LG - xboom Stage 301 Bluetooth Speaker - Black

When I went to the best buy store in Eagan, MN to pick up My new Bluetooth speaker, I was wondering if I made a good choice going with this LG Speaker. Upon opening the box and lifting the speaker up out of its protective packaging, I was pleasantly surprised by the over all appearance and visual quality. The speaker has a very solid handle to lift it. It has very sturdy construction. It was very easy to set up and adapt it via Bluetooth to my android phone. The sound quality is superb . It is not super loud, but it is loud enough in my opinion. I also own a Sony ULT 7 which is louder, but not really superior in sound quality. For the price and overall quality, I am very satisfied. Enough so that I have purchased a second one so I can pair them together for true stereo sound. I would recommend the speaker for those who enjoy quality over quantity so to speak. And if you want MORE BOOM, PURCASE TWO !

LG has introduced a series of three portable Bluetooth speakers, and the LG xboom Stage 301 is the largest and most versatile of the three. It has so many features, functions, and creative possibilities that it is hard to cover them all in a simple review. It weighs 13.6 lbs., has a 6.6” woofer, two 2.5” midrange drivers, and is powered by 50 watts. The musical sounds it emanates are terrific! Portability is superb, with 11-12 hours of battery life, and the ability to purchase more rechargeable batteries directly from the LG website. A full battery charge takes three hours, and battery life can be monitored on the LG Thinq app, which also allows you to control several other features of the xboom Stage 301. I left it playing from 11:00 am until 10:30 pm, and it still had a little power left. LG specifies that it will run 11 – 12 hours. I have had several Bluetooth speakers, but never one before that paired so quickly and seamlessly as this, which supports 5.3 Bluetooth. With a touch of a button, I was playing all types of music through the speaker from my phone. Music to me is the only universal language, and xboom Stage 301 has many features and functions that can be used to enhance various sources of music. There is an EQ setting, which changes the sound effect, the AI automatic function that adjusts the sound to a specific space, the Reverb, Mic, and Guitar controls. Automatically adjusting the sound to a specific space where listening will occur can maximize all frequencies and fine-tune the sound to the speakers' best harmonious possibility. There is also Party Link by Auracast that allows for linking two similar models for stereo play, and a multimode that enables multiple models to be chained and connected. A feature that adds a touch of interest is the Mood Lighting. It can be set to different lighting patterns and colors. Whether you are playing music using Bluetooth, your guitar, or the USB MP3 player playing music from a USB stick, the lighting program will synchronize with the music. I like the MY button because it allows for saving a specific mood light, type of music, and acts as a favorite button to save particular settings for future play. All control buttons are easily located on the top of the unit, even though the unit can be positioned at several angles or set on a stand with the incorporated stand hole. There are several options for playing music through this marvelous device besides just using it as a Bluetooth speaker. It is equipped with a 3.5mm stereo mini jack, a 1/4” mic which doubles as a guitar jack, and a USB for a flash drive to playback MP3 music. It also has a Karaoke and DJ Mode, which I played with a little, but was most impressed with the sound that came from my voice through the mic and the clarity of the music from my guitar. The karaoke function was interesting because of its AI vocal separation that removes all vocals from recorded music so as not to interfere with the person’s singing voice. When the covers are all closed, the xboom Stage 301 is rated IPX4, which provides some waterproofing and protection from splashing water, making the product very conducive to outdoor use. This is a wonderful product, and I know I will use it to the max with my guitars, karaoke with the family, and just as a great portable speaker. I would give it six (6) stars if that were an option.

I was looking for quality Bluetooth speaker for listening music, playing guitar and doing karaoke for small parties and got the LG XBOOM Stage 301 Bluetooth Speaker. It came with XBOOM Stage 301 speaker, power cable and manual. Setup is quick and easy. I have downloaded the LG ThinQ app from play store and logged in with my LG account. After logging, i have added the LG Boom Stage 301 speaker to the device and also paired with Bluetooth. There was a software update available and installed the latest version via LG ThinQ app. The speaker is very compact and sleek design and easy to carry around. The build quality is amazing and well thought of a design. The sound quality is where XBOOM Stage 301 shines. The highs are crisp and clear. The mids are clear and pronounced and the bass is deep enough to add the punch to the listening experience. I played many songs from YouTube Music and Spotify and blown away with details came out of this speaker. There are many settings can be adjusted via app like adjusting the volume, turn on / off the light settings, setup the MY button setting, DJ mode and Karaoke mode. I was able to connect the mic and did a test Karaoke and it came out really good with reverb and MR mode. I am using this speaker for playing guitar and it delivers fantastic sound output. On the speaker, there are intuitive touch buttons on top for volume, play/pause, pairing, and mode selection. It supports multi-device pairing and i was able to configure with my phone and laptop for seamless switching. There is no dropouts of Bluetooth connection even 30 feet away from the speaker. Battery life is solid on this speaker. I used this speaker on a outdoor party for more than 11 hours and full charge takes around 3 to 4 hours. XBOOM Stage 301 speaker can be paired another XBOOM Stage 301 speaker to get true stereo sound. It is IPX4 rated which is equipped for water resistant. Lighting can be done with 9 ambient lighting modes. Lighting can be done on the speaker button or via app which provides more control like AI lighting, repeat mode settings. This speaker can be placed upright, tilted back or placed on a tripod stand as well. It has filling sound with a 6.5" woofer and dual 2.5" midrange driver. LG XBOOM Stage 301 is fantastic speaker with amazing build and sound quality.

I have been lugging around my old stage speaker, an aging old cinder block, from one meeting to another. It wasn't a specific brand, but it did get the job done, until it couldn't anymore. So, when I picked up this LG XBOOM Stage Speaker, I was hoping it would replace my old, failing device. And hoo-boy, was I impressed. I have owned a small LG bluetooth speaker for the past four years and when I first heard it, I could immediately tell that it was an excellent product (especially since it was tuned by Marantz). With this in mind, I tried everything I could hook up to the XBOOM Stage 301 to hear what it could do. The box in which the speaker comes in is fairly plain. No colorful, flashy pictures. I thought it made it look more professional. Unboxing was easy as pie. The speaker only comes with a power cable to charge or run while charging. Big positive point already here: internal battery. The initial charge barely took an hour, with successive ones running around 1 to 2 hours depending on how depleted the battery was. After an hour long morning briefing, the battery wasn't even halfway down. In order to access some functions and settings (and to set the speaker up), you will have to download and install the LG ThinQ app. I already had it installed, so all I had to do was to pair the speaker from within the app and after a firmware update, it was ready to go. Next step was to see what I could do with it. Of course, since I use a stage speaker for work, this is what I tried first. I plugged in 2 mics using my wireless receiver which plugs directly into the back of the 301. As soon as I turned it on, it worked immediately and perfectly. Voices are clear and although a tiny bit muffled (not a big deal, really). I tried the karaoke function as well and although I sing like a frog in a metal bucket, the speaker did a great job at handling 2 different inputs - there are 2 knobs, one to adjust the mix and the other applies a reverb effect on the output. Fun night, but I'm fairly certain I'm going to get a noise complaint from my neighbors. Next up was the bluetooth which is rock solid. It worked with: Android phone, Android tablets, Windows PC, a projector and an old MP3 player I found in one of my drawers. The newer the device you pair to the XBOOM, the better, as it runs on the most recent BT 5.x version while being backwards compatible. I also decided to hook up my electric guitar and use the speaker as an amplifier, which worked quite well. Last but not least, I connected it to an electronic drumset and it was amazing for that purpose. Way, way better than the nasty speaker that was hooked up to it so far. As you can tell by now, this is one of the most versatile stage speakers I've ever owned. As for the quality of the sound, using the AI EQ setting will probably be your go-to, as it adjusts to the input to render the audio the best way possible. I found myself using the EQ on Bass Boost a lot as well, to make up for some lost frequencies. But as an all-rounder, it has a great sound and it can be very loud. It's not very heavy either, which makes it really easy to carry around. To be completely honest, I was unable to find anything to complain about, instead, I kept getting one positive surprise after another. I really can't do more but to recommend the LG XBOOM Stage 301. It's an excellent speaker for many different scenarios. Buy it!

BACKGROUND: I was intrigued with LG’s newly released group of XBOOM Bluetooth (BT) speakers, especially the Stage 301 with a dedicated input for either a guitar or a microphone. Playing guitar since I was 15 years old (now 74), over the many years I have had the opportunity to own and use a multitude of both guitars and amplifiers. My expectation for this device is to own a killer sounding BT speaker, coupled with the ability to use it as a guitar amp if/when needed. OVERVIEW: Once I received the Stage 301, unboxed, charged up, downloaded the application, updated the firmware, completed entering personal information, it was time for my “hands on” demo. I must say.i.am overall impressed with the Stage 301’s capacity to provide an excellent musical sound stage depending on the room size and dynamics. It is loud and clear without distortion in most any room in my home. Recognize it may not provide the most powerful outdoor output for some users, but for reproducing music, it is just fine for my use. Currently, my only negative is the “guitar” use function, or better said, the lack of it. GUITAR INPUT: After tying three electric and one acoustic guitar, I will state that this is not a guitar amp in any fashion. The output is so bass heavy lacking any mid’s or high’s, that most guitarists would consider this a low-end practice bass amp. Also, when you activate the guitar mode, the included reverb is disabled (it’s only an option for the microphone input). Using a guitar while in “microphone” mode helps, plus you gain Reverb, but it still sounds like mud, just a tad louder. The good news is, using the Stage 301 in guitar mode, paired with a multi-effects processor, gets you into the guitar amp ballpark, just not front row seats (still too dark sounding). Utilizing a Valeton GP-200 preamp effects processor, with setting the app’s Custom EQ to -6dB for 100Hz, +4dB 1kHz, and +1dB 10KdB, I was able to cut out the muddiness to acceptable guitar tones. Finally, dialing the lows out through my effects processor seems to do the trick. Now if LG had included a 5 to 10 band EQ for “Guitar Mode” and allowed the included “Reverb” to stay active, then the Stage 301 could be considered a suitable mobile guitar amp. I would believe adding dedicated guitar EQ and Reverb options could be a firmware update away if LG chooses to do so. (Are you listening LG?) MICROPHONE INPUT: OK, here LG is “cooking with gas” with a multitude of special effects for both kids and grownups. My grandsons loved using the mic while toggling through the “Bass, Soprano, Helium, Robot, Duet-Man, and Duet-Woman” options. And I must admit, I found myself bonding with the “Duet-Man” feature that adds harmonies to my lackluster voice. DJ MODE: For all of you fledgling Want-To-Be DJ’s, there are numerous tools at your fingertips. An assortment of Club and Drum sounds are an ICON touch option away. And you can add/record your own users (I believe up to 3) sounds too. Using the Delay, Wah, Phaser, and Flanger tones can alter and add a bit spice to the mix. Finally, there is “Scratch Pad” feature, but it was erratic and most times it would not function until I closed out of the app and then reopened it. Sadly, that rendered the Scratch Pad feature useless while the other DJ options functioned just fine. Hopefully a future firmware update will resolve that issue. LIGHTS: In general, I am not a “light show” person and normally have little use for flashing lights while listening to music after the initial lighting test-drive. That said, at least the dual lighting provided by the Stage 301 is more than respectable for those partygoers who enjoy both listing to music with a touch of pulsating flashing entertainment added to the mix. Using the application, there are nine different motion options and one repeat setting that will cycle through all of nine. Plus, there are four color selections choices. I have demo’ed about a half dozen BT speakers with lighting, and must admit, the LG Stage 301 is at the top of the list for lighting capabilities. LG THINQ: First, yes you can use the Stage 301 without the dedicated LG ThinQ Application for BT pairing playing music. But you will be missing the firmware updates, along with all of the fun associated with the app’s special features. Second, one really useful application feature is being able to remotely (BT connectivity distance limitations) turn ON/OFF the Stage 301. Normally this is only an option with AC power connected, but with this BT speaker, LG has provided the ability for remote ON/OFF under battery power. Note that the Stage 301 will slowly consume battery power if this feature is selected and will disable this feature when only 20% power is remaining. EQ SOUND EFFECT: Included in the application is access to five EQ settings. (You can cycle through the five using the speaker top panel EQ button, but you will not know which one is active…) Settings available are Standard, Bass Boost, Voice Enhance, AI Sound, and Custom. Note that the Custom option will provides access to 3 EQ bands (100Hz, 1KHz, & 10KHz) that you can adjust (plus/minus 6dB) for your personal listening requirements. A 5-band EQ, if not 10-band, would be much more useful, but the included 3 cover your generic Bass, Mid, and Treble control frequencies. I will mention, that cycling through the EQ options will momentarily kill the sound. DESIGN: Overall, I have nothing but positive things to say regarding will.i.am’s wedge design. Being able to tilt back, similar to a stage show monitor speaker, is just brilliant! Having a large built in carrying handle works too. Add in the protective door covers to obtain a IPX4 Water Resistant rating. Plus designing with a removable and user replaceable battery is thinking beyond planned obsolescence. Bravo! RATING: After putting the LG XBOOM Stage 301 through its paces for the past four days, it earned itself a solid 4-Star Rating for a great musical soundstage, party lights, EQ and DJ features. Had LG not advertised a “guitar” option, that does not currently function properly without additional equipment, coupled with the Scratch Pad that would consistently fail to work, it would have been an easy 5-Stars. PS: Great idea to have a handle on the shipping box that prevents the deliver courier from tossing/dropping the shipment on my concrete porch. Reviewing my video door-cam, I was able to watch him gently place this package on my porch. Thank you, LG! .