Inateck BP2001 Bluetooth Stereo Speaker Review

Let’s face it, most portable devices don’t provide very good sound quality as a stand-alone device. Inateck recently released their BP2001 Bluetooth Stereo Speaker to help you improve on that situation. With the holiday shopping season upon us, portable device accessories can make excellent gifts for your tech savvy friends and family. Boasting a pair of 5 watt speakers (10 watts total) and other intriguing features, could it be a good addition to your stack of portable device accessories? Let’s find out.

Specifications and Features

The table below proves the specifications as per Inateck. As we mentioned above, there are two 5 watt speakers making for a total of 10 watts of sound output. EDR technology has been implemented, which allows for enhanced Bluetooth transfer speeds of over 2 Mb/s. We can also see the unit is relatively small in stature and light weight.

The BP2001 Bluetooth Speaker has a kickstand on the back and the ability to support a tablet or smart phone in the groove that runs the length of the top. Because of the 3.5 mm jack at the back of the unit, the speaker can be used to connect to a host of other devices as well, including a PC. When paired with you mobile phone, it can also be used as a hands-free device because of the built-in microphone. Images and descriptions courtesy of Inateck.

Technology Meets Design – Simple and contemporary design, compact dimensions paired with an impressive sound performance – everything in this speaker. The product was made of sustainable and environment friendly ABS plastic. This sound wonder features a high-quality surface and precise and sophisticated workmanship. What’s more, the retractable and durable stand firmly holds your iPad and iPhone at a comfortable viewing angle.

Turn Up The Music – The built-in 3.5mm inlet supports surround sound signals on the highest level. The device supports any kind of media playback: music, games, movies or net-based media streaming. The built-in microphone is ideal for clear conversations – answer and end calls with only one button. Even a high sound frequency guarantees crystal-clear sounds and two robust rubber feet at the bottom reduce vibration.

With and Without Cable – Besides Bluetooth, the device can also be connected via cable with cellphones, MP3 players, tablets etc. It also supports Macintosh as well as Windows PCs. A power button and the other interfaces are built into the back of the device: optimal arrangement and space utilization.

Retail Packaging / Product Tour

The retail box is pretty simple and doesn’t provide a lot of information on the product inside. The back does let you know a Bluetooth speaker is inside and provides some Inateck contact information.

Opening the box reveals the speaker sitting in a plastic holder with the accessories tucked under it. You get a USB charging cable, a 3.5 mm audio cable, and an instruction manual.

Looking closer at the speaker itself, we can see the front has a mesh type cover and a large control button. The control button is used to start and stop music play and also acts as the button to answer cell phone calls. Two lights built into the lower area of the button indicate charging and Bluetooth status. There is a third light that will illuminate a pulsating “AUX” when the 3.5 mm cable is being used.

The back of the speaker is where you’ll find the Micro-USB port for charging the unit, the 3.5 mm audio jack, and the On/Off switch. You may have noticed by now that there is no volume control on the speaker itself. All volume control is performed by the device you have it paired with. One of the nice features of this speaker is the kickstand found at the back of the unit. The kickstand provides added support for when you place a phone or tablet in the groove that runs across the top of the speaker.

Here are a couple pictures showing a smartphone and tablet taking advantage of the groove across the top of the speaker.

Usability / Sound Quality

When the BP2001 Bluetooth speaker is turned on, you get a pleasant sounding audible tone confirming it’s powered up. Once on, it was a snap pairing with both the smartphone and tablet we were using. The speaker was instantly recognized by both of our devices. Once paired, another audible tone confirmed the pairing was successful.

As far as sound quality goes, it actually surprised me with how good it sounded. I listened with a Bluetooth connection and via the 3.5 mm audio cable, and the sound was about the same using either method. A lot of these inexpensive Bluetooth speakers can sound very tinny, but that’s not the case with this speaker. Although it could stand to have a bit more bass added to the sound, the high tone isn’t completely dominating. All in all, surprisingly good sound from the Inateck BP2001 Bluetooth Speaker.

Conclusion

The Inateck BP2001 Bluetooth Speaker offers connection flexibility and many features not normally found on a portable Bluetooth speaker. The sound quality is surprisingly good for a unit in this price range. At $32.99, it’s attractively priced considering everything it’s capable of doing. Hands-free Bluetooth operation for your cell phone and the ability to use a 3.5 mm audio cable to connect other devices all give the speaker added value.

The Inateck BP2001 Bluetooth Speaker worked just as advertised during our testing, and no issues were encountered. In the end, we have a nice portable Bluetooth speaker that works great and is priced well. What’s there not to like?

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Dino DeCesari (Lvcoyote)