The market is so flooded with Bluetooth speakers that anyone trying to wedge another speaker into the mix better have perfect audio and unique features to attract attention away from the rest of the contenders. Today Iβm going to show you the X-mini CLEAR Bluetooth speaker. X-mini should sound familiar to you. They are the company that makes several of theΒ little popup capsule speakers that weβve reviewed over the years (check out the related posts list at the end of this review). The CLEAR is X-miniβs first βlargeβ speaker. Letβs take a closer look.
Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.
In the box
X-mini CLEAR speaker
Magnetic front cover
AC power adapter
Quick start guide
The X-mini CLEAR is a 2.1 audio system, which means it has a left and right speaker and a subwoofer. The front of the speaker has a black plastic front.
If youβre so inclined you can attach the included magnetic knit cover over the front.
On the top edge is a microphone for the built in speakerphone and there are touch sensitive controls for power, prev track, next track, volume, mood light/Bluetooth/Aux in toggle and NFC. If you have an NFC enabled device like an Android smartphone, you can just tap the phone over the NFC tag and it will pair via Bluetooth without having to manually go into the Bluetooth settings to search for nearby devices.
The whole back side of the CLEAR is see through clear plastic. Also on the back is the AC power port, a USB port that can be used to charge a device, a reset switch and a 3.5mm audio input jack.
Did you notice the AC adapter in the image at the beginning of the review? Yes, itβs large and bulky β ick. But the good news is that this speaker had a 6600mAh rechargeable battery, so you can ditch the adapter β at least for up toΒ 10 hours.
Clear gadgets are always cool, but the X-mini CLEAR goes one step further by offering a mood light feature.
Just touch the mood light button on the top of the speaker for 2 seconds to toggle the mood lightΒ on and off. When turned on, the colors cycle slowly giving a cool light show effect. You might be thinking that itβs a cool feature, but since itβs on the back of the speaker you wonβt see it when the speaker is on a shelf.
Actually you can see it. The two ports below the left and right speaker allow the light to shine through even if you have the cover on the front. Nifty huh?
Of course the most important feature of any speaker is audio quality. The X-mini CLEAR is a very nice small Bluetooth speakerΒ thatΒ does a good job with all types of music. Audio is clear, crisp and bass is decentlyΒ thumpy without being muddy even at higher volumes. The speaker has three individual amplifiersΒ which do an very goodΒ job of sound separation.
I tested the speaker with my LG G3 smartphoneΒ using the music streaming Slacker Radio appΒ and my Macbook Pro streaming using Slacker Radio in a web browser and playing my MP3 collection using a music app called Vox. Some of the music I used for this review:
Ed Sheeran βDonβtβ
Maroon 5 βAnimalsβ
Trans-Siberian Orchestra various Christmas tunes
I had no problems with audio breaking up when I left the speaker in my basement office and walked upstairs to work in my kitchen. I was able to useΒ my LG G3Β to change tracks and increase the volume with no issues. Like I mentioned, this speaker sounds good. I just canβt say it blew me away though, but for its size it does a good job filling a medium sized room with music. That said, I think the audio quality could be improved if the speaker had the aptX codec.
If it wasnβt for the price, IΒ Β wouldnβtΒ have any problems recommending the X-mini CLEAR to anyone shopping for a Bluetooth speaker with some unique features, but the $200 price tag seems way out of line to me when you can find so many similarly sized and sounding speakers on the market with a much smaller price tag. Maybe if the CLEAR had aptX,Β AirPlay Β and a wood cabinet. But as it stands, I just canβt see myself paying this much for a good speaker that doesnβt quite rock my world. Even though theΒ X-mini CLEAR isnβt going to win the designation as my favorite Bluetooth speaker, I do thinkΒ that X-mini has made anΒ admirable first attempt at a larger speaker and Iβm looking forward to hearing what they come up with next.
Source: The sample for this review was provided by X-mini. Please visit their site for more info.
Bluetooth Speaker with HD Sound, Portable Wireless, IPX5 Waterproof, Up to 20H Playtime, TWS Pairing, BT5.3, for Home/Party/Outdoor/Beach, Electronic Gadgets, Birthday Gift (Black)
$43.99 (as of April 23, 2025 12:32 GMT -04:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)TP-Link USB Bluetooth Adapter for PC, Bluetooth 5.0/5.3 Dongle Receiver, Plug and Play, Nano Design, EDR & BLE, Supports Windows 11/10/8.1/7 for Desktop, Laptop, PS5/PS4/Xbox Controller (UB500)
20% OffProduct Information
Price: | $199.99 |
Manufacturer: | X-mini |
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Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
How does this compares to the bose soun link mini or creative soundblaster roar?
@Dan I’m sorry, but I do not have either of those speakers to compare.