SUDIO is back. This time, they have released the brand new SUDIO F2 portable Bluetooth speakers which promise superb audio quality while being highly portable. Even though we’ve previously experienced hits and misses with SUDIO products, we shall review this product by giving SUDIO a clean slate, as it’s the first speaker product from the brand which we are going to try and test out.
The SUDIO F2
One of the key value propositions of the SUDIO F2 is its portability. With its “blocky” design, the SUDIO F2 is considered one of the most portable Bluetooth speakers which we have tested. We can easily hold it with one hand, and because of the way it is designed, it can also be easily packed into a bag.
Weighing in at only 410g, it feels lightweight and easy to be carried around. Moreover, the F2 also comes with a little strap that allows the speaker to be easily hung. Regardless if you are riding a bike down the road, or simply lazing around at your table, the SUDIO F2 fits well in any scenario which you could be in.
Moreover, the SUDIO F2 is also IPX7 rated, which means that it is water resistant, and can be used both indoors and out.
The SUDIO F2 prides itself in its dedicated 5W subwoofer, on top of its 15W main driver. This allows the speaker unit to bring out a wider frequency of sounds which has always been lacking in most of the portable Bluetooth speakers out on the market today.
What’s also interesting is that the SUDIO F2 can be paired with other F2s and be synchronized to play the same songs simultaneously – this is known as the broadcast mode. The broadcast mode can increase the capabilities of the F2, giving it an improved sound stage and amplification by placing multiple speakers around the room.
The SUDIO F2 uses a USB Type-C cable for charging. It also supports 3.5mm audio input, on top of wireless Bluetooth audio.
How does it sound?
Like no other. Despite the size of the SUDIO F2, we were pleasantly surprised by how well the speakers sounded.
In terms of loudness, the considerably small F2 was able to produce sounds loud enough to fill a room. If this wasn’t loud enough, the broadcast mode could even possibly extend the reach of the speakers by synchronizing with other speakers. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to test this out as we only had a single review unit with us.
In terms of sound quality, the SUDIO F2 sounded great. What blew my mind was how well the speakers were able to reproduce the mid frequencies, which allowed vocals to sound extremely clear. It made it seem like the singer was singing next to you. A pinch of focus on the high frequencies also made the sound profile brighter and clearer, suitable for most mainstream genres such as pop and rock. In addition, when it comes to the lows and the bass, the F2 also presented the sounds fairly. Drums and other instruments on the lower frequencies were well represented and they did not overpower the whole composition. The bass was taut and succinct, much to my liking.
But…
While almost everything seems great, there were a few glaring issues with the SUDIO F2 which I met.
Firstly, the volume buttons on the SUDIO F2 didn’t work for me. Pressing the ‘-‘ or ‘+’ buttons on the speakers didn’t make any difference to the volume. Interestingly, double pressing either the ‘-‘ or ‘+’ still allowed me to skip tracks. I guess it’s a software compatibility issue between the SUDIO F2 and Android smartphones.
Secondly, the gesture of “double pressing” buttons brings about another usability issue. What if I would want to rapidly reduce/increase the volume of the speakers, and press either of the volume buttons rapidly? Am I registering multiple skip-track actions or changing volume?
Thirdly, users may find that the SUDIO F2 takes a long time to charge. Based on official specifications from SUDIO, you will need to plug the F2 in for 4 hours to get it from 0 to 100% battery capacity. It would be preferred if SUDIO introduced some kind of fast charging mechanism to improve the charging time. The saving grace of the SUDIO F2 was that it can give up to 15 hours of playback, which is quite decent, given its size.
Conclusion
The SUDIO F2 has upheld the SUDIO branding. The sound profile of the SUDIO F2 blew my mind away. You’d be surprised at how well the speakers sound, especially with their small form factor.
Certainly, the SUDIO F2 delivers on what it promises – great sounds and portability.
If you are looking for new portable Bluetooth speakers, we would recommend the SUDIO F2. To enjoy 15% off your purchase, you can also use discount code “TECHREVO15” at checkout. (we are not sponsored by SUDIO).
