’s surface to keep it from founder around ) , there are two twenty-five percent - inch inputs , one for a microphone and one for a guitar . From this physical control panel , you ’ll get exigent sound and loudness control from case-by-case node when you stop up in , but you may also sum up two stratum of mic echo here .
plug in also activates all the characteristic in the app ’s Karaoke section , and they are huge . From the app , you’re able to also see to it the canonical volume and replication , but it gets amazing after that , with 19 outspoken effect that do everything from drop your spokesperson down to deep freshwater bass level ( thinkOh YeahfromFerris Bueller ’s Day Off ) , up to soprano heights , or even higher for a weird helium effect . While they do alter in quality there are effects that can make you go like a automaton or like you ’re sear a duo with someone , and there are echo versions of each of them for added karaoke spacy - ness .
But what about the medicine playback ? you’re able to , of grade , stream any music you require from your cyclosis services to sing along to , as well as vocal - free karaoke course from anywhere , include off a USB driving force you’re able to plug into the back of the speaker . But there ’s also a cool feature of speech in the app that manipulates the outspoken and instrument frequencies in any song to bring the outspoken tracks down so yours can number through well , like a proper vocal - free karaoke track . The event works better on some Song than others , but that ’s not potential to matter with the mic wrench up and your talent shining through . There ’s also a peachy flat - to - acuate slider that can change the lurch of the song to better suit your vocalizing range . Again , it does n’t work the same on all tracks , but it ’s still a cool option to have if you just ca n’t hit those Mariah Carey octave .
The guitar input , however , is passably circumscribed in that you may line directly in , but the raw tone is n’t that great , it overdrives easily with any form of harder strumming , you ca n’t add any echo to it , and the only tone control you have is on the guitar itself . I did n’t try go through a mixer or preamp first to improve the sound , and there ’s nothing stopping you if you want to run your guitar through a couple of impression pedal too , but I ’m going to just say that while it would be great to jam a little guitar along with the karaoke , it ’s not going to boast you aside .
Battery life
Whether your program is to keep 30 shaver flailing around on the terpsichore base to Katy Perry and Taylor Swift Sung or drown out your neighbor ’s classic rock , LG says that the XL7 ’s lithium - ion battery will do it for up to 20 hours with the light-emitting diode off , which is corresponding to the competition ’s similar models of speakers ( more on those below ) . It also charges amply after just 3.5 hour , which is n’t bad . Although my time of day of testing totaled roughly 10 time of day , I never once stop up the XBoom in and I ran the LEDs for most of that metre . For long sessions or late - night karaoke , you ’d probably want to plan to plug it in anyway .
Bottom line
If you ’re calculate for a bighearted , hefty , portable party machine that sounds good and can fill medium - to - large room of people with music , then the LG XBoom XL7 is $ 600 well drop ( you may regain it for$500 mightily now ) . Its massive 250 Watt of great power hold start the sound stable and clean even when you require it to rise above the party , and ample EQ options let you either apace get up and running with a preset or spend some time all right - tuning . And it has bass for days . Is it for audiophiles ? Heck no , but it ’s not meant for that .
Built like a tank with rugged plastic and rubber feature ( and an IPX4 splashproof rating ) , the XL7 smartly marries the entertainment note value of an all - in - one karaoke light motorcar with the mobility feature article of a carry - on suitcase so you may literally roll the matter in place , punch in a mic , and get yourDon’t Stop Believin’on .
Of course , there are other option in the region of party speakers . Sony and JBL have been duking it out for some time , with the former recently releasing its late offering , the$649 SRS - XV800(that actually does support Sony ’s hi - res LDAC codec , FYI ) , and the latter push its democratic Partybox lineup , which include the$550 JBL Partybox 310 . They ’re all pretty similar in speech sound and idle - show features — we hope to review more of them soon . And both JBL and Sony extend additional connectivity option such as line - in AUX and optic , but the LG XL7 abide out with its animated and personalized LED options , so if that ’s a sticking point for you , then keep that in judgement . The disc jockey features of the XBoom XL7 are also more sophisticated than JBL and Sony , if that ’s more to your liking .
