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Review: Jabra SoleMate

By Sami Mughal
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The looks and feel

Being an engineer myself, I really appreciate the attention to detail that goes into a product, and the Jabra Solemate definitely has that built into it. The speaker comes packed in a case that is transparent to let you see what you are about to get. The speaker itself has a ‘sole’ at the bottom, and is shaped like a shoe, letting you know it is ready to take some rough action.

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Along with it the box packs in an AC charger, a USB cable, a Get Started guide and a ‘weather proof bag’. All these are neatly packed in the base of the case, which comes with snap open and close options, meaning once you are done, you can put the speaker back in it’s case.
At the bottom is neatly packed away a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable that you can use to attach this speaker to any device that has a port.

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On the top are three buttons, giving you a minimal feel. A +/- combo letting you control volume, and a button that looks like a speech cloud which can be used to take calls, redial numbers, and the usual features you get from your Bluetooth headsets.
At the front you can see two indicators, one for Bluetooth which flashes to indicate the status, and a battery indicator which changes colour slowly from green to red as the battery discharges.
Other than that there is a mic, a 3.5mm input as well as a micro – USB input to charge.
A toggle switch lets you go between on, off and Bluetooth pair mode.
One thing I did notice was that the speaker itself is quite heavy.

Pairing
The speaker turns on and off with sounds. Holding the Bluetooth toggle switch up allows you to put the speaker in pairing mode. A voice guide tells you what is going on, and it will announce that the speaker is connected when it is. I had no trouble doing so with my HTC ONE X.

Compatibility
Basically anything out there these days with a 3.5mm port or Bluetooth ability. Even comes with a USB cable just in case.

Sound Quality
The sound quality is definitely what you would expect from a Jabra speaker, however, I was quite impressed with the results I got out of the very small speaker that this is. This speaker was good enough to actually help me notice the effects with the Beats Audio that comes with my phone. At times though, the sound comes across as Bass heavy, but since I enjoy that kind of music, it wasn’t a problem to me. Mind you, the speakers are a complete package and the design means the sound travels far. The omni-directional effect means you can enjoy the sound wherever the speaker is in the room, or outside. The sound is powerful enough for you to use the speakers outdoors as well, and the open space does not kill the sound.
I did notice that the volume seemed to be a bit low on these, however, that was corrected when the device controlling these was turned up.
These speakers do not provide any control, so all the control has to be from the paired device.

Call quality
The call quality is fairly reasonable and the mic on the device uses DSP to get rid of background noise. However, the quality of sound from calls was very basic. This may or may not have to do with what it had to play with. It is fair to say that I wasn’t blown away, but by no means was I disappointed. In fact making phone calls with this could be my new hobby.

Portability and durability
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This is where this device works quite well. You can pop it in a bag and take it wherever you want. If it is raining, or you in one of those parties where drinks are occasionally spilt, put the ‘Durable sound bag’ on it. The quality of sound is not at all hindered, but your device is protected from spills, splashes and sand. Makes this ideal for the beach too.

Battery Life

It comes with a promise of 8-10 hours on a single charge, and it definitely delivered. It also allows you to hold the ‘Speech’ button down to ask (?) it what the battery is, and it announces it. Once the battery is low, it will ‘tell’ you to plug the charger in.

Cost

The device costs about £149.99 from major retailers including Amazon. However, I have seen a few great deals on the device so I’d urge you to shop around.

Verdict

This is a wonderful device that has definitely become my speaker of choice as of now. The only two niggles are the price and the weight. However, for the quality of sound and portability it offers, it gives you a fairly good value for money.

For more information about the product, and to see the specifications in full detail, click:
http://www.jabra.com/Products/Speakers/JABRA_SOLEMATE/Jabra_SOLEMATE_White

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