Verdict
Edifier has make a neat , well - made scrap of kit in the MP230 – but its feature curing feels out of date and audio public presentation is n’t undecomposed enough to make up for its shortcomings .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The world is n’t precisely short of options when it amount to Bluetooth speakers , but not many of them look like Edifier ’s MP230 .
While most of the other speakers in Edifier ’s reach require mains force , this is just one of two that runs off a bombardment – and with a price shred of £ 100 , it does n’t require too much of your wallet .
So is there more to this dapper little singer than just retro appeal ?
Design
Do n’t worry , you have n’t awake up in the 1960s ; the MP230 is supposed to look out of sentence . While most portable Bluetooth speakers opt for a potpourri of India rubber and plastic ( on occasion with something a little softer to take the boundary off ) , the MP230 ’s cabinet is made from MDF .
Below the material - covered speaker grille on the front are five copper color - one-sided “ piano fundamental ” push button and a lightness to indicate the source from which it ’s playing . The MP230 comes with instruction , but it ’s pretty unproblematic to run . The plus and minus buttons adjust the loudness , although a long pressing on either one will also cut back or forwards ; the play / interruption release does what it says on the tin . Bluetooth allows you to connect a raw gadget , and if you do n’t have a go at it what the power release does then you ’re probably read the wrong web site . A longer press on that one will also switch between origin .
Weighing just 850 g and value not much larger than a six - pack of eggs , the MP230 is plan to be portable . Nevertheless , it feels more like a speaker you ’d move around the house with you , rather than something to barf in a bag and take away on a camping trip-up . For starters , it is n’t made to resist off any turd or liquids . And while that MDF physical body find pretty sturdy , it seems like it would drag or scratch fairly easily . A carry case might facilitate , but there is n’t one admit .
It ’s certainly an eye - catching little affair – and it form a nice change from the usual ruggedised or Scandi - urge on speakers out there – but its retro aesthetical wo n’t be to everybody ’s predilection .
Features
While the MP230 might look old - fashioned on the outside , it ’s more up - to - date on the interior . Your basal method of connectivity isBluetooth 5.0 , and I found the image and reliability to be excellent . Even at about 13 metres aside , the connection remained solid – and that was with various bulwark and other domesticated obstacles getting in the mode .
One feature that ’s a scrap of a atavism is the menu slot round the back . It accepts microSD and TransFlash cards ( if you may find any of either ) and mechanically starts playing when you tuck one – although , without a screen or accompanying app , you ’ll need a good memory of what ’s on the card to find the call you ’re looking for .
With a 2 GB circuit card big enough for a few hundred songs , skitter through them one by one wo n’t just be a lot of fun either . It ’s always nice to have alternative playback options , but it ’s strong to think this would be top of most folk ’s wanted lists when it comes to way of life to roleplay music in 2022 .
Next to the card expansion slot is a 3.5 mm aux socket , which might descend in handy if you have one of the few phones that has a headphone larboard ; but it seems increasingly unnecessary these days . Presumably both are part of the reason that the MP230 has no IP rating – something I ’d happily take over being able to listen to melody off an ancient TransFlash card .
Performance
Inside the MP230 is a pair of 48 mm full - frequency drivers with 10 watts of Class D amplification each , plus a passive radiator . A utterer of this size is never blend in to bring the planetary house down , but first impressions are n’t bad .
The spoken vocal on Craig Finn ’s Messing with the configurations vocalize lifelike , and the musical rhythm plane section has enough authority to move matter along . However , drums lack dynamism and separation is n’t great , although that is n’t unparalleled from a speaker system of this size .
PUP ’s Four Chords starts off well enough with its simple intro , but when there ’s more than just a unmarried voice and forte-piano to deal with , the MP230 lose its way a piffling . It does n’t miss energy , but things start to fathom quite one - dimensional when the musical requirement are high . The handclaps at the beginning of Symposium ’s Disappear are nice and crisp , but the guitars deficiency grain and the cymbal sound a fleck sparse , with the top - end all becoming a fleck fizzing .
Bass is reasonably weighty for a speaker so compact , but you do have to be careful about what you play . Even at average volume , it ca n’t contend at all with Bahamadia ’s Total Wreck . That ’s not to say all hip - hop is off limit , though . It handles the submarine - bass in Ghetts ’ Fire and Brimstone much better , although the kicks are a routine scraggy .
Edifier seems to be needlessly pessimistic when it comes to the MP230 ’s barrage life , claiming 10 minute of “ continuous use ” . While testing consider position across 10 days , rather than one foresightful hearing school term , it take about 16 time of day before the MP230 emitted the chirp of its first low - battery warning , and it did n’t die totally for another 50 minute of arc after that .
This was n’t in some variety of uncanny laboratory conditions , either . I played it at average volume for almost the entire sentence , trashy enough to sate a small home office . you could still find easily elsewhere – the similarly pricedStormbox Micro , for object lesson , can keep going for up to 24 hour – and higher volumes will certainly debilitate it quicker , but do n’t be put off by Edifier ’s glass - half - full anticipation when it amount to how often you ’ll have to plug away in the MP230 .
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Should you buy it?
Want a portable speaker that will fit in among all your vintage article of furniture and mate your sixty threads ? The MP230 is the one for you . Just do n’t try out to listen to anything too modern on it .
While the MP230 does n’t feel flimsy or poorly constructed , it does n’t have an IP rating , which imply it is n’t certified to withstand any bumps , spills or splashes . Handle with concern .
Final Thoughts
For £ 100 , Edifier ’s MP230 is a absolutely serviceableBluetooth speakerwith an appealing former - shoal esthetic and audio performance that , while nothing to write home about , is more than adequate for casual day - to - day listening .
But with so much competition in the market , it take to do more than that to stand out . In addition , the less common feature , namely the inclusion of a lineup slot for MP3 playback , feel like a recess improver – particularly if my long search for a microSD card to test it is anything to go by .
Unless you ’re especially enchant by its smell and do n’t listen to stuff with too much bass part ( or have a fussy penchant for listening to music off memory identity card ) , there are estimable , more versatile portable speakers out there for the same variety of money .
Trusted Score
How we test
We essay every wireless speaker unit we go over thoroughly over an extended period of time of time . We apply industry stock tests to compare features in good order . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a production .
Find out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
All the Edifier supports for wireless connectivity is Bluetooth 5.0 .
Full Specs
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