Brane Audio - X

Co-sign on this, no competition when it comes to the bass performance and for the price.

its not a party speaker and does have a balanced sound imho. in what way is it not balanced? its upper bass boost? pretty much standard for these bluetooth speakers and overall a very balanced speaker.

deepest for the size. others certainly go louder. nothing in the size goes as deep at same loudness levels.

I got a Brane X not too long ago and it’s still pretty portable. Not the smallest speaker of course but it’s gonna have the best bass response in that size category. I was looking for something that packed some bass but was smaller than a JBL boombox 3 with similar bass response and it matches it or might even reach lower if I’m not mistaken based on graphs. I’m happy with it.

I just bought the brane x. Went back to the store the next day and bought a second one.

Is the minirig idea to add a subwoofer to the brane? lol I can not imagine adding more bass to the brane. It does not need an extra sub. It’s good as is.

I think it’s the Brane X. I went to their showroom in Austin the other week and they have a great listening room with a number of other comparable speakers. I bought the Brane X on the spot. Two days later I went back and bought a second. Now I’m inexplicably wanting to go back and buy a third.

Yes I run my two in stereo and it’s perfect. Super easy. Sounds better than any Bluetooth speaker I have personally heard.

I am super happy with my Brane X (I bought one and then immediately bought a second)

I listed to all 3 side by side and the Brane blew the others out of the water IMO

I ordered 12/30, delivered 1/11. DEFINTELY king of SQ for size AND price. It's not audiophile quality, but it sounds VERY good, especially indoors. It has surprising bass using boundary effect (place 12" from a corner or wall), and the dedicated tweeter produces highs I'm not used to in a small BT speaker. It sounds so good I don't need to EQ like on the Tribit Micro 2 and Brane X which both REQUIRE EQ. After EQ the Brane X sounds AMAZING, bass and overall sound is in a whole other category. I actually planned on using the Brane X as a travel speaker, my wife said out of the question. So I ordered both the Tribit Micro 2 and the Sound Outdoor for different space constraints, but after hearing both, I'll ALWAYS make room for the Sound Outdoor. I don't see myself settling for the Micro 2's sound… I can make 53 cubic inches of space (2-5/8 x 2-5/8 x 7-3/4"), maybe even take it in my computer bag. I ordered another one, the price can't be beat for this level of quality.

Look into Brane X ! Startup based out of Austin. Just got one and I love it. Compact portable speaker with a true subwoofer in it (that’s not a massive soundbox / jbl party speaker.) A bit more than $300 - it’s $450 and they give $50 off I believe. Highly recommend! This thing bumps and is very balanced- going to get another..

I checked it out closely and Wow. I'd agree with you; Brane is Very High Quality

Hard to beat the Brane X for bass! The JBL Boombox 3 also pushes plenty of low-end. Otherwise, some budget-friendly options with a good amount of bass are the Tribit StromBox Blast or Lava, and the Soundcore Boom 2 or Boom 2 Pro, depending on how big or small you want your speaker to be.

You can sometimes find the Harman Kardon Go+Play 3 for 250. I had one till it was stolen. I loved it. Otherwise Brane-X from Brane Audio is my #1 choice.

Dude, I'm with you. I was at Costco the other day and played it. Wow, it sounded good! Total steal for $79! And I'm a guy that owns the best of the best in such Bluetooth speakers and tried dozens of the highest rated. I also picked up great speakers at Target as well, such as the Wonderboom 4 for $29, Marshall Acton 3 for $170. I also saw the Extreme 4 on supersale but I already knew that speaker blowed, LOL. I just bought a Brane X during Prime Days to try out. It's going to take a lot to scooch over my HK GP3s in stereo ($83/each during Black Friday)... 🤷‍♂️

Brane X might do what you want. Best bass in a bluetooth speaker by a large margin.

Ditto for Brane X, if I have up to $500 to burn (for a single portable BT speaker). But personally, I’d just rather buy any (2) of the same BT speaker, and just run both in TWS L & R channels in Stereo mode (better separation, wider soundstage and less distortion on louder volumes).

I have in austin and it’s dope. You’ll be impressed no doubt

They’re finally offering refurbished for 100 off. Went to their shop in Austin. Yeah it’s not small, but this things got killer bass. Unrivaled in that price range.

This is late, but I got one too, and it definitely goes lower than the 10" sub I use at home in my stereo setup. With proper placement, it's been able to audibly reach 23 hz, but the driver will respond to any frequency you toss at it, which almost concerns me. It will shake the whole speaker at 20 hz, and being a new product I wonder if it will just fall apart doing that lol. I think they should come out with a more powerful version for home theater, as I'd love to have a stereo setup that doesn't need a dedicated sub, or at least a small one. 

Oh awesome! Would you say it's bass is comparable to a standard subwoofer?

Bass depth and quality is largely a function of the size of the speaker — larger speaker = deeper/better bass. If size is not a factor, go with one of the JBL Partyboxes. Brane X has the best bass/sub-bass in the smallest size. A close second would be the Harman Kardon Go+Play 3.

I recently bought the Brane x and have zero regrets.

Wait and save up for a Brane X. Some people think it’s overpriced at 500 bucks, but I promise you it’s worth every penny. Also, you can use the code FLOSSY for a discount. Deep bass with crisp highs, and 3 bass modes, I’m loving it.

Brane Audio just recently announced the launch of international sales including Europe.

Brane X a solid speaker. Great bass.

I also vote for the brane x...but only as a single. I was personally disappointed in a stereo pair and chose to sell my second one. As a pair my soundcore x600s are simply fantastic.. and budget friendly.

Thanks for your recommendation. I looked into it, but that speaker does not appear to support voice -control of Spotify. But if that is not a requirement for others, it looks like a nice option.

I’m the OP and wanted to give an update. Thank you to everyone who gave me advice and recommendations, especially SVLibertine. I tested the Sonos Roam 2, the Brane X, and the Sonos Move 2. I eliminated the Bose Smart Speaker because I was worried about it having a lower level of water resistance and do not think it could withstand the degree of splashing my speaker will endure poolside. (I have a very aggressive water slide which is a crowd pleaser that creates huge splashes) The Sonos Roam 2 was fairly easy to set up. Once i got my Alexa account signed in and working with the Sonos app, I was able to use voice commands such as “Alexa, play Poolside Lounge Playlist on Spotify”, and it responded well to my voice and played the correct music. Unfortunately, I felt that the sound was pretty weak from the Roam 2. I say that as someone who really isn’t picky about sound. I am definitely not an audiophile. Yet I thought the sound was weak and I am not sure who the target market is for this device. I really wanted to LOVE the Brane X. But I didn’t. Setup was a bit difficult. Walking through the app, it struggled to connect the speaker to my wi-fi. After the 5th try, it finally worked. I don’t know why it failed on the first 4 attempts yet worked on the 5th. The most disappointing discovery was that the Brane X does not seem to support voice commands to control Spotify via Alexa. When I vocally commanded Alexa to “ play jazz on Spotify” or play anything on Spotify, it responded with “I’m sorry. This device does not support that feature.” In this regard, I think that Brane’s marketing messages are deceptive. The words in their website lead me to believe that I could voice-control Alexa to perform functions on Spotify, but apparently it does not do that. I called Brane Audio’s tech support to ask about it. I left a voice mail and have not heard back 3 days later. Also, the Brane X constantly has a very faint noise … it sounds like a very old car’s engine sputtering. The Brane X did indeed sound nice and loud when playing ACDC’s Thunderstruck. But when it was idle not playing music, it sounded faintly like an old jalopy car. And it didn’t support voice control of Spotify, so did not meet my requirements. I then tried the Sonos Move 2. It checks all my requirements but I am a little worried about how it’s water resistance can hold up against big pool splashes. Sounds great. The voice control to play certain Spotify playlists works well, voice control to turn volume up/down, etc works well after I connected Alexa into the Sonos app. I am a little worried about it surviving big water splashes. However, it is really easy to pair the Move 2 (great sound) with the Roam 2 (very weak sound but good waterproofing). So my solution is that I will put the Roam 2 at the edge of my pool (big splash zone), and I will put the Move 2 near my BBQ (not in splash zone but also where party goers are located), and the music plays through both speakers seamlessly for a cohesive party vibe. So I am keeping the Sonos Move 2 and Sonos Roam 2, and will be returning the Brane X.

I just received mine and you are spot on. The build quality is nice but not $500 nice. My grill fabric was also not quite lined up perfectly. The handle is really cheap feeling and looking and not comfortable to hold. Wonder how long it will last.  The bass is amazing. This definitely hits lower than the JBL, Harmon, and anything else in its class. And it gets quite loud without distortion. For it's size and form factor it is absolutely incredible.  The mids and highs are subdued in comparison. They sound fine just seems they need more gain or power at lower volumes, even with the highs on eq cranked up.  The highs come alive at much higher volumes but the speaker is quite loud at that point and won't work for regular listening.  If Brane can keep mostly the same form factor, make the build quality nicer (like Harmon and JBL) and improve on the mids/highs, and maybe add physical buttons or at least illuminated ones, it would be killer.  The woofer technology is insane though. Imagine a tiny home subwoofer with that technology in it. Or a medium sized one. They can revolutionize the industry.  

Got it. Got another. They now work as a stereo pair beside my TV in the game room. Wonderful piece of kit, especially if your used to Sonos type sound and want something with more meat to it. The newest update added a lot of customizations and a better parametric eq. Now voices can come front and center like I prefer

I picked up one of these recently, absolutely love it. Zero regrets. Was hesitant to spend this type of money on something so new and sparingly reviewed. However, the sub bass and overall sound is honestly impressive. So much so that I don't really have an interest in looking at anything else this size for portable. "They Will Shade Us With Their Wings" by Max Richter can be heard vibrating my walls from other parts of the house. However, I am hardwired in most of the time w/ a Topping G5 streaming Tidal. If they add Tidal Connect or other wifi streaming it would be great for wireless as well. Just bluetooth 5.1 and some standard res streaming services supported according to the page. Haven't messed with the app yet. I do not have a ton of speakers to compare it to. The soundboks is too big, the iRoar Go too small. Planning to sit down for an A/B against my pair of Rokit 5s at some point just to really pick out the nuances and what is/isn't revealed within certain tracks. I would really love to put it next to a Beosound A5.

I have not. Although I would not place it in the same tier of the Rokit 5s in terms of sound quality it's definitely good. I am hoping someone with a far better microphone does something like this in video format. The speaker is on Amazon these days, so hoping it gains traction in that regard.

The Brane X is from a relatively new company for around 500 in Amazon. Deepest bass I've heard from a battery powered speaker this size. Some find the treble lacking, I use EQ to correct. 

Just got mine and it's so good I immediately ordered a second one for stereo sound.

I've still got my two Exos 9's and batteries are still as good as when I bought them! But I only ever use them in the garden in summer due to their size so I was after a smaller setup that I can leave out in the house. Tried HK go 3, JBL 300, but they weren't enough to sway me parting with the Exos 9 's. Then I tried the Brane X, although it's more expensive, it beats the Exos 9's and the other two I tried hands down. So much so I've ordered a second one. Now time to sell my 9's, my x600's and my Sonos One gen 2!

I’ve been going through the same thought process.  I’ve had a SoundLink Max since launch, which does great by itself & paired to my Bose Portable Smart Speaker. I’ve recently tried to find an AirPlay speaker that I can connect to the ecosystem for louder events. I’ve tried the JBL Authentics 300 & Brane X, and ended up returning both.  The JBL sounded too…disconnected between treble and bass. The reviews about the treble being harsh were acccurate, and it didn’t sound great in my office. The Brane X had AWESOME deep bass, however there was noticeable kickdrum distortion. Treble was noticeably veiled & would distort as well with certain songs. EQ adjustments did not help. The Brane team said this was normal, so I decided to send it back.  I ultimately am very happy with my SoundLink Max for most use cases, especially if you can get it for $300-$350. There’s just not a different option right now that covers what I’m looking for. 

I ended up returning my Brane X, mainly due to the veiled treble & distortion.  I wanted to love it, but just could justify the clarity. I ended up sticking with my Bose SoundLink Max, which doesn’t have the bass or WiFi of the Brane, but had better clarity and warmth. 

That one does nicely down to 30hz, and even deeper into the 20hz range on low volumes, though it is bigger than a JBL charge.

Small speakers and reproduction of clean low frequency bass are mutually exclusive. Even the larger BT speakers don't reproduce much if at all anything below 40 Hz or so. Not only can't they move enough air, but designing the speaker to produce lower frequencies will also compromise its potential output at higher, more audible bass frequencies. The Brane-X BT speaker might have changed that rule a bit, but it again will also be limited by how much air has to be moved to reproduce bass at lower frequencies.

yeah Brane X is your best bet for low frequencies in a compact package, but it's over 3 times the volume and weight of the Charge 6.

If you like the Sonos 5, why not explore other Sonos options? I have a pair of Move 2s (love them), Era 300, Beam Gen. 2 soundbar, Roam 2, and Sub Mini. They're nothing short of awesome-sounding, and since I only stream via Apple TV (AirPlay2), I don't have to deal with Sonos app issues. But, I also have a Bose Smart Speaker (very good sounding), Apple HomePod, and a pair of Bowers-Wilkins Formation Wedges hooked into the same sound system, and the Wedges are superior in sound to any one of the other speakers. BUT...I also have my eyes on the Brane X BT/WiFi speaker, as well as the Naim Mu-So QB 2. I heard the Phantom in person, and was pleased with its sound, but not blown away. I think the Brane X sounded more detailed and had a wider soundstage. Better bass as well. So, you have plenty of options...

Bird's post about the Uboom X and Soundcore Boom 2 are spot on, and for the money are a damned good deal. I had the Uboom X for a minute and ultimately returned it because it was too big, too "boombox-looking," and wasn't WiFi/AirPlay 2. But with Oluv's tuning, it was a bargain if you need a wall of detailed sound that goes LOUD. I have a pair of Sonos Move 2s (and more) hooked up to my AppleTV ecosystem, along with a number of other WiFi speakers. The Move 2s on their own are terrific, and paired, they are dynamite. If you want to go that route, you can't go wrong. I love the portability of my Move 2s, and you can't beat their sound signature (warm, not clinical). The EQ is only "okay" in the Sonos app, but...at least there is an EQ. I listened to the Devialet, and it was very good...but not as good as the Brane X, which costs much less. The Brane X is next on my list of purchases.

I can give enthusiastic thumbs ups for the Harmon Kardon Go + Play 3, B&O A1 (Gen. 2), and 1the UBoom X (as a pair) for being the low-budget high-quality-sound boombox style. I’ll say this, though, if I could only have one BT or AirPlay 2 (WiFi) speaker, I’d choose the HK GP3 over every other portable speaker I have…including my Brane X, which is insanely great. The GP3’s sound stage is wider, and more detailed in the mid-bass. The Brane X’s bass overall is deeper, though. I even love what others derisively call “hand purse” style on the HK. I think it looks super-classy. [A smorgasbord of speakers…partial group in my “office:”](https://imgur.com/a/qDnoTlE)

I’ve found the Move 2s to be exceptionally detailed, with a terrific soundstage when paired. Bass, mids, highs…all balanced and clear. I like them a lot. The B-W speakers are stationary, and are powered. But, they can be moved around easily enough. Brane X, in person, was a revelation for portability and hi-res output. Ordering it later tonight. Can’t wait!

I'm like Boatman, I have a pair as well, and they're pretty unbeatable for portable speakers. I also EQ the Bass to Low, since the pair really pushes some air down and out.

The Brane X hits down that low from the tests I've seen, and I have one that sounds DAMNED good in tyhe lower frequencies. Almost too much bass on certain musical tracks and genres. This is the only reasonably-sized portable BT/WiFi I know of that hits that low. But, it is NOT small. And you will likely never find a small speaker that can push down below 50/55 Khz. Physically not possible.

If you thought the A1 (I have a pair) was too thin (*can you be more specific?*), you may prefer the warmer sound of the Bose Flex 2, or other Bose speakers in that line. I have a pair of Flex 2s that really shine, have wonderful presence and detail, and good bass impact. I also have a bunch of Sonos speakers, and liked the 100s I had. Upgraded to the 300s, and there's a WORLD of difference there. I also have Move 2s, Beam 2, Sub Mini, The Five from Sonos. They all sound great. Since you're okay with used gear, you may find my other speakers even more interesting, and they were all bought Open Box or off eBarf. Bowers-Wilkins Formation Wedges paired with Formation Flexes. Insanely great speakers. Truly. B&O A6 - My holy grail for sound in an all-in-one speaker. Nothing I've had in the last ten years compares. Brane X WiFi portable speakers (I have a pair)...they are superb. Paired, they're louder than the A6, but their bass excursion at louder levels gets...boomy. I just put the Bass EQ at "Low." That is definitely a speaker I'd recommend, albeit it's around $400-500.

My Brain X will be here this weekend, and I'm thrilled about it. I heard it in person here in San Francisco, and was utterly blown away by the dimension of sound the little box produced. I told the Brane X crew in Austin about my audition, and they were nice enough to send me a coupon for $50 off and free shipping. I've had a number of high-end WiFi/BT speakers, and I'm sorry to hear your A5 was a bust. I have a pair of A1 Gen. 2s, and I love them. I also have a mix of Bowers-Wilkins Formation Wedges and Flex, Sonos Move 2s, Era 300, Beam 2, HomePods, and a Bose Smart Speaker in my bathroom. NO issues with any of them, including the Sonos. I only use the app for setup and tuning, and it's been perfectly fine. That's weird about your Move 2 experience...mine has been just the opposite. Very open, very clear and detailed sound, with very good bass and great mids. Battery life is also excellent. I'm really impressed with my Move 2s (paired up). As for good mid-drivers, I'm with you. I'd like to see more high-end (portable) speaker makers dive into 3-way setups with good crossovers like many of our bookshelf and standard speakers have.

At your budget, and like so many have already mentioned, the Brane X would be the one I would go for....

I own the brane x, it has outward firing mid range drivers and centered tweeters. It sounds pretty big for the size. The mids/highs definitely compliment the bass (the main attraction) and it has pretty good soundstage especially when listening closer but even just sitting on a counter a few feet away you can hear phantom l/r drivers. The hk has outward firing tweeters and it can sound wide. But I thing the brane x is better. Not to mention awesome sound quality

If don't care about portability, get 2 echo 4th gen speakers. They have stupid good soundstage for $50 per speaker. If you don't like alexa, you can mute the mic. If you want portability, I can only speak for speakers I own. The brane x is the best one I have but it's $500. Research definitely helps tho

The Brane X does not really have a balanced sound and does not reach a volume suitable for parties.

Brane X. THE best Bluetooth speaker I've owned (and I've owned a bunch)!!

Picked up a Brane X a few weeks ago. Can't use any other Bluetooth now 🤣

Have a look at Brane X. I hate the name but they are really impressive, especially the sub bass ability.

Brane x is the only thing out there that can play low enough to handle riddm/dubstep/freeform bass music and be moved around by a "dainty person" full stop. Modern bass music can dip below 30hz and the brane x is the only speaker that is equipped to do it justice thats less than like 3ft tall. My harmon kardon go play 3 does a decent job as well and is easier to find locally. Same with the jbl partybox encore. But the brane x plays a full half octave lower. Note that the battery life of the brane x (and most bt speakers) at full volume isn't going to be that long. You can solve this with a portable power box if you have the space. I use a Milwaukee top up inverter and milwaukee power tool batteries to extend the battery of the go play 3 all day at any volume. Best of luck Edit: just to keep expectations in check, no bluetooth speaker is going to give you full body vibrations or whatever, you might feel a little thump in your chest indoors. Ive heard a partybox ultimate at full tits and its a fart in the wind compared to what you might be hoping for.. but the brane x will play all the notes in the music and sound satisfying.

Regular, non portable speakers will always give you better sound for the money, but the brane x is meant to be damn good sound wise. I think you would be really happy with it for the size. As always, check some reviews out and make sure it's for you, but as a speaker enthusiast, i think it's the coolest thing out there right now.