Gadgetwise: Pairing Two Speakers to Get Stereo Sound

Portable speakers come in many inexpensive varieties these days, but to get quality sound, you have to pay extra for stereo. Even then, the internal speakers are usually only a few inches apart, limiting the quality.

HMDX Audio has a less expensive option that allows two speakers paired together to offer true stereo sound. The new speakers, Jam Plus, are part of a collection that expands on the popular Jam speaker that came out last year.

The Jam Plus speakers cost $60 each and are offered in many bright colors, including blue, pink, purple and yellow. (For the serious-minded person, a sober gray is also available.) They have a minimal, compact design, and come in packaging that looks like a jar of jam.

The speakers have a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers four hours of wireless play, which frankly is not much. But they also come with a USB cable to connect to wired devices. HMDX says the Jam Plus speakers have a range of up to 30 feet, like most wireless speakers.

Setup via Bluetooth was a snap. A switch on the bottom of each speaker allows for mono or stereo playback. With a quick flip, you can be listening to stereo music from left and right speakers. The sound is decent, although not very heavy on the bass.

For longer playback and good performance, HMDX offers the $120 Jam Party boombox, which lasts up to eight hours on a full charge. Two internal speakers provide a more booming bass, and a retractable handle enhances portability. But those extras come with a steeper price, and you don’t get true stereo sound.

Over all, the vibrant colors of the Jam Plus might not fit every décor, but the price definitely fits a tight budget.

Gadgetwise: Wireless Stereo That Really Is Stereo

The ability to separate left and right speakers gives the Soundfreaq Sound Platform 2 true stereo sound.

The problem with most speaker docks is that the left and right speakers are inches apart in a single box, even fancy ones like the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin. They might as well be monaural. Not so the Soundfreaq Sound Platform 2. When you buy two of the wireless docks ($150 each) they recognize each other and become left and right speakers that can be separated by whatever distance Bluetooth and your room allow.

Each 13- by 5- by 7-inch cabinet houses a 40-watt amplifier and two 3-inch speakers, according to the manufacturer.

The setup instructions were understandable, requiring pressing of specific buttons for a specific time. That was all it took for the docks to link.

You can run the docks remotely using your phone and tablet with the Soundfreaq app, but I found the app a bit half-baked. You can advance and replay songs, pause and change volume, but you can’t choose any particular song from your playlist – just take what is offered, one song at a time (the company said an update will fix this). You can skip the Soundfreaq app and just use iTunes instead.

There were some glitches. The left and right speakers sometimes played at different volumes until I made a manual adjustment, for example.

The sound quality can be altered through a few settings. One called UQ3 is supposed to enhance stereo separation, although it sounded like a slight bass and treble boost to me. It also has a “warm” and “bright” setting. Overall sound was good, but if you aren’t living in a dorm it probably won’t be your primary hi-fi.

One other thing this dock manages that many others don’t is a prodigious volume level. Crank up a pair of these and prepare for complaints from the neighbors.