• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

What does a 15 USD BT speaker look like (RP Minis "Mini Subwoofer")

JeffS7444

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
2,347
Likes
3,508
Sold in book shops like Barnes & Noble, alongside other novelty tchotchkies like miniature Bob Ross bobbleheads, Star Trek tricorders, Harry Potter sorting hats, ad infinitum.

The box is already small, but the speaker fills up most of it. Speaker has bare-bones (ha!) functionality with no auto power off, line input, charge indicator lights, or speakerphone capability.Also included are a short Mini-USB charge cable and colorful history book explaining the origins of moving coil loudspeakers, even the term "Bluetooth".

Sonically, there's no real bass or treble, but at modest playback levels, I felt that sonics were easy on the ears, with good vocal clarity. Am guessing a combination of DSP + Class D amplification. Not so many decades ago, it might have been hailed as a little sonic wonder, but today, it's mostly a cute novelty.
_DSC2203.jpg
 

Katji

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
2,990
Likes
2,273
o_O



:D
Sold in book shops like Barnes & Noble, alongside other novelty tchotchkies like miniature Bob Ross bobbleheads, Star Trek tricorders, Harry Potter sorting hats

Looks ok though. At least it has a smile and the head is facing backwards.
 

theREALdotnet

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 11, 2022
Messages
1,181
Likes
2,036
Interesting design. Are they going after Chord’s market?
 

Katji

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
2,990
Likes
2,273
It was hot outside, and I was bored.
Ohh, wow! :)
It seems not bad, considering the small size?

btw, I...well, I wasn;t bored, I was amused, so I looked at google, Amazon. Much smaller than I'd thought from the OP picture - someone said they said they use it while walking in the garden, in their pocket. :)

And I saw that the head swivels.
Most people had got it for their little kids.

... 3" dog-shaped wireless speaker


1659513875963.png


1659513973994.png
 
OP
JeffS7444

JeffS7444

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
2,347
Likes
3,508
Let's take it apart!
_DSC2218.jpg

_DSC2221.jpg

_DSC2219.jpg

The reverse of the PCB is bare save for a lipo battery.
 
Last edited:
OP
JeffS7444

JeffS7444

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 21, 2019
Messages
2,347
Likes
3,508
And let's see what happens if we add some stuffing...
_DSC2225.jpg

Oh hey:
RP Minis Mini SubWOOFer - Modded.jpg

Now that's looking smoother! I expect that the bandwidth limiting and "smile" between 500 Hz and 5 kHz is baked into the DSP's programming, but now the most critical parts of the frequency response are looking less raggedly.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom