DCU Mini Speakers Review.When I was told by DCU Tecnologic , I didn’t believe it: small-sized Bluetooth speakers that sounded with the power and clarity of large ones ? And even less did I believe it when I saw them, until I heard them sound and, then, I asked myself what is this magic? And to answer that question there was only one way: to analyze them.
So thanks to DCU, I brought a pair home with me (they can be purchased individually or in pairs for stereo sound) and have spent the last few weeks using them. Here I tell you my experience.
Concept
Small enough to fit in a pocket (although they are uncomfortable there, but it becomes feasible), powerful enough to outperform others of its size and even somewhat larger, and with enough quality so that its smallness does not mean a perceptible waste in a good sound .
If we want to get a very close idea of what they are like, we just have to watch this video that the manufacturer brand has posted on its YouTube channel :
Obviously, these mini speakers (with 3 W of power each) have been conceived as an all-rounder that does not intend to replace other superior equipment, but to complement them in situations in which we cannot have such equipment thanks to its low cost and good benefits , without complications, and without pretending to be what they are not.
With built- in hands-free functionality , they can also become a simple and efficient solution for making video conferences or phone calls, especially if they involve several people from the side where we use them.
In addition, thanks to the characteristic that they manage to achieve a not inconsiderable audio volume , they can be used in a room of a certain size, although their mic is not omnidirectional, which must be taken into account.
Presentation
The packaging follows the line of the other products of the same firm, being simple and elegant . On the front we can see an image of the product, along with its main features, such as the version of Bluetooth used among others.
If we turn it around, we find a more detailed description of the product, and also a small window with transparent plastic that allows us to see.
As I have indicated previously, these speakers are sold individually or in pairs to be able to reproduce music and contents in stereo . This last package, the one that includes two speakers, is the one that I have been enjoying throughout these last weeks.
When opening it, and after removing the two speakers from the protective shape of what looks like a type of foam, we also find two small cables from USB-A to microUSB, and two lanyards for transport , in addition to a small paper that lists us their characteristics and explains how to configure and use them.
Regarding this last element, leave as a criticism that the text is extremely small, to such an extent that, even with my glasses on, I have had to resort to a magnifying glass to be able to read it comfortably.
This packaging is discreet and elegant but, otherwise, it is not designed to provide a specific experience when opening, but rather as a mere vehicle to get the loudspeakers and their few accessories to the consumer and, later, to recycle it.
Design
In this section they are also faithful to the simplicity line of the same company: in the shape of a small drum , at the top we can see the slit of the speaker, while on its side we see the brand’s serigraph.
Just below this, and already at the base, we can see the hole corresponding to the microphone and, already moving to the bottom, we find the microUSB charging port and the power button, which is protected by a plastic membrane. This button will also give us other functionalities , which I will explain later.
In this same base we also find the hole to pass the lanyard, and the LED indicator lights , which are around said base. Its measurements are 4 cm in height, and 4.3 cm in diameter .
Bottom of one of the speakers. We can see the on / off button, and under this the charging port. And, if we look closely, on the on / off button and on the opposite side to the charging port, the hole of the mic
This is a very small size, which makes them comfortable to carry in a bag or backpack, and even in the pockets of a coat or jacket, as they are wider than those of pants or a shirt.
In the latter, the present loudspeakers are not comfortable in the case of the pockets of the trousers, since they are very bulky, whereas in those of a shirt an unaesthetic bulge remains, regardless of whether or not they can disturb.
At the base is a functionality that, a priori, may seem superfluous, but with daily use it ends up proving more than practical from some occasion that we use it and, from that moment, it will seem indispensable to us: magnetism.
The magnetized base allows it to be placed on metal surfaces, whether they are arranged vertically or horizontally and suspended over a vacuum .
What does this allow? For example, I have used these speakers a lot while I am cooking, connected to the tablet. Not to see recipes, if not to have television or YouTube with some informative or news content.
One of the speakers I place next to the refrigerator door, being behind me on the right hand, while the other I put it right next to the tablet on the left hand. In this way, the sound envelops me and I can continue to listen to it perfectly while I move or when I turn on the extractor hood with all the noise that this entails.
If you can’t use its magnetized base, you will probably have a harder time finding a safe location for this speaker.
Initial setup
It is not complicated at all, and it boils down to connecting the two speakers between them, and then the one that acts as a ‘master’ with the device in charge of reproducing the audio .
As they are based on Bluetooth 4.2 and not on BT 5.0, the operation must be this way. If, instead, DCU had conceived them with Bluetooth 5.0, we could connect them in this way, and also independently to the same device that, in case of supporting dual audio, would offer us a pure stereo performance.
I suppose this is the reason why when I use them for videoconferences, only one of the two microphones works, which will be the satellite one. Again, with Bluetooth 5.0 it is likely that we could have had both mics.
The point is that the present speakers work with Bluetooth 4.2 and, to pair them, we first have to charge them and then turn them on. In one of them, we will give a couple of taps to the start and pairing button, which will make both connect and, from here, they will connect automatically when we turn them on.
Front and top view of one of the speakers. We can appreciate the upper slit.
That is why I recommend, without the Bluetooth of the player device still activated, first turn on the two speakers and connect them between them and, once this is done, activate the Bluetooth of the phone, tablet, or whatever device from which we will reproduce the audio .
Otherwise, we run the risk of the main speaker connecting to the playback device first and leaving the other speaker ‘hanging’.
To pair them from the chosen main device we will have to look for the name of the Bluetooth device to pair WD6 .
Sound quality
For what they are, I’ll say high . Let’s see, let’s not fool ourselves either: they are not speakers with a quality that would delight a music lover, but for their volume and lightness, what they achieve is more than remarkable .
Especially remarkable is the volume they reach , which will make it practically impossible for us to reach their maximum if we do not want to do that tacky thing of displaying audio power.
We could think of an opaque sound due to its physical limitations, but the truth is that within the expected parameters of a small speaker, it behaves very well, with a fairly clear sound. However, if we turn up the volume a lot, we notice some distortion and a typical problem of small speakers comes to light: the sound does not enjoy as much three-dimensional depth as in large ones, it is more ‘flat’.
The stereo effect is well achieved , so I can safely say that these mini speakers look better than other alternatives of the same or similar size.
Micro quality
Cover the record , but let’s not expect much. Actually, the hands-free function for phone calls, or for a video conference, seems to be residual, especially if we take into account that if we have two paired speakers, we can only use one of their microphones, thereby removing much of the grace that could have to use at multi-participant videoconferencing tables.
One button for various things
In the design section, I have explained that the on / off button is located at the bottom, protected by a membrane of what appears to be plastic, and I have also indicated that I would elaborate more on the possibilities it offers.
here we can see a detail of the bottom button
Because they not only turn on and off, but also serve as a play / pause button . If we have them connected in stereo, that is, two units, in any of them we can either lift it up and press the button once to stop the song or video that we are playing, and another press (it does not matter if it is from the same speaker or partner) to resume playback.
But that is not all; If we open the camera app, the same button serves as a trigger to take photos or record video .
And what’s more: it’s time to turn them off. If we do it from the main one (the one whose blue LEDs at the bottom are flashing), the secondary will also turn off . It is as if just before turning off, the main one gave the order to the secondary one to also turn off.
On the contrary, the same does not happen, that is, if we turn off the secondary, the main one will remain ‘alone’, so we will have to turn it off in isolation.
Autonomy
It is not to rave about, but it is correct. With a 400 mAh battery per unit, it promises us about four hours of use, which is exactly what it gives , minute up, minute down.
When the battery is low, the speaker LEDs blink and beep periodically to warn us of such a circumstance.
Conclution
The DCU mini speakers are small giants that offer us good audio quality with high portability. Uncomfortable to carry in a trouser pocket or on a shirt (although not impossible) but ideal to carry in a coat or in a bag / backpack, they provide volume and sound quality difficult to find in speakers of one size identical or comparable.
These last few weeks I have had this nice host couple in my house
The magnetic latch functionality of the base is practical in some scenarios, while the different functionalities of the lower buttons (play / pause, as well as being able to turn off the two speakers by simply turning off the main one) have been a pleasant surprise.