Friday, March 29, 2024

Review: The Inateck BTSP-20 Water-resistant Bluetooth speaker

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Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (12)
Before I get started, I figured I would mention that portable speakers aren’t usually the sort of thing that I’m terribly interested in. I’ve always viewed portable speakers as unnecessary (from a personal perspective) and never really looked at them as being able to offer a satisfactory experience. As such, I have usually either listened to my music (anything from Roxette to AC/DC to Weird Al) via headphones or through my PC speakers. But the other week I was sent the Inateck BTSP-20 Bluetooth Speaker to review, and I’m more than pleasantly surprised with it. I might even go so far as to say that I have become a big fan of the BTSP-20.

Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (13)

As you can see from the images, the BTSP-20 is pretty small and square. On the top of the speaker are the Power, Call and Volume Up/Down buttons. The BTSP-20 weighs in at 300 grams with dimensions of 85 x 85 x 46mm. The speaker has a plastic casing with a rubberized tread running around the edges which help it to stay put on less than solid surfaces. Handily, the BTSP-20 has an Ingress Protection Rating of IPX5, with the upshot that the speaker is protected against jets of water from a distance of 3m for up to 3 minutes. For me, the water-resistant feature has meant that the BTSP-20 has been used all over the house, even in the bathroom, changing tracks via the waterproof Galaxy S5. It came with me wherever I went, for playing music as well as taking calls (more on that later). Another useful feature is the built-in lanyard, which makes it easy to hang the speaker from door handles or hooks. It should go without saying that the speaker is very portable, fitting in many jacket pockets, as well as taking up hardly any room in a backpack.

Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (34)

The BTSP-20 is a simple, user-friendly device that connects quickly and easily to your smartphone, tablet or whatever other Bluetooth capable device you are pairing it with. It’s just a case of holding the power button on the BTSP-20 for a couple of seconds, after which a short jingle plays to let you know that the speaker is on. There is also a little LED on the front of the speaker which flashes red/white when the device is powered on, but unable to connect to a host. When properly paired with a host device, the LED will show a steady white. After powering it on, you can instruct your smart device to pair with it, then you’re free to choose your favourite music player to send content to the speaker.

Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (21)

So how loud is the BTSP-20? Well, Inateck states that it has a 3w speaker, and it seems plenty loud for its intended purpose of being a small, portable speaker. I’ve put it through its paces for a couple of weeks now, and I can honestly say that I’ve not once wished it could be louder. The speaker does a good job of filling a small room with clear vocals and a surprisingly decent amount of bass for an overall satisfying experience.  This is much better than listening to tinny, distorted music on your smartphone. Much, much better.

Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (11)

Earlier, I mentioned that I had used the BTSP-20 to take calls. This is made possible thanks to the built-in microphone on the speaker. Once the speaker is paired with your smartphone, when a call comes in, all you have to do is press the phone button on the top of the device to accept the call and you are free to begin talking. The sound is good, much better than simply using the loud-speaker on your smartphone, and the person I spoke to on the other end of the call was impressed by the quality of the sound the microphone passed on.

Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (24)

In the box you will find a suction cup, which when attached to the rear of the speaker, will enable you to place the device on smooth surfaces. It’s especially handy in the kitchen and bathroom. Also included in the box is a USB charging cable, 3.5mm audio cable, and the instruction manual.

Inateck claims that the BTSP-20 is capable of up to 5 hours of continuous playback on their official product page. That’s exactly what my experience was which I reckon is pretty good for its rechargeable 500mAh battery. It only takes 2 hours for the BTSP-20 to fully charge from 0 to 100 percent.

Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (35)

A question I like to ask when reviewing a device is – Would I buy the item for myself? On this occasion, I would have to say yes. It’s a well-made speaker, user-friendly and provides great sound for its size. I’m still gobsmacked by the amount of bass it outputs, as well as the clarity of the overall sound.

My only slight complaints are that the speaker can be turned off too easily, one quick (accidental) press of the power button and speaker is off. In my opinion, one should have to hold the button in for 2-3 seconds before powering off just to guard against accidental power downs. The other is being unable to change tracks via the speaker. There is no ‘Next’ or ‘Previous’ buttons on the speaker, and this detracts slightly from its usefulness. Apart from that, I’m supremely happy with the Inateck BTSP-20 Bluetooth speaker. The build quality and the sound that Inateck has managed to generate from such a small speaker is just astounding. As such, I can whole-heartedly recommend the BTSP-20.

You can find the Inateck BTSP-20 on Amazon (UK) for £29,99 ($46), and here is the official product page.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (4)
Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (18)
Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (21)
Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (20)
Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (3)
Inateck BlueTooth BTSP20 (2)

 

 

 

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