Soundfreaq SoundKick Review

SoundKick SFQ-04 is the latest portable speaker from the fairly new audio equipment manufacturer SoundFreaq. Let’s see what it’s all about on our full review.

Some of the key design feature of this speaker is its stylish black etched stripe body, capacitive buttons (excluding the power button) which are found at the top of the speaker and its collapsible extension chamber at the back which doubles as a kickstand.

Another notable feature of the SoundKick is that it also doubles as a portable charger. It has the ability to charge your mobile device via the USB port at the back.

The SoundKick delivers a full and balanced sound output thanks to its two 2.3” drivers and Soundfreaq’s proprietary UQ3 technology which can be switched on and off. We’ve listened to our tracks with the UQ3 turned on and off and one can already tell the difference. We don’t really suggest turning the UQ3 off as the sound gets horribly distorted.

We’ve tested 3 devices with the SoundKick to simulate real-world scenario for different devices we usually plug to a speaker. We’ve listened to it both plugged and wirelessly with our HP Pavilion dv6t-6000 w/ Beats Audio, iPod Touch and Nexus S.

The speaker was able to produce pleasing audio output on all these devices with only a very slight and bearable distortion when paired with the iPod and laptop and the volume cranked to its max. The sound was a bit soft when we paired it with the Nexus S even when both the device’s and speaker’s is at its peak, but then again my Nexus S isn’t that loud to begin with.

Soundfreaq promises 6-7 hours of continuous play back. We were a bit hesitant at first about it but the Soundkick delivered to that promise thanks to its 2200mAh battery. We averaged about 6 hours on wired playback and roughly the same time on wireless.

One thing we noticed during our time with the SoundKick is that the sound is louder when it’s plugged to a power source than when it’s running on battery. This additional loudness comes at the cost of sound quality. The sound starts to get distorted when the speaker is plugged in to power outlet (70% volume mark when attached to the PC and 90% on iPod).

The lack of remote control is compensated by an optional Soundfreaq remote control/music player app available for both iOS and Android that you can download for free.

We think that Soundfreaq did a really good job with the SoundKick. Its sleek design paired with pretty decent sound output and long battery life is definitely a winning combination. Not to mention that you can also play songs wirelessly via Bluetooth and charge your phone via USB. With a price tag of Php4,950USD 84INR 7,151EUR 80CNY 614, the SoundKick is something to consider when you’re looking for a portable speaker. It’s available in stores like Digital Hub, Digital Walker or Beyond the Box.

What we liked about it:
• Sturdy and lightweight construction
• Great sound quality for the most part
• Long battery life
• Affordable

What we did not like:
• Sound quality gets distorted when plugged in
• Outdated Bluetooth support (only supports up to Bluetooth 2.1)