Music has been scientifically proven to alleviate stress and in this rat-race called life, a good pair of headphones or a portable speaker is something that every individual the world over needs. Several audio brands have their own itinerary of devices and all of them claim to be better than the next. This makes products all the more difficult to stick out from the crowd. This is where design coupled with audio performance comes in. While there are brands that are able to walk this fine line of design and performance, a lot of them falter when it comes to pricing.
PTron, a brand that needs no introduction in the mobile accessories space has launched the Musicbot Mini, a portable, hockey puck like speaker that not only checks the right boxes when it comes to design and performance but also hits the right note where it matters the most — price.
Having spent a few days with this mini, powerful, all-around entertaining device, here are my unbiased thoughts on it. And, for a change, they’re all positive.
Design, Build
The PTron Musicbot Mini is a compact speaker that looks like an NHL hockey puck and because of this design itself, I found a lot of favour in it. Portable speakers nowadays are less than portable even though they have the portable tag associated with it. This tiny wonder comes with a beautiful design that cannot be bested by anything in its price range and even though it does have this diminutive size, it has enough of heft that give you the impression that it is a capable performer; which by the way it is.
The Musicbot Mini is built from a combination of plastic and metal and these are uncommon traits for a portable speaker priced below Rs 700. On top, the speaker features a concentric circular design which is quite drool-worthy and looks pretty great for any environment; be it an important conference call or an outdoor camping trip. Dressed in Black with silver accents, this is one classy looking speaker that I can blindly recommend based on the design itself.
The tactile buttons for the speaker are placed at the side and not at the top as is the case with some Bluetooth speakers and this is a great design choice from the brand as it gives it a very streamlined design. Apart from the buttons, an interesting addition here is a microSD card slot which can be used to play your favourite tunes if you don’t feel like pairing your smartphone.
It can be argued that the lack of a 3.5mm audio jack is a missed opportunity here but with smartphones increasingly losing this feature, PTron isn’t obligated to add it, especially considering its Rs 699 price tag.
Coupled with the size and the build quality, the Musicbot Mini has an excellent design and scores full points in this department.
Performance
Having paired the Musicbot Mini with iOS, Android and a laptop, I am pleased to say that the performances are consistent. The speaker features Bluetooth v4.2 and gives you a range of about 10-metres which is more or less accurate. The 3-watt 52mm speakers have a frequency response of 20Hz to 20KHz which is pretty much a standard.
Connecting smartphones and laptops to the speaker are pretty straightforward and there is absolutely no learning curve. You just open the Bluetooth settings on your device and pair it. Even though this speaker has a very competitive price tag, the performances match up to Bluetooth speakers that cost up to three times the price. This makes it all the more appealing and highly recommendable.
I tested the Musicbot Mini with popular genres such as Hip-Hop, Pop, EDM and more and although the brand advertises ‘High Bass’ it was not overbearing; which is a good thing. There is a significant amount of punch here but just enough not to drown out the other frequencies. Mids are detailed and highs are reaching enough for a speaker at this price point. Overall, you will be fairly satisfied with the overall audio quality as long as you aren’t expecting audiophile level performances.
The battery life on the PTron Musicbot is rated at 4-hours and this is about right. However, it does take a bit of a while to top up the 550mAh battery. Charging time from 0-100 is between two to three hours which is a bit long.
Verdict
The PTron Musicbot Mini is priced at Rs 699 and this is a great addition for anyone who wants a no-nonsense, capable performer with an affordable price tag. The design and build quality not just rival speakers that are priced up to three times more but even best them. At a time when brands are struggling with design, performance and price, PTron comes in and disrupts the market with the Musicbot Mini as it checks all the right boxes where it matters the most.
