At CES 2014, you couldn't turn your head without seeing some booth showcasing portable Bluetooth speakers or headphones. There are so many of them out and available now. While it makes it easier for consumers to own one, manufacturers have their work cut out in terms of standing apart from the competition.
I was excited to stop by Jabra's booth at CES, since jabra had just released the Solemate Max. I've been a long-time user of Jabra Bluetooth earpieces, and the company's recent foray into personal audio products has been rather impressive. But the Solemate Max has what this listener loves.
Powerful speakers wrapped up in a clean, aesthetic design, with a handy-dandy grip for carrying? Yes, please! Unfortunately, the noise and bustle of CES makes it a terrible environment for listening. But from the bits I was able to clearly hear at Jabra's booth, I knew I was already in love.
Design & Connectivity
The Jabra Solemate Max has rugged aspects, making it an ideal outdoor companion. While it's not proofed, it surely will resist water, dust, and even some shock if you happen to drop it. The color scheme and styling make it equally good for indoor, outdoor, professional, or casual use. I particularly like how Jabra chose a color other than black.
As much as I like the look, I can see that it's not something that would color-coordinate with every room as a permanent-yet-portable fixture.
The dimensions are good. You can grab the top one-handed to pick it up, even if your hands aren't the largest. Otherwise, the rubber-grip handle is specifically designed for the purpose of grab and go. It's well-built, as I've yanked on it pretty hard and it takes it like a champ. Although the handle sticks out, it doesn't look weird. It seems strange, but I guess it's not.
Now that's a handle!
When it comes to carrying it around, the Solemate Max is heavy, but not heavy-heavy. I wouldn't want to carry it around all day, but to and fro is fine.
It's definitely heavy enough to stay put wherever I set it down. The weight and durable construction let you know that this speaker is not cheap (price is a different matter) and is built to last. It's pretty solid.
The top of the speaker, where the track controls are located, has a quarter-inch lip all the way around. Not only does it add some visual depth, but now I have a place to toss some stuff without them slipping off. Phone, wallet, keys. Maybe loose change or small USB cables (Nomad ChargeKey). A short drink. Maybe not a big deal to some, but I sure do love it.
The track controls are a lot better than what the Max's smaller siblings have. The layout is clearly marked, looks good, and works even better. Jabra even kept the dual-purpose button for phone calls and announcing the battery level too (high, medium, low, also accompanied by a colored flash of the battery LED).
Iconic Solemate tread and cable
Speaking of announcements, the Solemate Max does makes a startup and shutdown sound in addition to the battery announcement. They're short, not terribly loud, and not so annoying either.
When the Bluetooth connects to a device, the speaker also announces a simple "connected"…
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