Aiwa Exos-9 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Product Information

Their primary purposes are completely different. SoundTouch 30 is a wi-fi speaker (Exos-9 only features Bluetooth). Soundtouch 30 is designed to be part of your multiroom speaker system. SoundTouch 30 features Alexa support and allows you to stream any audio content from your devices via your home wi-fi network. Another positive feature is the possibility to link two Aiwa Exos-9s together to enjoy stereo sound. But we couldn’t test this because we only had one unit. Sound Spoiler alert... the Exos 9 sounds significantly better. I have not found a portable, battery operated speaker that comes close. It’s easy to wonder why Aiwa hasn’t updated the speaker, but honestly it just sounds ridiculously better than all of its competitors. The dynamic range is fantastic. The sound is very powerful and natural. It gets significantly louder than the hyperboom with zero distortion and much more humph. Because of the subwoofer, the bass remains neatly beneath the mids. Also, because the mid’s aren’t responsible for pushing any passive radiators — they’re able to handle more of the vocals without relying on the tweeters (more on this later). With that all said, it isn’t water resistant and less portable than the hyperboom . Altogether Aiwa offers with the Exos-9 an exciting jukebox, which is suitable for various occasions and thanks to the integrated equalizer is perfectly adaptable to your own wishes. The sound is great and can be tuned down to the last detail – thanks to aptX even via Bluetooth. The Bluetooth has good range and is reliable, I was able to still have good signal, no dropouts, and reliable connection even from across two rooms, larger in size. This means that you probably won't have issues even if you're actually using the speaker at a party and dancing around. The battery has a life of about 9 hours, for a moderate volume level, but that will be cut a bit shorter if you'll be using the speaker at its maximum volume, but in that case you'll surely either be at a rave, or have the cops called on you for noise disturbance, and I'm not half joking, this is a loud speaker at maximum volume.

We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each! The USB powebank port can be used for charging phones or tablets. Assuming that the capacity of the battery is 15,600mAh, you can fully recharge Samsung S9 or iPhone X 5 times. Aiwa Exos-9 is a battery-operated speaker. The battery is not built into the speaker and it can be removed and replaced. AIWA is actually a pretty well established company with a large product offer, which includes headphones, like the ARC-1 Bluetooth headset that I reviewed before, and the pretty new EXOS 8 Party speaker, and the Prodigy Air TWS Earbuds. They are quite reliable and will provide proper warranty and support for you, although they are also sold a lot in stores that aren't necessarily audio stores. Those stores should also offer a pretty excellent overall warranty and support, and you won't have to rely on Aiwa alone, so if you see them being sold in your favorite electronics shop, you should totally go for their products, as they are quite reliable. I should also mention that after having had their ARC-1 Bluetooth headphones for almost a year now, I can confirm that they didn't break so far.Exos-9 can be connected to different audio sources (phones, tablets, PCs) via Bluetooth or via AUX input. The speaker features support for A2DP ( Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) and AAC, aptX, and SBC audio codecs. It also supports fast pairing thanks to the NFC feature (it can be used for pairing with NFC-enabled Android devices). It is also possible to pair two Exos-9 speakers together thanks to the LINK feature. The control panel and LCD screen are also nice features but their placement could’ve been better. The manufacturer decided to place the control panel on the top while the LCD display is located on the front panel. Placing them both on the top panel would make the speaker more user-friendly. In terms of aesthetics, I think the speaker is not a real looker, and actually it is a half-half situation with it, it has cool aesthetics, but only if you like it. Also, it is a mono speaker, and you will require two to have a full stereo sound. This being said, the speaker doesn't have a mono kind of sound, and it actually sounds pretty spacey but for a true stereo sound, you can connect two, and things will be even better. The Bluetooth has good range and is reliable, I was able to still have good signal, no dropouts, and reliable connection even from across two rooms, larger in size. This means that you probably won’t have issues even if you’re actually using the speaker at a party and dancing around. The battery has a life of about 9 hours, for a moderate volume level, but that will be cut a bit shorter if you’ll be using the speaker at its maximum volume, but in that case you’ll surely either be at a rave, or have the cops called on you for noise disturbance, and I’m not half joking, this is a loud speaker at maximum volume.

Since the Exos-9 is the product that pulled Aiwa from the ashes, maybe they should have named it “The Phoenix” instead. Either way, the Exos-9 is a dynamite speaker that sounds great, especially outdoors. If Aiwa can add some built-in water protection and some additional smart connection options like Alexa, AirPlay or Google Play, the Exos-9 could come close to that perfect all-in-one speaker. AIWA EXOS 9 is in a class of its own, being a bluetooth speaker, but not a very portable one, thanks to its weight, which is almost funny high, of about 7 KG, but it has a lot going on for it, including APT-X, a battery of about 15600 mAh, and even built-in EQ. Since it is a bluetooth speaker, it won’t have any pairings, and there are no actual comparison point for it at the moment, but don’t worry, as soon as I’ll be reviewing a speaker that matches its description, it will get compared to Exos 9. This being said, the Yamaha WX-021 Music Cast 20 is similar in concept and price, and Edifier Luna also works as a comparison point, and to make it three, I will also add Edifier S1000DB to the comparison list. If you want something more rugged and waterproof, you should buy some other speaker (JBL Boombox, for example). Unfortunately, you will never get the same loudness and sound quality with JBL Boombox (and you will have to pay more). A few words about the manufacturer Considering the size and number of drivers inside the speaker and the playtime, 15,600mAh seems more believable. 2,600mAh is simply to small for this kind of speaker. Besides, USB powerbank port would be useless if this was the actual battery capacity. To put things in perspective, Samsung S9 features 3,000mAh battery while iPhone X features 2,700mAh battery.Most of our complaints are related to build quality (too much plastic) and to control panel design. Aiwa speakers are a good choice for anyone looking for a quality sound system. The company has a long history of producing quality audio equipment, and their speakers are no exception. They offer a wide range of models to choose from, so you can find the perfect set of speakers for your needs. Whether you’re looking for a simple stereo system or a high-end surround sound setup, Aiwa has a speaker system that will suit your needs.