Denon is another league. The hifi legue. JBL is a fun beach speaker. Most female vocals are clear as water on the Denons. And hurts your ears on JBL’s.
I had mine for 3 years now and i decided to get a new one due to the battery issue and no track control. So far i have returned Bose A1 gen 2 and Bose Sound Flex. Nothing compares
I’m gonna get the Denon’s because I’ve heard them compared to other speakers and I feel they have great musicality in their soundstage. AND..it has dedicated amps built in....Maybe Denon could create a sound app, like Libratone and Sonos, with sound adjustments that could clear up some sound issues that some people may be having.
honestly i dont get into this better debate. Its so slanted to taste to make it irrelevant in music, DEPENDING on what you are looking for imho. My current favourite is the minirig v2 but i dotn know what you are looking for. For general out about i still like charge 3s in stereo, for a bit more refinement i like what the minirigs offer but it wont go too loud in low gain mode. What is your taste? what kind of volumes do you need? what size room you trying to fill?
@@alanrossreviews I just need a balanced sounding speaker more like for a small to mid size room. By the way I had the envaya but I sold it, and now I'm planning to get one again since I can't find a better option. What I like about the Denon is it's nice sound stage. However, I do agree with you regarding the build quality which is the main reason I'm holding back now. And I've also heard about the batteries self discharging issue. :)
I am into almost all types of music except for metal and those which have explicit lyrics! And oh, I only listen at 50% volume most of the time, the highest would be 70%.
@@halfcrazyluv1 is this really your top budget? i would personally think about a pair of minirig 2s and play in stereo low gain mode, from what you are saying i think it would suit.
I own many BT speakers and I haven’t heard anything close to the quality of the Denon at this price point. At this size nothing touches it. I don’t think the sound is muddy at all. Just my two cents.
yes i didnt mean to say the sound overall is muddy, but that the bass muddies the vocals at lower volumes to an extent. You can certainly hear the vocals but they are not projected forwards of the rest of the track. Again just my opinion i fully respect yours. However the frequency response charts as you go through the volume range show a linear change the whole way through as bass falls away and the vocal range db increases. By 70% the vocals start to project so much of it will depend on your listening volume. Again not saying this makes it a bad speaker, i did state i think its best in class, im just pointing out its weak areas, this of course is relative. None of this matters of course if you are happy with the speaker. As i said, there is no right or wrong as far as im concerned with music and speakers, its just opinions. btw there was a guy in the US saying how his speaker sounds totally different to the eu ones he heard, i wonder if there is much model variation or if there really is a regional difference in tuning.
Swing Orange no pretty sure i didnt say charge 3 had better highs. Quite the opposite, very poor at the high end. Its certainly airy compared to the denons WHEN PAIRED IN STEREO MODE compared to a pair of denons imho.
Nope, only single. But there's no way that adding the second dull sounding speaker would make the sound sparkle more. Just impossible. We're not changing the tweeters we're just adding a second unit.
Hello Alan, do not know if you still have the envaya's 250 or you recall but i wanted to ask you if do you know how to switch left and right channel while in paring stereo mode for two envaya's ?
Good review. I caved and have bought the Denon. Thought I'd see how I get on with it before I get a second. I think you have been a little harsh with regard to the practicality issues. The buttons don't click but I know when I'm pressing them. I'm not pushing hard. Once turned up to full volume, that is no longer an issue. The charge lights don't illuminate in a steady fashion when charging, but if you know it is low on power, once you have charged it (and you have to out of the box), you know how long that takes. What else... Oh, the charge cable is a little tricky to get in. The rubber tab to access it is fixed firmly. I can use my nail but it is close to as much pressure as I would want to apply using my fingernail. Other reviews have said lots of white noise but I have none. The bass does indeed roll off a lot towards the top end of volume, but I won't be using it that loud. It is bass heavy at lower vols and sweet in the middle. If I put it on the counter in the corner of the kitchen, the effect of the corner walls and the unit above increase the bass to incredible levels! I need a corner that I can take around with the speaker 😛😝😛
Hey! I have one Denon already and a fiio q1 mark 2 DAC. I wanted to have a pair of speakers where I can listen to FLAC with good instrument separation and soundstage. Is it worth it to buy another Denon or is it better to get a shelf speaker? Thanks, and congratulations on the video!
shelf speakers for the same budget will always be better, you pay a premium for the portability. But two denons will still sound better than one, just cant compete with bookshelf speakers.
Alan Ross Reviews actually it can be Desktop. I want a nice pair of speaker to listen my flac files and enjoy a similar Soundstage I've got with my sennheiser HD598. I can use my FiiO DAC to output the sound, but of the speaker has already a good built in dac it's alright as well :) I'll check the one you suggested!
Thank's for this in-depth review Alan! I totally agree with you that the sound is great but it is definitely not a perfect speaker. I was actually looking for a water resistant speaker in its size but the fact that there are too many usability and quality issues was the deal breaker for me. Very bad build quality! Totally different sound picture with the volume level not at max which probably even affects the battery life negatively. And consequently there is this strong hissing sound. The speaker is not synced with your phone when it comes to the volume control. I want to use the speaker in wet conditions without having to take out my phone. Portable speakers are not just about the sound. If you need great sound and don't need portability you better choose a larger speaker. Now I bought a Sony xb30 instead which has a great build quality and no such quality issues. And you can adjust the sound through Sony's app. I also like the Charge 3. And both manage deeper bass than Envaya. As it is now the Envaya doesn't serve its purpose other than great sound which is a subjective factor.
well it does sync with the phone volume control but you have to physically have the denon at full volume or it doesnt play with its full sound or power. So yes different sound picture but hard to believe this was intentional and hard to believe they can go to market like that. I actually think the full weighty sound of the denon is better suited to outdoor use. I like what sony have done with their app giving us the ability to have personal eq or auto eq, i have the sony srs x77 and like that ability. Funny enough i got hammered for liking the sony package on that speaker by the same guys hammering me for pointing out the weaknesses in the denon and liking the charge 3. Its a strange world audio :) as you say, subjective, wish they would realise that. Im tempted to try the sony but i heard that speaker also has issues depending on the volume in the sense of how the sound changes.
Alan Ross Reviews yes, all small speakers do have this issue, thay are not meant to be listened at very high volume levels, the bass usually loses its depth and strength. I went for the xb 30 mainly because its wonderful bass boost at low volume levels which gives you a full sound picture. I needed a portable water resistant smaller speaker for low volume level listening and it is great for this purpose. I even tried the xb 20 before making my decision but it was too weak and the sound picture worsened too quickly when turning up the volume although it is also nice at low volume levels and boosts the bass.
Alan great review, really impressed, not solely focusing in how loud and how long. Usability is a significant factor with portable devices and often spoils a basically good product. Similar I'm always looking for the best BT speaker; Beolit 15, A2, A2 Active, A1, P2, JBL Charge 3, RIVA S, BOSE Revolve +, Tuefel Boomster Pro. I looked at the Denon Envaya 250, is a very competent speaker, equally not mind-blowingly better than the competition, just a level up in some areas, also agree the Denon can come across harsh at times. Agree the pleasure is in the listening and everyone's ears are different. Always found the Charge 3 to be lacking at the high end, and it still does although JBL's last firmware update to me has improved the high frequency response a good deal. Really like B&O's sound signature, however the battery life with B&O portables is always very weak, especially the A2 Active which I really like, although many don't as runtime, charging and powering are a PIA, that said place this speaker to suit your listening taste and it really comes to life, literally filling the room. Looking to a Beolit 17 or one of the larger Tuefel speakers next, wasn't impressed at all with the Bamster Pro initially, literally physically rattled on some surfaces, overly bass heavy, however after a good few hours the seemingly hard feet have softened up, speaker has a nice warm tone, solid bass, tactile buttons and something rarely seen today a volume dial, simply a joy to use... Keep em coming, subscribed.
thanks for the kind words! interesting you mention the beolit 17 i actually have one now to try but will probably return. I really like the sound overall and the way it handles vocals but usbaility again a factor, the app doesnt play well with my android phone and i read it has problems generally with android. ah! a volume dial! now that wasnt so hard to do after all :)
Beolit 15 is the same sounds great, however the control buttons are terribly thought out. A1 is the same, tiny hard to push buttons with absolutely no tactile feel, good luck in the dark. A2 Active really delivers, equally is difficult to keep charged as has 2 x 30 Watt RMS amps, why B&O don't include a 3 Amp USB C charger is beyond me as very few chargers can output 3 Amp's nor does USB C always play well and chargers may default to the lowest level. I have an Anker USB charger and luckily it can provide 3 Amps over USB C for the A2 Active. What I like about the A2 is that you can tune the sound by it's placement, just dumping in the middle of the room it wont sound so good. Placing the A2 in a corner or against a wall really changes the sound signature thx to it's speaker orientation. Would just be a lot better if it had double the battery capacity and an included charger. Volume dials; Didn't care for the Boomster Pro initially, as it literally rattled on hard surfaces, with an overly boomy base. After a few days what seemed to be hard plastic feet, softened up? the rattling ceased and the speaker broke in. Now it still remains bass heavy at low volumes, however once turned up to more moderate levels really balanced speaker. Boomster Pro has a stereo expansion setting, think it's pretty much useless for music unless just casual listening in a crowd. That said if your stuck in a hotel and watch a film the Dynamore setting is actually pretty good as long as the source is clean, better than most I've tried. Thinking to replace the Beolit with one of Teufel's larger BT speakers Boomster XL if I can source one locally.
you should do some reviews? you certainly know your speakers :) my beolit 17 does come with a 3 amp charger, its actually this chinese one, DST450-303. My normal use for bluetooth speakers is outdoors and travel/beach. Beolit 17 isnt really travel friendly and isnt what i would normally listen to but i heard it in a store and had to give it a try after someone else with my taste pointed me in that direction. Do you bother with the app? just wondering what you make of the equaliser and why they couldnt just give us a multi band eqauliser that doesnt require a phd to work out.
B&O App is plain painful you need to connect to the speaker(s) through it to work consistently. The "dot" is basically flat/neutral and you either add or subtract by moving it about, however it only has something like 2-3 steps in 8 directions. To me this results in a far less flexible than a traditional EQ, difference for the sake of methinks, admittedly easy to adjust once you "get It". Mostly I've got my portable speakers connected to one of my notebooks, so don't bother with the App. Beolit 15/17 are poor choices for outdoors as the battery life is weak, personally I'd opt for a Dreamwave Tremor, not so good indoors as the speaker only really comes to life at around 60% or greater volume, but when it does it really lights up. The Tremor is certainly loud and has a substantial battery runtime, and very rugged. Battery life is apparently huge, with 50 watts RMS on tap, I've listened to one pretty good but need the amp to drive the speakers to get the best and a sold bass response. No DSP just decent amp's and speakers. Another that's on my shopping list :) so certainly impressed enough. I'm a consultant engineer in the energy industry so I can spend 5-7 months away from home on major project's, therefore great portable audio is right up there on my priorities. Just picked up a Teuel Boomster this evening, cant source a Boomster XL (am an expat based in Asia) not bad, not bad at all. Not sure if mine is an older model or specific to the Asian market as differs from the UK sites model; no DAB, different FM antenna. Think the latter as Teufel is very new here. Liking the tuneable bass, allowing one to increase or decrease the "subs" response. Too soon to say right now, same as the Teufel Bamster Pro think this speaker will sound much better after being run for a good few hours. The smaller Teufel I literally left it to play for 48 hours solid at around 30% So far the Teufel Boomster doesn't reach as deep as the Beolit 15, however imaging is way better and far more balanced. The Beolit 15 at times try's too hard to be a stereo speaker, while the brutal reality is it's ostensibly a mono speaker with some of the dynamism of stereo.
trying to get a handle on the app eq, the stock centro spot doesnt seem neutral to me but probably the best balanced. I guess it depends how it sits with the particular speaker but right now im finding that moving across to relaxed and coming down say a third just fills in the mids making it more accurate to the original, but i havent sent too much time with it. also depends on the volume of course as the sound does change as you push it. i think this 60% to sound decent holds for a lot of these speakers. That Dreamwave Tremor sure looks rugged :) to be honest i end up playing my flip 4s more than anything else, just so handy. had an extended listen to the 17 today and over the long haul it was a little tiring, but enjoyable. appreciate your long replys, your teaching me a lot :)
Hi, you're saying that the very dominant bass overlays the midrange. Does this change if the volume on the speaker is reduced and increased on the mobile phone? Since then a different low-frequency response will occur.
Thanks for your answer, but something really went wrong at Denon, didn't it? The normal buyer, who doesn't know this, gets a loudspeaker that sounds out of the box dull, with low volume at the speaker. strange
Joe Fernwright yes, I would never buy the Envaya with those quality issues. Smaller portable speakers are also about the usability and not just the sound, otherwise there is a lot of great larger speakers in the market.
Hello Alan, sound and speaker choice is subjective and depends about music type, level and etc...I have Vifa helsinki for long time and suits to my music choices mostly and also late night option is good option for more bright sound. Sometimes its good to have fuller sound in low levels, so do you recommend to buy Denon? I know that Denon have some issues that battery and noise...
The denon is a decent sounding speaker for the money and size, no question. My own quibble was that the sound never opened up and vocals didnt break free or stand out. For me this is a deal breaker. I had the same issue with the helsinki so i would think as you liked that one the denon may well be up your street, although maybe a little less neutral, slightly fuller thicker sound. I think the denon is a little more meaty sounding in its signature.
@@alanrossreviews Oslo is big to carry, Helsinki has better sound stage comparing Oslo. BTW I was looking for smaller HiFi sound than Helsinki. So Denon could be
based on that then i think yes, denon could well be the one for you :) people think i didnt like it, i did, but i had other options which suited my tastes more.
Is it correct, that the bass in only great, if it is on maximum at the Denon-speaker? Some people told me that the bass is not that great if it is on half of the volume (and on max at the smartphone).
ah, what they mean is the speaker doesnt sync fully so for proper control you need to have the speaker at max physically before you start controlling with the phone otherwise the sound is dull
I liked your emphasis on how vocals ought to sound separate from rest of the instruments. Yours is perhaps the only video review on a pair of speakers on RUclips. 🙂 I've been trying to choose between a pair of Denon Envaya 250 and B&O Beoplay S3. However, there are no reviews of latter in stereo paired mode, so it's very difficult to get any idea of how they'd sound as a pair. Where I live it's not going to be possible to get a live demo of these speakers, so I'll have to purchase speakers online based purely on such reviews as yours. Is it likely you or any of your viewers might've inputs on sound quality of Envaya 250 versus Beoplay S3? Thanks!
Ketan Panchal Don’t know if you are still thinking about it, but I own a pair of S3’s and I am really happy with them - and the sound when paired is a big step up from a single. No battery though, which is why they pack so much punch.
It's just a shame that the speaker suffers from static noise and discharge problem. Yes, good sound for its size and it supports TWS but a device this size and with this speaker configuration is always going to suffer from a lack of midrange frequencies (no amount of DSP wizardry can rectify this). Probably better off buying an Audio Pro Addon T3 or newer C3... I think Denon can do better imho.
i must admit I have not heard it in person, btw its now the xb31. From what i have gathered its a bass heavy speaker as per the name. I never went for the xb30 based on feedback that the charge 3 was better balanced. I may try the xb31 down the line sometime. It is less compelling to me because i have the jbl speakers. However given the sony app allowing you to embed your own eq it is certainly of interest to me. I still prefer the jbl form factor but the xb31 seems to have closed the gap in that area. Sorry i cant help more.
ah! i try to avoid getting into debates on oluv and his methods :) I have a lot of respect for Oluv dont get me wrong but we certainly have differences of opinions, a lot ha! I would say generally it is accurate in my opinion but within limits. I respect what he is trying to achieve but it is not possible in my opinion when the speakers are recorded at different times and without a huge number of controls for a host of parameters. They are a reasonably accurate representation of the differences between speakers if you have a good handle on some of them for reference. But to sound individually as they would in your room at different sound pressure levels, and with different room acoustics, only within limits. A huge amount will also depend on what you are listening to them through.
Alan Ross Reviews oluv says the xb31 is a total disaster and nowhere near its predecessor xb30. Cant believe how a company like Sony can do this to their latest speaker when their old one i.e xb30 was suh a good one. Would love to hear your views on the same. Please review the xb31 as it competes with the denon too. Thanks!
@Alan Ross Reviews How about the SoundLink Mini 2. I keep hearing that this Denon is the best. I am looking for sound clarity and instrument separation more rather than just stupid bass. I do have an Aune DAC/AMP which I would love to put to use via Aux. The problem s desk space in my room and I just want something which is portable and I can move across rooms with Bluetooth instead of Aux when needed. I heard the Revolves but that DSP...is like damnn
i never found the denon clear enough for vocals, that was my main issue. It has a good bass with thick meaty sound which is what most people love about it. It has battery drain issues though. The soundlink is a bit dated imho but still one people love, its bass first though again. are the minirigs not something youd look at or you want an all in one package? what about the sonys? people seem to love the older xb30 and xb40 with some eq tweaking.
@@alanrossreviews ok thanks. I will block into the xb40.. thanks again. I was almost about to order the Denon and then saw your comment. I heard the new Bose but did not like the sound like from 10 blankets in top of it. Unfortunately Ilthey don't have a mini 2 for a demo...Let's see what Sony has. I heard it lacks tweeters
@@Goryglory0209 one thing everyone is agreed on is there is no one outright winner for bluetooth speakers, you have to decide what you value most and what tradeoffs you can live with. is size an issue for you? if so maybe the xb30 is more appropriate as its jbl charge size. the dali i think has to be played at moderate volumes to be hard at its best. the B&O small speakers are nice too, all with one issue or other though, and pricey.
@@alanrossreviews yes that's what I figured out. I don't want a big setup as space is a constraint on my desk. Wanted something sounding clear crisp and complete which h I can move in room or kitchen etc but seems like options are limited and there are tradeoffs. I live in an apartment and it's not permanennt so spending on a HiFi setup.wont make sense as I can't carry it if I have to move places and geolocation. I checked and xb30 looks not available and only on eBay though. How about the new series they came xb41. I can get that easily directly from Sony at a better price.
Thank Alan - almost went for a pair but thought there might be an issue with stereo pairing .....too fiddly . And even on the review videos of folk saying the 250 is the best speaker I still was not convinced . I got rid of the Beoplay A1’s Dud to the fact it was down to ease of usability ......though they sounded good together . They too would be temperamental . I now have the new Beolit 17 and I love it . Not stereo a such but a wide soundstage . It’s a base forward speaker but the vocals are so clear and not muddy and the base it deep . I like what you said about sound ....I like a speaker to make the music exciting , like you say original recordings are flat and boring sometimes ......they need some engineering help! I had also had the Oslo it was temperamental but sounded good , though to my ears it was still not as engaging as the Beolit . It’s all personal preference . I love deep base But not at the expense of vocal clarity . Thanks for the insight .🧐
Hey, how you doing? Been a while. Seems we are still both searching for the one! Right, personally I don’t see anything wrong with colouring the sound to some degree, every step of the recording process colours it to some degree anyway. At the end of the day all that matters to me is that you enjoy the sound! If you value clarity and clear vocals over warmth and bass though I don’t see this as being the speaker for you either. Mine are going back, just too muddy for my liking, but it was still enjoyable, im not trashing it, just saying it isnt for everyone including me. It is still a nice speaker to have a quick listen too. I must admit the Beolit 17 looks a nice option, are the specs right? do you get real bass down to 37 hz? For me the 360 sound isn’t an option because mine get a lot of beach use and I try and minimise annoying people near me lol. I thought your A1's might be keepers, you really liked them at the beginning. I also liked them when I heard them but again the 360 sound put me off. Reviewers generally really under estimate the importance of overall usability i think. I think thats often where some of the speakers that they cant understand anyone liking have their strong points. Nice to hear from you!
Thank for the reply Alan You have hit the nail on the head , it’s about usability . I liked the A1’s at the beigining but the usability to me was frustrating . They also sometimes struggled pairing and would become glitchy so I I lost patience ha ha . Battery awful too when paired. I stopped myself from purchasing the Dennon . I thought they might be a pain to use . The Sony srs30 is good if you tweak the EQ bass and treble up to max on the app . it saves to the speaker so you don’t have to fuss each time you play tunes . . I didn’t try doublling them up though but they have good battery and are water proof . Great for outdoors .Vocals are clear but still a bit warm for me at times......but try it out. Just make sure you tweak the Sony EQ app otherwise it sounds ‘ off’ out of the box . I like love sound and music I always have . I have had many larger systems through the years. Now I love they idea of taking good sound from room to room or outside with ease. There are portable Bluetooth speakers popping up all the times so it can be an expensive hobby ha ha The Beolit 17 is not really a beach speaker Alan The battery is not strong at higher 60% + volume specially if it’s base driven music . It’s also bulky it’s not water proof.....so not a speaker you can throw in your bag with ease . I got it so I can take good sound in the yard or from room to room so I put up with the bulk for the experience . It’s sound big . It’s a base forward speaker but it does not get in the way of the sound separation . It does have a very powerful sound and yes the low end reaches lower than 37hz but it does not muffle the rest of the sound signiture. It takes you by surprise on some tracks as you can feel the deep base extension , especially for a relative,y small unit. I gave up to the fussy stereo set up on some speaker and opted for the 17 as it projects a stereo field though not as wide as a stereo set up . Though you still get the best experience in front of the unit or to the sides rather than sat behind it . Good to here from you. Have a good sounding new year .🤫
happy xmas and new year to you to :) i might just have a try with that beolit 17, it might be good for small parties outdoors. The sonys i got put off when Oluv was saying how many different ways you need to tweak the sound as you go through the volume range.
Thank Alan- I guess no speaker is fully perfect . I like the 17 as it feels wide and not a boxed in sound . I compared it to two A1’s before I made the decision as I enjoy stereo or a wider sound . If you like clear vocals you love the speaker ....though it’s not cheap ! Jazz sound great but if you like dance music on more that 70% volume be prepared to plug it in as you’ll only get a few hours on battery . Have a good new year . Keep up the honest reviews .😃
@@alanrossreviews you know i am low level listener on my working desk. I have vifa helsinki, denon, hk go play and bose micro. I already compared with helsinki, denon and go play already. For low to mid level listening, XB40 has much much fuller sound, thick, thump bass that others never have...Powerful and solid sound, i didnt see any distortion even at highest levels, keep the enough bass also. When you pump up the volume, mids and highs are more pronounced. So i use the eq to have more sparkling sound in low levels and it really works pretty well. My setting are, trebles 3 levels up, mids 2 levels up and bass just 1 level up. I use this settings all the time... I never see such kind of thick sound especially in low levels, so impressive. I can feel the bass so well, even in very low levels, its like a big speakers...8-10khz trebles are nice, finess sound. Mids are little bit behind and it should be adjusted a bit with eq...
ruclips.net/video/KxPrYcXK_TQ/видео.html , ruclips.net/video/AbSZKB99JGI/видео.html , these videos can give you a first impression about the bass, however i will prepare a comparison video about that, i will share with you soon...
First few minutes and last few minutes can be shortened. Thick, muddy, sweet, has been repeated a lot. The discussion on personal taste and type of sound could be on a separate video too.✌️ Btw, thanks for the review. I’m planning to buy this Denon. After watching this review, might not buy anymore. Lol.
The jbls have a " commercial" sound with emphasis on the mid frequencies what most people accustomed to " lowFi" radio and television sets like, for listening to non commercial music say jazz or classic the Demon speaker give a more " true " sound to live sound witch is All so way more less fatigueng in the long run, young kids listening to rap or hip-hop will like the jobs more, but the Denon is projecting a truer image...
interesting you talk about image, the denons are a flat image, the vocals simply dont break free of the track, thats why i returned mine. Best i can tell it gets great reviews based on its meaty full sound, yes its good value but its coloured like the jbls. This doesnt sound true debate is too funny, i wont get into the meat of it now because i have done this to death. If you think listening to the denon is in any way like listening to the track live then im happy for you. My challenge is find me two flat tuned speakers that even sound like each other let alone the original engineers mix, im not even asking for it to sound genuinely natural. As for commercial sound, are you really trying to say the ceo at denon said guys, this is great, its not a sound that will appeal to the masses but id rather tune it for audiophile tastes than make a bucket load of money? they are all commercial sounds, but all companies strive to have a signature tune thats different.
@@alanrossreviews Yes, to a certain degree, that can be just what the people at Denon are thinking, to survive commercially in this ( especially when talking about speakers) harsh enviroment a High Fi company must profile themselves with products that are " tuned" to their potential buyers, for Denon that is a male, aged between 30 to 50 years,listening mostly to non- mainstream music , and wanting to have a above average sounding product, the sales of High Fi equipment are declining word wide, the upcoming music consumers often are not very interested in how a speaker sounds but mainly HOW LOUD it gets hanging out in the park listening to pop, rap or dance or hiphop, this from low quality Mp3 ( All ready compressed,and with very low real dynamics due to the loudness wars way of producing this music, in most Jazz and especially classic the emphasis is to reproduce the tonal timbre and space surrounding acoustical instruments try listening to a flamenco guitar ore maybe Brian Bromberg on his upright base,and you'll understand what I mean, btw I'm an old musician myself, used to play drums and with a little studio experience , loved your review btw, but testing speakers is always the hardest part of the audio chain,and very depending on your musical taste and background.
i agree with everything you said except i come at it from a standpoint that there is no right or wrong here. When you talk about dynamics along with a sense of intimacy and a tuned ear to how it sounds live then i understand why you started with comments on jbl. But the point of it all, no matter how tuned your ear, no matter what your tastes, no matter how real you want your sound, if you enjoy it, if it makes you smile, if you relax, then thats what music is for. decades ago people got as much pleasure from a 78 scratchy sound on a turntable. Today you would laugh if someone said they loved their 78s because it cant do any of what we now consider standard parameters. My point is our ears and brain become tuned to what makes us smile. That may well be having something that closely reproduces the original recording or simply a bass box, but the end user will be just as happy and that for me is what music is all about. My dad studied music at university, got a degree in it, now he has to cover his ears if i play beyonce, its excruciating to him, thats what happens when you become so technically tuned :) i appreciate your comments but do disagree with some of the comments on jbl vs denon. I did enjoy my charge 3s in stereo pairs vs denon in stereo pair. A lot of people have a hard time digesting that :) but if you ever get the chnace to try that out i would love hear your thoughts. Quite simply the charge 3s have air around instruments where denon does not, denon has a flat sound stage and my brain smiles with the charge 3s and not the denons. Yes the denons have a fuller more refined sound, and the jbls fall apart when pushed and lack high end etc, all the technical issues people talk about with jbl are there, but for stereo pairs the charge 3s in a/b comparision have an element of enjoyment the denons, for me, do not have. So while you may be 100% totally right in everything you say, does it truly matter if enjoy the jbls more? for me music is n art form, there can never be a right and wrong, its taste and its subjective. maybe this is the difference between a painting and a picture, it isnt about like for like reproduction. I get for you it is, because thats what you are listening for, but if some kid just listens for 20db boosted 70 hz bass, does it really matter? my reviews are slanted to my tastes i think i make it clear, so i like detail, mids, sweetness in the long term but can still enjoy the classic smiley face tuning when outside having a bbq :)
are you and antonio banderaz the same person??? Just kidding,...you are a good reviewer,.ive watched some of your videos,.but i think Denon envaya is an amazing and fuller sound speaker
put it this way Antonio Banderos is suing for me or copyright infringement! its all about opinions, a lot of people love the denon as you do, im just giving my take on it. I never said it was a bad speaker i even say its class leading. Its just not for me. Im not alone in finding it to bass heavy though, its all about taste. It does a great job for its size, no argument there.
JBL better mids? You have no good hearing, sir. Not even close to the Denon's mids. Have you seen the THD for both, not to mention a frequency response measurement for both brands? Seriously, your ears are deceiving you sir, because the JBL's don't stand a chance next to the DenOn DSB250BT.
lol! i do my own chart. frequency response using test tones as most do it is misleading when the speaker is using heavy dynamic dsp based on the actual track playing. I wonder if you understand the difference between better mids and more prominent mids? anyway thanks for letting me know if i disagree with you then my hearing must be bad, i mean there is no way you could be wrong or have different tastes right? lol! you guys....... ha! no wonder you are anonymous. 😜
I agree with u. I dont know whats the hype for this speaker. It cant even compete with my soundlink mini in terms of clarity. Every song sounds better on the bose. My jbl charge is much louder n the battery last 3 times more at high volume. So yeah.. Selling off my denon.
Alan Ross Reviews Yeah.. Either fanboy or paid reviewer. Clavinetjunkie used to be a gd reviewer. But looking at how highly he rate the denon im starting to hv doubts. He even said it sounds better than the fender newport. I hv the fender newport n it sounds crazily good. Comparing it to the denon is a joke.
To my ears (and you have to add you tube compression and recording anomalies which muddies the water) yes the Charge3 has more presence in the vocal on this demo, but the JBL sounds brittle, sibilant and lacking clarity. Listen beyond the vocals and there is far more detail, richness and dynamics in the Denon's upper mid. As you point out, the JBL has a lower bottom end but there is huge dip around 80 - 100Hz which separates the sub from the lower mids resulting in a hollow, unbalanced disconnect. Its like the JBL has a 'disco smile' e.q. applied to it which colours the sound far too much for my liking. But then I've got used to very flat response monitors (Genelec 1032a /Tannoy system 800s) for general listening and as always, sound is very much a subjective thing. It would have been nice to hear this up against a Bose Soundlink mini as per Brian's comment. Ive watched the Claivnetjunkie review too and to be honest, only the Riva sounded appreciatively better than the denon... I just want a decent speaker to take on holiday which is flat but extends low enough to use for jamming / recording on an ipad with a few portable synths.... so confused!
Great Review .. You deserve more thumbs up and more clicks for the trouble you went through to do such a great review.
thank you
Denon is another league. The hifi legue. JBL is a fun beach speaker. Most female vocals are clear as water on the Denons. And hurts your ears on JBL’s.
maybe you use filtered water? :)
I had mine for 3 years now and i decided to get a new one due to the battery issue and no track control. So far i have returned Bose A1 gen 2 and Bose Sound Flex. Nothing compares
I’m gonna get the Denon’s because I’ve heard them compared to other speakers and I feel they have great musicality in their soundstage. AND..it has dedicated amps built in....Maybe Denon could create a sound app, like Libratone and Sonos, with sound adjustments that could clear up some sound issues that some people may be having.
are you buying two? if so might wanna wait for my beolit 17 review which should be up today. A little more in cost but how more in performance?? :)
So what speaker would you recommend at this price range which is better than the Denon?
honestly i dont get into this better debate. Its so slanted to taste to make it irrelevant in music, DEPENDING on what you are looking for imho. My current favourite is the minirig v2 but i dotn know what you are looking for. For general out about i still like charge 3s in stereo, for a bit more refinement i like what the minirigs offer but it wont go too loud in low gain mode. What is your taste? what kind of volumes do you need? what size room you trying to fill?
@@alanrossreviews I just need a balanced sounding speaker more like for a small to mid size room. By the way I had the envaya but I sold it, and now I'm planning to get one again since I can't find a better option. What I like about the Denon is it's nice sound stage. However, I do agree with you regarding the build quality which is the main reason I'm holding back now. And I've also heard about the batteries self discharging issue. :)
I am into almost all types of music except for metal and those which have explicit lyrics! And oh, I only listen at 50% volume most of the time, the highest would be 70%.
@@halfcrazyluv1 is this really your top budget? i would personally think about a pair of minirig 2s and play in stereo low gain mode, from what you are saying i think it would suit.
@@halfcrazyluv1 you have a nice tone to your voice btw 👍😀😇
I own many BT speakers and I haven’t heard anything close to the quality of the Denon at this price point. At this size nothing touches it. I don’t think the sound is muddy at all. Just my two cents.
yes i didnt mean to say the sound overall is muddy, but that the bass muddies the vocals at lower volumes to an extent. You can certainly hear the vocals but they are not projected forwards of the rest of the track. Again just my opinion i fully respect yours. However the frequency response charts as you go through the volume range show a linear change the whole way through as bass falls away and the vocal range db increases. By 70% the vocals start to project so much of it will depend on your listening volume. Again not saying this makes it a bad speaker, i did state i think its best in class, im just pointing out its weak areas, this of course is relative.
None of this matters of course if you are happy with the speaker. As i said, there is no right or wrong as far as im concerned with music and speakers, its just opinions.
btw there was a guy in the US saying how his speaker sounds totally different to the eu ones he heard, i wonder if there is much model variation or if there really is a regional difference in tuning.
You say Charge 3 is airy and good at highs? Gosh, it sounds like it was covered with a towel, am I wrong?
Swing Orange no pretty sure i didnt say charge 3 had better highs. Quite the opposite, very poor at the high end. Its certainly airy compared to the denons WHEN PAIRED IN STEREO MODE compared to a pair of denons imho.
Hmm, ok. I find the Charge 3 as one of the worst speakers in terms of highs and vocals. The Denon 250BT sounds a lot better in this regard imo.
Swing Orange have you heard them both in paired stereo mode?
Nope, only single. But there's no way that adding the second dull sounding speaker would make the sound sparkle more. Just impossible. We're not changing the tweeters we're just adding a second unit.
Swing Orange well you need to hear them. Its the processing that changes.
Hello Alan, do not know if you still have the envaya's 250 or you recall but i wanted to ask you if do you know how to switch left and right channel while in paring stereo mode for two envaya's ?
sorry im down to a single denon so cant try this.
Good review. I caved and have bought the Denon. Thought I'd see how I get on with it before I get a second. I think you have been a little harsh with regard to the practicality issues. The buttons don't click but I know when I'm pressing them. I'm not pushing hard. Once turned up to full volume, that is no longer an issue. The charge lights don't illuminate in a steady fashion when charging, but if you know it is low on power, once you have charged it (and you have to out of the box), you know how long that takes. What else... Oh, the charge cable is a little tricky to get in. The rubber tab to access it is fixed firmly. I can use my nail but it is close to as much pressure as I would want to apply using my fingernail. Other reviews have said lots of white noise but I have none. The bass does indeed roll off a lot towards the top end of volume, but I won't be using it that loud. It is bass heavy at lower vols and sweet in the middle. If I put it on the counter in the corner of the kitchen, the effect of the corner walls and the unit above increase the bass to incredible levels! I need a corner that I can take around with the speaker 😛😝😛
the second one will give you more bass slam of course......bass always responds to well to doubling the output.....,, 👍
Hey! I have one Denon already and a fiio q1 mark 2 DAC. I wanted to have a pair of speakers where I can listen to FLAC with good instrument separation and soundstage. Is it worth it to buy another Denon or is it better to get a shelf speaker? Thanks, and congratulations on the video!
shelf speakers for the same budget will always be better, you pay a premium for the portability. But two denons will still sound better than one, just cant compete with bookshelf speakers.
Alan Ross Reviews Thank you so much for the quick reply! So which pair of bookshelf speakers would you suggest for around 150£?
what are you using it with? maybe the kanto yu2 as you get the option of the matched subwoofer upgrade later.
oh sorry they are desktop, you literally mean bookshelf?
Alan Ross Reviews actually it can be Desktop. I want a nice pair of speaker to listen my flac files and enjoy a similar Soundstage I've got with my sennheiser HD598. I can use my FiiO DAC to output the sound, but of the speaker has already a good built in dac it's alright as well :)
I'll check the one you suggested!
Thank's for this in-depth review Alan!
I totally agree with you that the sound is great but it is definitely not a perfect speaker. I was actually looking for a water resistant speaker in its size but the fact that there are too many usability and quality issues was the deal breaker for me. Very bad build quality! Totally different sound picture with the volume level not at max which probably even affects the battery life negatively. And consequently there is this strong hissing sound. The speaker is not synced with your phone when it comes to the volume control. I want to use the speaker in wet conditions without having to take out my phone. Portable speakers are not just about the sound. If you need great sound and don't need portability you better choose a larger speaker.
Now I bought a Sony xb30 instead which has a great build quality and no such quality issues. And you can adjust the sound through Sony's app. I also like the Charge 3. And both manage deeper bass than Envaya.
As it is now the Envaya doesn't serve its purpose other than great sound which is a subjective factor.
well it does sync with the phone volume control but you have to physically have the denon at full volume or it doesnt play with its full sound or power. So yes different sound picture but hard to believe this was intentional and hard to believe they can go to market like that. I actually think the full weighty sound of the denon is better suited to outdoor use. I like what sony have done with their app giving us the ability to have personal eq or auto eq, i have the sony srs x77 and like that ability. Funny enough i got hammered for liking the sony package on that speaker by the same guys hammering me for pointing out the weaknesses in the denon and liking the charge 3. Its a strange world audio :) as you say, subjective, wish they would realise that. Im tempted to try the sony but i heard that speaker also has issues depending on the volume in the sense of how the sound changes.
Alan Ross Reviews yes, all small speakers do have this issue, thay are not meant to be listened at very high volume levels, the bass usually loses its depth and strength. I went for the xb 30 mainly because its wonderful bass boost at low volume levels which gives you a full sound picture. I needed a portable water resistant smaller speaker for low volume level listening and it is great for this purpose. I even tried the xb 20 before making my decision but it was too weak and the sound picture worsened too quickly when turning up the volume although it is also nice at low volume levels and boosts the bass.
Alan great review, really impressed, not solely focusing in how loud and how long. Usability is a significant factor with portable devices and often spoils a basically good product.
Similar I'm always looking for the best BT speaker; Beolit 15, A2, A2 Active, A1, P2, JBL Charge 3, RIVA S, BOSE Revolve +, Tuefel Boomster Pro. I looked at the Denon Envaya 250, is a very competent speaker, equally not mind-blowingly better than the competition, just a level up in some areas, also agree the Denon can come across harsh at times.
Agree the pleasure is in the listening and everyone's ears are different. Always found the Charge 3 to be lacking at the high end, and it still does although JBL's last firmware update to me has improved the high frequency response a good deal. Really like B&O's sound signature, however the battery life with B&O portables is always very weak, especially the A2 Active which I really like, although many don't as runtime, charging and powering are a PIA, that said place this speaker to suit your listening taste and it really comes to life, literally filling the room.
Looking to a Beolit 17 or one of the larger Tuefel speakers next, wasn't impressed at all with the Bamster Pro initially, literally physically rattled on some surfaces, overly bass heavy, however after a good few hours the seemingly hard feet have softened up, speaker has a nice warm tone, solid bass, tactile buttons and something rarely seen today a volume dial, simply a joy to use...
Keep em coming, subscribed.
thanks for the kind words! interesting you mention the beolit 17 i actually have one now to try but will probably return. I really like the sound overall and the way it handles vocals but usbaility again a factor, the app doesnt play well with my android phone and i read it has problems generally with android. ah! a volume dial! now that wasnt so hard to do after all :)
Beolit 15 is the same sounds great, however the control buttons are terribly thought out. A1 is the same, tiny hard to push buttons with absolutely no tactile feel, good luck in the dark. A2 Active really delivers, equally is difficult to keep charged as has 2 x 30 Watt RMS amps, why B&O don't include a 3 Amp USB C charger is beyond me as very few chargers can output 3 Amp's nor does USB C always play well and chargers may default to the lowest level.
I have an Anker USB charger and luckily it can provide 3 Amps over USB C for the A2 Active. What I like about the A2 is that you can tune the sound by it's placement, just dumping in the middle of the room it wont sound so good. Placing the A2 in a corner or against a wall really changes the sound signature thx to it's speaker orientation. Would just be a lot better if it had double the battery capacity and an included charger.
Volume dials; Didn't care for the Boomster Pro initially, as it literally rattled on hard surfaces, with an overly boomy base. After a few days what seemed to be hard plastic feet, softened up? the rattling ceased and the speaker broke in. Now it still remains bass heavy at low volumes, however once turned up to more moderate levels really balanced speaker.
Boomster Pro has a stereo expansion setting, think it's pretty much useless for music unless just casual listening in a crowd. That said if your stuck in a hotel and watch a film the Dynamore setting is actually pretty good as long as the source is clean, better than most I've tried. Thinking to replace the Beolit with one of Teufel's larger BT speakers Boomster XL if I can source one locally.
you should do some reviews? you certainly know your speakers :) my beolit 17 does come with a 3 amp charger, its actually this chinese one, DST450-303. My normal use for bluetooth speakers is outdoors and travel/beach. Beolit 17 isnt really travel friendly and isnt what i would normally listen to but i heard it in a store and had to give it a try after someone else with my taste pointed me in that direction. Do you bother with the app? just wondering what you make of the equaliser and why they couldnt just give us a multi band eqauliser that doesnt require a phd to work out.
B&O App is plain painful you need to connect to the speaker(s) through it to work consistently. The "dot" is basically flat/neutral and you either add or subtract by moving it about, however it only has something like 2-3 steps in 8 directions. To me this results in a far less flexible than a traditional EQ, difference for the sake of methinks, admittedly easy to adjust once you "get It". Mostly I've got my portable speakers connected to one of my notebooks, so don't bother with the App.
Beolit 15/17 are poor choices for outdoors as the battery life is weak, personally I'd opt for a Dreamwave Tremor, not so good indoors as the speaker only really comes to life at around 60% or greater volume, but when it does it really lights up. The Tremor is certainly loud and has a substantial battery runtime, and very rugged. Battery life is apparently huge, with 50 watts RMS on tap, I've listened to one pretty good but need the amp to drive the speakers to get the best and a sold bass response. No DSP just decent amp's and speakers. Another that's on my shopping list :) so certainly impressed enough.
I'm a consultant engineer in the energy industry so I can spend 5-7 months away from home on major project's, therefore great portable audio is right up there on my priorities.
Just picked up a Teuel Boomster this evening, cant source a Boomster XL (am an expat based in Asia) not bad, not bad at all. Not sure if mine is an older model or specific to the Asian market as differs from the UK sites model; no DAB, different FM antenna. Think the latter as Teufel is very new here. Liking the tuneable bass, allowing one to increase or decrease the "subs" response. Too soon to say right now, same as the Teufel Bamster Pro think this speaker will sound much better after being run for a good few hours. The smaller Teufel I literally left it to play for 48 hours solid at around 30%
So far the Teufel Boomster doesn't reach as deep as the Beolit 15, however imaging is way better and far more balanced. The Beolit 15 at times try's too hard to be a stereo speaker, while the brutal reality is it's ostensibly a mono speaker with some of the dynamism of stereo.
trying to get a handle on the app eq, the stock centro spot doesnt seem neutral to me but probably the best balanced. I guess it depends how it sits with the particular speaker but right now im finding that moving across to relaxed and coming down say a third just fills in the mids making it more accurate to the original, but i havent sent too much time with it. also depends on the volume of course as the sound does change as you push it. i think this 60% to sound decent holds for a lot of these speakers. That Dreamwave Tremor sure looks rugged :) to be honest i end up playing my flip 4s more than anything else, just so handy. had an extended listen to the 17 today and over the long haul it was a little tiring, but enjoyable. appreciate your long replys, your teaching me a lot :)
Hi, you're saying that the very dominant bass overlays the midrange. Does this change if the volume on the speaker is reduced and increased on the mobile phone? Since then a different low-frequency response will occur.
if you reduce the speaker volume you lose the bass fullness but the overall sound becomes dull.
Thanks for your answer, but something really went wrong at Denon, didn't it? The normal buyer, who doesn't know this, gets a loudspeaker that sounds out of the box dull, with low volume at the speaker. strange
yes i cant disagree with you.
Joe Fernwright yes, I would never buy the Envaya with those quality issues. Smaller portable speakers are also about the usability and not just the sound, otherwise there is a lot of great larger speakers in the market.
Very informative video indeed... is the stereo pairing stable on denon?
yes, at 8.50 i pair them.
Hello Alan, sound and speaker choice is subjective and depends about music type, level and etc...I have Vifa helsinki for long time and suits to my music choices mostly and also late night option is good option for more bright sound. Sometimes its good to have fuller sound in low levels, so do you recommend to buy Denon? I know that Denon have some issues that battery and noise...
The denon is a decent sounding speaker for the money and size, no question. My own quibble was that the sound never opened up and vocals didnt break free or stand out. For me this is a deal breaker. I had the same issue with the helsinki so i would think as you liked that one the denon may well be up your street, although maybe a little less neutral, slightly fuller thicker sound. I think the denon is a little more meaty sounding in its signature.
@@alanrossreviews thank you indeed for your quick reply. Maybe I should buy for an alternative and outdoor use also.
@@aktunav to be honest I'd rather live with the demon than the Helsinki, is there a reason you never went with the Oslo.?
@@alanrossreviews Oslo is big to carry, Helsinki has better sound stage comparing Oslo. BTW I was looking for smaller HiFi sound than Helsinki. So Denon could be
based on that then i think yes, denon could well be the one for you :) people think i didnt like it, i did, but i had other options which suited my tastes more.
How does this compare to a xB 30 or the SoundLink revolve (not +)?
So every time you turn the Denon on, you have to manually put it to max volume??? It doesn’t remember the volume from the last time you played it??
yes it does remember. But you still will find yourself pressing it to make sure.
Alan Ross Reviews ah I see what you mean, still undecided whether to get the Denon yet! Great review anyway though!
thanks :) hope you make the right decision!
Is it correct, that the bass in only great, if it is on maximum at the Denon-speaker? Some people told me that the bass is not that great if it is on half of the volume (and on max at the smartphone).
ah, what they mean is the speaker doesnt sync fully so for proper control you need to have the speaker at max physically before you start controlling with the phone otherwise the sound is dull
And how long does the battery works before u have to charge at full maximum?
Great video! How good is the battery life ?
I liked your emphasis on how vocals ought to sound separate from rest of the instruments. Yours is perhaps the only video review on a pair of speakers on RUclips. 🙂
I've been trying to choose between a pair of Denon Envaya 250 and B&O Beoplay S3. However, there are no reviews of latter in stereo paired mode, so it's very difficult to get any idea of how they'd sound as a pair. Where I live it's not going to be possible to get a live demo of these speakers, so I'll have to purchase speakers online based purely on such reviews as yours. Is it likely you or any of your viewers might've inputs on sound quality of Envaya 250 versus Beoplay S3? Thanks!
im sure they have, also have you asked clavinetjunkie and speaker toni who have also tried both?
Alan Ross Reviews Thanks! Will try that.
Ketan Panchal Don’t know if you are still thinking about it, but I own a pair of S3’s and I am really happy with them - and the sound when paired is a big step up from a single. No battery though, which is why they pack so much punch.
Hi, is this speaker still usable with a cord even after battery died??
i no longer have it, so cant say sorry.
Which color do you like better?
blue!
Alan Ross Reviews was just curious if you liked the way the grey one looked. But ok...
oh, i thought you meant of all of them, no i dont like the colours of the denons, dont know what they were thinking.
Do these have to be paired every time you use use them in stereo mode.?
yup 😛
Thanks Alan. That's a deal breaker right there.
It's just a shame that the speaker suffers from static noise and discharge problem. Yes, good sound for its size and it supports TWS but a device this size and with this speaker configuration is always going to suffer from a lack of midrange frequencies (no amount of DSP wizardry can rectify this). Probably better off buying an Audio Pro Addon T3 or newer C3...
I think Denon can do better imho.
Hi Alan, what do you make of the Sony XB30?
i must admit I have not heard it in person, btw its now the xb31. From what i have gathered its a bass heavy speaker as per the name. I never went for the xb30 based on feedback that the charge 3 was better balanced. I may try the xb31 down the line sometime. It is less compelling to me because i have the jbl speakers. However given the sony app allowing you to embed your own eq it is certainly of interest to me. I still prefer the jbl form factor but the xb31 seems to have closed the gap in that area. Sorry i cant help more.
Appreciate your prompt reply. Would really have appreciated your take on it, but would love to see you review the new xb31 soon. Thanks!
its on the to do list but i do so much away from here i struggle for time :) thanks for the feedback anyway.
ah! i try to avoid getting into debates on oluv and his methods :) I have a lot of respect for Oluv dont get me wrong but we certainly have differences of opinions, a lot ha! I would say generally it is accurate in my opinion but within limits. I respect what he is trying to achieve but it is not possible in my opinion when the speakers are recorded at different times and without a huge number of controls for a host of parameters. They are a reasonably accurate representation of the differences between speakers if you have a good handle on some of them for reference.
But to sound individually as they would in your room at different sound pressure levels, and with different room acoustics, only within limits. A huge amount will also depend on what you are listening to them through.
Alan Ross Reviews oluv says the xb31 is a total disaster and nowhere near its predecessor xb30. Cant believe how a company like Sony can do this to their latest speaker when their old one i.e xb30 was suh a good one. Would love to hear your views on the same. Please review the xb31 as it competes with the denon too.
Thanks!
@Alan Ross Reviews How about the SoundLink Mini 2. I keep hearing that this Denon is the best. I am looking for sound clarity and instrument separation more rather than just stupid bass. I do have an Aune DAC/AMP which I would love to put to use via Aux. The problem s desk space in my room and I just want something which is portable and I can move across rooms with Bluetooth instead of Aux when needed. I heard the Revolves but that DSP...is like damnn
i never found the denon clear enough for vocals, that was my main issue. It has a good bass with thick meaty sound which is what most people love about it. It has battery drain issues though. The soundlink is a bit dated imho but still one people love, its bass first though again. are the minirigs not something youd look at or you want an all in one package? what about the sonys? people seem to love the older xb30 and xb40 with some eq tweaking.
@@alanrossreviews ok thanks. I will block into the xb40.. thanks again. I was almost about to order the Denon and then saw your comment. I heard the new Bose but did not like the sound like from 10 blankets in top of it. Unfortunately Ilthey don't have a mini 2 for a demo...Let's see what Sony has. I heard it lacks tweeters
I heard the Dali match but that's an expensive toy. was looking for more of a complete package
@@Goryglory0209 one thing everyone is agreed on is there is no one outright winner for bluetooth speakers, you have to decide what you value most and what tradeoffs you can live with. is size an issue for you? if so maybe the xb30 is more appropriate as its jbl charge size. the dali i think has to be played at moderate volumes to be hard at its best. the B&O small speakers are nice too, all with one issue or other though, and pricey.
@@alanrossreviews yes that's what I figured out. I don't want a big setup as space is a constraint on my desk. Wanted something sounding clear crisp and complete which h I can move in room or kitchen etc but seems like options are limited and there are tradeoffs. I live in an apartment and it's not permanennt so spending on a HiFi setup.wont make sense as I can't carry it if I have to move places and geolocation. I checked and xb30 looks not available and only on eBay though. How about the new series they came xb41. I can get that easily directly from Sony at a better price.
no need to buy double denon
becuz this one become a bright star when alone.
Huh?
Hi Hows your Denon Envaya now?
@@marlon18881 fine besides battery issues.
Thank Alan - almost went for a pair but thought there might be an issue with stereo pairing .....too fiddly . And even on the review videos of folk saying the 250 is the best speaker I still was not convinced .
I got rid of the Beoplay A1’s Dud to the fact it was down to ease of usability ......though they sounded good together . They too would be temperamental .
I now have the new Beolit 17 and I love it . Not stereo a such but a wide soundstage . It’s a base forward speaker but the vocals are so clear and not muddy and the base it deep .
I like what you said about sound ....I like a speaker to make the music exciting , like you say original recordings are flat and boring sometimes ......they need some engineering help!
I had also had the Oslo it was temperamental but sounded good , though to my ears it was still not as engaging as the Beolit . It’s all personal preference . I love deep base But not at the expense of vocal clarity .
Thanks for the insight .🧐
Hey, how you doing? Been a while. Seems we are still both searching for the one! Right, personally I don’t see anything wrong with colouring the sound to some degree, every step of the recording process colours it to some degree anyway. At the end of the day all that matters to me is that you enjoy the sound! If you value clarity and clear vocals over warmth and bass though I don’t see this as being the speaker for you either. Mine are going back, just too muddy for my liking, but it was still enjoyable, im not trashing it, just saying it isnt for everyone including me. It is still a nice speaker to have a quick listen too. I must admit the Beolit 17 looks a nice option, are the specs right? do you get real bass down to 37 hz? For me the 360 sound isn’t an option because mine get a lot of beach use and I try and minimise annoying people near me lol. I thought your A1's might be keepers, you really liked them at the beginning. I also liked them when I heard them but again the 360 sound put me off. Reviewers generally really under estimate the importance of overall usability i think. I think thats often where some of the speakers that they cant understand anyone liking have their strong points. Nice to hear from you!
Thank for the reply Alan
You have hit the nail on the head , it’s about usability . I liked the A1’s at the beigining but the usability to me was frustrating . They also sometimes struggled pairing and would become glitchy so I I lost patience ha ha . Battery awful too when paired.
I stopped myself from purchasing the Dennon . I thought they might be a pain to use .
The Sony srs30 is good if you tweak the EQ bass and treble up to max on the app . it saves to the speaker so you don’t have to fuss each time you play tunes . . I didn’t try doublling them up though but they have good battery and are water proof . Great for outdoors .Vocals are clear but still a bit warm for me at times......but try it out. Just make sure you tweak the Sony EQ app otherwise it sounds ‘ off’ out of the box .
I like love sound and music I always have . I have had many larger systems through the years. Now I love they idea of taking good sound from room to room or outside with ease. There are portable Bluetooth speakers popping up all the times so it can be an expensive hobby ha ha
The Beolit 17 is not really a beach speaker Alan The battery is not strong at higher 60% + volume specially if it’s base driven music . It’s also bulky it’s not water proof.....so not a speaker you can throw in your bag with ease . I got it so I can take good sound in the yard or from room to room so I put up with the bulk for the experience . It’s sound big .
It’s a base forward speaker but it does not get in the way of the sound separation . It does have a very powerful sound and yes the low end reaches lower than 37hz but it does not muffle the rest of the sound signiture. It takes you by surprise on some tracks as you can feel the deep base extension , especially for a relative,y small unit.
I gave up to the fussy stereo set up on some speaker and opted for the 17 as it projects a stereo field though not as wide as a stereo set up . Though you still get the best experience in front of the unit or to the sides rather than sat behind it .
Good to here from you. Have a good sounding new year .🤫
happy xmas and new year to you to :) i might just have a try with that beolit 17, it might be good for small parties outdoors. The sonys i got put off when Oluv was saying how many different ways you need to tweak the sound as you go through the volume range.
Thank Alan- I guess no speaker is fully perfect .
I like the 17 as it feels wide and not a boxed in sound . I compared it to two A1’s before I made the decision as I enjoy stereo or a wider sound .
If you like clear vocals you love the speaker ....though it’s not cheap !
Jazz sound great but if you like dance music on more that 70% volume be prepared to plug it in as you’ll only get a few hours on battery .
Have a good new year . Keep up the honest reviews .😃
i bought one :) really like it but problem is the app. are you on android by any chance? if so do you have any problems connecting to it?
The master unit, which connect to your phone, is right channel. The slave unit is left channel. I mean Denon Envaya 250
ah! wish I had thought about that before the video. Thanks for pointing that out.
Hi Alan, did you try XB40?
no never did, i actually nearly re-bought the denon 250 but events over took me. now the minirig 3 is looking like its the one.
@@alanrossreviews I see. I bought xb40 a week ago. I just wanted to ask your opinion if you tried one. It's ok :)
@@aktunav
How does it compare to the others you've had? What settings/mode are you using?
@@alanrossreviews you know i am low level listener on my working desk. I have vifa helsinki, denon, hk go play and bose micro. I already compared with helsinki, denon and go play already.
For low to mid level listening, XB40 has much much fuller sound, thick, thump bass that others never have...Powerful and solid sound, i didnt see any distortion even at highest levels, keep the enough bass also. When you pump up the volume, mids and highs are more pronounced.
So i use the eq to have more sparkling sound in low levels and it really works pretty well. My setting are, trebles 3 levels up, mids 2 levels up and bass just 1 level up. I use this settings all the time...
I never see such kind of thick sound especially in low levels, so impressive. I can feel the bass so well, even in very low levels, its like a big speakers...8-10khz trebles are nice, finess sound. Mids are little bit behind and it should be adjusted a bit with eq...
ruclips.net/video/KxPrYcXK_TQ/видео.html , ruclips.net/video/AbSZKB99JGI/видео.html , these videos can give you a first impression about the bass, however i will prepare a comparison video about that, i will share with you soon...
I beleive "oversized" is a common description for speakers with large magnets.
interesting 👍
Who cares about vocals i like only bass. Denon are great Bluetooth speaker.
I think you will find a lot of people care about vocals. If you only care about bass why don't you get a boombox?
This comment hurt me. XD
First few minutes and last few minutes can be shortened. Thick, muddy, sweet, has been repeated a lot. The discussion on personal taste and type of sound could be on a separate video too.✌️
Btw, thanks for the review. I’m planning to buy this Denon. After watching this review, might not buy anymore. Lol.
noted :)
The jbls have a " commercial" sound with emphasis on the mid frequencies what most people accustomed to " lowFi" radio and television sets like, for listening to non commercial music say jazz or classic the Demon speaker give a more " true " sound to live sound witch is All so way more less fatigueng in the long run, young kids listening to rap or hip-hop will like the jobs more, but the Denon is projecting a truer image...
interesting you talk about image, the denons are a flat image, the vocals simply dont break free of the track, thats why i returned mine. Best i can tell it gets great reviews based on its meaty full sound, yes its good value but its coloured like the jbls. This doesnt sound true debate is too funny, i wont get into the meat of it now because i have done this to death. If you think listening to the denon is in any way like listening to the track live then im happy for you. My challenge is find me two flat tuned speakers that even sound like each other let alone the original engineers mix, im not even asking for it to sound genuinely natural. As for commercial sound, are you really trying to say the ceo at denon said guys, this is great, its not a sound that will appeal to the masses but id rather tune it for audiophile tastes than make a bucket load of money? they are all commercial sounds, but all companies strive to have a signature tune thats different.
@@alanrossreviews Yes, to a certain degree, that can be just what the people at Denon are thinking, to survive commercially in this ( especially when talking about speakers) harsh enviroment a High Fi company must profile themselves with products that are " tuned" to their potential buyers, for Denon that is a male, aged between 30 to 50 years,listening mostly to non- mainstream music , and wanting to have a above average sounding product, the sales of High Fi equipment are declining word wide, the upcoming music consumers often are not very interested in how a speaker sounds but mainly HOW LOUD it gets hanging out in the park listening to pop, rap or dance or hiphop, this from low quality Mp3 ( All ready compressed,and with very low real dynamics due to the loudness wars way of producing this music, in most Jazz and especially classic the emphasis is to reproduce the tonal timbre and space surrounding acoustical instruments try listening to a flamenco guitar ore maybe Brian Bromberg on his upright base,and you'll understand what I mean, btw I'm an old musician myself, used to play drums and with a little studio experience , loved your review btw, but testing speakers is always the hardest part of the audio chain,and very depending on your musical taste and background.
i agree with everything you said except i come at it from a standpoint that there is no right or wrong here. When you talk about dynamics along with a sense of intimacy and a tuned ear to how it sounds live then i understand why you started with comments on jbl. But the point of it all, no matter how tuned your ear, no matter what your tastes, no matter how real you want your sound, if you enjoy it, if it makes you smile, if you relax, then thats what music is for. decades ago people got as much pleasure from a 78 scratchy sound on a turntable. Today you would laugh if someone said they loved their 78s because it cant do any of what we now consider standard parameters. My point is our ears and brain become tuned to what makes us smile. That may well be having something that closely reproduces the original recording or simply a bass box, but the end user will be just as happy and that for me is what music is all about. My dad studied music at university, got a degree in it, now he has to cover his ears if i play beyonce, its excruciating to him, thats what happens when you become so technically tuned :) i appreciate your comments but do disagree with some of the comments on jbl vs denon. I did enjoy my charge 3s in stereo pairs vs denon in stereo pair. A lot of people have a hard time digesting that :) but if you ever get the chnace to try that out i would love hear your thoughts. Quite simply the charge 3s have air around instruments where denon does not, denon has a flat sound stage and my brain smiles with the charge 3s and not the denons. Yes the denons have a fuller more refined sound, and the jbls fall apart when pushed and lack high end etc, all the technical issues people talk about with jbl are there, but for stereo pairs the charge 3s in a/b comparision have an element of enjoyment the denons, for me, do not have. So while you may be 100% totally right in everything you say, does it truly matter if enjoy the jbls more? for me music is n art form, there can never be a right and wrong, its taste and its subjective. maybe this is the difference between a painting and a picture, it isnt about like for like reproduction. I get for you it is, because thats what you are listening for, but if some kid just listens for 20db boosted 70 hz bass, does it really matter? my reviews are slanted to my tastes i think i make it clear, so i like detail, mids, sweetness in the long term but can still enjoy the classic smiley face tuning when outside having a bbq :)
He was old and needed the money
santa clause?
are you and antonio banderaz the same person??? Just kidding,...you are a good reviewer,.ive watched some of your videos,.but i think Denon envaya is an amazing and fuller sound speaker
put it this way Antonio Banderos is suing for me or copyright infringement! its all about opinions, a lot of people love the denon as you do, im just giving my take on it. I never said it was a bad speaker i even say its class leading. Its just not for me. Im not alone in finding it to bass heavy though, its all about taste. It does a great job for its size, no argument there.
JBL better mids? You have no good hearing, sir. Not even close to the Denon's mids. Have you seen the THD for both, not to mention a frequency response measurement for both brands? Seriously, your ears are deceiving you sir, because the JBL's don't stand a chance next to the DenOn DSB250BT.
lol! i do my own chart. frequency response using test tones as most do it is misleading when the speaker is using heavy dynamic dsp based on the actual track playing. I wonder if you understand the difference between better mids and more prominent mids? anyway thanks for letting me know if i disagree with you then my hearing must be bad, i mean there is no way you could be wrong or have different tastes right? lol! you guys....... ha! no wonder you are anonymous. 😜
It's good that you edited out all the cursing and swearing
😊
I agree with u. I dont know whats the hype for this speaker. It cant even compete with my soundlink mini in terms of clarity. Every song sounds better on the bose. My jbl charge is much louder n the battery last 3 times more at high volume. So yeah.. Selling off my denon.
thanks for the feedback. It does seem this speaker has protected fanboy status in general :)
Alan Ross Reviews Yeah.. Either fanboy or paid reviewer. Clavinetjunkie used to be a gd reviewer. But looking at how highly he rate the denon im starting to hv doubts. He even said it sounds better than the fender newport. I hv the fender newport n it sounds crazily good. Comparing it to the denon is a joke.
To my ears (and you have to add you tube compression and recording anomalies which muddies the water) yes the Charge3 has more presence in the vocal on this demo, but the JBL sounds brittle, sibilant and lacking clarity. Listen beyond the vocals and there is far more detail, richness and dynamics in the Denon's upper mid.
As you point out, the JBL has a lower bottom end but there is huge dip around 80 - 100Hz which separates the sub from the lower mids resulting in a hollow, unbalanced disconnect. Its like the JBL has a 'disco smile' e.q. applied to it which colours the sound far too much for my liking. But then I've got used to very flat response monitors (Genelec 1032a /Tannoy system 800s) for general listening and as always, sound is very much a subjective thing.
It would have been nice to hear this up against a Bose Soundlink mini as per Brian's comment. Ive watched the Claivnetjunkie review too and to be honest, only the Riva sounded appreciatively better than the denon... I just want a decent speaker to take on holiday which is flat but extends low enough to use for jamming / recording on an ipad with a few portable synths.... so confused!
you are very based, liked and subbed, good luck good man!
thanks 😌😌
you are making no sense. contradicting yourself!
can you give some examples of where i make a contradiction?
Denon's sound seems like between charge 3 and flip 4
not really, in that the bass is much fuller and the sound much thicker than either of the jbls, to my ears anyway.
ohhh i see, i thought that Charge 3 has little bit more bass than Denon.
yes the charge 3 goes a little lower, but the reality is because of the fullness of the denon bass it sounds the other way round.
I've got it, thank you so much for the info.
Hahahahahahahahhahaha!!!!!