LG XBOOM Go Bluetooth Speaker Series Review: Magic Sound Boost Button

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A series of speakers LG XBOOM Go pleased with its manufacturability. They can flaunt mobile control

application, color music settings and jointwork up to hundreds of speakers, as well as good sound, which for some reason is hidden behind the magic Sound Boost button. The older model XBOOM Go PL7 looks the most interesting: an almost one and a half kilogram big man, which is scary to turn on at full volume in an apartment building after seven in the evening, with a power bank function and a maximum set of possibilities.

LG XBOOM Go

Portable Bluetooth Speaker Series includingsmall, medium and large models with 5, 20 and 30 watts respectively. All three have the function of working in tandem with another device in the series, and the two older models can be networked with up to 100 speakers. The PL5 and PL7 versions are equipped with customizable LED lighting. The older version can also work as a power bank. All speakers are IPX5 waterproof.

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5 reasons to buy LG XBOOM Go speakers:

good sound using Meridian technology;
all-weather version of the case with protection against water;
the ability to use several speakers of the same model at the same time (up to 100 pieces for PL5 and PL7);
nice dynamic lighting (only for PL5 and PL7);
power bank operation (only for PL7 model).

3 reasons not to buy LG XBOOM Go speakers:

you need specific functions (for example, a flashlight or FM radio);
you are looking for a budget option without any special claims to the sound;
a column with more serious moisture protection is required.

What's in the boxes?

The delivery set is identical for all speakersseries. It includes the device itself, a USB charging cable and documents: instructions, warranty and safety booklet. There is no charger in the box, you can use any standard charger you already have.

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What do they look like?

At first glance, it is clear that all three columns are related. They are united by a streamlined cylindrical shape with a characteristic grille at the front and round diffusers at the sides.

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The youngest model is the most compact.It is available in several colors: black (as in our photo), white, yellow, green and pink. In practice, black looks more like a very dark blue. The two round elements on the sides of the XBOOM Go PL2 are more decorative in nature: they, unlike their counterparts in the older models, are immovable. At the top of the device is a control panel with a row of rubberized buttons: power on, pairing, volume control, play-pause and Sound Boost. On the back of the speaker, you can see the embossed logo and the large XBOOM name. There is also a hole for a strap, this feature is typical only for the younger model, as for the most portable of the family. The underside has a flat pad with a non-slip rubber pad.

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Hidden under one of the side parts:USB-C charging port, 3.5mm line-in and pairing button. The lid of this compartment looks well protected from moisture ingress, just like the hatch of a starship.

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The PL5 and PL7 models can be found in the caseblack or white. The LG XBOOM Go PL5, unlike its younger relative, is not only bigger, but also different in many details. The circles on the sides are no longer needed just for beauty, they are moving elements that vibrate noticeably during operation. The strip around the circle of each diffuser is also not a fancy of the designer, it is a part of the LED backlighting. On the top panel with buttons, the differences from the younger model are minimal, they are reduced to the appeared battery charge indicator. But behind the LG logo, another control panel is hidden under a powerful rubber cover. It houses the buttons for turning on the pair and multi-modes, a backlight button, a hole for the device reset button, a USB-C connector and a 3.5 mm AUX port. The protective cover is attached to the case with a thick rubber band, the design looks very reliable.

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The LG XBOOM Go PL7 is the largest speaker in the lineup.One and a half kilos of weight, solid, stable, impressive. Externally, apart from the size, it is very similar to the PL5. The same side diffusers, LED lighting, a rubber panel with buttons at the top and another one under the cover at the back. However, one more element was added on the back panel: a USB-A port for using the device as a mobile battery and charging other gadgets from it. The body, like other models, is pleasant to the touch: it is practical, non-marking matte plastic with a slight soft touch effect.

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All speakers look sturdy and solid.The only caveat is potential instability. It almost does not apply to the heaviest PL7, but lighter models can be knocked over. However, they will not roll far and will not suffer from overturning.

How to connect and configure?

To connect the speaker to a smartphone or otherTo a Bluetooth source, you need to press and hold the pairing button, then select the appropriate name from the list of available devices (it contains the model code and numbers so as not to confuse several identical speakers). At this point, the column is ready for use.

How are they managed?

Gentleman's set for controlling the columnmoved to the top panel of buttons. With its help, we adjust the volume and pause the music without touching the smartphone. By the way, with the same button (play / pause), you can call the voice assistant, if you hold it down for two seconds. Turn on Sound Boost with a separate button and leave it in this state (I'll tell you why below). This is for all three columns. But the two older models have some additional controls on the back under a waterproof cover. The button with the image of a light bulb is responsible for turning the LED backlight on and off, a little later we will see how it is configured in the mobile application. The Dual button activates the two-column mode (it is present in all three models). If you have two columns and want to use them at the same time, then click it on both. A similar principle is used in the Multi mode (only in PL5 and PL7): one of the devices can be made master, and the others - slaves using the corresponding button.

To get the most of your controlspeakers, you need to download the LG XBOOM mobile application for iOS or Android. It works directly with the device via Bluetooth, so it does not require any cloud accounts. Here you can:

use the built-in audio player;
flexibly configure LED backlighting;
combine several speakers into one "network" playing the same music;
see the battery charge as a percentage and adjust a number of parameters (equalizer, power management, sensitivity settings)

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To switch from the speaker to the built-in speakers of the smartphone, you can activate the characteristic gesture (shake the smartphone), and you can also update the firmware of the speakers.

How are they at work?

The most notable feature of the XBOOM Go PL5 and PL7 isit is dynamic RGB lighting. It is difficult not to notice it in the on mode, but, being turned off, it does not give itself out in any way. This is convenient when you want to do without lighting effects. And when it is appropriate, you can not only turn on the illumination (there is a separate button for this on the back panel), but also customize its behavior in the mobile application. There are three presets available (Party, Water, Forest) and the ability to customize your own by choosing the speed and color scheme. You can also synchronize the dynamics of changing the backlight with music. It looks impressive.

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Once again, I would like to draw your attention to the functionmultiplayer. More than once I had a desire to connect several bluetooth speakers to one smartphone at the same time, and somehow I could not believe that there is no mass universal solution for solving such a simple task. If you know him, then welcome to the comments, but here we have a solution that is not universal, but extremely simple to work with. Both XBOOM Go PL5 and PL7 can play together with each other, but only speakers of the same model work in pairs - this is how the Wireless Party Link function works, which allows you to connect up to 100 speakers at the same time. Another interesting use case is connecting two speakers to an LG TV as an alternative to the soundbar for stereo surround sound. By the way, there is a Multipoint function, and one column can be controlled from two devices at once.

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In appearance, rubberized buttons andplugs, one would assume that the speakers can be listened to almost under water. But this is not the case, the guaranteed level of protection is only IPX5. Which, however, is quite enough to protect against the rain that has suddenly covered the party.

The older model LG XBOOM Go PL7 has a functionrecharging other devices and USB-A connector for their connection. True, the capacity of the built-in battery is relatively small, only 3900 mAh. For a column, this, of course, is enough with the head, but as for a power bank, it is not enough, it is more of a backup solution than a permanent one.

How do they sound?

You probably noticed that on all threethe columns have the Meridian logo. This is a British company that has been manufacturing hi-fi equipment for over 40 years, and now applies its technology to some products of the more mainstream segment.

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Collaboration with LG gave good results:the sound of all three speakers turned out to be quite effective. There is no magic button that activates some secret Meridian technology, but there is a Sound Boost button. I suspect that it is needed precisely to demonstrate sound enhancement technologies. Because, after playing around with turning it on and off a few times, you just leave it on forever. The sound immediately acquires volume and color, it seems that the speaker has been replaced by another, a class higher.

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Dual Action Bass technology provides especiallyexpressive low frequencies. The effect is most pronounced in the largest model, the PL7. The cabinet does an excellent job of suppressing vibrations, but the sound can be literally seen with the eyes thanks to the sides of the speaker

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What about autonomy?

Autonomy of the three tested modelsdiffers in proportion to their dimensions. The flagship XBOOM Go PL7 boasts a 24-hour charge independence (a nice figure, but this is with the backlight off, at half volume and other favorable conditions). Models PL5 and PL2 are designed for 18 and 10 hours of autonomy, respectively. In real life, the results are approximately the same as stated, but, of course, it all depends on the conditions of use of the speakers.

Three things to know about the LG XBOOM Go speakers:

These are Bluetooth speakers united by a common design and collaboration protocol;
the sound part was developed in collaboration with the Meridian brand and is especially effective in the Sound Boost mode;
The middle and older models are equipped with customizable RGB lighting.

Specifications
LG XBOOM Go PL2
LG XBOOM Go PL5
LG XBOOM Go PL7

Dimensions, mm
126x82x80
201x79x79
245x98x98

Weight, g
350
620
1460

Output power, W
5
20
30

Speakers
1x1.75 ″
2x1.75 ″
2x2.3 ″

Battery capacity
3.7 W, 1500 mAh
3.8 W, 3900 mAh
7.4 W, 3900 mAh

Maximum autonomy, h
10
18
24

Housing protection
IPX5

Wireless linking of devices
Dual mode
Dual mode, Multi mode

Bluetooth
5.0

Interfaces
AUX 3.5mm, USB-C
AUX 3.5mm, USB-C
AUX 3.5mm, USB-C, USB-A

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