Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise

Bryn De Kocks | December 18, 2024

The S4807 Is A Mixed Bag But Offers Reasonable Value

If you’re in the market for a portable Bluetooth speaker, there’s no shortage of choices. However, when you’re looking to pay less than $100, the pool of contenders is narrowed substantially. The Philips S4807 retails for $79 and includes waterproofing, multispeaker pairing, and a durable exterior. I thoroughly tested it over the last few weeks and this is what I found.

Key Takeaways:

  • The build is durable and isn’t prone to scratches.
  • Controls, while effective can be difficult to see in low lighting.
  • Accentuated highs can be piercing.
  • Retains a lot of clarity, regardless of listening position.

Philips S4807

Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 1
Release Date:Jan 2022
Playtime:Up to 12 Hours
Water Resistance:IP67
Wireless Stereo Pairing:Yes
Output:20 Watts 
Size:2.8 x 6.7 x 2.76″
Weight:1.1 lbs

The Bottom Line

If you’re in the market for an affordable waterproof Bluetooth speaker, the Philips S4807 is a viable choice. While it lacks app support, it offers competitive battery life and sound quality. The broad sound dispersion makes it a good choice for group listening, but the highs are overly aggressive at times, and the sound signature isn’t for everyone.

What I Like:

  • Open grille on either side for quality sound in both directions.
  • Durable design that’s water and dust resistant.
  • Rich sound with good detail.
  • Competitive battery life of around 12 hours.

What I Don’t Like:

  • Buttons blend into the speaker and are hard to see.
  • Treble can come across as a bit harsh and unbalanced.
  • No app support.

An Unassuming Design, Built With Performance In Mind

Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 2

At first glance, the Philips S4807 appears slightly outdated and reminiscent of the Bluetooth speaker releases of the early and mid-2010s. It features a distinct two-tone black and grey coloration with subtle red accents inside and outside.

Although first impressions have their lingering influence, behind the somewhat boring aesthetic is a well-engineered shell with a strong grille on either side. The fact that there’s a grille on either side of the speaker was my first indicator that Philips set out to create a broad sound dispersion where music doesn’t just sound good for those in front of the speaker.

Although the overall design is rather basic, there isn’t anything I’m particularly upset about not being included, as it still features effective stabilizers along the base and a carry loop.

The Philips S4807 Is Lightweight & Highly Portable

Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 3

Similar in size to a large soda can, the S4807 is easy to carry and the integrated carry loop makes the process even easier. While testing the speaker, I spent a few weeks using it for various activities, ranging from hikes in nature to having it at the table when catching up with friends. It never felt like a burden to carry and could easily fit in my backpack.

I didn’t need to use the carry loop as much as I expected, as given how light it is, it always felt manageable by itself. However, having it there is great for those who prefer the safety it brings. It’s also easy to remove the carry loop from the speaker should you wish to do so.

A Durable Exterior That Can Be Used Anywhere

Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 4

One of the standout features of this speaker is its durability, particularly its protection against superficial damage from objects rubbing against it. The shell is entirely rubber on the outside, making it resistant to accidental scratches.

It doesn’t include impact resistance, however, and may be prone to some damage if dropped from a distance. I think the weak point would be the areas where different parts of the speaker are joined together, as these sections could be prone to coming apart on impact.

Water And Dust-Resistance For Frequent Outdoor Use

  • Effective waterproofing that can withstand the heaviest of rain.
  • The grille holes are quite prone to collecting sand/dirt.
Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 5

Despite its older-looking appearance, it offers modern-day waterproofing that aligns with even the latest releases from competing audio giants like JBL, Sony, and UE. 

It sports an IP67 rating, meaning it’s not only protected from rain damage and limited submergence in water but it is also protected from dust damage. However, I did find that one or two caveats are worth noting.

Dust is easy to remove, but larger grains of sand can sometimes get lodged in the sides of the grille holes and require a carefully aimed pressure hose to release. This isn’t a big deal, as it only tends to happen when used on the beach, and even then being able to hose the speaker down is one of the benefits that comes with its waterproofing.

One thing I don’t like about the design is that there’s an internal sheet of material between the grille and driver, which absorbs water when wet, meaning the speaker takes a long time to dry out.

Discreet Buttons Are Clean, But Challenging To Use

  • The buttons can be very hard to see from some angles or in low light.
  • Allows for track forward skipping, but not backwards.
Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 6

The controls are discreet and located at the top of the speaker. Perhaps a bit too discreet as one needs to look quite closely at the speaker to identify the buttons – never mind seeing what each button does. Even after using the speaker extensively, I find myself having to look closely to know where to press.

That said, the controls are pretty comprehensive for a speaker at its price point:

  • Volume up
  • Volume down
  • Play/Pause
  • Bluetooth pairing
  • Multispeaker pairing
  • Power button

The play/pause button will also skip tracks when pressed twice in quick succession. Unfortunately, if you’re looking to skip back a track you’ll need to use your phone as the speaker doesn’t have a shortcut button for that.

I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of multiconnection support, meaning two phones can be connected to the speaker without the other having to disconnect. This is especially useful when sharing the speaker with family members or friends.

Reliable Bluetooth Connectivity, But Latency Is Noticeable

  • Bluetooth 5.2 gives a reliable connection, even at a distance.
  • Some minor latency is visible when watching videos.

Although the Philips S4807 was released around 3 years ago, it was ahead of the curve when it comes to Bluetooth releases and supports Bluetooth 5.2, a modern and highly efficient version still being included on modern releases.

I found the Bluetooth performance to be excellent, providing a reliable connection, even at 20 meters. Indoors, I also found it capable of retaining its connection well from adjacent rooms, meaning its Bluetooth receiver is strong enough to negate the resistance of the walls.

Latency between the phone and speaker is low, but not without room for improvement. I found that there were small syncing problems when watching YouTube videos from my phone, not to the point where it comes across as an out-of-sync dub, but it was more noticeable than on the JBL Go 4 or Clip 5 for instance.

Mobile App Support

The lack of mobile app support is a drawback for the speaker. Newer releases in a similar price range now often include app support, however, I’m also not too upset about this as even some of Ultimate Ear’s most recent releases, like the UE Miniroll also lack this feature.

Vibrant and Clear Sound, But The Treble Can Be A Bit Harsh

  • Excellent clarity with a lot of brightness.
  • Uneven treble peaks can be grating at times.
  • Sounds good for podcasts.
  • The sound dispersion is broad, giving clarity on both sides of the speaker.
Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 7

Going into using this speaker, I didn’t have very high expectations. Although Philips is a well-established brand, they’re not a company I often associate with Bluetooth speaker releases.

However, I was pleasantly surprised by a number of the sonic qualities, in particular the clarity. It’s a very rich-sounding speaker, with impressive detail. The vocals are especially clear, and it works extremely well for podcasts, making it a good choice as a cellphone replacement speaker for personal listening.

Despite its positive qualities, there are also things I dislike about how the speaker sounds.

Unlike a lot of similarly sized speakers, it doesn’t sound muddy – which is surprising considering the frequency response test I performed showed a lack of upper mid-range frequencies, which is where the bulk of vocals exist. This is probably why the highs can sound very harsh at times, as there’s only a narrow array of high frequencies that sound emphasized.

Soundstage, Dynamics, And Frequency Response Measurements

Core to this design is the dual speaker grilles, with both the front and the back of the speaker allowing air to flow through it. This helps to improve the dispersion of sound and means that people on either side of the speaker will hear similar clarity. The dispersion is quite good for a small, affordable speaker and clarity is good regardless of which direction the speaker is facing.

When I tested the volume, I measured this speaker at 83dB – which is enough volume for a small room or intimate outdoor area. For perspective, cell phone speakers produce around 65 to 75 dB.

To further improve the coverage, it also supports a TWS (True Wireless Stereo) connection where you can pair two of them together for better separation and broader dispersion.

Dynamics are mediocre, and when the volume is turned up I found that elements of a track that were supposed to be subtle variations would sometimes come across as too forceful, a result of the bright sound too, to some degree.

Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 8

Battery Life Is Reliable And Compares With Newer Releases

  • Provides up to 12 hours of playtime at lower volume.
  • Expect between 4 and 5 hours at higher volume.
  • Charges via USB-C cable.
Philips S4807 Review: A Pleasant Surprise 9

With a playtime estimate of 12 hours from the manufacturer, battery life is about standard for its price point, aligning with that of the UE Miniroom and JBL Clip 5, though the S4807 is a slightly larger speaker.

During my use of it, I reliably achieved 10 to 11 hours of playtime at comfortable volume levels. Since there are limited features, with a more stripped-back design there aren’t too many variables impacting playtime, but the volume level does have a noticeable impact. You can expect closer to 4 or 5 hours of playtime at high volume.

Additionally, I find the battery indicator lights very useful, showing the remaining battery life in increments of 20%.

Price & Value

With a price point just shy of $80, do I feel like this speaker has enough value to recommend? It depends on who the buyer is. If you’re not sensitive to sharp treble, it’s not a bad speaker. The peaks in the highs are the weak point, but otherwise, this speaker performs really well offering a lot of clarity and including features like TWS pairing. However, there are better options out there for around the same price if you prefer a slightly more natural sound.

Consider These Alternatives

For improved sound quality and slightly better battery life, consider the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 which is a much newer release and costs around the same. It’s slightly smaller than the Philips, but shares many of its features, including true wireless stereo pairing.

The Tribit Stormbox 2 is another worthy alternative. It’s around the same size as the Philips but has newer Bluetooth with less latency, along with stronger bass. The Stormbox 2 is available for slightly cheaper than the Philips.

My Final Thoughts

Overall, I was impressed by the performance. The build quality is quite good, offering both water and dust resistance, and the Bluetooth is stable, even over distance. The clarity is great, and it can get reasonably loud, too, but the sharp highs need to be taken into consideration. I feel like it works best as an upgrade to phone speakers or for casual listeners who aren’t too concerned about achieving balanced sound.

Sale
Philips S4807
  • SMALL FOOTPRINT, IMPRESSIVE SOUND: Roughly the size of a water bottle and wrapped in a rugged, funky looking shell, this portable speaker will surprise you with rich sound and punching bass.

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Author: Bryn De Kocks

Bryn has worked in the field for several years, writing in-depth speaker reviews for various audio publications. His work has historically focused on headphones and Bluetooth speakers, while incorporating his understanding of the Bluetooth speaker market to help educate potential buyers.

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Originally Published: December 18, 2024

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