A Deep Dive Into QFX PBX-61080BT Speaker
QFX has 30 years of experience in the electronics field, manufacturing innovative products for your entertainment needs. In more recent years they’ve carved out a niche for themselves with their big Bluetooth speakers.
Released in November 2014, QFX PBX-61081BT Speaker is designed like a suitcase, complete with wheels and a handle for maximum portability. It’s even rechargeable, allowing you to take it anywhere, without having to worry if there’s an electrical outlet nearby.
Blasting music through its 8-inch woofer and amplifier, it will give you up to 5-hours of listening time; longer at lower volumes. It allows you to play music from a variety of sources; Bluetooth-enabled devices, USB, SD card, or even non-Bluetooth devices connected to the AUX port.
Once you’ve connected QFX PBX-61081BT Speaker to a music source, you can use Apple Music, Spotify, or other apps to choose, play and pause your songs. Again, non-Bluetooth devices aren’t forgotten, with an included remote control. If karaoke is your gang’s thang, you can attach the mics by its two ¼ inch TRS inputs.
With seemingly suitable portability, versatility, and audio quality, is it a good choice for you? We took it to our office ‘away day’, and home for the weekend, to use and test it so that we can deliver our verdict.
Who’s It For?
Portable Bluetooth speakers have boomed in popularity recently and with the number of brands and models in the market. Which one is for you? Well, it depends on the uses that you need it for.
Small, portable Bluetooth speakers are convenient to use indoors, at home, in the car, or elsewhere. Many of them can produce a good and loud sound. However, for some people, and/or some settings, the sound just won’t be big enough. For that bigger sound, only a bigger speaker will do.
Having a dorm or tailgate party? Or perhaps even a children’s party or you need to play some music and make announcements at the sports field? A ‘regular’ portable Bluetooth speaker just won’t cut it, particularly if we’re talking about outdoors.
Will QFX PBX-61081BT Speaker do the job? Read on to find out what we think…
What We Like About QFX PBX-61080BT Speaker
Available in all black, as well as black with blue, red, or silver accents, QFX PBX-61080BT certainly looks the business at a party. And when it comes to sound, while the manufacturer doesn’t give specs, we found it plenty loud enough with little distortion.
But the QFX PBX-61081BT Speaker stands out from other similar speakers in its class on portability, its greatest asset. It looks and feels steady, but at 12.9 pounds it’s not too heavy. With stable wheels and an easy-to-grip handle, you can drag it around without any fuss. And that’s not only to the party. You can easily reposition it when you’re there, depending on the environment or the crowd. Especially as a power outlet isn’t necessary as it’s rechargeable. Once you’ve found the correct position, you can mount it using the built-in 36mm pole mount socket.
With such a variety of inputs and a handy remote control, you can listen to your music in a number of ways. QFX PBX-61081BT Speaker also has a built-in radio for access to your favorite stations. That could come in handy for the build-up to the big game of your tailgate.
It also has two built-in microphone inputs, allowing you to make announcements or sing along with your favorite tunes.
See Related Topic: The Bose Solo 5 TV Speaker Review
What We Don’t Like About QFX PBX-61080BT Speaker
The most common complaint about this speaker, and one that we also found, is that it doesn’t produce the truly deep, powerful bass that we prefer. But of course, that does come down to personal preference.
One thing that is inarguable is that QFX PBX-61081BT Speaker isn’t water-resistant, whereas some other competing models in the market do. This may be only of small concern for regular parties where the only real threat is careless spillage of drinks, if you’re intending to use it at the pool, then you might want to consider those other models
PROS
- Great, loud, and affordable
- Quality build
- Easy to wheel-around so that you don’t have to carry it
- Awesome party speaker
- Excellent in my indoor home gym
CONS
- Patchy Bluetooth
- Decent budget party speaker, but you could find better
- Bass not loud enough to get the party really jumping!
What’s Included?
The speaker unit, power cord, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, user guide, and warranty card.
Overview Of Features
QFX PBX-61080BT is a Bluetooth speaker that measures 12.4 x 12.4 x 20.9 inches and weighs in at 12.9 pounds. For easy portability, the speaker has attached wheels as well as a handle. You can mount it using the built-in 36mm pole mount socket.
Its black body houses an 8” woofer (available in black, blue, red, or silver options), protected by a black metal grille. With a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, a connection to a mains electricity outlet isn’t required. Fully charged, it delivers up to 6 hours of music playback at a medium volume; for longer, you can use the included power cord.
QFX PBX-61080BT connects via Bluetooth or AUX port, plug in a USB, or insert an SD to play music. Alternatively, you can use the built-in FM radio, or two ¼ inch TRS inputs for microphones. If you’re using a Bluetooth-enabled device, you can simply use a music app, or if you’re not (or you prefer), you can use the included remote to control the speaker. This includes bass controls.
Review Summary
When it comes to big yet portable Bluetooth speakers, this budget-friendly offer from established brand QFX is an excellent option.
QFX PBX-61080BT is a conveniently rechargeable speaker, with long battery life. A mains electricity plug-in isn’t required. Its convenience is enhanced by its great portability due to its retractable handle and easy-to-roll wheels.
It’s this portability that is its stand-out feature in the market. But while other models deliver deeper bass or offer water resistance, this will for sure fit most users’ big speaker needs.
If a powerful bass or being water-resistant is not so important to you, maybe its greater connectivity options than many of its rivals will be. Not only can you stream music from your Bluetooth device, but you can also plug in your USB drive or SD card. For non-Bluetooth devices, there’s an AUX port. You can even listen to your favorite radio station by the built-in FM radio. The microphone inputs make karaoke or announcements possible. There’s also a handy remote control.
All things considered, including cost, QFX PBX-61080BT will fit the bill at indoor or outdoor events or parties requiring a bigger sound than common and regular Bluetooth speakers. We think that it won’t disappoint.
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