Early this year, I reviewed Aiwa’s MI-X 150 Retro Plus X portable Bluetooth speaker which, as the name suggests, has a distinct old-world charm with retro looks and a great sound to complement it.
Around Diwali, the Japanese brand came up with another flagship portable speaker – MI-X 330 Meteor priced at Rs 34,990.
While the previous speaker boasted of a wooden body, the latest speaker has a similar old-style design language but has a modern look with a metal build.
In this review, I’ll talk about how the latest portable speaker from Aiwa fares overall and if it justifies the heavy price tag.
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Aiwa MI-X 330 Meteor Speaker: Build And Design
Aiwa continues to make amplifier-shaped portable speakers and Meteor follows the same design language and aesthetics, but this time, the metal build gives it a sturdy and distinct look.
The speaker is solid and well built, with no practically no compromise on the quality and there is a slight minimalism too, with the branding at the front in white colour, in the otherwise dual tone (black and dark grey) scheme.
Besides, a small circular LED screen on the top right, that shows connectivity, battery level, etc., gives it a decent appearance. On the top is the control panel consisting of two big knobs for bass and volume, and five physical buttons for power, mode, etc.
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And there is a heavy leather belt to carry the big speaker.
The speaker also comes with two custom-designed 40 mm active audio drivers and a Type – C charging point that enables 6-7 hours of charging time. There is also a 3.5mm AUX-in.
Aiwa MI-X 330 Meteor Speaker: Sound Quality And Features
I used the speaker for a fair amount of time ever since I started using it, and I felt it’s not just about the looks, there’s more to it. The two passive bass radiators (front+ back) maintain a fair balance of sound but it gets interesting as you play a variety of music genres, only to find that the speaker is capable to produce a good quality sound.
The speaker can also be connected to two devices at a time, making it really easy for a person who’s mostly using 2-3 devices at a time.
You can play around with the bass and volume knobs to find the right balance as the preference may vary.
Besides, I loved the sound quality right from the first song I played (which was from Aswekeepsearching). The sound quality remains intact even at louder volumes and the speaker is capable of covering a large area with its sound, thanks to the 60W output.
The speaker looks heavy, but it’s easy to carry it anywhere, especially when you’re traveling in a car to go to some house party or a trip.
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The Bluetooth connection is fine and you get a decent range there, so you can roam around with your phone or tablet in the house without witnessing any interruption in the sound.
I felt the sound quality would be pleasing to those with a good ear and interest in quality music.
Aiwa MI-X 330 Meteor: Battery
The speaker offers 6-10 hours of playback time and has a 5000mAh battery which takes roughly more than an hour to charge fully.
Aiwa MI-X 330 Meteor: Verdict
Aiwa’s MI-X 330 Meteor packs a punch when it comes to sound quality and is pleasing to both the eyes and ears. Yes, the price tag of Rs 34,990 is a bit on the higher side, but it’s a good investment for audiophiles and music aficionados.
