Sony SRS-BTV5 Wireless Speaker Review


The Sony SRS-BTV5 is a very unique gadget with a spherical build and flat base that is capable of acting as an external speaker. Sony SRS-BTV5 connects via Bluetooth or NFC. We unboxed the device recently. Let’s check out how it performs in the complete review.

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Unboxing

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTUEO-pDXkY

Box Contents

The box contents include,

  • Carrying pouch
  • micro USB power cable
  • Uer guide in various languages.

Design and Build Quality

The device looks very much like an egg but with a vent at the top and a flat base. The top of the device is quite odd and there is a vent that lets the sound out from the speakers. There is a nice line running along the center of the sphere dividing the device into a couple of hemispheres. The top has the Sony branding along with the speaker above which we have NFC. There is a microphone exactly near the line and things get interesting in the lower part. There is a call receive/cut button right below the mic. There are a couple of buttons on the other side for increasing and decreasing the volume. There is also a covered place where we have audio in jack and microUSB port for charging. At the base of the device, we have a couple of notification LEDs – one for Bluetooth and other for Battery charging indicator. Exactly at the bottom, we have a switch that lets us switch on/off the device and NFC. There is also a small tiny hole for hard reset.

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Most of the device is made of matte material and only the top where there is NFC is made of plastic. The build quality is pretty good and the device is solid and slightly on the heavier side.

Connectivity

The device comes with Bluetooth and NFC connectivity. There is also an option to give input to the device through an audio jack. So the Sony SRS-BTV5 has a rich set of connectivity features.

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Performance

The main job of the Sony SRS-BTV5 is an external speaker and it gets the job done with some quality performance. The Sony SRS-BTV5 is a relatively small speaker system when you compare it other external speakers that weigh more and cost more and are big looking.

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This oddly designed device gets the job done for low bass and low treble audio, but if you are a fan of high bass and treble, you are up for disappointment. When it comes to loudness, it is good, but not sufficient enough to get a room filled with music. In terms of clarity, the output is clean.

The Bluetooth-enabled SRS-BTV5 also doubles as a loudspeaker when taking calls. During calls, the audio output is quite clean, but isn’t the loudest.

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Conclusion

The Sony SRS-BTV5 was launched in India for Rs. 3,900 and it is slightly on the expensive side. For the price range, the build quality and quality of the output is quite clean, but the loudness left a lot to be desired. If melody songs dominate your playlists, this device is quite capable of giving a good performance, but if you prefer bass and treble, then the SRS-BTV5 is not for you.

The Good

  • Good build
  • Range of connectivity options

The Bad

  • Audio isn’t loud enough
  • Bit expensive

Author: Monish Kumar

Monish is passionate about smartphones who is also interested in User Experience and Design. He is currently using Samsung Galaxy S3. You can follow him on Twitter and Google+