The $599.99 LG Xboom XL7 is an enormous, karaoke-friendly Bluetooth speaker for individuals who take their events critically. Sonically, it delivers an enormous bass response, vibrant highs, and greater than sufficient quantity for many environments. Mix that with customizable LEDs, mic and guitar inputs, in-app DJ results, and an EQ, and also you’ve acquired a veritable celebration machine. However should you don’t want all these additional options or near-PA-system-like output, think about the marginally much less highly effective JBL Boombox 3 ($499.95), which is extra sturdy, simpler to hold, and prices much less.
LG Xboom XL7 Design: Daring and Busy
At 27.6 by 12.2 by 12.4 inches (HWD), the 34.2-pound Xboom XL7 is considerably bigger and heavier than the JBL Boombox 3 (10.1 by 19.0 by 7.9 inches, 14.7 kilos). Its black exterior options a big pink Xboom brand on either side, however probably the most compelling visible touches are the LEDs that illuminate the 8-inch woofer and a skinny horizontal panel on the entrance. Above that, a strobe sits between twin 2.5-inch tweeters that ship high-frequency content material. Altogether, the stereo drivers mix for a formidable 250 watts of energy. A telescoping built-in deal with is kind of a necessity for transport, and the 2 wheels on the underside enable for comparatively swish steering.
The Xboom XL7 is appropriate with Bluetooth 5.1 and works with the AAC and SBC codecs. For wired audio by way of the USB enter, it helps MP3 and WMA recordsdata.
Up prime, in entrance of the deal with, the speaker contains energy, quantity, and playback controls, together with buttons to cycle by means of some LED lighting choices and allow the Sound Enhance EQ mode (which emphasizes the bass). Moreover, you get indicators for the Occasion Hyperlink, Bluetooth, and USB capabilities, in addition to one for battery standing. The Occasion Hyperlink characteristic enables you to pair the XBoom XL7 with different LG audio system.
The again homes a coated connection port and a small pocket to stow the included energy cable when you do not want it. A magnet beneath the connections panel holds the duvet open. Connection choices embrace a USB-A port and two quarter-inch inputs for guitars, digital devices, or mics. Discrete stage knobs make it easy to listen to any of those inputs over at present taking part in music, and you may simply as simply take heed to stated devices by themselves. The USB-A port permits you to add a thumb drive with saved music with a view to bypass Bluetooth or wired connections. The again additionally contains buttons for enabling an echo impact (both with a brief or medium slapback delay) and resetting the speaker.
LG would not market the Xboom XL7 as an out of doors speaker, however its IPX4 score is nonetheless disappointing as a result of the overwhelming majority of different moveable fashions I take a look at are absolutely waterproof. The speaker can stand up to simply gentle mists or sprays of water from any course, so I do not advocate utilizing it by the pool, taking it out throughout a rainstorm, or washing down the outside with a hose. The same-style JBL Partybox 310 (which we’ve not examined) additionally has an IPX4 score, however the JBL BoomBox 3 has an IP67 score, for comparability.
LG estimates that the speaker can final roughly 20 hours per cost, however your outcomes will range primarily based in your quantity ranges. The battery takes roughly 3.5 hours to totally cost from empty.
There’s no speakerphone operate, however that is not shocking for this class of machine.
LG Xboom XL7 App Expertise
The LG Xboom app (out there for Android and iOS) is important if you wish to take full benefit of the speaker’s LED options, which I talk about within the subsequent part. The app’s important display exhibits a picture of the product, together with a battery life readout. Under that, you possibly can swap between Bluetooth and USB inputs for audio, modify the quantity stage, and select between Commonplace, Sound Enhance, and Customized EQ modes. The customized EQ has simply three bands (100Hz, 1kHz, and 10kHz), however that is higher than nothing.
As talked about, you possibly can wirelessly hyperlink the speaker with different appropriate LG fashions. You possibly can assign them to behave as a stereo pair or to play the identical audio as one group.
DJ Mode is a foolish however innocent part with flanger results, turntable scratch sounds, and drum pattern hits. Sadly, they’ve some built-in latency, so that they don’t actually arrive on time until you account for that delay. You possibly can create customized samples within the Pattern Creator part, however this requires you to offer the app entry to your cellphone’s mic.
The Karaoke part is lively solely after you join a cable to the mic or guitar inputs, but it surely provides a couple of cool capabilities. For example, you possibly can modify the pitch of music taking part in by means of the speaker in actual time with a fader, in addition to apply numerous vocal results to the mic (equivalent to Helium or Robotic). Sure, these are all enjoyable gimmicks which may get outdated shortly, however their inclusion provides a bit additional to the expertise. The Karaoke part additionally exhibits the mic and guitar ranges, enables you to apply the aforementioned echo results, and permits you to mute both enter.
Past this, you possibly can modify some fundamental energy administration settings (equivalent to these associated to sleep after inactivity), entry the guide, and obtain firmware updates.
Whimsical LEDs
I sometimes don’t commit a complete part to LED lighting, however the Xboom XL7 goes past what most audio system supply. Scrolling textual content is only the start; the highest panel on the entrance can even show emoji-like animated graphics starting from a dancing cactus to a reactive soundwave.
The bodily LED button on the highest panel doesn’t provide you with a lot flexibility in contrast with what you possibly can accomplish by way of the app. It primarily enables you to swap between a few related lighting modes for the woofer and the strobe, or flip both one off.
Within the app, there’s a bit for the so-called Dot Animations. Right here, you possibly can select between a dancing robotic monkey, the aforementioned dancing cactus, numerous summary graphic animation themes, and a few built-in textual content readouts (equivalent to “Make some noise!” and “Put Your Fingers Up!”). And, after all, you possibly can create presets with customized textual content and a few emojis. You possibly can even management the scrolling velocity and make the phrases bounce. If nothing catches your eye, turning off the Dot Animations solely can be an possibility.
Woofer lighting will get a bit, as effectively. You possibly can cycle by means of numerous presets, equivalent to Cheerful Celebration, Beautiful Evening, Noise of Events, Ardour of Youth, and Visible Rhythm. You may as well manually select three hues as the premise of the impact from a coloration wheel or go for a steady coloration mode. The colours you select encircle the woofer’s outer ring. Just like the Dot Animations, you possibly can flip off these LEDs as effectively.
Lastly, you possibly can toggle the strobe operate, which tries to flash to the beat of no matter music is taking part in. In testing, some strobe modes stored up higher than others, however the accuracy finally is determined by the type of the present monitor.
Loud and Highly effective Sound
Earlier than I get into the small print of the sound signature, know that the Xboom XL7 will get very loud. The output is way over most individuals must fill a room—or perhaps a typical yard. Stereo separation is not noticeable until you press your head up towards the grille, nevertheless, so it is best to look into the Occasion Hyperlink characteristic if that is a priority.
I examined the speaker within the Commonplace audio mode, however the Sound Enhance mode does certainly lead to extra bass energy which you can really feel all through your physique even at average volumes. At prime quantity ranges, your neighbors are more likely to hear and really feel your music, too. Once more, that is simply one of many loudest shopper audio system I’ve examined.
On tracks with intense sub-bass content material, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the Xboom XL7 delivers highly effective bass depth. The opening thumps are stuffed with intense low-frequency rumble and the deepest sub-bass hits rattled numerous gadgets in my room even at average volumes. On the loudest stage I may tolerate (which was not the utmost), I felt the bass in my bones.
That efficiency apart, the speaker can’t reproduce the sub-bass on the 34-second mark of Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” as a result of the woofer merely doesn’t attain that low. The varied vocal performances on the monitor at the least come throughout with good readability.
The drums on Invoice Callahan’s “Drover,” a extra pure, different monitor, sound full and heavy, however not overly thunderous. Callahan’s baritone vocals obtain a strong low-mid enhance which provides a little bit of richness. However the higher-frequency components nonetheless shine due to some sculpting. The speaker will not win any awards for accuracy, however the audio signature needs to be pleasant for events.
On orchestral tracks, just like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel In accordance with the Different Mary, the Xboom XL7 sounds too bass-forward to attraction to purists, however the higher-register instrumentation stays vibrant and detailed. In case your karaoke events characteristic classical cuts, the speaker should not have any concern maintaining.
The Lifetime of the Occasion
The LG Xboom XL7 prices as a lot as some luxurious audio system, however the focus right here is just not on finesse, however on energy. It offers sufficient deep bass and quantity to drive most events, and the karaoke enter simply provides to the flexibility. The lighting results are enjoyable to mess around with as effectively. Simply understand that you will get the same JBL Partybox 310 for $50 much less, or the extra moveable JBL Boombox 3 for $100 much less. The Boombox 3 is not fairly as highly effective because the Xboom XL7, but it surely’s way more handy to tote round and provides a way more sturdy construct.
