Tweakers SPKR-R1-BK 3.4W Pull-n-Play Speakers, Black - Best mp3 speakers site, right here

By 

Mark Colan “duke-of-url” (Medford, MA USA) –

  

  

  

PROS:
Very small and light, highly suitable for traveling
Sound is very good for voice (e.g. podcasts)
Louder and better sound than my T60p laptop
Rechargeable battery
Very inexpensive
Attractive design
Available in four colors (black, silver, metallic red, blue)

CONS:
Music sound quality will not please everybody
If you lose the adapter, you can’t recharge, and the adapter is not common
Rechargeable batteries eventually become unuseable, and these would be hard to replace
Cannot play and charge at the same time

This stereo speaker pair is very small, fits easily in my computer bag for travel. The sound is good for their size, but does not rival larger speakers. Voices are very clear; music is worth listening to, but not full range. Sound is considerably louder, and somewhat more full, than the speakers on my Thinkpad T60p laptop.

The sound is nowhere near as good as Koss “The Plug” earbuds, which cost even less, but don’t let you walk around or share the sound.

They are very convenient to use – plug the audio plug into your computer or player, plug a mini-USB plug from one speaker into the other, turn the switch on. For better bass, untwist each speaker to let it expand – makes a small but noticeable difference. When storing, magnets help stick them together, making it easier to stuff them into the included storage bag (black net material).

The audio connector is a very standard 1/8″ (3.5mm) stereo mini-phone-plug, and will fit many laptops, most mp3 player headphone jacks, and many other devices that accept headphones.

The wires are not long. This limits the separation of the speakers to something over a foot. This is not a problem for me.

The mini-USB that connects the two speakers is also the charging cord. You have to use an adapter (supplied) to connect to standard USB to charge the speakers, which takes two hours, but there are no batteries to change. The adapter for charging is uncommon – FEMALE mini-USB to standard USB male plug – and without it, you won’t be able to charge the speakers. I have seen a similar adapter available on Amazon, but at the moment there aren’t a lot of places selling it. It would have been much better if the USB cord on the speaker had a female connector, because male mini-USB to male standard USB is common, both as adapters, and as cables (like those used for WD Passport portable drives, and many other devices).

If you don’t have a laptop for charging them, you can get an USB power adapter for AC or car.

Some people have complained that you cannot listen to the speakers and charge them at the same time. This is not a fault of the speakers: it is a limitation of the USB specification, which allows devices to draw only 500 milliAmperes of current. I suspect that while playing music loud, the speakers draw more than that, which is why they run off a rechargeable battery instead of the USB. Many computers will shut down a USB port that is drawing too much power.

I bought mine at the local OfficeDepot store, which gave me a much lower price (nineteen ninety-nine), and avoided shipping costs, though there was the small addition of sales tax and my time and gas.

From comparing notes to a friend who has Chill Pill speakers, I think Tweakers are probably identical except for branding – they might be made by the same (Chinese?) manufacturer, but branded differently. Tweakers come in four colors and often are at a lower price.

Considering the price, convenience, and sound quality, I am glad I bought them, and I will carry them with me when I travel.

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 Comments (3)

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Pitter S. Chi (Herndon, VA) –

  

These speakers are ideal for those looking for tiny speakers without the need for sound quality. Here’s the good and bad:

Good: Size & Portability, these things are tiny and they roll up to a slightly longer egg sized shape. Everything is built onto the speaker with the cabling nicely rolled into the unit.
Good: Loudness, They do get much louder than my Macbook which frankly, sucks.
Good: Built in Battery, they have a battery which is built into the unit.

Bad: Sound Quality, The sound is muddy and not clear at all. Although they sound better than the Macbook(Unibody) speakers, they don’t sound better than my Dell Inspirion 6400 speakers. They are no where near as good as any desktop speakers. Trebles are way too high, Mids are non existent and bass is iffy with or without the expansion unit. Sounds tend to echo.
Bad: You cannot charge and play at the same time. The charger end actually connects to the other speaker so this is not possible.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a speaker for your iPod or mp3 player, look elsewhere. If you’re looking to increase the volume (without improving sound quality) on your laptop and space/size is important, this will work for you.

Anyone giving 5 stars to this probably still listens to their AM radio…

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Sean Quillin –

  

Just got a set of these from office depot for 20 bucks, and all I can say is WOW! each is only a little bigger than a golf ball and they deliver decent sound and volume. I’m using these on my laptop right now and they’re literally almost too loud for the hotel room I’m in at half-volume. I’d highly recommend these for anyone who travels.

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