I’ll be honest, I’ve owned and reviewed plenty of Bluetooth speakers, but have never owned a more prominent sound tower. I never thought I really needed one. But after a few weeks with the Samsung MX-ST50B Sound Tower, I’m starting to rethink how I’ve ever gone without one for so long. Be it the seamless setup, impressive battery life and downright booming sound, the MX-ST50B is undoubtedly worth every penny, should the A$699 price tag suit.
Design
The MX-ST50B is undeniably large for most users. Standing at 66.6cm tall and weighing 11.9 kg, it’s certainly going to draw some attention when others are around. But its slim triangular design soon won me over. It’s as sleek as any competitor on the market while providing some sleek RGB lighting effects and five distinct DJ modes to shake up the dancefloor.
It also carries an IPX5 water-resistance rating, meaning that while it’s light enough to pick up and take to parties and picnics, it’s made to withstand any light spills and weather that those outings might bring. There’s not really much to write home about beyond this point, but I can commend the MX-ST50B for its sleek and minimal design nonetheless.
Features
When it comes to features, the MX-ST50B is packing a laundry list of worthy points. Its triangular design allows for four bi-directional speakers with two on each side, spitting out up to 240 watts of sound in two distinct directions, making it great when left in open spaces or tucked-in corners, filling the room in each direction. While it’s not immediately noticeable, it definitely becomes obvious when you’re moving to a separate part of the room, in which the sound seemingly follows.
If the ability to fill a room with music and lights wasn’t enough. there’s good news. The MX-ST50 allows for a wired microphone to be plugged in for some Karaoke. But the party doesn’t end there. Multi-point connection and group play also feature, as the MX-ST50B can be connected to multiple devices at once. This means that friends won’t need to disconnect and reconnect when it’s their turn to bring out the tracks.
But even when you’re at home, you can have something like a laptop or TV connected for some kickass sound, while having your phone connected for incoming calls. It’s admittedly become a feature I struggle to go without in most Bluetooth speakers, and I’m glad it’s here. If that wasn’t enough, the MX-ST50B can also be paired both wired and wirelessly to other Samsung tower speakers. While users can download the dedicated Sound Tower app to customise settings on the fly, it’s bound to suit all types of media with a dedicated USB-A input and 3.5mm jack.
To top it all off, the MX-ST50B also boasts a lengthy 18-hour battery life. This is well above average for most speakers, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed by the performance while relying on the battery. Sure, this thing belts out 240 watts of power, but when plugged in, it’s capped at 90 watts. It’s still certainly loud enough to get the job done in most places when compared to handheld Bluetooth speakers but does take away from the impressive potential that this shows at home. While it’s obviously contributing to the stellar battery life, part of me wishes I could trade a few hours of battery life for another 50 watts.
Sound
I’ve mentioned it before and I’ll say it again. This thing really does belt out 240w of power. It’s loud, clear and great at lower levels, packing in heaps of bass for most dance and house tunes. You can also take advantage of the Bass Booster feature, which immediately amplifies the effectiveness of the lows, at the cost of the clarity of the mids.
That being said, when in the standard mode, the MX-ST50B delivers a balanced sound stage, providing those booming lows without clashing with many of those mids and highs that instrumental tracks and vocals deliver.
But with the included remote, these settings can be changed on the fly, meaning the perfect preset for each track is never far away, nor difficult to access and adjust. Beyond this point, it’s hard to complain about the quality when plugged in, simply because it ticks two of the boxes I look for in a speaker like this; loud and clear.
Verdict & Value
The Samsung MX-ST50B Sound Tower might be one of the smaller siblings of the new range, but you would never know it. As it packs 240 watts of power and an impressive list of features into such a slim and minimalist design, there’s not much more you could ask from it.
It’s loud and punchy while providing plenty of lighting options for added atmosphere. It’s light enough to take around, and up for the challenge thanks to its IPX5 water-resistance rating. It’s also around for the long haul, with the ability to last up to 18 hours on a single charge, even if it limits the speaker to just 90 watts of power. But through it all, the Samsung MX-ST50B Sound Tower is once again, worth every penny.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Stunning sound; Unique design; Packed with features; Stellar battery life
Lowlights: Compromises sound output when running on battery power
Manufacturer: Samsung
Price: A$699
Available: Now
Review based on unit supplied by Samsung.
