I've never heard of Zealot but after looking at previous reviews of this unit (S67) available on the internet they pointed out point out this fact. that the bass on this unit was strong and they weren't lying, that bad boy shakes the table and drops a lot lower and harder at low frequencies than I expected, that's what happens when you connect a dedicated subwoofer to a speaker this size! Design and build quality: This device looks GREAT. I like the looks of this device more than the looks of the JBL Xtreme 2: the leather strap, the shape of the speaker looks sleek, the presentation of the brand, the fabric mesh has no bumps, and the build quality feels premium. They came with two woofer midrange drivers and a subwoofer in the middle! Unfortunately, that's where what I liked about the dynamic ends. Sound: yes. Poorly. It's certainly strong bass, but not pure bass. I feel like the woofers are fighting for pressure against the subwoofer and the radiators are banging like crazy, which is usually good for that physical, punchy bass as long as it stays under control. It has an equalizer feature that was probably tweaked by someone who had no idea what sound balance (or even reasonable sound reproduction) should be, because while it would never be perfect with so much hardware emphasis on bass, it could be better tuned to playback (or emulates) the high frequencies less harshly than the EQ 2 setting. The EQ 1 setting is the most 'balanced', ie with bass boost, almost muffled mids. sharp/weird highs, it's not exactly a V shape, it's hard to describe how anyone picked up this sound signature. EQ setting 2: bass and treble boost with a slight distorted weird mid boost, it's like an extreme V where the V valley goes completely to hell, it's a mess of dirt and distortion. Equalizer 3 - bass boost. Seriously, no mids or highs, just an oddly muddy bass. It's not like it's a hip hop or EDM setting, it's just out of tune. I can't think of a specific situation where I would need a sound signature like this. Usually "boaring" speakers sound great outdoors as the openness reduces the sound of small speakers, but the audio setup is still terrible. Strap that you need to attach to the device. The look of the box and manual is pretty generic. The EQ was a missed opportunity, I feel like this is a VERY CAPABLE speaker that has been completely ruined by a terrible internal setup. The controls flash. when the speaker is used. I couldn't find anything in the manual on how to make it permanent or turn off the key backlights instead of intermittently. I have no idea why they went with this design but it worries me it's not a deal breaker but I'm pretty sure their argument for it wasn't energy efficient right? Cost: At $100 this speaker seems worth it for the FEEL AND LOOK of the speaker. I'm sure the components and materials would only be worth that much money if they decide/try to optimize it better. Conclusion: At the end of the day, I buy speakers for their sound quality, and this one is very odd. I was going to give it 3 stars just because of the great looks and build quality. The design looks amazing, sleek and mature, and the hardware under the chassis seems capable of so much more, but what's the point if the setup ruins the whole show? It only took me a few hours to realize that I don't see myself with this device, so I decided to write this review with a fresh perspective. The perspective on my collection on this speaker is such that I can't in good conscience imagine recommending this speaker for any other situation where a bit of critical listening comes to mind.
π Edifier R1700BTs Active Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers - High-quality Wireless Studio Monitor Speaker - 66w RMS with Subwoofer Line Out
67 Review
Edifier R1280T Active Bookshelf Speakers - 2.0 Stereo Near Field Monitors - Wooden Enclosure - 42 Watts RMS - Ideal for Studio Monitoring
65 Review
Sound Bar Xiaomi Mi TV Soundbar Black
69 Review
Black Finish Yamaha NS-6490 Pair of 3-Way Bookshelf Speakers
94 Review
Sangean PR-D4W Portable Weather Alert Radio with AM/FM Bandwidth Narrowing and Auto Tracking for Improved Searchability
12 Review
Sony ICFC1TBLACK Alarm Clock Radio
11 Review
JBL Horizon Bluetooth Alarm Clock Radio with Multiple Alarms, Soothing Ambient LED Light, Automatic LCD Display, and Dual USB Charging (White, AM/FM Radio)
41 Review
Experience Dynamic Audio with Panasonic SC-UX100 CD & USB Wireless Bluetooth 300W Mini Hi-Fi System Shelf Stereo
19 Review