Altec came back to India and its first line of products include a range of affordable Bluetooth speakers, and the one I have at hand is the Altec Lansing Dual Motion Speakers IMW 140. There is a reason why the brand is quite popular among audiophiles all around the world, and it is the sound quality and durability. The decent looking see-through box says “Just Listen” at the top. Nike of the speaker world. I am quite familiar with the earphones, so I am inclined to say ‘yes.’ But, does it live up to the reputation of this one? Let’s find out.
Inside the box
- The dual motion Bluetooth speaker
- USB cable for charging
- AUX port
- User manual
The box opens up to a decently finished speaker body with a classy looking brand stamp in front of the drivers. Speaking of drivers, it is exciting to see two of them. The drivers are front-netted by a metallic filter, which is housed by a durable looking rubber exterior. The controls include volume/forward or rewind, play/pause, call receive/end buttons and, of course, the on/off right next to the micro USB and AUX.
Build Quality
The build quality of Altec Lansing Dual Motion Speakers looks quite decent and the finishing, as mentioned, is classy. Being almost the length of my palm and pretty lightweight, it is very much in the portable category. There is also strap protruding from the left top, to allow you to hook your finger to it and walk around. The control buttons are made of glossy plastic and make a click sound when pressed, and it doesn’t sound so neat.
As far as the durability is concerned, it claims to be waterproof and tough and rightly so. I did not do the waterproof test. However, the product does stand by the brand’s tough image. Going down a couple of times from waist height does not do any damage. I’m sure some splashes of water wouldn’t do any, either.
So, if you’re a traveler and like to pack a speaker for rough journeys, this is the one. I wouldn’t change a thing here.
Functionalities
All the controls work just fine, without any hiccups. I had a hassle-free connecting experience, which means that the Bluetooth driver is top-notch. Be it iOS devices, Windows or Android, it worked just fine. The Bluetooth range was a standard around 10m. The other controls were not more trouble than a tap, each.
Sound Quality
As mentioned earlier, the two drivers are pretty exciting. I was hoping to find a bass driver, but it’s either not too good or missing. The drivers are full range, so there’s no issue with the frequency range that it can be played in. The 44 mm drivers perform quite well with the sound clarity, especially at lower volumes. As the volume starts to get higher, the sound starts getting distorted.
The bass is also very less at higher volumes. But, on the bright side, it can get very loud and to be honest for a traveler who would usually use it in open spaces, the volume is important. Even at house parties, it is the volume that usually counts.
Upon being tested in the open, it performed quite well. It sounds clear from a fair distance. The voice was audible from good 15yards on an empty football pitch. The mid-tones are clear and maybe a little above average. But again, it becomes terrible at higher volumes. The treble is slightly on the higher side.
Verdict
It is perhaps not the best, considering the price-tag, but would mean much more to a rough user. Audiophiles who like to travel are sure to have a good time with this one.
