Audiophiles and retro enthusiasts, take note—if you’ve been searching for a portable desktop Bluetooth speaker, this is the review you need. Edifier’s new MP230 portable speaker might be the perfect fit, offering a range of features designed to satisfy a wide variety of users.
Priced at $129.99 and available in several colours—mine being black with a faux leather texture and silver highlights—the Edifier MP230 isn’t the cheapest speaker on the market. However, it makes up for the cost with its striking appearance. As a fan of retro tech, I appreciated the MP230’s retro 1950s-1960s radio styling, which blended seamlessly into various settings, whether in an office, living room or bedroom.
Pairing a phone with the Edifier MP230 is as simple as turning on the speaker and selecting it from your device’s Bluetooth settings. For those who prefer not to use Bluetooth, Edifier provides additional options, including an aux cable and a MicroSD card slot located on the back of the speaker. This feature is especially useful for businesses that want a preset playlist on repeat without relying on a connected device for streaming.
“Pairing a phone with the Edifier MP230 is as simple as turning on the speaker and selecting it from your device’s Bluetooth settings.”
The speaker’s controls are operated through five well-designed piano-style keys that offer a satisfying, light click feedback when pressed, ensuring an intuitive and tactile experience. These buttons allow users to effortlessly manage their media playback, enabling them to switch between modes, pause, play, or skip tracks with ease—all without needing to reach for their phone.
This level of convenience sets the speaker apart from many competitors, making it particularly user-friendly for those who prefer to keep their hands free. Adding to its charm, the MP230 features a quirky and unexpected detail: its shutdown sound is a repurposed Windows sound file. This nostalgic and playful touch gives the speaker a personality all its own, that I can’t help but appreciate.
Sound output from the Edifier MP230 is rich and detailed, offering a satisfying listening experience at all volumes with no noticeable distortion. This is thanks to dual 48mm full-frequency drivers, which pump out impressive sound. Many competitors compromise with smaller or less powerful drivers, often resulting in lower-quality audio. Even in larger rooms, the MP230 consistently delivered a pleasant listening experience for everyone present.
“This nostalgic and playful touch gives the speaker a personality all its own, that I can’t help but appreciate.”
One area where the MP230 could improve is battery life. While it will get you through an average workday of listening, you’ll likely need to charge it nightly, as I typically managed only 9-10 hours of playback before the battery ran out. Many less expensive or higher-end speakers offer upwards of 30 hours of listening time. Even my significantly smaller JBL Go 4 can nearly match the MP230’s endurance. However, since the MP230 is more of a desktop or household speaker than a portable, on-the-go model, you’re likely to be near an outlet, making this limitation less problematic.
The Edifier MP230 is an excellent speaker that I use regularly around the house. Its retro styling and appearance are unbeatable, and it delivers an incredible listening experience. While I do wish it had longer battery life to reduce reliance on charging outlets, this isn’t a speaker I plan to take with me on my travels. Overall, for audiophiles and retro tech enthusiasts, this is a piece you are sure to enjoy for years to come.
- 【Nostalgic Elegance, Celebrated Innovation】Inspired by radios of the 1950s and 1960s era, this design boasts precise piano-style buttons, a timeless color palette, and artisanal mesh. Recognized with prestigious CES and VGP awards, it seamlessly blends vintage flair with superior audio performance.
- 【Unmatched Audio & Aesthetics: 10W+10W Powerhouse】Elevate your senses with high-fidelity dual 48mm drivers, complemented by dual passive radiators, DSP technology, and a robust Class-D amplifier. This design marries stunning looks to immersive 20W sound, ensuring every note is both seen and heard in premium clarity.
