Introduction
Huawei Sound Joy review has been published recently. We’ve written about a variety of Huawei smartphones but this is our first time evaluating any of the Bluetooth speakers. Huawei collaborated along with French audio tech firm Devialet to create Sound Joy, a Sound Joy speaker in a bid to take on JBL’s Flip series. Now it’s time to find out how they performed.
Huawei Sound Joy review has published recently
Quality of design and construction
Huawei Sound Joy features a circular shape, with an overlay of mesh fabric as well as soft plastic. It’s 202mm high, 73.5mm wide, and weighs 680g. To give you a greater view of the size – it’s equal in height and width to an insulated 500ml water bottle. Its IP67 protection against dust and water means that you can use it outdoors, and you don’t have to worry as much about it raining or if someone pours their drinks.
The speaker is 20W and full-frequency inside and the tweeter is 10W. Sound is amplified through two radiator grilles that are passive on either side. Huawei has also included a multi-colored LED ring light on the top edge of the device (right in the case of a speaker set horizontally) which emits bright shades that are synchronized to the music you’re listening to. It also displays useful information, such as the battery’s level and volume level, as well as the progress of firmware updates.
Sound Joy comes with five physical buttons that are in the following order, from top to bottom: the power button, as well as a voice assistant button, play/pause button, Bluetooth key, and the stereo key, should you intend to use two of them to get stereo audio output. There are two big volume buttons, which provide tactile controls and an NFC logo to indicate where the coil is located. The retail box includes the USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable as well as the Lanyard.
Features and sound quality
It is a unidirectional speaker however it is able to be used with another one to create a stereo set-up. It is loud, but it isn’t as loud as the JBL Flip 6 for example. The bass is heavy, which balances to the low and mid ranges. The result is that vocals are often lost, which is not the best for listening to music. Bass distortion and inconsistency in tonal balance are two of the weaknesses in this case. We’ve also observed volume issues that are particularly evident, especially in the higher volume ranges.
Movies and podcasts sound well as well. The Sound Joy is a viable alternative for TVs that do not have a quality soundbar as a standard. It’s also a lot superior to your laptop speaker, so it has multiple uses. Connection directly to Sound Joy is done exclusively through Bluetooth 5.2 There is no 3.5-millimeter jack for older devices. It is also possible to tap and pair using NFC. Huawei’s AI Life app is your all-in-one source for tweaking the speaker’s features as well as tuning the sound.
It’s best used on Huawei devices, though I was able to get it set up on the Samsung phone too. Apple users aren’t in luck since it appears that the iOS AI Life version AI Life doesn’t support the speaker. The speaker comes with three sound output options here: a Hi-Fi mode as well as a Vocal mode, and a Devialet mode. It is configured to the Hi-FI mode, however, the Devialet mode is actually more enjoyable with clearer vocals and clearer mids.
It also allows you to adjust the bass with the slider knob, where you can adjust between -6db and +6db settings. Sound Joy can work with AAC as well as SBC codecs. It also comes with three microphones on board to capture voice. The quality of calls is good and those who have a different experience said they received a clear and clear hearing of me.
There are a few points to be noted about Huawei’s special features. The automatic discovery feature is restricted to Huawei devices, so if you’re listening to music on other devices, you’ll have to enter Bluetooth settings every time you’re planning to use the speaker. In contrast, the button for a voice assistant in the speaker will switch on any service that the phone has. I tried it using my Samsung phone, and sure sufficient, Bixby was summoned as shortly as I hit the button.
Battery life
Huawei Sound Joy comes with an 8800 mAh battery that is good for 26 hours of uninterrupted playback. The speaker we tested was able to last for three weeks while using it in different ways. One feature that is useful is the charging capability of 40W. Ten minutes of charging can provide you with an hour of use, provided you’ve got the right power adapter.
Verdict
Huawei Sound Joy is a great first effort at the rugged and mobile Bluetooth speaker. Its design is luxurious and the ring light with LED is a great party trick, and the IP67 rating provides assurance for outdoor usage. The battery of Sound Joy lasts for weeks at a time and can be charged quickly, provided that you have a 40W charging device around.
It’s a multi-purpose speaker that will play songs you love outdoors on a hike, or at the beach. It can also work with your laptop or television or even be used as a loudspeaker at your desk. Music playback can be somewhat disappointing due to its booming bass, leaving lyrics in the background. This speaker is quite loud but the competitors of JBL’s Flip series are even louder.
The volume levels can be variable towards the upper level, which can result in distorted vocals. Huawei Sound Joy is currently being sold in Europe for EUR140/PS130, though it’s been on sale several times over the last few months. JBL’s most recent Flip 6 can be had at the same price of EUR140 which is an intriguing idea. At the end of the day, it’s all about the brand you are loyal to and if Huawei’s ecosystem matches your preferences, The Sound Joy is a worthy option.
