LG xboom Grab Core by will.i.am, xboom Signature Sound, Portable Bluetooth Speaker, up to 19 Hours of Playback, IP67 Dust and Water Resistant, MIL-STD 810H Durability, Adjustable Carrying Strap

I'm no audiophile, but I enjoy listening to music in as pure a form as possible, so never hesitate to invest in good quality speakers -- whether it be with my tv, car, or -- in this case -- a portable travel speaker. I was in need of a new one as my last "small" speaker stopped charging. Saw this new option from LG and had heard about it, so figured it was worth a try.Setup / SizeLove the size of this speaker -- just 8.25 inches long and 2.75 inches in diameter. Fits perfectly in side pockets of my backpack for day trips or when just taking to the office. Or great suitcase option as it takes up minimal space, so convenient to bring along for hotel room music. It's pretty much ready to go right out of the box, with a 60% charge and intuitive Bluetooth setup. I tried to initially just connect to my iPhone, which was easy -- but then I was prompted to download the app. It seems that everything requires an app these days, but I would recommend just doing it so you can get the firmware updates. Also, there are different sound settings and light settings that only seem accessible via the app. So just put up with the annoying prompts and questions and try to skip as many of the unnecessary stuff! Once you do connect your device, it does remember it and seamlessly connects to your device whenever the speaker is turned on.Sound QualityWhile the speaker is compact in size, it's BIG in sound. As just half volume, the sound fills up any room our outdoor space with ease. The app allows you to choose between a four different sound profiles, or you can customize your own effect. I typically use classical music to test out any new speaker, as it often has lower "lows" and higher "highs" than traditional music which, combined with a variety of instruments, helps me figure out how clear and clean the speaker performs. When initial playing my go-to test song, the speaker picked up the low tones at the start which often some speakers don't pick up. As it continued, the sound was rich and detailed, but I did notice the string instruments were a tad muffled. Switched the sound setting in the App from Bass Boost (default) to Standard and that cleaned it up -- crisp and clean, but still with some nice bass when needed. I've found that I prefer the standard setting with most music, but this is a personal preference so you can choose for yourself what you enjoy best (or customize).Other SettingsThere is a small light strip on the unit that adds a bit of flair to your playing experience, and you can control the type of lighting via the app -- 7 different options or you can do some AI lighting option which will change the lighting motion based on the type of music. There is also a party link option where you can link different xboom speakers to further enhance your sound experience (couldn't test that since I only have the one).Overall, I like this speaker -- great size, beautiful/rich sound, and -- admittedly -- it just looks "cool." If you don't mind having to use an App to help with controls, feel free to give this speaker a try. It's on the higher end on price, but the quality and value is there.

This speaker rivals the other big names like JBL and Sony when it comes to build quality. It's top notch.The thin RGB light bar on the front bottom is very cool liking and vibrant. It's a nice touch since a lot of the more expensive speakers like the Flip 7 and Sony Ult 1 don't have RGB lights for whatever reason. Seems like an oversight for how much you are paying for these small speakers.I don't have the Flip 7 so I can't make an assessment other than I think the 7 will get louder based on what I have read online.Against the Sony ULT 1 they are pretty neck and neck in terms of volume and power, giving a slight nod to this LG Grab. If I had to only have one speaker I would also go with the Grab. They sound sort of similar to each other, but I like the ease of not having bass buttons to deal with.The sound is warm, acoustics and voices sound nice. I usually listen to electronic music the most and all of that sounded pretty good. There is some distortion with bass heavy tracks at max volume but all of these tiny speakers do that to some degree.If you want the absolute loudest for this small form factor you will probably have to look at the JBL Flip 7 (it's going to be a bit bigger than this) . But if you would rather this form factor, look, and RGB lights of this LG Grab it's a great speaker.

Like most LG products this came out of the box looking snazzy. Fired it up and paired with my phone in under 15 seconds. The only reason I mention that is that other "pill" type speakers have some sort of religious ritual you have to do to pair with a phone.Anyways, it does indeed look good, but how does it sound? It sounds about as good as any of its competitors do. Don't be expecting any miracles like rumbling bass or immersive sound; this isn't a surround sound in a can. It can hit the highs and mids no problem and the bass sounds ok, but is really drowned out at high volumes. Bass needs to a lot of air to sound great at deeper frequencies and you can only do so much with a pair of 2" woofers.Speaking of high volumes. Using my fancy audio testing equipment (db meter on my apple watch) I clocked this at 95 db for the max volume one foot away and around 80-ish db about 6 feet away. Not bad, but not the loudest for its form factor competition. What I can say as a very positive thing is that it doesn't get distorted at max volume; as I had said, the bass drops out quite a bit, but it doesn't sound (or smell) like it is cooking the drivers.Other neat little features include the light bar on the bottom front that attempts to sync up with the music. It manages to stay in sync as well to the music as I do dancing which is to say it's intermittent, but still a heck of a lot of fun and, hey, it's trying. The straps are a nifty add to either carry it wrapped around your wrist or (as I discovered) secure it into the bottle holder on a bike. Next time the gang heads out I'll be the dj without worry that a large bump will send it bouncing across the pavement.The app: I started to download it and canceled when I realized it is 525 Mb. First, that is a ridiculous amount of storage required and I'm not tying up space on my phone with that nonsense. Second, it isn't required to use this thing for 99% of scenarios. I'm pretty picky on what will be the 194th app on my phone and this just doesn't bring enough value to warrant using.Now I have finished that rant we can talk about something else; the waterproof-ableness. This says it is IP67 rated which to me means that you don't have to be scared setting it on the edge of the pool or using while boating. It should be fine getting splashed or even falling in, but be sure to let it dry out all the way if submerged before charging.All in all, I like this thing. It's not quite as loud as my JBL Flip which clocked a little over 100 Db, but it seems to be more useful because of the shape and straps. Looks nicer and if the 20 hours of battery is to be believed then it will keep the party going all day and into the night.