STEREO GUIDE verdict
The Tronsmart Fiitune X30 aims less at party sound: with natural voice reproduction and a rich bass foundation, Bluetooth 5.3 and IPX6 protection, it is equally suitable for the living room, garden and patio. In the review, it impressed with its strong bass, clear voices and elegant design. However, you shouldn't expect too much from the spatial audio effect.
Pros
- Natural sound colors
- Very rich bass
- High quality appearance
- Good operation
Cons
- Spatial audio function mainly manifests itself in a bass boost
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Tonal balance / transparency8.2
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Bass / Dynamics8.4
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Useability / Connectivity9
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Price/Performance8.9
The Tronsmart Fiitune X30 wants to be many things at the same time: a powerful Bluetooth speaker for the living room, a flexible music companion for the garden or patio and a portable party speaker that can also be used on the go thanks to its rechargeable battery and carrying handle. With IPX6 protection against powerful water jets, a driver configuration with an upward-firing effect speaker and Hi-Res audio support, it has some technical features that could be exciting in everyday life. The following review clarifies what you really need from these promising features.
First impression, workmanship and driver configuration
As soon as you unpack it, you notice that the X30 looks much more solid than many other portable speakers. This is largely due to the look and feel of the solid carrying handle made of high-quality metal with a silky matt surface and the artistically designed speaker grille of the treble channel in the middle of the forward sloping top. (It is somewhat reminiscent of the grilles on the Burmester systems in Mercedes). Although the rest of the housing is made of plastic, the amazingly realistic metal-look surfaces mean that the quality of the handle radiates to the entire device. Weighing a good 3.6 kilos, it is stable. The fabric covering is neatly finished and the entire Bluetooth speaker looks solid.
The illuminated controls on the top respond reliably to touch, while the layout of the buttons remains clear. For those who prefer to work with their smartphone, the Tronsmart app for iOS and Android offers additional functions such as EQ adjustment or LED light control. The most important functions, such as volume control, playback control, stereo pairing and even calling up the spatial audio mode, can also be operated directly on the Fiitune X30.
If you want to adjust the sound to your individual preferences, you will find five presets in the Tronsmart app (Standard, SoundPulse, Deep Bass, Classic, Rock (“Rock”, a kind of unintentional running gag by the manufacturer) as well as a graphic 5-band equalizer. While the translation error already known from previous Tronsmart reviews makes you smile, another circumstance can be a bit annoying. When the connection was disconnected, the app did not find the speaker by itself the next time it was switched on; I had to select it manually in the device overview each time.
Spatial audio to go
Inside the Tronsmart Fiitune X30 is a 3-channel configuration that is remarkably well-equipped for a device of this size. Two 2-way systems do the basic work. Their dome tweeters and midrange drivers are located on the left and right of the curved front baffle. The space between them is taken up by two oval passive radiators for the bass. Two more are located in the rear baffle, which is also curved. That alone would be impressive for a Bluetooth speaker in this class. However, Tronsmart also found a place for an oval Racetrack subwoofer on the underside, which is hidden behind an oval perforation. The downfire woofer owes its name to its oval shape, which alludes to typical US high-speed stock car racing circuits. This shape enables better utilization of space.
Spatial audio as an eye-catcher
But that’s not all. The centerpiece is an upward-facing driver that emits sound specifically towards the ceiling, from where it is reflected back into the room. This spatial audio feature technology is intended not only to expand the sound image laterally, but also to add a perceptible vertical dimension. This is otherwise more familiar from more expensive wireless speakers such as the Sonos Era 300 or home cinema speakers such as the Bose Smart Soundbar 600. However, both of these can process multi-channel recordings with Dolby Atmos.
In contrast, the Tronsmart relies on its high-quality DSP, which generates the signal for the height channel (in the sense of height) from a normal stereo signal. But it doesn’t matter, so far no virtual height effect has convinced me where the speakers used for this are not directed into the room at a 45-degree angle.
The upward-radiating driver on the Fiitune X30 is more than just a technical detail – it not only shapes the spatial impression, but also the elegant appearance of the affordable Bluetooth speaker. This is not only due to the aforementioned aluminum metal grille, but also to the LED light ring around the speaker chassis.
Taken together, the 3-channel speaker arrangement has a total output of 80 watts. In conjunction with the integrated DSP, this constellation should not only ensure sufficient volume, but also an even all-round distribution of the sound components in the room.
Battery performance and suitability for everyday use
With a runtime of up to 14 hours (at a moderate volume and without LED light show), the X30 is suitable for a whole day of music, whether at a movie night or a garden party. The charging time of around five hours is acceptable, and the speaker can continue to be used while charging. The sturdy carrying handle makes it mobile, and the combination of water and impact protection ensures that it won’t be damaged even if used less carefully.
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC, SBC and LDAC codecs for use with Hi-Res streams from compatible sources is available for wireless connection to a sound source. For connection via cable, the X30 also has an AUX input with a 3.5 mm jack socket under a cover on the back. The rubber flap also conceals the USB-C port for charging the battery.
Sound test: The Fiitune X30 makes you sit up and take notice
In the standard setting and SoundPulse mode, the Fiitune X30 has a balanced effect. The bass is present without being too dominant and provides solid support for pop, electro or movie soundtracks. The mids clearly reproduce voices, so that both podcasts and singer-songwriter tracks such as “Liberty” by Anette Askvik sound neutral and pleasant. In the treble range, the speaker has enough brilliance for details such as cymbals, reverb tails or piano strings without becoming shrill. If you use LDAC-capable players, you can hear a touch more openness and fine detail with Hi-Res streams.
I have to admit that I was not only impressed by the extremely plump, yet well-integrated and sufficiently contoured bass. The voice reproduction was also convincing, even with audiophile tracks such as the aforementioned “Liberty”. The Tronsmart Fiitune X30 delivered a strong performance for both its size and price. I was less enthusiastic about the spatial audio effect. Although I made an effort to perceive an upward extension of the soundstage at different speaker positions, the changes in this respect were nuances at best.
Spatial audio works – but differently than you think
However, activating the spatial audio function had a considerable booster effect in the bass. In terms of cleanliness for electronic music, this was just fine as far as the rest of the contour was concerned. But then there was no longer any question of balance and nonchalance. It sounded a bit strained and the vocals also lost clarity and timbre fidelity. It still sounded quite decent for the class, but also somewhat synthetic and washed out.
The Fiitune X30 reacts quite directly to dynamic differences in the music: quiet passages remain easy to understand, while sudden impulses such as drum attacks or orchestral accents have enough energy to have a lively effect. The level reserves are sufficient to evenly fill medium-sized rooms or a terrace with sound, even at higher volumes. Only at the upper limits does the bass become a little more cautious thanks to DSP intervention.
Tronsmart Fiitune X30: Conclusion and alternatives
The Tronsmart combines a solid construction with flexible application options. Despite its IPX6 water protection, the Fiitune X30 is more of a portable home speaker that can also be used in the garden than an ambitious outdoor speaker. All in all, Tronsmart has put together an all-round successful package at a reasonable price, which also impresses with its haptic and visual quality.
If you’re purely interested in the sound, you can even save some money on the list price with the Hama Canton Ultimate Pro and experience even more powerful bass and levels. However, I wouldn’t necessarily want to place the comparatively clunky, black Canton on a board or in a cupboard in my living room or hallway. If the eye can hear along, the Fiitune X30 is pretty much unrivaled below the expensive Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5.
Technical specifications: Tronsmart Fiitune X30
- Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: 280 Euro
- Dimensions (W x H x D ): 37 x 19.5 x 13 cm
- Weight: 3.6 kg
- Battery life up to 14 hours at half volume (without light), charging time approx. 5 hours
- Special features: Bluetooth 5.3, AUX input, IPX6 water protection, stereo pairing, LED light effects
- More at: www.tronsmart.com
