GADGET GIZMO REVIEW....... Bose SoundTouch Portable & SoundTouch 20

GADGET GIZMO REVIEW Bose SoundTouch Portable & SoundTouch 20 PRICE 32,513 (each) Great sounding and hassle-free multi-room streaming audio, intuitive multi-platform app for controlling your music, starts playing music within seconds, offers access to thousands of high-quality internet radio stations in one click, one app/one device can control multiple SoundTouch systems Needs a populated iTunes or Windows Media Player library of music (cannot select individual folders of music or external drives), only 6 presets built in, has an infrared remote control that requires line of sight to operate, need to sign up for a Bose account to start using it SPECIFICATIONS Single colour OLED display, dual full-range drivers, top-mounted controls, one-touch music playback with presets, 3.5mm Aux input, AirPlay support, micro USB port (for one-time setup use), infrared remote control, built in rechargeable battery with 2.5 hours of music playback (Portable), 1.5kg (Portable) If music is a big part of your life at home, you probably have multiple audio systems — big and small. The problem is, they’re not connected — to each other, to the internet, your computer or to your portable devices. That’s where multi room audio systems come in and in classic Bose fashion, the SoundTouch is so simple to set up and use that you can be up and running in a few minutes. Bose offers three SoundTouch products in total: SoundTouch 30 (the largest one, with a built in subwoofer, to be used as the main audio system in a large hall or living room), SoundTouch 20 (slightly smaller, with two drivers, meant for a bedroom or study) and SoundTouch Portable (the same wireless functionality but with a built in battery, so that you can keep it in the kitchen or take it to the garden). All of them look similar, with the same understated (though slightly boring) design. Needless to say, they’re all well built. We received the 20 and the Portable and clubbed both into one review since they are both essentially the same (except that the Portable is lighter and smaller). The SoundTouch Concept The idea behind SoundTouch is that you can start with one system and buy more for other rooms later. As long as all the systems are connected to the same WiFi network, they will all seamlessly integrate into a multi-room system. You can play different music on each system or the same piece of music on all of them. Multiple systems in your house can be controlled using the free SoundTouch app (available for Android and iOS) on your phone or tablet. Volume and playback on each system can be individually adjusted through the app. The app also lets you browse through internet radio stations and set presets — it’s obvious that a lot of thought has gone into this. Initial Setup The first step in setting up a SoundTouch involves downloading server software onto your PC/MAC. During installation, the software guides you to connect the SoundTouch system to your computer using the supplied USB cable (so that you can enter your WiFi password). Then you can select your presets, either from the computer or from the app. A simple infrared remote is provided, but it’s really meant to be used and controlled with the app — where you can see what’s playing, adjust presets or choose from thousands of internet radio stations. Performance & Audio Quality Both the systems we saw offer room filling sound with rich, deep bass and clear highs. It’s quite stunning to hear the quality of sound that comes out of these small systems. It’s only when you start to crank the volume way up when you start to realise the limitations of small enclosures. At the loudest volumes, the sound starts to get muddled and an aggressive auto equalizer kicks in to prevent the sound from blaring. Limitations You need to sign up for a Bose account to start using the SoundTouch which we thought was rather unnecessary. Second, the systems have AirPlay for direct steaming from iOS devices but there is no way to stream music stored on Android devices. Third, your computer needs to have a populated iTunes or Windows Media Player music library for the computer software to be able to stream music to the SoundTouch systems – there is no way to select multiple folders (on internal or external drives) as music sources. We would have also liked to have more than 6 presets and a RF (radio frequency) remote control instead of the infrared one. Another limitation we observed was that if you install the SoundTouch app on multiple phones/tablets and they’re all connected to the same WiFi network, each app will be able to ‘see’ and control all the systems in the house. This could lead to some conflict in music choices if there are multiple device owners. Other SoundTouch Devices Apart from the three existing systems, SoundTouch technology will also extend over to other products such as the popular Wave music system and the VideoWave TV. Other SoundTouch products due for launch soon include outdoor speakers and a stereo system (with a pair of Jewel Cube speakers and Acoutimass bass module). At least in India, there is nothing that directly competes with SoundTouch. You could get Bluetooth audio systems or wireless speakers but they don’t offer multi room. Conclusion SoundTouch is a unique offering by Bose. While it’s pricey, it sounds great, is super-simple to set up and even easier to use on a daily basis. It’s the most hasslefree solution of adding a multi-room music system into your existing home — the only thing you need is a WiFi network that covers the whole house. RATING 4.5/5 HITESH RAJ BHAGAT

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