REVIEWS / CAPSULES / X-MINI

X-mini Max V 1.1 Capsule Speakers

24 Feb, 2011, 9:29 am IST | by Siddharth Basrur | Capsules

Capsules

Nice looking speakers

Nice looking speakers
Kind of looks a little space age here
The 'Buddy Jack' system

PRICE IN INDIA

2,499

TECH2 RATING

6.0

AVERAGE USER RATING

8.5

How we test

CONTACT

X-mini

For some reason, I really like capsule speakers, as they’re very convenient. I have pair, and they go almost everywhere I go. There have been trips where I’ve been truly thankful to have brought them along. So what’s the deal with the X-mini Max V 1.1? They look kind of cool, but will they stand up to my expectations?

 

Design and Features
These speakers look really nice with a matte red finish and springs that close them up for being carried around. They also have some pretty powerful magnets at the base so you can also stick them together. However, one of the first things I noticed was that the Y-cable that connected the speakers to the audio source was very short. Even the connection between the left and right speaker is not sufficient. So if you want to place them a little further apart, you can’t. But the cable does have volume control.
 

Kind of looks a little space age here

Kind of looks a little space age here

 

 

One cool thing about this set of speakers is that it has the ‘Buddy Jack’ system, where both speakers has an audio output each to connect more speakers. I tried it out with the smaller X-mini speakers, and it really does work.

The 'Buddy Jack' system

The 'Buddy Jack' system



Performance

These speakers are actually quite loud and clear, and there’s a surprising amount of bass response considering their size. They don’t even distort much when you pump up the volume. I ran a few tests on the X-mini Max, and it played back frequencies from 100 Hz to 12 KHz with almost no problem.

Of course, I’m now going to ruin it by saying something bad about them. But it has to be done. So here goes. These speakers vibrate way too much and move all over the place because of this. Obviously this means that they’re not built very well. The vibration did not cease to exist even when I turned the volume down. Another problem is that the bass suddenly disappears when you close up the springs on the speakers.

 

 

Nice looking speakers

Nice looking speakers

 

 

Verdict
These speakers are good, but I’ve seen better. For instance, the Letscom HL4003 which we included in one of our ‘Get Gadgeted’ pieces.  I have these speakers, and I’m very satisfied with them. they’ve traveled with me all over the country, and have survived. The X-mini Max has some nice features that most other capsules speakers don’t provide such as the ‘Buddy Jack’ system and the volume control. They also give out nice sound, but this is marred by the vibrations, crackling and constant moving around of the speakers. They could’ve even done something about the length of the cable. Although I get a nice vibe from these speakers, I have to give them a rating of just 3, as they’re priced pretty steep at Rs. 2,499.


Tags:

X-mini , Max V 1.1 , Capsule Speakers , USB , 3.5mm

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The ratings awarded to a product are derived from a number of tests and calculations, keeping certain important factors in mind. These factors consist of features, performance, quality and value for money. In case of software and some other categories, build quality might be replaced with ease of use or ease of installation. Products are compared with other products in a similar price range or product category.


Features
The features component of the score is rated based on the kind of features present on a particular product. Features are a big part of what people look for when they’re buying a new product such as a phone or a camera.

Performance
The performance score is derived from the benchmarks and tests run on the product. In case of the subjective scores, an average of the scores given by the group of reviewers is considered.

Build Quality
The build quality of a product is important so that it doesn’t fall apart after some use. The build quality scores from the way the product is designed and the kind of materials used in the product.

Value
Value for money comes from the fact that a cheap product is able to provide most of the performance of a higher priced product. Once again, value for money is judged by comparing pricing and performance of products in a particular price range or category. 

There are many other aspects of the product that are looked at such as the bundled software and accessories. All of these scores are aggregated together to form the final score.

What do the ratings mean?

Ratings are simple - higher the score, the better the product. A brief listing of the features and what they mean are given below.

1 - 3

The product is bad in almost every aspect. We strongly advise against purchasing this product.

4 - 6

An average product that isn't the best you can buy, but isn't the worst either.

7 - 8

Product with this rating is highly recommended because it's priced sensibly, has a good set of features and performs well.

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Exceptionally excellent product with features and performance unlike any we've seen in the past. A must-have for everyone!

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We at Tech2 take product reviewing very seriously and every product is tested with the utmost care and level of objectivity. The end user who buys a particular product and uses it over an extended period of time has his own take on a product and there might be nuances that he or she can shed light on. The Average User Rating is present to help readers get the complete picture of how good or bad a product is. The Average User Rating is calculated by averaging the ratings by the thousands of readers visiting Tech2.com every single day. To record your own rating of a product, simply click on the user rating bar. If you disagree with our ratings or our community's product rating, please don't hesitate from voicing your opinion in the comments section below the review.

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