STEREO GUIDE verdict
The LD Systems Anny 8 impressed in the review with a very natural sound that you wouldn't expect from a party speaker. And with up to 117 decibels!
Pros
- Balanced, very natural sound tuning for party speakers
- Rich, yet very precise and differentiated bass
- Very easy to transport
- Tilt-back installation possible
Cons
- No automatic switch-off and no front indicator light
- No app
-
Tinal balance / transparency9
-
Bass / Dynamics9.6
-
Ease-of-use/ Connectivity9.2
-
Price/Performance9.5
The LD Systems Anny 8 is a professionally designed Bluetooth speaker with a wide range of features for mobile applications. The Anny series currently comprises two portable speakers. The Anny 10 is positioned above the Anny 8, as the number stands for the diameter of the bass-midrange driver of the two 2-way speakers, i.e. 8 and 10 inches (20.3 cm and 25.4 cm respectively). In addition to their 8-inch bass-midrange driver with 36 cm voice coil, specially manufactured for LD Systems, a 1-inch tweeter (2.5 cm) is used above the crossover frequency of 1,800 kHz. With an output of 80 watts RMS and 160 watts peak power from an efficient Class D power amplifier, the speaker achieves a maximum sound pressure level of 117 dB. The integrated DynX DSP helps to avoid distortion even at full level. This is ideal for smaller events, live music and voice transmissions.
Thanks to its wide dispersion angle of 120° x 60°, the Anny 8 distributes the sound evenly over a large area, ensuring optimum sound coverage. The housing is made of robust ABS plastic and metal and is available in four colors: Stage Black, Pure White, Urban Grey and Adventure Green.
Mix it, baby
The integrated 5-channel mixer and a 3-band equalizer hidden in the menus of the small, illuminated LCD display enable targeted sound adjustment. The speaker is also expandable: an optional wireless module can be installed for wireless microphones and pocket transmitters used in professional stage technology. The footswitch input is a practical extra, as it allows effects such as reverb and delay to be controlled hands-free.
The priority/ducking mode emphasizes the microphone signal and ensures that important announcements or paging are transmitted clearly and distinctly by automatically pushing other signal sources into the background. The Anny 8 supports Bluetooth 5.0 with the codecs AAC and SBC, so that wireless streaming from smart devices is also possible. Android users have to do without aptX quality and make do with the standard SBC codec. With the help of the True Wireless Stereo (TWS) function, two Anny 8 speakers can be connected as a stereo pair and ensure spatial reproduction.
In addition to a small monochrome LCD display, the Anny 8 offers numerous connections on its rear panel: two mic/line combo sockets (XLR/6.3 mm jack) enable the connection of various audio devices, while a stereo line input (3.5 mm jack) and RCA sockets are available for additional players. The audio signal can also be forwarded to external devices or additional active speakers via an XLR mix output, which ensures flexible signal distribution. With the USB-C connection, the LD Systems Anny 8 can be used as a power bank for charging smartphones and tablets.
Well thought out down to the last detail
A slot on the top serves as a holder for smartphones and tablets. In the best PA monitor tradition, the somewhat rustic-looking plastic housing with its robust, matt lacquered metal grille has a handle on the top that makes the LD Systems Anny 8 easy to carry for outdoor use. Thanks to a slanted rear panel, the Bluetooth party speaker can also be tilted backwards at a 45-degree angle, as is familiar from stage monitors. This so-called tilt-back housing is intended for use in the near field so that the sound is directed from the floor to the ears to avoid sound loss. We recommend using it on a higher stand for sound reinforcement at larger parties. The Anny 8 has a corresponding 35 mm flange on the underside for this purpose.
With its weight of 8.8 kilograms, the LD Systems Anny 8 proves to be extremely handy in the field of professional party speakers. To transport it over longer distances and protect it from scratches and damage, the optional backpack (Anny 8 Backpack) is recommended. Thanks to its water-repellent surface, it can also serve as rain protection for the speaker, as it does not have an IP protection class against moisture.
The integrated lithium-ion battery with 14.8 V and 5 Ah provides up to 11 hours of runtime in ECO mode and 3.5 hours at maximum volume. These conservative figures are in line with our experience during reviewing. However, the battery was already empty after the photo shoot before the Bluetooth party box had even emitted a single sound. The professional design is tricky: the Anny 8 only has one hardware switch next to the socket for the 3-pin IEC mains plug. And if, like us, you forget to switch it off after use in the heat of the moment, you can expect a flat battery the next day. This can happen quickly, especially as the Bluetooth speaker has no standby indicator visible from the front or top.
Attentive people have fun for longer
LD Systems could take the JBL Partybox Club 120 as an example here. Even when the party lighting is switched off, it not only indicates the operating status with its LED lighting for the keypad, which is easily recognizable from above. It also switches off automatically after a short period of inactivity. At least the Anny 8’s lithium-ion battery can be replaced by opening a flap on the underside of the unadorned but practically shaped housing. No tools, let alone manual dexterity, are required for this – perfectly done!
As far as charging the battery is concerned, there is a separate position for the mains switch, in which the Anny 8 is only charged, but its function is deactivated except for the LED charge level indicator consisting of four segments. Of course, the battery can also be charged during normal operation, which then takes around 5 hours for a full charge. 80 percent of the capacity can be recharged in about 3 hours. JBL, which also equips its new Club 120 and Stage 320 party speakers with a rechargeable battery, could take a leaf out of its book. As on the speaker, there are four blue LEDs on the back of the battery. If you press the small button above them, you can get an idea of the charge status. Each LED stands for 25 percent charge, when the last LED flashes the charge is at 10 percent or below. This is very practical when you take a replacement battery off the shelf.
The LD Systems Anny 8 in the sound check
In the listening test, the LD Systems Anny 8 was surprisingly balanced for a party speaker. Its sound tuning can almost be described as unspectacular, even natural. The voicing was more reminiscent of a studio monitor than a typical party speaker, as popularized by JBL. The Partybox Club 120 and the larger Stage 320 can become quite toxic in the treble at higher volumes. At the same time, however, this makes the reproduction appear very lively, which is also helped by the bass range emphasized in the upper bass. The Anny 8 avoids all these superficial effects.
The LD Systems sounds very balanced and natural in the vocal range and is much smoother in the treble range, without appearing overpowering. If you listen to music with it at room volume, it sounds almost like a hi-fi speaker. At higher volumes, when others are already booming or the treble becomes sharp, the Anny 8 ignites a turbo. Then it kicks in the bass with simultaneous differentiation and the hi-hats or high-frequency effects from the synthesizer flash powerfully.
This party speaker with a professional background easily reaches very high volumes without showing any signs of strain or even tipping over into aggression. And it was equally fun with all types of music – from electronic dance music such as “Beachball” by Naim & Kane from the playlist in this review to “Bird On The Wire” by Leonard Cohen from the “Audiophile Voices” playlist and “Till Tomorrow” by Yello and Till Brönner from our “Extreme Bass Test” playlist, which you can find on Qobuz.
Useful sound presets
Speaking of bass: Eco mode to increase battery life costs a little volume in the bass, but still makes the Anny 8 sound impressively rich. From an audiophile point of view, we naturally liked the “Flat” preset best with its sensitive reproduction of natural instruments and voices with a great punch in the bass. But “Vocal” also does a good job here. “Music” sounds fun or bass-driven, crisp and “Live” is a matter of taste. This also applies to switching between the sound presets. To call them up, you have to maneuver through the menus on the small display by pressing and turning the control for the overall volume. This is not necessarily the most elegant solution. After all, you are sitting behind the speaker and cannot directly assess the effect.
LD Systems Anny 8: Conclusion and alternatives
The LD Systems Anny 8 is a real wolf in sheep’s clothing. It does without gadgets such as a light show, sampled DJ sound effects or an app – and unfortunately also without useful features such as automatic switch-off or synchronization between the Bluetooth volume control on the speaker and the smartphone, even though it uses electronic controls. From a professional point of view, the Mackie Thump Go 8 would be an obvious alternative. It even offers a mixer in its app and is even cheaper than the Anny 8. However, it doesn’t sound as balanced and is more difficult to transport.
The JBL PartyBox Club 120, which is also slightly larger, does not come close to the LD Systems in terms of sound balance. However, it compensates for this for certain applications with a light show, smart app and more accessible controls on the top. If you’re less interested in naturalness and more in the bass thump of electronic beats, you should definitely check out the JBL Partybox Stage 320 before buying. Although it is a lot bigger, it costs just as much as the Anny 8.
LD Systems Anny 8: Technical data
- Manufacturer’s recommended retail price: 535 euros
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 24.9 x 28.2 x 39 cm
- Weight: 8.8 kg
- Battery life up to 11 hours (ECO preset, medium volume), 3.5 hours at full volume in music preset
- Special features: integrated power supply unit, mic/line combo sockets (XLR/6.3 mm jack), 2 line inputs (RCA, 3.5 mm jack) replaceable battery, mixer, 3-band EQ, USB-C power bank function, 35 mm flange for tripods
