The Xiaomi Sound Play is a great-looking Bluetooth speaker with plenty of tricks up its sleeve \u2014 customizable LED lighting, excellent waterproofing, and an eye-catching infinity mirror to name a few. Audio isn\u2019t the most open or insightful, but it\u2019s still clear and good enough for the speaker\u2019s ultra-low asking price, although a companion app would\u2019ve definitely been good to see.<\/p>\n
Eye-catching design with customizable lights<\/p>\n
Lacks the depth and expression of some rivals<\/p>\n
High-pitched feedback during hands-free calls<\/p>\n
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It turns out that major mobile manufacturer Xiaomi also makes Bluetooth speakers, and its latest model, the Xiaomi Sound Play, is aiming to deliver \u201cimmersive, powerful sound\u201d as well as a \u201cstylish and versatile\u201d design.<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s not all. The tech giant is doing all of this while keeping its speaker nice and cheap. It comes in at just \u00a349.90 (about $67 \/ AU$95) \u2014 which is refreshingly affordable for an 18W model with features such as smart lighting, Auracast, and IP68 waterproofing.<\/p>\n
So can the Xiaomi Sound Play compete with some of the very best Bluetooth speakers around? The answer is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s start by looking at the areas in which the Sound Play excels, and there are a fair few of these. I alluded to some a moment ago \u2014 its waterproofing and LED lights, for example. That IP68 rating means that the speaker is fully dustproof, but can also survive a dunking under a meter and a half of water for as long as 30 minutes, so you really can take it anywhere without fear of damage.<\/p>\n
The lighting \u2014 a key selling point of this speaker \u2014 is pretty neat too. Lights sit on the base of the speaker and beneath a panel on the top side, which resembles an infinity mirror. And the rings of lighting really help to make your listening sessions more immersive, especially in lower-lit conditions. You can customize the color and pattern of the lights too, and one setting also syncs up to bass output. That level of customizability is spectacular to see on a speaker in this price category.<\/p>\n
More generally, I\u2019m quite a big fan of how the Sound Play looks. It comes in four very stylish colors \u2014 the Purple variant I tried is quite the looker, as is the Green version. It is reminiscent of the JBL Flip 7 in terms of look and feel, with a neat fabric exterior and psuedo-cylindrical build. The inclusion of the infinity mirror light and handy rubber strap also make it a real stand-out, looks wise.<\/p>\n
Another welcome inclusion is a built-in mic, for speakerphone duties. This is something you don't often see these days and it does add value, on paper. However, I made a phone call and although my voice sounded clear on the other end, I noticed a high-pitched chime whenever the other person wasn\u2019t speaking. It wasn\u2019t a dealbreaker (my discussion was still easy to navigate), but it's my job to notice these things.<\/p>\n
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Other highlights include a JBL Grip-rivalling 14-hour battery life \u2014 which is excellent for a speaker of this size \u2014 as well as Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity, and true wireless stereo playback for anyone with multiple Sound Play models at their disposal.<\/p>\n
Something that the Sound Play omits, however, is companion app support. For me, this is a bigger miss \u2014 an app could\u2019ve opened up EQ adjustment, remote light alteration, and precise battery life tracking. The speaker\u2019s nominal price doesn\u2019t quite excuse this either. There are a number of budget-friendly rivals from the likes of Earfun, Edifier, and Tribit that do come with app support.<\/p>\n