IdeaUSA W200 BlueTooth Speaker Review

Feature

IdeaUSA is at it again. This time they bring us the iDeaPLAY W200 Bluetooth speaker. Overclockers.com has reviewed another product from IdeaUSA, the S204 Headset, and it was nothing less than fantastic. The W200 is claimed to provide premium sound quality, enhanced bass performance, and up to ten hours of playback. Let’s put it to the test and see if it’s as great as we suspect it to be.

Specifications

IdeaUSA W200 iDeaPLAY Specs and Features
Model NumberW200 iDeaPLAY
ConnectivityBluetooth 4.1 or 3.5mm Audio Jack (Included)
Bluetooth ProfilesA2DP/AVRCP/HSP & HFP
Wireless Range10 Meters
Audio Drivers2x 38.5mm 5W, 2x 50mm 10W, & 2x Passive Radiators
MicrophoneBuilt-In 6th Gen CVC Noise Reduction
Power Supply4,000mAH Rechargeable Lithium Battery
ChargingUSB: DC 5V, 1A or DC-In: 13.5V, 1.7A
Dimensions187mm x 68mm x 77mm

Packaging & Contents

The IdeaPLAY W200 comes packaged in a blue and white themed box. In the images below we can see a few of the features listed on the outside of the box. There is also a plastic tab for hanging the product at a local retail store.

Box Front ISO
Box Front ISO

Rear Box ISO
Rear Box ISO

Once inside we find a small white cardboard box containing the included 100mm USB charging cable and 120mm audio cable. Behind the internal box is where the speaker safely resides. It is surrounded on top and bottom by black cardboard and foam. This was an effective means of packaging for shipping in this case even if it seems to be a minimalist approach. Also enclosed is the fold out users manual and the one year manufacturers warranty card.

Contents
Contents

A Closer Look

Now that we have liberated the speaker from its packaging we can get a better look at it. The W200 has a silver and gray theme giving it a subtle modern look. It will not be a focal point on your bookshelf, but will not be an eyesore either. It is constructed of a silver plastic with silver speaker grills, gray rubber buttons, and gray feet.

Top

Taking a closer look at the top we find the controls. From left to right they are Power, Mute, Play/Pause, EQ, Volume Down/Previous Track, Volume Up/Next Track, Wireless, and finally AUX. If you look closely you can see an LED located above the Power, Wireless, and the AUX buttons. There is also a small microphone located to the front and just between the EQ and Volume Down buttons.

Front

Looking closely at the front we see the iDeaPLAY logo at the bottom right. If you look really hard you can see one of the 38.5mm, five watt drivers. Located between these two drivers are one of the two passive oval radiators. The second radiator is located at the rear of the speaker. It was impossible to capture an image of these as they are set back further and difficult to get light to reflect off of them.

Rear

Located at the rear are where the USB and audio connections can be found. The 3.5mm audio jack is positioned to the left and the micro USB charging connector to the right. In the center there is a gray rubber plug. This is believed to simply be a screw cover.

Bottom

Not pictured, but at the bottom are the rubber feet. These provide a steady and firm grip to whatever surface the W200 is set on. Printed on the right side of the feet is the model and FCC notifications. Also located at the bottom is a downward firing, 50mm, ten watt driver. There are two 50mm drivers listed but only this one was located. The second may be internal, but that is unknown.

Front ISO
Front ISO

Top
Close Up Top

Rear ISO
Rear ISO

Close Up Rear
Close Up Rear

Close Up Speaker
Close Up Speaker

Close Up Rear Bar
Close Up Rear Bar

Operation

To power on the W200, simply press and hold the power button for three seconds. There will be a tone and message about whether the device is connected via Bluetooth or not. The power LED will also turn green for three seconds. If not already paired with a device you’ll need to press and hold the wireless button for three seconds to set the speaker into it’s pairing mode. You’ll need to scan for devices on your smart phone or other device. The speaker will be displayed as IdeaW200 in the Blutooth section of your smart device. Once the connection is obtained the wireless LED will flash quickly. One of the unique feature with this speaker is it’s ability to be paired to two devices at once. By holding the wireless button for three seconds again you can then pair to a second device. Holding the play/pause button for two seconds will switch between paired devices.

During music playback the buttons functions are extremely simple and are as follows.

  • Mute – A short press of the mute button mutes the sound.
  • Play/Pause – A short press of the play button pauses the music and will resume with another short press.
  • EQ – A short press of the EQ button will switch between indoor and outdoor modes.
  • Minus – A short press of the minus button is used to lower the volume while a long press will skip to the previous track.
  • Plus – A short press of the plus button the volume will be increased and a long press will skip to the next track.

If you have an incoming call the buttons will function as follows.

  • Answer an incoming call – A short press of the play button will answer the call.
  • End call – Pressing and holding the play button for two seconds will end the current call.
  • Mute call – A short press of the mute button will mute the call and a second short press will un-mute the call.
  • Reject a call – Pressing and holding the play button for two seconds will reject an incoming call.
  • Redial last number – Double pressing the play button in standby mode will redial the last caller.

Conclusion

The W200 Bluetooth speaker from IdeaUSA has great sound reproduction. There is plenty of bass and the highs are very crisp. It is heavier than it appears and isn’t what I would consider a portable speaker as it lacks a carry case or attachment points. Still, for a bookshelf speaker, it produces more than adequate sound for it’s compact size. The battery life for this review sample was longer than the specifications claim with over 12 hours of playback. Overall I’m very pleased with the performance of this product.

The IdeaPLAY W200 retails on Amazon for $129.99 and is on sale for $69.99 with free shipping. While I personally wouldn’t pay retail price for this product, I believe it is a good buy at the sale price. This may be one of those situations where the retail price was inflated to appear to be a great bargain. In either instance for the $69.99 sale price you will be getting a great Bluetooth speaker with call management features. At that price I’m comfortable rating it with the Overclockers.com approved stamp.

Overclockers_clear_approved
Click the stamp for an explanation of what this means

-Blaylock

About John Nester 399 Articles
John started writing and reviewing PC components for Overclockers.com in 2015, but his passion for PCs dates all the way back to the early 1980s. His first personal computer was a Commodore 64 with a cassette drive. As a dedicated member of the news team, he focuses his articles on new product releases and software updates. He reviews a wide variety of PC components including chassis, storage drives, keyboards, and more. John works in technology as a C.A.D. designer for a major automotive manufacturer. His other passions in life include motorcycles, hunting, guns, and football.

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IdeaUSA is at it again. This time they bring us the iDeaPLAY W200 Bluetooth speaker. Overclockers.com has reviewed another product from IdeaUSA, the S204 Headset, and it was nothing less than fantastic. The W200 is claimed to provide premium sound quality, enhanced bass performance, and up to ten hours of playback. Let's put it to the test and see if it's as great as we suspect it to be.

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