Recenzija ION Pathfinder 280

Nekad je Bluetooth zvučnike bilo vrlo teško nabaviti. Stoga je nekoliko tvrtki koje su znale kako to učiniti moglo naplatiti premiju za svoje proizvode.

Međutim, eksponencijalni rast tehnologije znači da mnogi konkurenti počinju sustizati i također ispravljati stvari. Proizvodi postaju jeftiniji i dostupniji. Ne samo da proizvođači postaju mudriji, nego i jaz između premium i jeftinih proizvoda u smislu funkcionalnosti i snage postaje sve manji.

Funkcionalnost proračuna

Čini se da je ION Pathfinder 280 najbolji primjer za to. Košta puno manje od konkurenata koji obećavaju iste mogućnosti, funkcije i trajanje baterije.

Za oko 105 USD, Pathfinder 280 obećava trajanje baterije koje će trajati više puta. Zajedno s kvalitetom zvuka i rasponom koji može ispuniti svaki prostor i nadjačati svaku gužvu ako je potrebno. A može čak i otvoriti vaše pivo!

No, sve su to samo riječi, obećanja i hvalisanja na kartonskoj kutiji i web stranici tvrtke. Stoga sam odlučio ispitati 280 kako bih otkrio treba li sloganu na prednjoj strani dodati "previše dobro da bi bilo istinito", u mojoj detaljnoj recenziji ION Pathfinder 280.

Dizajn i izrada

Pathfinderov dizajn je jednostavan. No, kada počnete pobliže promatrati i provedete neko vrijeme s tim, počet ćete shvaćati gdje je sva ta misao ušla.

Pathfinder četvrtastog oblika vrlo je težak, ponajviše zbog baterije. Unatoč tome, to uvijek pomaže da se govornik više učvrsti.

Srećom, s obje strane su ugrađene dvije ručke. Kao i teleskopsku ručku i kotače za jednostavno prenošenje. Nadalje, bez obzira na težinu, može se reći da je ovo jedan od najprijenosnijih Bluetooth zvučnika možete kupiti, s obzirom na njegovu snagu.

Volite ga pomicati, pomaknite ga...

Dvije bočne ručke obojene su u crvenu boju, a iako su suptilne, to čini veliku razliku, posebno u kombinaciji s RGB trakom koja se proteže oko rešetke.

Kotači na dnu, iako dovoljno čvrsti da dugo traju, neće preživjeti sve što bacite na njih. Dakle, pokušajte ih održavati čistima i nemojte ići van ceste. Isto tako, dvije gumene nožice držat će Pathfinder stabilnim nakon što odlučite gdje ga želite postaviti.

Dovoljno jak za zabavu...

Rešetka koja štiti vozače je metalna, dok je u većini konstrukcija Pathfindera korištena plastika. Ali, visoke je kvalitete i stoga je izdržljiv. Isto se može reći i za kvalitetu gume koja se koristi za kontrole na prednjoj ploči.

To je ohrabrujuće budući da na Pathfinderu ima dosta gumba. Oni su zbog opsežnih značajki modela 280, ali na njih ću doći malo kasnije.

Na prednjoj strani nalaze se USB i AUX priključci, kao i AC priključak na stražnjoj strani. Svi su zaštićeni gumenim preklopima koji, poput crvenih naglasaka na ručkama, nisu u potpunosti potrebni, ali je vrlo lijepo imati ih.

Najprivlačnija značajka dizajna?

Ovo mora biti praktičan pretinac za pohranu na vrhu zvučnika. Dovoljno velik da u njega stane bilo koji pametni telefon, također sadrži još dva priključka za punjenje.

Konačno (i što je najvažnije, ako ste brucoš), Pathfinder ima onaj uvijek tako praktičan otvarač za boce koji se nalazi na desnoj strani zvučnika. Živjeli za to!

Funkcionalnost i trajanje baterije

Pathfinder dolazi s oznakom IPX5. To znači da će biti u redu ako padne nekoliko trenutaka kiše dok se vi raspršite kako biste donijeli ostatak svojih stvari u kuću.

Za tehnički nastrojene ljude, Pathfinder je ocijenjen sigurnim za kontakt s vodom u trajanju do tri minute. Stoga je to jedan od najboljih Bluetooth zvučnika otpornih na prskanje na tržištu. Iako, strogo savjetujemo da ga ne pokušavate staviti u vodu tijekom pijanih zabava uz bazen.

Postoje dva pomoćna priključka i USB priključci koji su ranije spomenuti. Oni omogućuju punjenje uređaja kao i njihovo povezivanje za reprodukciju zvuka.

Bluetooth

Pathfinder je opremljen Bluetoothom 5.0 i proizvodi solidnu vezu na udaljenosti do 85 metara. Jedna mana je to što ne postoji uparivanje s više točaka. Dakle, ograničeni ste na jedan po jedan uređaj.

Nadalje, postoje mala kašnjenja pri gledanju videa i filmova. To se može dogoditi bez obzira na strujanje ili izravno iz memorije uređaja.

Kontrole i ugrađene značajke

Kontrole gumba lako su razumljive i raspoređene na način koji vjerojatno neće izazvati zabunu. Dakle, ocjena jednostavnosti korištenja je visoka. There is a Bluetooth button to engage in pairing and a light button that allows you to select a light pattern of your choice.

A control labeled “BOOM” is not something you’d necessarily want to see on any of your electronics. But, on a speaker, it does have pleasant connotations. The BOOM control enhances the bass frequencies and engages a light show.

Party with your pals…

The Pathfinder can link itself with another Pathfinder and create a stereo pair; this can be engaged using the Link button. It indicates all connections made and/or severed with audio prompts. Also, there is a display that indicates the selected volume level and the battery life.

The Pathfinder does come with a companion app for sound customization. But, it also has neat built-in EQ shortcuts.

Pressing the EQ button will alternate the display between “HI” and “LO.” Having selected your range, you can boost or cut as desired by turning the volume knob. And finally, save the altered profile by pressing the EQ button again.

Save your favorite stations…

The Pathfinder has an FM radio which allows you to switch between FM1 and FM2. The ‘Previous’ and ‘Next’ buttons allow you to scroll between frequencies. You can then save your favorite stations to one of eight preset buttons.

FM1 and FM2 have eight slots each, so that’s a total of 16 possible presets. This, along with the EQ customization, makes the 280 one of the most versatile Bluetooth speakers you will find.

Battery Life

The advertised battery life for the Pathfinder is a very impressive 100 hours from a 10-hour charge. While ION did not state under which conditions this figure could be met, we are confident that it can.

Our testing, and that of other users on YouTube and alike, come to a very impressive 68 hours at moderate to high levels after a seven-hour charge. This makes it one of the longest battery life Bluetooth speakers oko. So, you can party from dusk till dawn, and then some.

Companion App

The ION Sound XP App is perhaps not the most extensive out there. But, one could argue that combined with all the physical controls, you’ve got more than enough.

The app has a simple and elegant layout. And it’s important to note that there is a difference between the physical EQ controls and using the app. The app has a three-band EQ, allowing you to adjust the mids as well. Additionally, there are seven presets to choose from, and you can save your own.

You also have access to the linking function, the FM radio, and the BOOM control. Finally, the XP app gives you the ability to control the lights as well as activate and deactivate the voice prompts. All of these add up to one of the easiest to use Bluetooth speakers možete kupiti.

Kvaliteta zvuka

The dynamics of the Pathfinder certainly surprised us when first testing the speaker. The Pathfinder is more than capable of producing enough volume to satisfy the needs of any party house or small get-together.

One of the loudest Bluetooth speakers you will find. Not just in the budget range, but in every range. The amount of compression applied when you push it to the max is minimal. So, the quality doesn’t degrade much, and distortion is minimal as well.

Frequency Response

The default signature on the Pathfinder definitely favors the mid-range, which means that vocals and main instruments are always present and clear. The main downside of the sound is the lack of balance between frequency ranges.

This is especially noticeable in the balance between mids and highs. The imbalance sometimes causes one to sound good and the other bad, or results in both mids and highs sounding bright or dull.

It’s a good thing ION included the BOOM control as well as an EQ because the biggest weakness in terms of sound for the Pathfinder is the low-end.

By default…

The bass simply has no presence in any type of genre. Whether it’s bass-heavy or not, and even when using the BOOM function or the EQ to enhance the bass, the low-end seems recessed. I, therefore, recommend leaving the BOOM function on permanently and using the EQ to add bass boost as well.

Overall, I rate the sound quality on the Pathfinder as below average to good depending on your settings. But, getting that low-end boost makes a massive difference.

Furthermore, I recommend getting at least two units to improve the soundstage. That’s because using a single speaker will sum all the content to mono, which is never good if you actually love your music.

ION Pathfinder 280 Review – Pros and Cons

Prednosti

• Dobro građeno.
• Good functionality and companion app.
• Gets very loud.
• Excellent Bluetooth range.
• Bottle opener.
• Easy to transport.

Protiv

• No multipoint pairing.
• Average sound quality.
• Bad soundstage.

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ION Pathfinder 280 Review – Conclusion

The Pathfinder 280 is a great budget speaker for party people . That being said, it will also suit outdoorsy types who like good functionality and portable power as well. However, this is not the speaker for someone who wants excellent sound quality.

While the quality on the Pathfinder is by no measure bad, it’s not going to impress audiophiles. However, it will outlast your most hardcore gatherings thanks to impressive battery life and a sturdy build, which is the most important thing in most parties.

Just don’t throw it in the pool. And, remember to push that BOOM button. You’ll be waking the neighbors for literally days. The Final Score is 8 out of 10.

Until next time, happy listening!