I have had the great pleasure of having the Kinivo BTX450 on my desk for quite a while now. While it might not be the best for music, it is great for watching videos or listening to podcasts.
The Good
What is it about the BTX450 that makes it something you should buy?
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Compact Size
The BTX450 is a small speaker. Not one of those tiny portable speakers that sound like tin cans but more like a mini sound bar. This compact size makes it really useful for putting together a deskspace as I have done. This size also allows you to take advantage of its battery and go out on a trip using the BTX450 as large portable speaker.[/third_paragraph][third_paragraph]
3600 mAh Battery
Along with the small size, Kinivo has packed in a 3600 mAh battery that they claim will allow for up to 6 hours of continuous playback. This allows a sort of portability when coupled with the small size. Along with this, the speaker also acts as a battery pack. There is a USB port on the back that can be used to charge a mobile device with 1 amps of output. The charging is slow, but it works for trickle charging my phone overnight.[/third_paragraph][third_paragraph]
Raw Power
Despite the small size, this speaker does not disappoint. Most times, I find myself slamming the volume up button on speakers disappointed by the lack of volume coming out of the device. There is no such worries with the BTX450. In fact, I find myself rushing to go in the opposite direction with this speaker.
The sound output is ridiculously loud. I regularly keep it at 1/3 of max volume. The raw power of this speaker is just amazing and will do great for outside settings.[/third_paragraph][/row]
The Middle
Where the the BTX450 fall between good and bad?
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Sound Quality
In my experience, and opinion, the BTX450 offers some lackluster sound. The sound volume itself is outstanding, but the quality of sound could be better. This definitely is not the speaker for audiophiles or the like.
The sound seems pretty level to me with no range sticking out specifically. For those who enjoy bass heavy music, they will most likely be disappointed with the sound. The redeeming factor is that the sound is perfect for watching videos. In my usage, I usually use it for watching Netflix or YouTube, but I switch out to my headset when I start listening to music.[/double_paragraph][double_paragraph]
USB Output
The USB output is a great addition, but it comes with some detrimental restrictions to its usage. The output is an inadequate 1 amp along that isn’t really useful for much. Along with that, you can only use the USB port to charge another device when you the BTX450 is plugged in itself. This makes the USB port useless as most users will probably have a surplus of additional chargers laying around. This is ranked as a middle instead of a bad because the port is still useful as a night time charger.[/double_paragraph][/row]
The Bad
Why should the BTX450 be avoided?
Lack of Controls
Honestly, I was a bit hard pressed to find something that was truly bad about this speaker. The BTX450 is a solid enough device. The only thing I wish it had were playback controls. There is no way to pause and play media through the speaker or forward and previous functionality. I would imagine that every Bluetooth speaker by now would have found the merit of having playback controls.
What is the point of being able to distance yourself from the playback device if you have to return to it in order to control the media? If these controls were added to the BTX450, I would be able to justify carrying it around with me. Without those controls, I will just be content with carrying a smaller speaker with my desired playback controls.
The Kinivo BTX450 retails for $69.99 through a variety of online sellers.
