Design
One of the standout aspects of this speaker is the design. This speaker has an absolutely gorgeous design. It’s meant to resemble the vintage radios that existed back in the 1950s and 1960. It pulls off the design with the wood design (though, it’s made from plastic), fabric speaker grille, traditional-style buttons, and overall boxy design.
This is not only a speaker, it’s a bit of decoration. You can sit it on a table or nightstand and have it add to the overall aesthetic. If you’re a fan of vintage-looking items, then this speaker would be perfect for you.
Build quality
When you pick up the MP230, you can tell that it was built with quality in mind. While the case is made from plastic, it still has a lot of heft to it. Nothing on the device feels flimsy or cheaply made.
Functionality
When it comes to functionality, the Edifier MP230 has several ways to listen to and control your music. For starters, this is, obviously, a Bluetooth speaker, and it can connect to one device at a time via Bluetooth 5. Aside from that, it also has a port for an auxiliary cord to connect it directly to the music player. If you have your audio on an external storage device, then you’d be glad to know that there’s also a slot to put a microSD card. That’s great for when you don’t have access to your main music player.
Moving onto the front, we see the typical controls for a Bluetooth speaker. There’s the power button, sync button, play/pause, and volume buttons. If you want to skip or restart a track, then you’ll press and hold the volume buttons for about a second. While using the speaker, I didn’t experience any hardware or audio issues. There weren’t any problems connecting to devices or staying connected. If you want to sync a device, you just need to press and hold down the sync button for about a second, and then it will enter pairing mode. Overall, the functionality of this speaker is on par with other great Bluetooth speakers on the market.
Sound quality
The sound quality of the Edifier MP230 is excellent. For starters, it has a really powerful sound for its size. The speaker itself is pretty compact. It’s a lot smaller than the Edifier MS50A (which Android Headlines reviewed as well). It’s definitely something you’d put on your bookshelf or a small table. Despite its size, the speaker produces a loud and full sound. There’s enough punch to add bite to whatever you’re listening to. What’s more, is that it’s a balanced sound. This speaker produces a nice amount of bass, but it’s not overwhelming as with most other Bluetooth speakers released nowadays.
The sound remains crisp without getting muddy on the lower end due to too much bass. The higher instruments, percussion, and vocals come through clearly. You can listen to all sorts of music, with this speaker, and they will all sound great. The only gripe I had with the speaker’s sound had to do with the volume. Moreover, it’s the space between the volume levels. When turning the volume up or down, the intervals between the levels is pretty big. This can make it hard finding a volume that’s not too loud or too soft for the moment.
Battery and charging
Using this speaker, I was able to listen to music for a good amount of time before I needed to reach for the charger. I was able to listen to music for about eight to nine hours before it died on me. Your mileage will vary depending on how much of time you’re actually listening to music. If you leave the speaker sitting idly with the music paused, you’re going to get more time. Also, the speaker will automatically shut off if left idle for too long. If you need to charge this speaker, it doesn’t take more than a few hours to charge.
Should you buy the Edifier MP230?
Edifier is a brand for people who really like quality audio equipment. Its products are on the higher end of the spectrum, and the Edifier MP230 is proof of that. This device has a daunting $149.99 price tag, but it’s well justified. Just about every bit of this device, from its sound to its build quality, is high-quality. It’s not your run-of-the-mill bargain store Bluetooth speaker. It’s designed for people who want a fashionable addition to their audio setup. I highly recommend buying this speaker if you want high-quality sound with a great design.
Want to take Edifier on the go?
If you want to know more about what Edifier has to offer, Android headlines also reviewed the company’s NeoBuds S TWS earbuds. These are a set of premium earbuds that offer nice audio quality and a well-fleshed-out companion app. The NeoBuds S have amazing noise cancelation, ambient mode, really good battery life, and a ton of ways to customize the sound. There’s even a built-in customizable equalizer. Along with that, you’re able to customize the touch controls and the sensitivity.
These would be a nice addition to your audio setup. If you want to know even more, you can check out our full review of these earbuds right here.
