With the emergence of all these bluetooth speakers in market today, it took me months to decide which one is perfect for me and my needs.
Factors to be considered:
1. Being a basshead, I need a speaker that is at par with my car audio setup (Pioneer Head Unit + Ground Zero 30SPL Subwoofer + Sound Magus amps + Kicker Coax + Kicker separates), or at least near what my Sennheiser Momentum headphones are giving me.
2. Portability. I need something that I can carry and move around the house. From the living room, to the dining room, down to the garage where we usually chill and have some drinks.
3. Should be within the price range of PHP 10,000 - 25,000 (US $200-550). Over 25k is just too much for a portable speaker system. I'll go for a decent Hi-Fi system at 35k and above.
With those 3 factors considered, in the end I was torn between 2 awesome bluetooth speakers:
Sony GTK-X1BT vs. Marshall Stanmore
Both of them have very good reviews. Both are beautifully designed in their own respects. Sony GTK-X1BT has this geometric, very modern design with LED lights and DJ Effects. While the Marshall Stanmore has this classic vintage design with old school knobs and switch.
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| Marshall Stanmore |
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| Sony GTK-X1BT (Mini-HiFi w/ Bluetooth) |
The Stanmore won me over the aesthetic category, I even imagined it would look perfect on my home office desk. But then again, I am looking for a bluetooth speaker that could satisfy the audiophile-dash-basshead in me so as much as I'm in love with the Stanmore's classic beauty, I know it will all comes down with the audition.
I first auditioned the Sony GTK-X1BT at a Sony Centre, I played a high quality demo audio from my Xperia Z3 and was immediately blown away. It is surprisingly GREAT considering a price tag of just PHP 12,995 (approx. US $280), plus additional features such as Bass Bazuka, DJ Effects, and LED lights that pump up the atmosphere with club-like illumination... it's perfect!
