Anker Soundcore Icon Mini review

The range of applications for mobile Bluetooth speakers is almost limitless. And if you want to take a sturdy and affordable music maker to the beach or on a bike ride, you’ll quickly land on the Anker Soundcore Icon Mini. With the current prices, this clearly undercuts the entry-level league of the brand manufacturers. And it still offers surprising practicality with a battery life of up to 8 hours.

This also applies to its robust exterior: the IP67 standard stands for real water and dust resistance and allows real outdoor operation as well as brief immersion in water. The included fabric strap offers virtually unlimited possibilities when placing the speaker.

Structure and functions

Acoustically, the manufacturer relies on a small full range driver under the grille and a passive radiator as a woofer extension. This should allow the armature to provide sufficiently deep reproduction, even if it is freely suspended and cannot use the supporting surface as bass amplification.

If you want to cover a larger area or need a bit more level reserves, you can connect two Anker Soundcore Icon Mini to a pair. This then even provides a true stereo distribution of the signal, a feature more familiar from more expensive models.

The controls are all on the side. Besides buttons for volume, on/off and Bluetooth connection, there is also a multifunction button in the middle. It is used to control the music program as well as to manage calls or activate a voice assistant on the smartphone. A little practice is required to remember the key codes as well as the optical feedback for a single LED, but then it is no problem.

On the other side, the connectors are located behind a rubber cover. In addition to a micro-USB for charging, there’s also an analog jack input for source selection flexibility.

This is what the Anker Soundcore Icon Mini sounds like

In view of the compact dimensions and the very reasonable price, one should not have exaggerated expectations regarding dynamics and bass. Despite a lack of sovereignty in the foundation, the Anker Soundcore Icon Mini did a decent job and at least hinted at bass.

Voices sounded largely uncoloured, but also a little pressed, although the Soundcore Icon Mini otherwise got off to a surprisingly good start at the level for its size. On the other hand, the sound quality was quite good, but at high levels the cleanliness was somewhat lacking. In stereo pair mode, the speaker was even able to create a real impression of three-dimensionality.

Alternatives to the Anker Soundcore Icon Mini

For the current astonishingly low price, there is no comparable device from an established brand. Only the somewhat more expensive Tribit Stormbox Micro outperforms the Anker, especially in the bass, and also sounds a bit smoother. The Sharp GX-BT60, on the other hand, offers almost hi-fi qualities for a slightly higher budget.

Anker Soundcore Icon Mini: Technical specifications

• Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: approx. 30 $
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 9.5 x 7.6 x 3.6 cm
• Weight: 181 g
• Battery life up to 8 hours
• Special Features: IP67 waterproof, textile strap for flexible mounting, stereo pairing
• More at: www.soundcore.com

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