LG, a South Korean company, has been a renowned manufacturer of consumer and home electronics for many years. Their products can be found in a variety of electronics shops, including TVs, monitors, washing machines, refrigerators, and even laptops and computer systems.
This summer, LG announced their new XBOOM line of speakers. The LG XBOOM XG7QBK settles nicely into this range, and according to LG, offers "a remarkable sound that delivers deep bass and powerful sound together with LG’s latest sound technology."
It looks great, boasting an almost cylindrical design, with optical buttons on the top for power, volume, play/pause, and toggling the Sound Boost feature.
On each end is a square diaphragm, with an LED ring around it that flashes different colours in time with the music. I was disappointed to learn that I had no control over the lights, but equally impressed with the overall effect of the lights and aesthetics combined. The lights can be controlled using the XBOOM app, which is easy to use and effective.
The speaker has been designed to be immensely portable, weighing just 1.1kg, and measuring just over 26cm in length, and just under 10cm in height and depth. It's lightweight and fits easily into a backpack or handbag to take on the move.
It can also easily be relocated with one hand, which is helpful if you're trying to carry it to the bathroom when you shower and already have your hands occupied with towels or shampoo. On top of that, it's small enough to fit in compact spaces, such as a narrow shelf, a toilet cistern, or that tiny sliver of the worktop in your busy kitchen that's the only space not occupied with dishes and utensils.
The LG XBOOM Go XG7QBK has a single two-way channel and comprises a 30W woofer and 10W tweeter. It's IP67 rated, meaning it is completely dust-tight and watertight up to depths of 1 meter for thirty minutes. This makes it perfect for outdoor use, even if this is by the side of the pool, on the beach, or on a rainy Sunday.
The speaker charges using an included USB-c cable, however, it doesn't come with a plug. This is something that is mildly inconvenient, however, is becoming more common as time goes on. It charges relatively quickly and boasts 24 hours of battery life, although in reality at high volume with the Sound Boost function switched on, I got closer to 16 hours.
You can pair the LG XBOOM Go XG7QBK with any Bluetooth-enabled device, although the most common will be your phone. LG know this and has included a speakerphone mode. It automatically switches from your music to your phone, meaning you can take a call without the hassle of switching the speaker or Bluetooth off.
On top of the USB-c port for charging, there's also a 3.5mm aux port, ready for you to go old-school with the aux cable if you're that way inclined. It also supports DC Output via a USB-A cable and can have multiple devices connected simultaneously.
When it comes to sound quality, the LG XBOOM Go XG7QBK absolutely blows you away. The design is such that any sound which doesn't make it through the front of the speaker is funnelled to the diaphragms on the edges, where it either reflects back or creates some fantastic bass.
It's able to effectively separate the low, mid, and high-frequency sounds, which is something that is surprising for a single woofer and tweeter setup.
Although the speaker looks like the sound can come from all directions, it actually only leaves through the front. Initially, this was disappointing, until I realised that this means you can place it essentially anywhere - it doesn't suffer from degraded sound if you place it in a corner, for example, provided the front is unobstructed and the sides are mostly unobstructed.
The sound is best when the speaker is placed high up, which makes sense, but equally the sound is superb even when the speaker is placed on the floor or in an echoey hallway.
The "Sound Boost" function is activated by a single button on the top of the speaker itself. LG state that this "widens the sound field", and this is a good description. It's not just a bass boost, but at the same time, it does add a lot of bass.
It seems to be an equalizer that acts differently depending on the type of music coming through, and when they say it "injects life into your music" they aren't underselling - the Sound Boost function works in a way that quite simply just puts a smile on your face.
There's little to no degradation of sound at high volume, and at low volume, the bass is still very discernable. At loud volumes with the Sound Boost on the speaker about blows your face off, which makes it perfect for use in louder environments, whether it's outdoors or at home with the hoover on.
LG XBOOM Go XG7QBK Verdict - 5/5
This portable Bluetooth speaker is an absolute joy. Its design is fantastic, both in terms of aesthetics and the way it creates sound. The LEDs add life to the speaker, and the vibrating diaphragms on either end of the speaker are a real show-stopper, visibly moving even at low volumes.
When it's loud, it's loud, and with LG's Sound Boost function it's even louder, all with next to zero degradation in sound quality.
It's not all about the looks and the sound though, and LG has developed a speaker which is convenient, practical, portable, and durable. For the price tag, you will not find a speaker on the market that gives you more serotonin.
The LG Xboom Go XG7QBK is available now from the LG website for £99.98
