Originally released in 2019, the Soundcore Flare Mini (Available on Amazon) is the smaller sibling of the Flare, which recently got a second-generation release. Having tested several Soundcore’s Bluetooth speakers, I was excited to see how this small portable speaker performed. I used the speaker for several days, testing it indoors and outdoors, this is what I found.
Key Takeaways:
- Effective 360-degree sound design means everyone around the speaker hears the same thing.
- Holds a Bluetooth connection over 30 feet, despite having older Bluetooth technology.
- Built-in lights make it visually appealing and adds ambiance to any room, especially in low light.
- Durable build with IPX7 water protection for easy cleaning and versatile outdoor use.
- Comprehensive controls, but could be easier to see.
- Heavy bass, but it takes away from vocal and instrumental clarity.
- Sound quality can be significantly improved with the Soundcore app (only available to the updated version).
- Provides around 10 hours of playtime and features micro-USB charging, not USB-C.
What I Like:
- Durable design with fabric and rubber covering most of the speaker.
- Subtle lighting effects that can be toggled on or off according to preferences.
- The 360-degree sound design disperses sound accurately in all directions.
- Holds a Bluetooth connection well.
What I Don’t Like:
- I’d have liked backlighting on the volume and multi-function buttons, as they can be hard to see in low light.
- The lack of mids and highs reduces clarity in most genres of music.
- It doesn’t get as loud as similar-sized speakers.
- Battery life doesn’t hold up against newer release alternatives.
A Stylish Design That’s Ready For The Outdoors
Despite the model name, I wouldn’t consider this a mini Bluetooth speaker, as it’s only marginally smaller than something like the Flip series from JBL. That said, it’s still easy to carry around in one hand and light enough to be taken outdoors on adventures.
The speaker is wrapped in mesh fabric, a feature that has become increasingly common in Bluetooth speakers over the last several years. This helps prevent scratches, adding a little more durability to its design. However, these wraps can quickly become dirty and are prone to dust collection. Since the speaker is IPX7 water-resistant, I could easily clean it after use using a hose pipe.
The cylindrical design is something to note, the slightly wider base makes it more sturdy and less likely to be accidentally knocked over. There’s also a rubber plate on the bottom that adds grip. I placed it on several different surfaces, from wood and brick to granite, and found that the speaker stayed stable regardless of how loud I turned the volume.
The base of the Flare Mini also has a subtle translucent ring that can light up and has slightly different effects depending on which setting you choose. Although it’s not excessively bright, it does add a nice gentle glow around the speaker.
Controls Are Comprehensive, But Challenging To Use In The Dark
The controls aren’t perfect, but they do cover the essentials. My biggest gripe is that only three of the six buttons are backlit, making it tough to see the non-illuminated ones in any low-light environment. Even in a well-lit room, the black-on-black design of the volume controls and Soundcore-branded multi-function buttons are difficult to see and will take a little getting used to.
This multi-function button performs three tasks:
- Play (Press once)
- Skip track forward (Press twice)
- Skip track backward (Press three times)
Toggling between lighting modes is a simple process. Each press of the button changes the effects and cycles between the following types of display:
- Music sync that responds to the music you’re playing
- Dual colors that rotate and then alternate with a solid color
- Fast-paced rotation of various colors
- Slow pulsing glow of red and orange
- Slow change between various colors
Holding the button down for 2 seconds turns the lights off.
The Soundcore Flare Mini Has Effective 360-degree Audio But Lacks Clarity
One of the key features of the speaker is its 360-degree sound design, which is compelling if you’re like me and enjoy listening to music with friends. In typical speakers, the drivers that move sound tend to face one direction resulting in decreased audio quality for those on the other side of the speaker. That’s not the case with this design, which effectively spreads the audio in all directions so everyone can enjoy it.
I’ve listened to the Flare Mini with just about every popular genre of music out there and here’s what I’ve noticed when using the default sound setting:
- The bass can be overpowering at times, especially in EDM where the complexities in the production are lost.
- Metal, or genres with heavy guitars often end up sounding distorted.
- Classical and acoustic tracks sound better because of their inherent lack of deep bass.
- Pop songs can vary a lot depending on the production, bass-heavy tracks struggle while those with more vocal presence than bass sound better.
So what’s causing the Flare Mini to struggle with its sound quality? The answer lies in its sound signature which increases the bass but lowers the mids and highs. This means that vocals and non-percussive instruments aren’t as clean or present as the production intended.
It’s not a particularly loud speaker either. I tested the volume output at a distance of 1 meter using a measuring microphone and found that it gets to about 83dB (barely enough to cover a small room). The problem here is that the Flare Mini’s sound quality degrades noticeably as the volume is increased, which is forgivable when the speaker reaches high volume levels. But since you already need to push it quite hard to fill a small room, it’s nearly impossible to escape that drop in clarity.
If you’re into the technical side of things, below is a frequency response chart I measured using REW, showing the recessed mids and highs.
Stereo Pairing
Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to test out the stereo pairing feature myself, but the Flare Mini can be paired together wirelessly with another Flare Mini and create a stereo sound where each speaker becomes a left and right channel.
Effective Bluetooth Range, Despite Being Somewhat Outdated
Although the Flare Mini has relatively old Bluetooth protocols, it uses Bluetooth 4.2 which is still widely considered to be one of the most reliable. To test its range and accurately measure when drop-off occurs, I placed the speaker in a direct line of sight in the garden and measured my steps. It maintained a stable connection for up to 35 feet before connection problems occurred.
I also tested its connection stability indoors, where the Flare Mini maintained a reliable connection for up to 18 feet with a large brick wall between the phone and the speaker.
* It doesn’t offer any wired inputs or outputs, but that’s fairly common for speakers of this size nowadays.
Mediocre Battery Life Is Where The Flare Mini Shows Its Age
The Soundcore Flare was released in May 2019, making it a fairly old speaker, which explains why it still has a micro-USB input for charging and not USB-C. This does make charging it a little more frustrating though, as I consistently had to locate a micro-USB cable and couldn’t use my phone’s.
Although the Flare Mini is rated to provide 12 hours of playtime, I got closer to 10 hours at moderate volume levels when I first used the speaker in 2019. Over time, the battery has held up quite well, but after 5 years the playtime has decreased by around 10%. I can now reliably get between 8 and 9 hours of playtime at the same volume.
Soundcore’s Mobile App Allows For Light & Sound Adjustments
Having worked with multiple brand’s mobile apps, I’ve always been impressed with how comprehensive and refined Soundcore’s apps are. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to enjoy the many benefits of the app, as my Flare Mini is part of the initial release and not the upgraded version that is now available.
Soundcore only added mobile app support after the release, and the support didn’t extend to the earlier releases. This is a major consideration, as many of the flaws in the sound quality can be adjusted via the app using the custom EQ.
The custom EQ lets one pull up the mids and highs, helping to compensate for the bass dominance and completely changing the way the speaker sounds.
This also prevented me from accessing the different lighting effects which can only be adjusted using the app and not the the buttons.
Alternatives & Comparisons
I’ve tested a lot of small Bluetooth speakers, and although the Flare Mini has a lot of things going for it, there are better-sounding speakers on the market for around the same price.
For the same $49 price tag you could pick up JBL’s new Go 4. The Go 4 is smaller but can reach similar volume levels and has a lot more clarity and definition in its sound, especially with genres like metal and electronic dance music.
The Ortizan X10 is another good alternative under $50 with built-in lights. I don’t often recommend lesser-known brands, but this speaker is impressive for its price point, even though its sound quality also has limitations. What I like about it, is its clarity in the vocals, but if strong bass is important to you, give it a skip.
If you’ve got $150 to spend, the Wonderboom 4 from Ultimate Ears is a better choice for a similar-sized speaker. While it doesn’t have the lighting effects, it does have superior sound, more modern Bluetooth, and better battery life.
Summary
The Soundcore Flare Mini has an allure to it. The combination of vibrant and lively colors and durable build is something not offered by many similarly sized and priced options and its 360-degree sound works extremely well. However, many of its strongest features come from the upgraded model that was released more recently. Its biggest challenge is the dominant bass with recessed mids and highs that leave the speaker sounding airy and lacking detail.