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SOL REPUBLIC Punk Quick Review

January 23, 2015January 23, 2015 Kevin Bruce Francisco Leave a comment

There are a lot of wireless speakers available in the market today that function through the use of Bluetooth, but the selection narrows down when you look for a Bluetooth speaker that’s really easy to carry around. The SOL REPUBLIC Punk is a compact wireless speaker that promises to be able to tag along anywhere you go.

The Punk, as we’ve already established, has a small form factor. It has a square body that easily fits inside the hand and at just 318 grams it’s also pretty light. Its design follows the company’s grid-like patterns across the entire face which we’ve seen with the DECK Bluetooth/NFC speaker that we reviewed before.

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This compact speaker equally measures 5,1 inches in length and width, and is no bigger than an average computer mouse. It is surrounded with a rubber protection making it able to withstand accidental drops and liquid spills, while the top and bottom are made of hard plastic with matte finish.

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It has a rubber flap on the side that covers its microUSB port, Audio IN, and Audio OUT via 3.5mm jacks. The IN port connects a music player to the Punk using a cable, while the OUT port lets users connect the speaker to another (maybe bigger) speaker and use the Punk as a Bluetooth streamer. This flap also seals the opening from water or dirt — as the entire device is water, dust, and shock resistant.

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Navigational buttons for the Punk come embedded inside the rubber protection and can be accessed by pressing said rubber that are textured to represent the buttons. Referring to the above photo, we have the Bluetooth, volume up, play/pause, volume down, and power buttons. There is also an LED indicator below the play/pause button to indicate power, battery, and Bluetooth pairing.

Underneath, SOL REPUBLIC made a threaded mount so you can use it on more instances. For example, it can be attached to the handlebars of a bike using an additional bike mount so you can still listen to your music while going for a spin. It’s a nice touch and it shows that the company was thoughtful enough to include it and add more ruggedness to the device.

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As for sound quality, its drivers give out bigger sound than you’d expect. It can go loud and would fill a medium-sized room. We also took the time to mount it on a bike as mentioned earlier and it provided good volume for us — and those near us while on the street. Sound quality was overall clear, although turning it up to the maximum volume showed some slight distortions.

Highs and mids are pleasant, but the lows/bass are lacking. This is quite understandable since the Punk was made to be as portable as possible and not to sound perfect.

Through Bluetooth, the company boasts that it can go up to 60 feet which is around double the usual range of an ordinary Bluetooth speaker. So we left the speaker in one room and tried moving the wirelessly-connected device in different rooms to see where the connection would be cut off, and we had to go one floor down and into the room on the opposite side of the house until the signal was interrupted. We’ve never reached this far with the previous Bluetooth speakers while testing them, so that’s good news.

The company claims it can last 8 hours of continuous playback, but it only got us a few minutes past 2 hours. Keep in mind, though, that we streamed music via Bluetooth and set the volume to maximum. The stated battery life probably refers to playing music through wired connection and moderate volume.

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SOL REPUBLIC’s Punk is a handy speaker to have around. It not only functions well indoors, but also outdoors with its protection from water, dust, and accidental drops. The strength of Bluetooth connectivity was above average and it won our favor. If you’re out for an ultra-portable wireless speaker, make sure to put this lil’ Punk on your list.

SOL REPUBLIC Punk specs:
Amplifier Power: 5.7W
Frequency Response: 150Hz – 20 kHz
Wireless Range: up to 60 feet
5.1 x 5.1 x 2.3 inches (dimensions)
318 grams (weight)
Water, dust, and shock resistant
Price: Php4,000

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SOL REPUBLIC Master Tracks XC Quick Review

May 31, 2014May 31, 2014 Kevin Bruce Francisco Leave a comment

Another artist-branded headphones fell into our hands to test out, and this time it’s from the renowned DJ Calvin Harris. SOL REPUBLIC is once again the company behind it and based on our previous experience with the gorgeous-looking Deck, we’re anxious to see what this pair of cans have in store for us. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the quick review of the Master Tracks XC.

Taking it out of the box, we see separate parts that consist of the headband, two ear cups, and cables. Assembling it is straightforward and takes less than five minutes: You simply slide the headband into the cups’ slots, plug in the cable, and you can start listening to your music already.

This Calvin-Harris tuned cans claim that it has virtually-indestructible FlexTech headband and could withstand serious bends. We’ve tried stretching it to an unnatural state and so far its promise hold true. Not only is it flexible, but it also looks great – the plastic headband itself is colored in maroon and has a matte finish. The arch is also padded to cushion your head and provide comfort while in use.

The separate earcups are also looking sharp with its backs covered by textured plates. The company’s logo is etched nicely in both cups, giving it an elegant and premium feel. We’ve mentioned that the headband is padded comfortably, but the soft cushion on the earcups is a far more comfortable affair. How? Let’s just say we could wear the Master Tracks XC for hours without having to change its position.

SOL REPUBLIC provides its users with two kinds of cables in the box: One with an in-line microphone, volume controls, and a function button that lets you answer and control music playback through an iDevice, and one that’s coiled and stretches out to a maximum length of 6 feet. The latter is made for use in studios or simply at home.

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If you indeed plan to use it at a studio, the company has you covered with an included ¼ jack adapter. This adapter has its own place at the end of the cable for safe-keeping when not in use – a nice touch added by the company. In addition, the cable has two ends that each connect to the individual cups.

Now, a pair of headphones is nothing if it’s all for show. Let’s go to the sound quality.

Since this was “studio-tuned by Calvin Harris,” we first loaded his tracks to get a good taste of what this baby is capable of reproducing, sound-wise. We listened to “Feel so Close” and “I Need Your Love”. True enough, it gave us good bass kicks without overpowering all the other elements. Vocals by Ellie Goulding also provided sweet sound to the ears – clear and powerful, yet contained.

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We also played a couple of classical music on the Master Track XC and we weren’t one bit disappointed with how it rendered stringed instruments. Mids and highs were top-notch, while the lows backed it up and gave the track just the right amount of thickness. Same was the case when we put on rock or acoustic tracks.

One thing important for us is the balance of sound. A pair of headphones can easily produce loud volumes but without clarity, you only have a mixture of undefined sound. With the Master Track XC, even the smallest details are on the same level of clarity as the most prominent sound. Simply put, it’s got that balance of sound that a studio headphone strictly requires.

For us, the Calvin Harris-tuned Master Track XC is the perfect home and studio accessory for listening to music. It’s also great for video and sound editors since we could really hear the smallest details, as mentioned earlier.

On the other hand, using it as an everyday headphones for commuting is a bit of a hassle since it’s bulky and doesn’t fold for easy storage. But if ever you need to transport it, there’s a traveling pouch included in the package. It also has no active noise cancellation (ANC) so having loud, external noise in the environment might affect your listening experience. Lastly we noticed that sound leaks from the earcups so if you’re playing loud music in a quiet room, expect nearby people to hear the music that you’re listening to.

SOL REPUBLIC Master Track XC specs:
Type: Circumaural
Design: Closed-back, Headband
Drivers: 40mm
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20 kHz
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sound Engine: Studio XC sound engine tuned by Calvin Harris
Cable length: Up to 6 feet
Price: Php15,000

What we liked about it:
Premium build and design
Comfortable
Balanced sound performance
Comes in individual parts/replaceable cable

What we didn’t like:
Not compact enough to use outdoors
A bit pricey

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DECK by SOL REPUBLIC and Motorola Review

March 1, 2014March 1, 2014 Kevin Bruce Francisco Leave a comment

SOL REPUBLIC, a speaker manufacturer known for their hip designs, and Motorola joined forces and came up with the DECK — a Bluetooth and NFC-enabled speaker with eye-catching physique and a pack full of features. Is it impressive? Read on.

DECK specs and features:

R2 Sound Engine
40mm low profile speakers with 360-degree natural sound
60Hz – 20kHz frequency response
Bluetooth V4.0 and NFC
Wireless up to 300 feet
Outdoor Boost
Heist Mode
96 x 185 x 29mm
325 g

Design

SOL REPUBLIC has always been creative with their designs and DECK is a testament to this. Upon first glance you’d notice the grid-like texture on the face of its all-plastic body that looks like it came straight out of an iTunes visualizer. SOL’s logo is slapped flat on the device which changes color depending on who’s currently playing (I’ll get to that more later on). In addition, we have volume controls situated comfortably on opposite sides, and a Motorola logo that can play/pause the song, among other things.

Located at the back of this wireless speaker, we find all the ports and switches. There is a power button and switch that toggles between single user and multi-user, the IN port for wired connectivity, and the OUT port for connecting it to a bigger speaker (making the DECK just a Bluetooth receiver). The OUT port also functions in a way that you can daisy-chain it with other DECKs for a bigger sound.

Underneath, you have a rubber strip with the same textured design to keep the speaker still while music is playing. A bass diaphragm on one side of the DECK is placed to let its 40mm low profile speakers breathe.

Wireless connectivity

DECK has been equipped with Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC for wireless pairing. One feature, the Heist Mode, lets up to 5 devices be connected to the speaker all at the same time. Because of this, the next user can play his song right after the previous one (and keep the party going) to avoid dull times while pairing the next device. The entire “SOL” logo changes color to indicate which device among the 5 is currently playing.

This department is actually where DECK has an edge over its fellow wireless speakers. With other Bluetooth speakers limiting you to stay inside its 30-foot range, DECK lets you go further to a maximum of 300 feet. But as I’ve experienced, the 300 feet should be clear since obstruction interferes with the signal and halts the stream. On the other hand, playing wirelessly nearby works well even if there’s no line of sight between the two devices.

When connected, this speaker can also be used as a loudspeaker for calls using its built-in microphone. Answering a call may also be done by pressing the Motorola logo on the speaker.

Sound performance

So I popped in Daft Punk’s latest album and played ‘Lose Yourself to Dance’ to test out the overall sound reproduction of the DECK. Initially, sound clarity was noticed. The discotheque-sounding guitars were delivered as if live, as Pharrell’s falsetto voice rose above the instruments with good distinction. Bass joins in on the fun with juicy thumps and kicks, but somehow I find the chimes and all the other highs being drowned out and a bit dirty. This performance still proved consistent after playing couple more tracks.

Music sounds equal in different locations around the speaker thanks to the 360° Full Sound technology and its flat build that throws the sound upwards. Although I believe it’s because of this vertical direction that the lows and mids of the sound are the ones easily heard, while the highs get overpowered by a little. This is one tradeoff I personally couldn’t sacrifice since I want my sound equal.

You probably thought the function of the Motorola button ends at answering calls, but its function still continues. Pressing and holding it enables the Outdoor Mode that boosts the sound so you could use it even…well, outdoors. Be ready for it to chug down serious battery juice, though.

Battery life

The DECK promises that it can last up to 10 hours of continuous playing, but of course it all depends on varying factors. I used it on an out of town trip and started at full battery, played songs every time I was in my hotel room for about a total of 2-3 hours per day and it only lasted me two days since I like my music a little loud.

So if you’re using it as party speakers (which almost all features point to it being used as so), I suggest you use it near a power source. If not, it makes sure you know the time when to charge since there is a JARVIS-like voice prompt that reports the battery’s status once in a while.

Conclusion

DECK by SOL REPUBLIC and Motorola is truly a feature-packed speaker, no doubt about that. Some of the features, like the increased Bluetooth range and speakerphone are nice to have, but I’ve proven that they don’t work as flawless and as important — at least for me. Having two of these at home just so you can use its daisy-chain function isn’t totally wise, in my honest opinion.

At Php13,000, I find it expensive. It would attract me more and maybe even make me buy one if it’s around Php8,000. Yes, it is impressive, but with its asking price DECK is something that you’d probably want, but not totally need.

What I liked about it:
- Funky design
- Lightweight and easy to bring around
- Good lows and mids
- Can pair with up to 5 people simultaneously

What I didn’t like about it:
- Lacks treble
- Too pricey

The unit is available at Pismo Digital Shop at the East Wing of the EDSA Shangri-la Mall.

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