BlueAnt X0i – a potent 6W BT speaker, does stereo mode too (review)

The BlueAnt X0i is a potent mini portable Bluetooth (BT) 6W speaker that provides quite an extraordinary sound quality and volume for a minuscule $69. It can stereo pair, too, so buy two.

Why would you want this? Well, battery life is 13 hours (1800mAh at 50% volume), IP56 splashproof (not for swimming), voice assistance (hands-free speaker phone and Google/Siri support), BT 5.0 and all in a Shimmerweave fabric for a little class.

It is a mighty little speaker times two.

Australian review: BlueAnt X0i BT speaker

Website	Product Page and Manual
Price	$69
Warranty	1-year ACL
From	BlueAnt online
Country of Origin	China
Company	BlueAnt is 100% Australian, Est 2004 in Melbourne, by passionate music lovers; it designs a range of musically accurate speakers, soundbars, headphones/buds, and microphones.
More	CyberShack BlueAnt news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Shimmerweave – Pass+

It comes in Slate Black, Ocean Blue, and Crimson Red. The Shimmerweave fabric adds a little class, and the top lanyard adds portability. It is small at approx. 100 x 65 x 40mm x 220g.

It produces surprisingly good sound for its size – more on that later. You can pair two for stereo, which may be ideal for travellers, caravans, or just because you can.

Sound – Pass+

You have to compare it to JBL Go ($59.95) which has a 4.2W amp and 10Hz-20kHz frequency response (no low-and-mid-bass), so we did, and while both are great, it sounds better.

This is 6W/10% THD, and we tested at maximum volume with little perceived distortion. It is very loud at 84dB.

What is surprising is that it has mid-bass starting at 60Hz and strongly climbing to 100Hz, where it is flat to 6kHz, where it dips to avoid harshness and then is flat to 20kHz. This is an almost neutral sound signature – amazing for a sealed speaker. It reflects the sound quality we have come to expect from BlueAnt.

Stereo – Pass+

You select one as the master and BT long press (as long as it takes) until you hear ‘Duo Mode Pairing’. Then you connect the host to the master via BT. It becomes the left channel, and the slave becomes the right.

The master splits the BT SBC codec into two channels and transmits to the slave (up to 5 metres but don’t try that). The stereo effect is quite good, but you need to increase the volume over using it as mono. It remains in Duo mode until you cancel the mode.

This is perfect for TVs, caravans, music on your desk etc.

Battery – Pass+

The 13-hour claim is for 50% volume. We tested on a video loop at 100% volume, and it achieved seven hours and 58 minutes.

Charging is about three hours via USB-C 5V/1A/5W.

Hands-free – Passable

First, it is not a Google/Siri speaker (that requires a Wi-Fi connection), so the mic is not a fancy far-field one. It is a reasonable hands-free BT speaker, and callers commented that my voice was clear and loud. The sound at my end was loud. But it has no noise cancelling and is strictly for use indoors.

CyberShack’s view – BlueAnt X0i – a potent 6W BT speaker, does stereo mode too

 At $69, what have you got to lose? Great sound, stereo pairing, decent battery life, good looks, and supports an Aussie company. This is it if you want a very portable speaker with a lanyard.

Rating Explanation

Features: 90 – It has everything you expect of a BT speaker, plus stereo pair

Value: 95 – excellently priced, so buy two

Performance: 90 – surprisingly good sound from such a small unit – it even has enough mid-bass to satisfy

Ease of Use: 90 – its BT and manual buttons

Design: 90 – Shimmerweave is nice