LG PH1 review: A compact speaker for 360-degree sound effect

By Rohit Arora

The square and rectangular slab-like design limits most Bluetooth speakers to produce sound in multiple directions. But the new LG PH1 is different. The small speaker is designed to produce 360-degree omni-directional sound, which allows you to place it anywhere without worrying about the loss of audio output. It has a rubberised padding at the bottom, which prevents unwanted movement while you play the audio at maximum volume.

The cylindrical dome-shaped speaker has a transparent plastic, which hides the mono driver. The driver produces sound in a top-firing direction, which travels to the bottom vents through a passage visible from the see-through plastic.

And why would LG design a speaker with a see-through material? Because it also works as a lighting device. LG has placed four LED bulbs in a ring that surrounds the speaker tube. These bulbs can emit lights in shades of solid white, red, green, soft glows and different lighting patterns according to the music track you are playing. You can also keep the light bulbs of f to preserve battery. The light effects can be controlled by a dedicated physical button positioned on the right of the speaker.


These speakers can emit lights in shades of solid white, red, green, soft glows and different lighting patterns according to the music track playing. (Image: www.lg.com)

The best thing about PH1’s design is its portability. The speaker is light, can fit in your palm and can be easily carried around on a weekend trip without occupying much space in your bag. Despite its small size, LG PH1 offers surprisingly good sound performance. The speaker offers a pretty loud and clear sound considering its compact design with just a mono driver installed.

It can be a good companion i f you are planning to have a room party, or a short weekend trip. The sound it offers is adequate to fill a room.

Specs
Amplifier channel: 360-degree sound effect
Ports: Portable 3.5mm In
port, micro USB port
Battery: 3.7V
Weight: 1.9kg
Other features: LED lights, built in microphone to attend calls

Pro
LG PH1 is compact and offers decent audio output.

Con
The speaker comes with an unimpressive battery life.