At home we listen to music using a soundbar in the living room. But sometimes we want to listen to music in the room and the soundbar is too big to be easily repositioned. Portable speakers such as the Huawei Sound Joy reviewed a few weeks ago are portable but the audio output is not loud enough.
So we were looking for a portable home speaker that could offer good audio capabilities and at the same time be sold at an affordable price. The answer to our search may be the Sonicgear StudioBox-2-HD.
Specifications
Sonicgear StudioBox-2-HD
Compact Stereo Speaker Type
Driver 1x 50W driver
2x 10W Tweeters
1x Optical I/O port in
2x RCA
CODEC SBC
All operating systems are supported
Virtual assistant support None
Touchpad None
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.0
AUX Audio Jack None
NFC None
Selling Price RM 499
The design of this speaker is similar to a classic retro radio or an electric guitar amplifier. The top and base are made of wood with a two-tone finish of walnut and mahogany. Between these two colors, we are more attracted to the mahogany color because it looks more stylish and luxurious.
The cover of the main 50W audio driver and a pair of 10W tweeters are made of fabric which gives it a retro touch that was popular a few decades ago before being replaced by a plastic grille on more modern speakers. The back and sides are made of non-glossy ABS material, making it easy to trap dirt.
At the top there are three rotary knobs, and a power switch that also doubles as a speaker mode switch. The three physical knobs are for controlling audio volume, bass and treble. The ability to change bass and tweeter levels directly using the knob is interesting because on most speakers these days it can only be changed using equalizer software.
In terms of design, it reminds us of the bluetooth speaker series from Marshall which also has a box-like design and physical control buttons on the top.
On the back there is an input for connection using an optical cable as well as two RCA channels. Yes RCA this is not a typo. The Sonicgear StudioBox-2-HD is not only committed to the retro design but also supports the connection of accessories using this increasingly forgotten I/O. Especially useful for those who still have a turntable or PlayStation 2 console that requires an RCA connection.
But strangely there is no connection for a 3.5mm audio jack. Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi ditched the 3.5mm audio jack on their smartphones for technological reasons. What is Sonicgear's reason for not including this most basic input when they have no problem providing RCA two-channel support. His absence is somewhat regretted by us.
If your device does not have an optical or RCA output, connection via bluetooth 5.0 is possible. The good news here is that Sonicgear gives away a free 3.5mm to RCA cable with every purchase.
The power connection is through a coax cable that supplies around 38W of power through a three-pin head plug. This power cable is included with every purchase and it is around 2 meters long.
There are no LED lights that make the speaker flash like a disco, no microphone system that allows it to be used to call a virtual assistant and no support for any internet of things system that consumes internet data at home. The StudioBox-2-HD is just a basic speaker.
Usage
Using this speaker is quite easy. There is no app to download and as we said above the audio strength levels, treble and bass are all controlled using analog rotary knobs. Just turn on the speaker and switch to bluetooth mode via the mode selection switch. When the light turns blue, the speaker will be visible in the list of bluetooth devices that can be connected to your smartphone, tablet and computer.
To change to RCA or optical mode, move the mode selection switch. Light blue for RCA 1, orange for RCA 2 and white for optical. If the light turns red, the speaker is in standby mode waiting to be connected to the selected device.
As someone who reviews various audio accessories, we really appreciate how easy this speaker is to use. There is no need for a WiFi connection first to activate the speaker and there is no need to upload an application that then requires an account to be registered. Sometimes "dumb" speakers are enough in a world where everyone wants to be smart for no good reason.
Audio Quality
The audio quality is moderate and satisfactory for a speaker priced around RM500. Only supports audio 2.0 which is not amazing in 2022. Supported bluetooth codec is also only SBC so no extra features like Dolby Atmos or spatial.
Even so, the audio quality that can be produced is satisfactory for an affordable stupid speaker. Strong bass and loud treble. Aided by a physical bass and treble control switch that allows audio to be tuned directly from the speaker while playing. It feels like the classic speakers we used in the 80s and 90s.
As a person who is over four decades old, we really like the speaker that brings back this old feature because it is almost extinct with audio control usually requiring only an application. Almost all types of music genres can be played well.
StudioBox-2-HD however is not suitable for use as a speaker connected to a TV. The audio gets a little choppy when playing action scenes like the first few minutes of Saving Private Ryan.
We feel that in 2022, 2.0 audio speakers will no longer be satisfactory to use for watching Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar content. The supported optical connection feels like a waste because this speaker is not capable of offering 5.1 audio.
What's In The Box
Here's what you get with every purchase.
1x Sonicgear StudioBox-2-HD.
1x Three pin power cable.
1x Optical cable.
1x 3.5mm to RCA Cable
1x Manual
Conclusion
For those looking for a compact 2.0 speaker with a stylish retro design, the Sonicgear StudioBox-2-HD is an interesting choice. It's so retro it reminds us of a pair of Sonicgear PC speakers we used in college in 2001. Indeed it's very basic with no support for high resolution codecs like AAC or LDAC. It's also dumb because it can't call Siri or Assistant and has no app support.
But we realize that sometimes we just need a good speaker to relax while listening to music at home. StudioBox-2-HD works well with satisfactory audio performance. In an increasingly complicated world, the StudioBox-2-HD is incredibly easy to use with an analog touch that makes it look quite stylish.
RCA support, bluetooth and optical connections are good but strangely there is no 3.5mm audio jack. Too strange because the SonicGear Sonic Shuttle bluetooth speaker that we reviewed last year supports it even though it is sold at a cheaper price and is much smaller in size.
At the price of RM499, this speaker is sold at a very affordable price with an offer that we feel is worth it. For those looking for a small speaker that is loud, stylish and easy to use, this is an interesting one to buy.
Pro
A very stylish wooden classic retro design.
Nice to use analog control knobs.
Satisfactory audio quality for the price paid.
Dual RCA and optical input support.
Cons
No 3.5mm audio jack support
Just a 2.0 speaker.
No smart features like more modern speakers.