Boult Retro Amp X40 Speaker Review
Vintage-style aluminium grill with copper accent, Bluetooth v5.3, 10-hour playtime, multiple connectivity ports, FM Radio, dual drivers
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Do you ever wonder why old-school speakers were so charming? Perhaps it is the leather exteriors? Or maybe it is the bronzed buttons and knobs that give off a vintage vibe. Whatever it is, it seems to work. The aesthetic is timeless and so is the speaker's presence. Boult has a new offering in the speakers catalogue under the Retro Amp line and it kind of reminds me of vintage themes speakers from Aiwa and Marshall. I’m talking about the Boult Retro Amp x40 which was recently released for Rs 1,999.
The audio output of this Bluetooth speaker was my primary concern but it was the leather finish on the exterior that got my attention from the get-go. The exterior looks classy and elegant. It is good to touch and feel and it becomes very evident once you take a closer look that Boult has put in the effort to make sure that aesthetics are not compromised on.
On the top, we have the control buttons. Now, mind you, these are not knobs, which are usually seen in these kinds of speakers. Instead, these are pressable buttons that offer full control over the speaker. We have the power button, the volume buttons clubbed with buttons for going back and forth and of course, a button to change modes.
The leather exterior is black in colour and the grill in the front has a copper accent (made of aluminium). There is Boult badging at the bottom right corner of the grill. At the back (which is made of ABS plastic), there are four connectivity options including USB type A, USB type C (which is also the charging port), micro SD and an AUX port. There are four rubberised pegs at the bottom of the speaker for grip.
The product looks the part and offers a well-rounded package as far as the looks department goes. The controls could have used some work as they look a bit cheap. However, they work just fine. From an aesthetics perspective, Boult has managed to make the Retro Amp x40 look very classy and for many, this would be a perfect addition to their centre table. However, has Boult really locked in on the audio quality of the speaker? Let's find out.
The speaker uses Bluetooth v5.3, which allows for a vast range of devices to be connected to the x40 without any delay. The Retro Amp x40 delivers a 40W audio output and a claimed 10-hour playback time. Not only that, the speaker also has an FM mode which is a rarity these days.
There are various brands in the Indian market that are making affordable Bluetooth speakers at the moment. Standing out is becoming a major hurdle as competition becomes stiffer with every launch. For Boult, however, the playing field has become too familiar. Founded back in 2017, the consumer tech brand has made a solid standing for itself in this space. The dual audio driver-clad Retro Amp x40 goes on to prove this.
That being said, the audio quality is not that brilliant and there is no other way of saying it. For a speaker that claims a 40W output, the sound quality of the x40 doesn’t seem too good. It feels a bit underwhelming. As expected, the bass is stronger than the rest. Treble is barely hanging on by a thread. Mids and highs are respectable but again, not what you’d want for a top-notch music listening experience.
Truth be told, most casual listeners won’t even notice these things. For a casual listener, the speaker is actually better than what one would expect. The volume is loud enough and the sound is clear. The songs sound decent, especially the ones that are bass-heavy. I gave the speaker to my parents for puja sessions and bhajans sounded really well on the Retro Amp x40.
I even connected the speaker to my laptop for gaming and this is where it truly shined. The in-game audio, be it for a racing game, a first-person shooter or a hack-and-slash, sounded really good. I tried to connect the x40 with my LG smart television but this is one place where it was completely ineffective.
In all honesty, with an introductory price of Rs 1,999 (on Boult’s official website), the Retro Amp x40 seems like a good deal. Not only are you getting a decent speaker with good bass, but you are also getting a very well-crafted vintage-themed speaker that will make a good addition to the collection.
If unique looks are something that you are looking for in a speaker, apart from decent sound quality and a very reasonable price tag, the Boult Retro Amp x40 is probably the way to go.
The x40 is available for Rs 3,999 on ecommerce sites.
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