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Listening to music doesn’t always have to be an at-home experience. Sometimes, you need some tunes during your walk to the store, your long work shift, or your hiking trip. For those times, you’ll need a portable speaker. There are a ton of portable speakers out there, but which ones are the good ones? Android Headlines was given the opportunity to review the Edifier MP100 Plus portable speaker.
This is a speaker that promises to pack a ton of power and usability into a small package. It’s portable, so you’re able to take it with you on your outings. Is this speaker really a small wonder or is this all just big talk? Let’s find out in this review.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: Design
The design of the Edifier MP100 Plus isn’t different from most other speakers in this category. It’s meant to be portable, so it’s rather small. The device is about the size of a hockey puck. The top half is rounded and it has the Edifier logo pasted on.
On the bottom half, we see the four main buttons that you’ll use to control your media. The two volume buttons are on the left with the power and Bluetooth button on the right. All four buttons are positioned toward the front of the speaker (the side facing away from you if it’s sitting on a table). This means that, depending on how you grip it, both your index finger and your middle finger will rest on a button.
That’s pretty convenient because, if you reach your hand across the top of the speaker with your fingers resting on the left side, your index and middle finger will sit on the volume buttons. This makes it easy to easily adjust the volume when you need to. Also, if your hand is in that position, your thumb will rest on the power button.
Also on the bottom half of the speaker, we have a rounded ring that grips the surface that it’s sitting on. Opposite the end with the buttons, we have the USB-C port behind a thick protective flap.
Color options
The Edifier MP100 Plus comes in three different color options. The color I’m reviewing is the forest green color. It has a nice dark green color for the speaker mesh. The Edifier logo is a greenish-yellow and the bottom half is a semi-glossy black. Both of the latter parts remain the same color regardless of the colorway you choose. Only the speaker mesh changes colors when you switch colorways.
One of the other colors is called Lake Green. This one gives the speaker a vibrant teal color. The teal compliments the Edifier logo amazingly. Lastly, the Black color is just as its name says. With this color, the speaker mesh matches the bottom half, and it contrasts the Edifier logo nicely.
Overall, the colors are nice. This speaker isn’t meant to pop with fun and extravagant colors. There are other speakers out there with bright and punchy colors. The color options for the Edifier M100 Plus are more toned down so as to have that outdoorsy aesthetic.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: Build Quality
The second I picked up this device, I was hit with that confounding feeling that we’ve all felt. “Wow! It feels sturdy… but it’s so light. But wait, how can it be both?!” The MP100 Plus walks the line between lightweight and heavy-duty. It feels structurally sound; all of the materials used to build it are high-quality.
The speaker mesh is thick, and it’s supported by sturdy plastic underneath it. That’s what gives it its structure. The rubber of the Edifier logo is also made from thick plastic and it’s tightly stuck to the mesh.
Moving onto the bottom half, this is where you feel most of the heft of the speaker. It’s where the driver and other tech are housed. It’s made with this thick soft-touch plastic that almost has this rubbery feeling to it. Again, it feels high-quality.
Sandwiched between the top and bottom halves, we have the strap that you use to clip it to your bag. The strap is made from a thick woven material that feels like it will survive all kinds of abuse. It’s really locked into place between the two halves, as well.
Overall
I have no complaints about the build quality of the Edifier MP100 Plus. It’s evident that this speaker is meant to be taken outside. Sure, it’s perfectly fine sitting on your desk or kitchen counter, but this is built for the outdoors. You can even hear it in the names of some of the colors; Forest Green and Lake Green.
If you get this speaker, just know that you’re not getting a flimsy speaker. You’re getting a well-engineered piece of hardware.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: Water resistance
Like I said, this speaker is meant to be taken outdoors. This means that it’s meant to survive some of the things that Mother Nature will throw at it. If you get caught in the rain while hiking with your speaker, you won’t have to worry about it getting ruined. By all means, blast your music at full volume to overpower the sound of the rain.
The MP100 Plus has IPX7 water resistance. This means that it can be fully submerged in up to 3ft of water for at least 30 minutes. That’s just the dictionary definition of the rating. In reality, it could be even longer; it was just tested to withstand those conditions.
Now, you wouldn’t want to take it with you while scuba diving; you would still want to minimize contact with the water where possible. The protection means that if you’re caught in the rain or you accidentally drop it in a lake or your kitchen sink, you can take it out and use it as normal.
Also, you’ll want to be careful about what type of water it comes into contact with. Devices are usually rated to survive fresh water. If you take your speaker around seawater or pool water, you could risk damaging it.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: Usage
There are only four buttons on this speaker, but you’re still able to perform all of the tasks that you would on any speaker. You press and hold the volume buttons to skip the tracks. If you want to pause the music, you just press the power button. While the music is paused, press the power button again to play the music. Lastly, hold the Bluetooth button to enter Bluetooth pairing mode.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: Loudness
Now, let’s get down to the most important part of the speaker, the audio. It doesn’t matter how high-depth the sound is if you can’t hear it. Since the MP100 Plus is such a small speaker, you wouldn’t expect it to be very loud, but that’s not the case.
Indoor listening
This speaker has more than enough power to completely fill a room with its audio. Remember, the Edifier MP100 Plus is meant to be taken outside. This means that its audio is meant to be heard over the hustle and bustle of traffic and all the sounds of Mother Nature. So, if you’re going to be using this in an indoor setting, loudness won’t be an issue.
I placed this inside my living room, which is sizable because it’s connected to my dining room and kitchen, and I could hear the audio clear as day from every corner. The volume was only at 70% too. This could easily be the main speaker during a friendly get-together or personal listening.
Outdoor listening
Outdoor listening is much the same. I had no trouble hearing the audio over the noises outside. AC units, cars, birds, the wind; nothing could really deaden the sound. It was naturally quieter because of more ambient noise and the lack of surfaces for the sound to bounce off of. However, I could hear the sound clearly.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: Low-end
After using several of Edifier’s speakers, I’ve come to expect this. The MP100 Plus has a pleasant amount of low-end, but it avoids being too much. There’s enough bass to give depth and color to the sound. You can feel the low hum of bass guitars, the warm velvety rumble of double basses, and the impact of the kick drum. When I’m listening to 80s pop, the crunchy basses just sing through while the warm bass in 90s R&B just melts you.
There’s a good amount of bass, but it doesn’t fall into the trap that most modern speakers fall into. Most modern speakers focus so much on the thumping bass that the sound ends up muddy. That’s not the case with the MP100 Plus. The bass is strong, but it sits in its own corner. There’s the perfect amount of bass.
I think that’s impressive because, with a speaker like this, you’d either expect it to have too much bass or too little. I expected to have too much because most modern speakers are designed for modern bass-heavy music. I’m talking about modern hip-hop or dubstep.
Also, I expected to have too little bass because of its size. This is a very pocketable speaker, so I was expecting a thinner sound. However, I was mistaken, and I realized that soon after I started listening to it. When it comes to the low-end, Edifier did a great job. It lives up to the quality I’ve come to expect from other speakers like the MP230 and the QD35.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: High-end
The high-end is similar to the low-end in that it’s not too much or too little. Again, when I first saw this speaker, I thought that the sound was going to be on the thin side; I thought that the sound was going to be mostly high-end. However, much like the low-end, the high-end fits perfectly within the sound.
When listening to music, voices cut through amazingly. The silky smooth voices of the BeeGees, Kenny Loggins, and Hall & Oates are crystal clear on this speaker. Snare drums and high hats also sing through.
The keyword here is Balance. Edifier calibrated these speakers to give you an amazing listening experience for a wide range of genres. If I’m listening to older music or newer music; loud or soft; instrumental or with lyrics, it doesn’t matter. The sound is so well-balanced.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: Different genres
I used this speaker to listen to several musical genres. Different genres of music fit different speakers, but I think that the Edifier MP100 Plus handles most genres very well. Obviously, there are more genres out there than I can put in this review. So, I’m going to list some of the genres that I listen to most. I’ll also use some other genres.
Classical
Starting off with classical, this is a challenge for most modern speakers. The thing with classical is that all of the ranges are important. The music can’t be led by the bass as with something like dubstep. All of the parts (lows, mids, and highs) need to flow together in a well-balanced tapestry of sound. You need to hear the melody, harmony, rhythm, and bass interact with each other.
When listening to classical, that excellent balance comes into play. I can hear everything clearly; I have no trouble hearing either the melody, harmony, rhythm, or bass. Given the nature of classical music, however, there will be times when the bass is harder to hear.
Classical music flows from state to state, so there will be times when the bass is loud and times when it’s quiet. During those quieter times, it’s harder to hear the bass than it would be on a larger speaker. So, the sound could wind up sounding a little thin, but it’s not too bad.
Epic cinematic music
Both classical and epic cinematic music use similar instruments, but they’re focused on two different types of sounds typically. The added emphasis on bass and impact you get with epic music works well with this speaker. Where classical lacked a lot of punch, cinematic music goes above and beyond to blow your head off.
The extra BANG and BOOM that you hear with epic music coupled with the excellently balanced high-end delivers a superb experience. So, feel free to use this speaker when watching your favorite MCU movie.
70s Pop
Moving onto something more modern, I think that this speaker shines with 70s pop. The electric basses used in a lot of the music then had a satisfying pop that this speaker accentuates beautifully. While the bass is accented, the sound still remains crisp and clean. The voices cut through so nicely that it almost feels like the singer is in the room with you.
This is where that excellent balance has the best effect. Everything just projects perfectly.
80s Pop
Jumping ahead a decade, you’ll hear more of an emphasis on the higher end of the spectrum. The basses are brighter and crunchier, so they cut through the mix a bit more. Also, we can’t forget that powerful snare drum hits every other beat.
So, for many of the songs, I’m hearing more of the high-end. Because of that, I’m having close to the same issue that I have with listening to classical. The low end just isn’t quite exaggerated enough to bring out the bass. I can still hear the base pretty well, I just can’t feel it as much as I did with the 70s pop. On the plus side, the voices sound amazing because of that emphasis on high-end.
90s hip hop/R&B
In the 90s, the music warmed up again. From crunchy bass and icy snare hits to deep and velvety bass and thick harmonies, most music in the 90s took on a completely different profile. From what I heard, 90s music strikes a nice balance between 70s and 80s pop. The low-end projects nicely and it plays well with the high-end.
In my opinion, 90s music didn’t have that perfect balance like 70s pop, but it’s not far off. The music still sounds amazing on this speaker.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: Battery and charging
It doesn’t matter how great the audio quality is if the device is dead. A speaker this powerful needs to have a good battery to power it. Thankfully, the speaker is equipped with a battery that can go the distance.
The battery life will depend on the volume of the audio that you’re listening to and the temperature. I tested this speaker at a decent inside volume. It was just above half volume. During the test, I listened to music non-stop. Doing this, I was able to get just north of 14 hours and 1 minute.
That’s impressive battery power, and it will get you through any listening session. If you’re listening to music through your work shift or through a study session, then it will more than last you.
Charging is a bit of a weird story. If you need a boost, you can plug this speaker in for about 15 minutes and get a few hours of playback. However, when it comes to charging to full, it typically takes a few hours.
Edifier MP100 Plus Review: What’s missing?
Not every device has everything that you need, and the Edifier MP100 Plus is no different. I wouldn’t say that this speaker is missing a lot, however.
This omission isn’t the worst, but I would have liked an official dust resistance rating. It’s IPX7 water-resistant, yet this is a speaker that’s meant to survive the elements. I’m not sure that it would be ruined if I dropped in on a sandy beach or nature trail, but it’d still be more reassuring to have an official rating.
Next, and this would be a more major omission if you use other Edifier devices. The Edifier MP100 Plus does not work with the Edifier Connect app. This app is an incredible piece of software that makes the experience of using Edifier devices that much better. It gives you access to latency settings, an in-depth equalizer, the ability to power devices off remotely, battery information, and much more.
I think that this speaker could have definitely benefited from working with the app. It doesn’t dampen the experience, though; I still enjoy the speaker.
You should buy this speaker if:
The Edifier MP100 Plus is the perfect speaker for you if you like to take your music with you. It’s an outdoor speaker; it’s meant to be taken with you to the beach, the park, the hiking trail, etc.
Also, it’s the speaker for you if you don’t want to bother with a delicate speaker. The Edifier MP100 Plus is a quality speaker, but it’s not premium. That’s not a bad thing, it just means that this speaker isn’t meant to be kept in a glass box. It’s a speaker that can take a drop or two (or 50) and keep going. It’s a rugged and sturdy device.
Moving onto the sound, the Edifier MP100 Plus is for people who dare to listen to more than the mainstream. This speaker, much like other Edifier speakers, prioritizes balance. This makes it a great speaker for several musical genres. If you pop from genre to genre at a moment’s notice, you won’t feel a dip in quality or enjoyment.
You shouldn’t buy this speaker if:
You might want to pass this speaker up if you’re looking for that extra exaggerated bass that you get with most other speakers. It’s not the speaker to use if you’re looking for thumping bass. You’ll also want to pass it up if you want a speaker that’s connected via a mobile app.
Final verdict
There are a ton of speakers like this on the market. You usually see people walking down the road blaring music from small speakers hanging off of their bags. It’s a popular genre of speaker, and you see a wide range of quality. So, going into this review, my expectations weren’t the highest. I mostly expected a standard experience from the MP100 Plus.
However, and this is one of the best parts of reviewing devices, my expectations were far exceeded. nothing could prepare me for the amazing sound that I got from this speaker. As I listened to different genres of music, I heard how well-balanced the sound is. Edifier is one of the companies that actually make speakers that you’ll want to listen to classical music with. This shows its superior attention to the full range of frequencies.
If you’re a music enthusiast, and you like to consume a wide range of music, then this speaker is just right for you. If your music tastes are modern, but you don’t mind branching out and dipping into older forms of music, you’ll still get a great experience. I highly recommend that you pick up this speaker.