Edler Bass Master with minor flaws!

This one is one of them.

The Bolse C1 seems an imitation of the much more expensive "The Pulse" of audio to be Dynamix, which is officially known as the "answer to the SoundLink Mini" advertised. So I was very curious to see what awaits me here for the cheap price. Anticipation - I do not know the "pulses", therefore can not say how the two differ. But purely externally, the two look absolutely identical.

The Bolse C1 boasts a noble appearance - the main frame is machined from an aluminum block, the bolt-on side panels are also made of the brushed material. That this does not sit perfectly fit, but is ugly. Since duty processing the low price just tribute. The front panel is partially made of plastic, the grid is in turn made of metal. For stability on slippery surfaces three rubber stripes on the underside. The connections and the three control buttons are located on the top - easily accessible, but unfortunately not optically the best possible solution. Attach the battery port on the back, would have been more discreet. The three plastic buttons could have been designed visually appealing. The pressure point of the keys is good, only the slide switch on and off seems cheap and not always latched correctly. There are two passive radiators, which are designed to provide a solid bass foundation on the sides. Unfortunately, the membranes are completely unprotected, so that you are constantly in danger of damaging the Sick material. So the C1 you can not cram carefree in the backpack, a stable protective sleeve or a carton for transport is recommended.

The battery life is acceptable, at maximum volume the battery has been empty for about 5 hours. If you listen at low volume, the manufacturer's instructions are complied with in about, because there are so not much to complain.

A negative point are the status LEDs for me. Under the grid is (at DSP or from) one red, one blue and one green LED each indicating certain conditions such as the operating mode and the state of charge. Stupid is just, that you through the grid hardly sees things. Depending on what angle you look at the device, one of the LEDs will be hidden. This could have been solved a lot smarter.

But we come to the most important discipline: the sound.
Most Bluetooth Speaker have especially in the bass big problems, sound trötig and thin. Here the bass is essential for listening, because it provides the foundation, the heat and a lot of emotion. Make the most musical genres without bass no fun. The physics is unfortunately mercilessly, and for really fat bass one needs large volume, wide-scale chassis and neat amplifier power. The small portable speakers, manufacturers have thus digging deep into their bag of tricks to encourage significant results revealed. And the Bolse C1 is a prime example of engineering, which produced this little box on bass, that's more than amazing!

The C1 delivers rich bass to 60 Hz, and builds up a pressure that you would never dare this little thing! Since nothing is missing, and instead of tough Brummelbass or swelled keynote are the Bolse the Tieftonattacken also clean, linear and precise again. Even electronic music hereby makes really fun. A comparable bass has only the Bose SoundLink Mini, the mind will cost more than double. Should put in the corner to the C1, however, because by room modes are excited massively - booming bass is the result. To find a suitable location, you will not get around a little experimentation. For me it is optimal on a small cabinet at the center of the wall.

Who now thinks that the early Bolse sweeps the sails, mistaken. Because he can also play unexpectedly loud. To sonicate a medium-sized room neatly brings the little bass master not in distress. The part can really get going, and so makes some small stereo system competition. In 80-90% of the maximum volume of C1 then begins slowly to compress. The bass membranes hear occasional flutter. But he always remains relatively sovereign.

But where there is light, there is shadow. The mid and high frequencies of the C1 is unfortunately a not so perfect. Especially the audible peak around 2-4 Khz around makes for happy times a little harsh, pressed sound, especially at higher levels. Since only helps with a readjustment Equalizer what the problem but merely mitigates, and does not completely eliminated. The bestbeans Flashmop has in this area the more pleasant, more sophisticated midrange and also the more spacious sound. For this very clearly on bass is lacking. The same applies to the UE Boom. The Bose SoundLink Mini sounds noble, but swallowed a lot of details in comparison to the other two. Any death you must die halt. Other speakers in this class that I've tested so far, do not even begin in the vicinity of these devices (eg. Creative D100, Beats Pill, anchor MP141, JBL Pulse, JBL batch Raikko Heavy Metal, the sound all to run away) ,

By simultaneously pressing the volume keys, you can activate the "DSP", but which is not mentioned in the manual. There probably was a little sloppy. In any case, makes the DSP, a digital signal processor, a slightly more open sound, in which the highs are reproduced a bit clearer. Depending on the music sounds sometimes better, sometimes worse. For rock music I let the DSP from most in acoustic pieces it may sound but actually improve somewhat. A unique feature is the terrible, and would have me another owner of C1 not made aware, I would have probably never discovered the function.

Conclusion:
Ultimately, each of these small speakers is a compromise, but the C1 makes a lot right for its price, and has a few downsides. Smaller workmanship spoil the overall picture somewhat. And the midrange may stem from the quiet little cleaner. But when it comes to bass power he plays most other Bluetooth Speaker (larger as the Denon Envaya!) Mercilessly against the wall, he sounds very detailed and clear. Only truly portable it is not, because you constantly have to be on the sensitive frequency membranes eight, and by the triangular shape can take him bad. So he's more of a speaker for home or the party room as for the Schoolyard or holiday.

Addendum of 08/30/2014:
The copy-selling seems to have been a return is because it had a scratch and a small dent, also the bags were to the cables when delivered already open. The plate on a passive radiator was stuck wrong, and both radiators gave noises of itself. I have complained about the device and then buy a new one. This has a color distortion at the speaker grille, but otherwise looks good. In Hifi-Forum we read of frequent workmanship in this product, especially in the passive radiators seem to happen most errors (wrong cover, bead not stuck in the middle, with two users even the membrane has fully or partially replaced!)

I just wanted to point out that the customers know here, so you have to expect. The Bolse C1 is really cheap and good, but apparently that is at the expense of quality. My C1 I'll still keep because it sounds great for its price, and that is for me the main thing.