Like the prankster elves, they come back for the holidays. And it didn’t fail again this year. The so-called “festive” speakers are out again! We find them at JBL, Muse, Sony but also LG which is putting the brakes on at the end of 2023 with its XL7S. Sending sound, lights and decibels, this device that 20 minutes was able to test, is it the one that will allow you to liven up your New Year’s Eve?
Send heavy
It weighs the weight of a dead donkey, the XL7S speaker from LG. The manufacturer, which has been offering this type of machine for several years now, obviously wanted to go big with its new speaker, literally and figuratively.
If the 15.5 kg of this festive machine may be worrying, it nevertheless has a large carrying handle, but also a telescopic handle and casters. The XL7S can therefore be transported like a simple suitcase. And if you have to take it out to go party, don’t worry: with the IPX4 standard, it is splash-resistant.
Still, a protective cover to store it between two fiestas would have been welcome…
250 watts within application range
In its holds, no less than 250 watts of power that can be activated via Bluetooth (5.1), from your smartphone. Supported by two tweeters 2.5 inches (2 x 60 watts), the boomer 8-inch central unit (130 watts) knows how to get noticed and delivers imposing bass that can excite the neighbors even before the clock strikes twelve, if you activate the Sound Boost function. Therefore, real sub-bass risks shaking walls and floors.
A little more finesse? The LG XBoom application (iOS and Android) to which the speaker pairs has an equalizer. Oh, here, there’s no need to tweak the settings to listen to great music, only three bands allow you to adjust bass, midrange and treble. We are satisfied with it, the idea remaining here to delight our ears.
Scratch, Flanger, Phaser, Wah and Delay
Budding DJs will also be able to showcase their talent. Because beyond the sound intensity of the speaker, its application allows you to play like crazy. Once you have created your playlist by drawing from the titles that you have previously downloaded (be careful, it is impossible to add new songs once the list is complete…), it’s time for the sound effects.
Scratchof course, but also drum effects, other so-called Club effects (electronic noises including the essential foghorn to stimulate the slumped crowds).
Also: sliders that can be played at any time for modulation effects: Flanger (metallic), Phaser (psychedelic), Wow (for a sound as spoken by a voice), and Delay (echo). And finally, the possibility of recording a loop (or sample) using the microphone of his smartphone (a voice or a sound) to throw it around like a drunken idiot, and finish off his guests.
At the back, a microphone jack and a guitar jack are also included. It’s a shame that LG doesn’t provide a microphone with the device. JBL offers them, plus Bluetooth, for its PartyBox On-the-Go and PartyBox Encore party speakers. An investment of around thirty euros will therefore be required for a wired microphone if you plan to end your New Year’s Eve with The lakes of Connemara in karaoke.
Lighting effects that others don’t have
But where LG’s XL7S speaker gives everything, it’s on the light. As with most of its peers, it has strobes (there are two here, at the top and bottom of the device). Her boomer also includes circular lighting of which you can choose the color, but also the animation. Otherwise, the random mode is more than enough to create its small effect.
Last but not leastthe space between the boomer and the tweeters has an LED panel. Purpose: display animations or messages. The effect is rather successful. In addition to the predefined texts (“Make some noise” ; “Put your hands up!” »), it is possible to write your own, choose the scrolling mode, and match them with emoticons. Fear the worst party friends, if you entrust your smartphone to your guests…
Currently sold for 349 euros, the XL7S speaker seems at the right price if we compare it to a rival model like the Sony SRS-XP500 (379 euros), or JBL Partybox 110 (349 euros) which offer similar services, but which do not have the famous LED panel with its dynamic animations.
Incorporating a 5,970 mAh battery (rechargeable in 3.5 hours), the XL7S also promises autonomy of up to 20 hours (with volume at 50% and all lighting effects off). Nice way to end the evening on the terrace, under the stars. Plugged into the mains, it is obviously capable of taking you through the night.