A series of speakers LG XBOOM Go pleased with its manufacturability. They can flaunt control through a mobile application, color music settings, and collaboration of up to hundreds of speakers, as well as good sound, which for some reason is hidden behind the magic Sound Boost button. The older model XBOOM Go PL7 looks the most interesting: an almost one-and-a-half kilogram big man, which is scary to turn on at full volume in an apartment building after seven in the evening, with a power bank function and a maximum set of possibilities.
LG XBOOM Go
A series of portable Bluetooth speakers including small, medium, and large models with 5, 20, and 30 watts respectively. All three have the function of working in tandem with another device in the series, and the two older models can be networked with up to 100 speakers. The PL5 and PL7 versions are equipped with customizable LED lighting. The older version can also work as a power bank. All speakers are IPX5 waterproof.
5 reasons to buy LG XBOOM Go speaker
- good sound using Meridian technology;
- all-weather version of the case with protection against water;
- the ability to use several speakers of the same model at the same time (up to 100 pieces for PL5 and PL7);
- nice dynamic lighting (only for PL5 and PL7);
- power bank operation (only for PL7 model).
3 reasons not to buy LG XBOOM Go speakers:
- you need specific functions (for example, a flashlight or FM radio);
- you are looking for a budget option without any special claims to the sound;
- a column with more serious moisture protection is required.
What’s in the boxes?
The delivery set is identical for all columns of the series. It includes the device itself, a USB charging cable, and documents: instructions, warranty, and safety booklet. There is no charger in the box, you can use any standard charger you already have.
What do they look like?
At first glance, it is clear that all three columns are related. They are united by a streamlined cylindrical shape with a characteristic grille at the front and round diffusers at the sides.
The youngest model is the most compact. It is available in several colors: black (like in our photo), white, yellow, green and pink. In practice, black looks more like a very dark blue. The two-round elements on the sides of the XBOOM Go PL2 are more decorative: they, unlike their counterparts in the older models, are stationary. At the top of the device is a control panel with a row of rubberized buttons: power on, pairing, volume control, play-pause, and Sound Boost. On the back of the speaker, you can see the embossed logo and the large XBOOM name. There is also a hole for a strap, this feature is typical only for the younger model, as for the most portable of the family. The underside has a flat pad with a non-slip rubber pad.
Hidden under one of the side parts are a USB-C charging port, a 3.5 mm line-in, and a pair mode button. The lid of this compartment looks well protected from moisture ingress, just like the hatch of a starship.
The PL5 and PL7 models are available in black or white. The LG XBOOM Go PL5, unlike its younger relative, is not only bigger but also different in many details. The circles on the sides are no longer needed just for beauty, they are moving elements that vibrate noticeably during operation. The strip around the circle of each diffuser is also not a fancy of the designer, it is a part of the LED backlighting. On the top panel with buttons, the differences from the younger model are minimal, they are reduced to the appeared battery charge indicator. But behind the LG logo, another control panel is hidden under a powerful rubber cover. It houses the buttons for turning on the pair and multi-modes, a backlight button, a hole for the device reset button, a USB-C connector, and a 3.5 mm AUX port. The protective cover is attached to the case with a thick rubber band, the design looks very reliable.
The LG XBOOM Go PL7 is the largest speaker in the lineup. One and a half kilos of weight, solid, stable, impressive. Externally, apart from the size, it is very similar to the PL5. The same side diffusers, LED lighting, a rubber panel with buttons at the top, and another one under the cover at the back. However, one more element was added on the back panel: a USB-A port for using the device like a mobile battery and charging other gadgets from it. The body, like other models, is pleasant to the touch: it is practical, non-marking matte plastic with a slightly soft-touch effect.
How to connect and configure?
To connect the speaker to a smartphone or other Bluetooth source, you need to press and hold the pairing button, then select the appropriate name from the list of available devices (it contains the model code and numbers so as not to confuse several identical speakers). At this point, the column is ready for use.
How are they managed?
A gentleman’s set for controlling the column is placed on the top panel of buttons. With its help, we adjust the volume and pause the music without touching the smartphone. By the way, with the same button (play/pause) you can call the voice assistant if you hold it for two seconds. Turn on Sound Boost with a separate button and leave it in this state (I’ll tell you why below). This is for all three columns. But the two older models have some additional controls on the back under a waterproof cover. The button with the image of a light bulb is responsible for turning the LED backlight on and off, a little later we will see how it is configured in the mobile application. The Dual button activates the two-column mode (it is present in all three models). If you have two columns and want to use them at the same time, then click it on both.
To get the most out of your speaker control, you need to download the LG XBOOM mobile app for iOS or Android. It works directly with the device via Bluetooth, so it does not require any cloud accounts. Here you can:
- use the built-in audio player;
- flexibly configure LED backlighting;
- combine several speakers into one “network” playing the same music;
- see the battery charge as a percentage and adjust a number of parameters (equalizer, power management, sensitivity settings)
How do they work?
The most notable feature of the XBOOM Go PL5 and PL7 is dynamic RGB lighting. It is difficult not to notice it in the on mode, but, being turned off, it does not give itself out in any way. This is useful when you want to do without lighting effects. And when it is appropriate, you can not only turn on the illumination (there is a separate button for this on the back panel) but also customize its behavior in the mobile application. There are three presets available (Party, Water, Forest) and the ability to customize your own by choosing the speed and color scheme. It is also possible to synchronize the dynamics of changing the backlight with music. It looks impressive.
Once again, I would like to draw your attention to the multiplayer function. More than once I had a desire to connect several Bluetooth speakers to one smartphone at the same time, and somehow I could not believe that there is no mass universal solution for solving such a simple task. If you know him, then welcome to the comments, but here we have a solution that is not universal, but extremely simple to work with. Both XBOOM Go PL5 and PL7 can play together with each other, but only speakers of the same model work in pairs – this is how the Wireless Party Link function works, which allows you to connect up to 100 speakers at the same time. Another interesting use case is connecting two speakers to an LG TV as an alternative to the soundbar for stereo surround sound. By the way, there is a Multipoint function, and one column can be controlled from two devices at once.
In appearance, with rubberized buttons and plugs, one would assume that the speakers can be listened to almost underwater. But this is not the case, the guaranteed level of protection is only IPX5. Which, however, is quite enough to protect against the rain that has suddenly covered the party.
The older model LG XBOOM Go PL7 has the function of recharging other devices and a USB-A connector for connecting them. True, the capacity of the built-in battery is relatively small, only 3900 mAh. For a column, this, of course, is enough with the head, but as for a power bank, it is not enough, it is more of a backup solution than a permanent one.
How do they sound?
You may have noticed that all three speakers have the Meridian logo on them. This is a British company that has been manufacturing hi-fi equipment for over 40 years and now applies its technology to some products of the more mainstream segment.
Collaboration with LG gave good results: the sound of all three speakers turned out to be quite effective. There is no magic button that activates some secret Meridian technology, but there is a Sound Boost button. I suspect that it is needed precisely to demonstrate sound enhancement technologies. Because, after playing around with turning it on and off a few times, you just leave it on forever. The sound immediately acquires volume and color, it seems that the speaker has been replaced by another, a class higher.
Dual Action Bass technology delivers particularly expressive bass. The effect is most pronounced in the largest model, the PL7. The cabinet does an excellent job of suppressing vibrations, but the sound can be literally seen with the eyes thanks to the sides of the speaker.
What about autonomy?
The autonomy of the three tested models differs in proportion to their dimensions. The flagship XBOOM Go PL7 boasts 24-hour charge independence (a nice figure, but this is with the backlight off, at half volume, and other favorable conditions). Models PL5 and PL2 are designed for 18 and 10 hours of autonomy, respectively. In real life, the results are approximately the same as stated, but, of course, it all depends on the conditions of use of the speakers.
- These are Bluetooth speakers united by a common design and collaboration protocol;
- the sound part was developed in collaboration with the Meridian brand and is especially effective in the Sound Boost mode;
- The middle and older models are equipped with customizable RGB lighting.
| Specifications | LG XBOOM Go PL2 | LG XBOOM Go PL5 | LG XBOOM Go PL7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions, mm | 126x82x80 | 201x79x79 | 245x98x98 |
| Weight, g | 350 | 620 | 1460 |
| Output power, W | 5 | twenty | thirty |
| Loudspeakers | 1×1.75 “ | 2×1.75 “ | 2×2.3 “ |
| Battery capacity | 3.7 W, 1500 mAh | 3.8 W, 3900 mAh | 7.4 W, 3900 mAh |
| Maximum autonomy, h | ten | eighteen | 24 |
| Hull protection | IPX5 | ||
| Wireless linking of devices | Dual-mode | Dual-mode, Multimode | |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | ||
| Interfaces | AUX 3.5mm, USB-C | AUX 3.5mm, USB-C | AUX 3.5mm, USB-C, USB-A |
