HiddenRadio2 review: a futuristic wireless speaker that doesn't look like a speaker

The campaign to raise money for the first version of Hidden Radio & Bluetooth Speaker turned out to be extremely successful: engineers John van den Newenheisen and Vitor Santa Maria received about a million dollars for the development of the project. Two years later, New York inventors returned to Kickstarter with the goal of launching a second version of their column. As you can see, they succeeded again: the guys raised more than $ 750 thousand, and we got a brand new HiddenRadio2 for review.





The design of the device has not changed much, we have the same metal time capsule or a futuristic pepper mill. The developers, who for the first time relied on an impeccable appearance, did not fail even now: HiddenRadio2 looks more impressive than products from other manufacturers. Particularly well, the column fits into the surroundings of modern offices and stylish apartments, and in nature its futurism immediately catches the eye. In total, two color options are provided: pure aluminum and varnished black.



The main feature of the column is a retractable case. In the first version of HiddenRadio2, it was necessary to manually “pull out” the upper part, now it’s enough to touch the “crown” of the cylinder, and as if by magic, the device will expose the speaker grill, MicroUSB port and LED-indicator. At first you catch yourself thinking that you can’t stop turning the device on and off: the HiddenRadio2 grows very spectacularly in front of your eyes to the buzzing of motors and the uterine sound of turning on “BOOONG”. Impressive and autonomy, the device can work for 12 hours without a break. The performance for Bluetooth speakers is very good.





The entire upper part is a hidden touch panel. The central area is responsible for turning HiddenRadio2 on and on, for which you need to hold your finger for 3 seconds, and also plays the role of the Play and Pause buttons (regular press). In addition, the developers hid an NFC module under the central sensor. The area around the ring is used to adjust the volume: clockwise movement - increase, against - decrease. Thus, the absence of mechanical controls on the front panel gives the impression that HiddenRadio2 when folded is a monolithic aluminum block.



But this does not mean that there are no mechanical elements at all. There are three small buttons on the bottom. When you click on the first one, it connects to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, if you hold it, the column will be forced to turn on or off. And you have to resort to this method from time to time: sometimes HiddenRadio2 refuses to add up when you click on the sensor. The next button is responsible for connecting to a second speaker located in another room. The third button allows you to combine two HiddenRadio into a stereo system, for example, for cool and surround sound when watching a movie from a tablet. All buttons are slightly recessed into the case, and the bottom surface of the column is protected by a rubber insert. Thanks to this, the gadget is always in a stable position and is protected from scratches.





But in any column, the main thing is sound quality, and with this HiddenRadio2 is doing well. On the one hand, there is a good volume margin (90 dB), excellent study of high frequencies and 360-degree surround sound. Neodymium magnets are installed in the speakers, there is also support for Apt-X codecs. On the other - a slight wheezing at maximum volume, not deep enough bass. For small offices and apartments there will be enough power, but for going out into the countryside it is worth looking for another option. It is strange that the “BOOONG” sound volume does not correspond to the music playback volume: I wanted to turn on the speaker quietly at night, but instead woke the whole house. Additionally, HiddenRadio2 is equipped with a microphone, you can answer calls by clicking on the central area.





Connecting to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth is instant. Music playback will begin immediately and from the very moment where you left off. If the gadget is equipped with NFC, just bring it to the top of the column (even if the latter is in sleep mode) and the music will immediately play.



In the near future, developers plan to release a proprietary application for iOS and Android. Promise the following features:

• Auto play Upon returning home, the music immediately starts playing from the moment you disconnected;
• Combining several HiddenRadio2 into one system, checking the charge level of each and a separate change in volume;
• Smart alarm clock (it is not yet clear how it works);
• Creating a schedule for playing music and personal playlists;
• Battery low notifications.

HiddenRadio2 will primarily like the unusual design and convenient controls. In the company of friends, this Bluetooth speaker will definitely attract attention. The connection to the speaker is very fast, and you can intercept music playback with the touch of a smartphone. A mobile app should also become an excellent assistant, due to which HiddenRadio2 will be not a simple, but a “smart” device.

Buy HiddenRadio2 portable wireless speakers at madrobots.ru

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