Satechi ST-SX200 AirBass Active Bluetooth Speakers Review

Satechi ST-SX200 AirBass Active Bluetooth Speakers Introduction

When you were sixteen, you probably had a very clear idea of what you wanted in a car. You had weighed all the options and had determined that the most important factors were color, horsepower, loudness of radio, and the ability to take the top off. Now, if you were like me, you ended up with your parent’s old car, which they made you pay for while they upgraded to something new. If you were unlucky, you got exactly what you asked for and ended up with a car that guzzled gas, smelled like smoke and/or death, and spent more time getting repaired that getting you from place to place.

The fact is, the first time you are introduced to a product, you often don’t know what is important. It takes time and experience to understand that some of the “features” that they tout on the commercials are really little more than rhinestones on an ill-fitting dress. Sure, it may glitter in the light but it fits terribly, is uncomfortable, and you quickly regret the purchase.

When you first decided you might want a pair of Bluetooth speakers, you found that there were more choices than you could ever have expected. They are cropping up everywhere. They come in all shapes and sizes, with features you’ve never heard of and touting Bluetooth versions you’re not sure your phone is compatible with. It can be overwhelming and more than a little confusing.

Some Bluetooth speakers are portable while others look like conventional speakers but with the added Bluetooth connection. They are round, square, rectangular, and every other shape you can imagine. Sometimes they are in a single box, come in two boxes with a wire connecting them, and sometimes they come in two or more boxes that can be daisy-chained wirelessly. Which is for you?

Only you can answer that but the real question that will help you is: Where will you use your new Bluetooth speaker? If the answer is on-the-go, then you need something compact and battery powered. If the answer is to create another zone of audio in your home without having to run wires to the room, then you’ll want something that looks more like traditional speakers.

First Impressions

The Satechi ST-SX200 AirBass Active Bluetooth Speakers came double boxed and well packed in molded foam endcaps. The speakers were enclosed in a thin cotton bag for protection (from smudges I suppose). The speakers are fairly unremarkable black boxes with a control knob on one speaker, black grilles, and rear ports. They are fairly small though not as small as the AudioEngine 2+ speakers. They have four little rubber pads on the bottom to damp vibrations. The finish on the outside of the speakers is a glossy black and is very attractive. The corners are rounded and the fit and finish is nearly impeccable. I only say “nearly” because I have to assume someone will find a blemish someday. The review pair were pristine.

The Satechi ST-SX200 AirBass Active Bluetooth Speakers came with a power cable, a 3.5mm to stereo RCA cable, and a manual. The manual is fairly useless as I could not find some of the most basic information you might look for. It will tell you how not to electrocute yourself, not to submerge the speakers in water, and other legal warnings to remind us that people will sue companies because they can’t possibly be held responsible for doing something as idiotic as taking a shower with a device that is plugged into a wall. The functioning of the single dial control and the description of the single light is well documented as are the ways to connect things to the speakers. What is not included? Which speaker is the right and which is the left.