Jalen Sigh Tech

REVIEW – The cynical side of me just loves it when a product is hyped to be something it isn’t—and yet is. Reviews of the Brane X speaker from Brane Audio have touted how it “bends the laws of physics” with its ability to supply bass that was only possible from much larger speakers. Heck, even Brane goes on and on about that bass. And yes, the bass sounds good and yes, it’s powerful …  yada, yada, yada. After listening to the Brane X speaker in my studio for many straight days, I came to the conclusion that bass is not the proper selling point of this speaker. As I see it, the selling point is how all the other parts and pieces (including bass) of the Brane X speaker work together resulting in a terrific-sounding speaker that goes beyond just bass—way beyond.

What is it?

The Brane X smart speaker is a portable, all-black wireless speaker that has a few unique and cool features that separate it from most other speakers its size. The roundish-shaped speaker has a silicone handle that rotates out of the way when not in use. A tasteful cloth grill wraps itself around the front and sides covering its array of drivers. Four curved rubber feet help keep the speaker in place should volume or bass become overpowering. Its Euro-design is reminiscent of Danish furniture—clean and uncluttered.

Its size is perfect for placing on a bookshelf, desktop, or almost anywhere a smaller speaker will fit. Think of the Brane X as a speaker that can be carried from room to room, but because of its large power brick, it’s best left in one place while plugged in. Its battery is good for 12 hours of play on a full charge at medium volume. Note that volume can greatly affect battery life. 

The Brane X speaker can also be used outdoors. Its IP57 rating means it can be submerged up to 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. In other words, if it gets rained on—not a problem. 

A flat top reveals 5 touch-sensitive buttons: Bluetooth (for pairing), BASS (3 levels of boost), Volume Down, Volume Up, and Mute Mics. An Alexa Activation light indicates when Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant is activated. Around the back of the Brane X is a panel containing an On/off button, AUX input, and a power port for charging.

Built-in components include 5 speaker drivers coupled with an 8-in subwoofer. A custom digital signal processor is incorporated into the mix which extracts and plays back the best audio possible.

What’s included?

• Brane X speaker
• Power cord with brick 

Tech specs

Design and features

There’s a lot to unpack with the Brane X speaker, so let’s get started.

Using the Brane X speaker is a simple process. All that needs to be done is turn it on, press the touch-sensitive Bluetooth pairing button, connect and you’re ready to party! Brane supplies an app that adds a few features not available on the speaker itself, such as a 5-band graphic equalizer, firmware updates, and other settings. The app is fairly bare bones, but—like the speaker—is attractive and easy to use in its simplicity. 

The touch-sensitive volume buttons on the Brane X’s top adjust the volume in small enough increments for subtle changes. One complaint I have is the On/off button is a physical button, but I can never tell if I need to press and hold or just press. There’s no consistency. I’m still trying to figure out how long to press the button to get the speaker to power on without multiple tries. 

Note: The Brane X uses Alexa voice assistant. This allows info such as news, weather and other answers to questions Alexa is known for. However, I never use any voice assistants in my home—period. I value my privacy too much. Therefore, I did not test Alexa. Yes, there is a mic mute button to prevent Alexa from listening, but I don’t trust Amazon (or Apple and Google, either).

Since I belong to the Apple Borg, I did not bother with Spotify Connect but used Apple’s AirPlay instead. Since everything I use is Apple-centric, it makes more sense. Having said that, I’ve been using Bluetooth almost exclusively. AirPlay can sound slightly better, but the difference is minute and let’s be honest, AirPlay is a pain to use compared to Bluetooth. The Bluetooth of today (using Apple Music) sounds way better than it did in the past. 

In developing the Brane X speaker, Brane created what they call a Repel-Attract-Driver (R.A.D.). This design approach uses permanent magnetic forces which cancel internal air pressure resulting in increased bass. It also allows the speaker to be smaller, yet pack a bigger sound relative to its size—not easy to achieve. The result is a balanced sound that just works. 

According to Brane, the R.A.D. technology is the culmination of years of development. They’ve managed to place a 6×9-in. subwoofer into a 7.7 lb. cabinet—along with two 75-in. tweeters and two 2.5-in. midrange drivers plus all the circuitry required.

Understand that a subwoofer is not a woofer. A woofer typically reproduces low and mid-range frequencies. A subwoofer enhances bass at frequencies below what a woofer is comfortable producing without distortion. A subwoofer can be what a listener feels rather than hears. It’s hard to explain. A proper sub isn’t really noticed until it’s turned off—then you know something is missing. A sub helps complete music. Yes, that sounds a bit nebulous, but it’s the best way I can describe it. 

In listening to the speaker in my studio for days, I discovered that the Brane X is perfect for adding a soundtrack to my everyday activities. It can be used both as background or cranked up when a song or mood demands it. And it sounds great no matter where I’m listening, what I’m listening to, or at whatever volume I’m listening.

On many occasions, I played Brian Eno’s “Emerald and Lime”  from his “Small Craft on a Milk Sea” album on the Brane X speaker. This achingly beautiful instrumental floats in the air with mesmerizing piano intertwined among synth notes. The reason this song works so well with the Brane X speaker is a low, rumbling bass that lies just under its haunting and angelic chords. You can hear the distinctions portrayed clearly.

Moby’s cover of Roxy Music’s “My Only Love” features a weary-sounding female vocal that compliments a deep bass line that thumps steadily under spare piano notes. You don’t know whether to dance or just sit and absorb the music. Sitting at a desk with the speaker nearby (called near-field listening), there’s bass you hear, but there’s also bass you don’t hear that can be felt pulsing around you. 

Let’s geek out a bit on why the bass performs like it does. Hofmann’s Iron Law of Audio states that speakers must be either large or use a lot of electrical power to produce sub-bass. The Brane X is neither large nor uses much power. In fact, the Brane X requires only 6 watts! If you heard the speaker without seeing it, you’d be fooled by its smaller stature. A speaker this size that’s both heard and felt is nothing short of magical.

Yet, as I said, I think Brane—and other reviewers—have missed the mark a bit when they concentrate on the bass. I love how the Brane X speaker sounds. While I appreciate both its obvious and not-so-obvious sub-bass, it’s the complete frequency package that shows the true aural genius Brane has developed.

Note that the Brans X speaker can be combined with up to 8 other Brane X speakers in stereo or multi-room mode for a “wall of sound.”

What I like about the Brane X Speaker 

• Great sounding at all volumes
• Fits perfectly into daily life  
• The subwoofer completes any song

What needs to be improved?

• Expensive
• The On/off button can be a bit inconsistent

Final thoughts

After many days of listening to the Brane X as my main speaker, I appreciate how it has become intertwined into my daily listening habits. The more I listen to the Brane speaker, the more I want to listen. There are very few speakers that fit into that category.

Price: $499
Where to buy: Brane and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Brane. Brane did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.