Sharp PS-921 party speaker in review

The Sharp PS-921 is not the first party speaker from the major Japanese electrical appliance manufacturer to be reviewed by us. The PS-949 already made a name for itself at the beginning of the year with its large volume for comparatively little money. I deliberately don’t say mass, because it was much lighter than it looked. This paid off during transportation. We had to use a lot more force to transport the Berlin speaker during the photo shoot with the Teufel Rockster Air 2. However, the sound test revealed certain signs of a lack of fine-tuning: the mock giant boomed when the bass boost was used in conjunction with the “Club” sound preset. We also had similar problems with the GX-BT480, which we reviewed a long time ago, while the tiny GX-BT60 Bluetooth speaker worked perfectly.

So we were excited to see what we could expect from the PS-921. After all, the Japanese had also shown with the PS-949 in many details, such as the app and the entire operating concept, that they really have what it takes. And Sharp always has plenty of features anyway. For example, the PS-921 party speaker has a light organ with stroboscope, which, like all the important functions, can be operated via an exemplary keypad on the top of the almost 3 kilo handle device. Because using the light show drains the integrated lithium-ion battery, we particularly like the external power supply unit supplied. This allows you to tap into the power socket when using the device at home. When you’re out and about, a single charge lasts up to 14 hours. That’s pretty decent for a speaker of this size, especially when it delivers 130 watts of peak power.

Relatively much diaphragm area for the money

The 2.1-channel audio system uses two 2-inch full-range speakers (5.1 centimeters in diameter) and a 4-inch subwoofer (10.2 centimeters), which is used for both channels. Sharp also promises 3D surround sound and“super bass amplification” for the PS-921. Music can be streamed wirelessly to the party speaker via Bluetooth 5.0. In duo mode, two Sharp PS-921s can be paired and operated in True Wireless Stereo (TWS) to create a large sound stage with true stereo localization. To do this, press and hold the “Source” button on both devices in succession until you hear the announcement “Duo Mode pairing“. Once pairing is complete, you will hear the message “Duo Mode connected” and you can now play music in stereo on both speakers via a Bluetooth connection to the primary speaker.

A 3.5 mm aux input is provided for connecting analog sources, while a USB-A port with charging function is available for digital memory sticks or smart devices. This turns the PS-921 into a power bank. MP3, WAV or FLAC files can be played from the USB memory stick. For outdoor use, the Sharp party speaker is splash-proof to IPX5 standard, making it suitable for use in light rain or at the swimming pool. A tripod mounting hole with M6 fit makes the equipment very suitable for parties. Sharp has dispensed with an app for the PS-921 party speaker.

This is how the Sharp party speaker sounds

In the listening test, the fairly priced 200 euro speaker delivered a good show for the money. After all, a much smaller Marshall Emberton 2 also costs 180 euros, according to the manufacturer’s recommended retail price. And the Sharp PS-921, with its 4-inch woofer and much larger cabinet volume, unsurprisingly has much more to offer in terms of bass. The drums in the live recording of the rock classic “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac sounded beautifully rich and also very clean. The Party speaker also reproduced the raspy voice of lead singer Stevie Nicks quite well. The same goes for the overtone spectrum. It goes without saying that the PS-921 also made electronic dance tracks a joy to listen to. For 200 euros, you rarely get such rich bass elsewhere. It’s easy to get over the fact that the three-stage 3D effect didn’t necessarily prove to be a killer app. But all in all, the party speaker offered a solid performance for the money.

Sharp PS-921: Conclusion and alternatives

If you want to get hold of a party-ready Bluetooth speaker with rich bass and a light show for a maximum of 200 euros, there are few alternatives to the Sharp PS-921. These include the Tribit Stormbox Blast or the Tronsmart Halo. However, the former cannot keep up with the light show and the latter is less solid.

Technical specifications: Sharp PS-921

• Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: 200 Euro
• Dimensions: 22 x 22.6 x 22 cm
• Weight: 2,7 kg
• Playback time with battery: up to 14 hours
• Special features: Light organ, stroboscope, app control, external power supply unit
• More at: www.sharp.de

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