Braven 600

Bottom line

In the portable speaker category, the Braven 600 rates highly among experts. Audio tests reveal a crisp, full sound for a smaller device. Reviewers like its easy set-up, but say its design is boring; some users at Amazon have durability complaints. The Logitech UE Mobile Boombox (Est. $100) is a bit cheaper and our best reviewed portable iPod speaker.

Ease of use

Easy wireless configuration; basic controls. Pairing the Braven 600 with devices is seamless. Caleb Denison of DigitalTrends.com says that it "almost immediately" appeared as an eligible device to pair on his iPhone. There are no playback controls on the device itself, only volume.

Appearance

Basic controls; simple and portable design. The Braven 600 resembles a slim, rectangular brick. It's not necessarily the most aesthetically pleasing design, but it makes for a very portable unit. On iLounge.com, reviewer Nick Guy notes that this model is not much different from its more expensive cousin, the Braven 650, sans the coloration and branding.

Performance

Impressive sound for its size; some issues with battery life. Audio tests with the Braven 600 yield a crisp, high-quality sound. DigitalTrends.com' Caleb Denison calls it "practically a mobile hi-fi unit." However, because the speaker is so small, reviewers note the lack of bass response. In terms of battery life, Nick Guy says that compared to Braven's higher end models, this speaker is has only 12 hours of play time, and even less if you use it as a charging dock. (The Braven 650 has 20 hours of play time.) However, 12 hours is long compared to competing models. Some reviews on Amazon.com complain that the Braven 600's power button came loose or broke.