Small speaker proves bigger isn’t always better

IT MIGHT look like you are only carrying a small, rectangular box or gift but this particular package packs a powerful punch.
Sony’s SRS-HG1 portable Bluetooth speaker measures only 204 x 62 x 60 mm but has a combined 24 watts of output power that delivers High-Resolution sounds with powerful bass.
Despite its compactness, the 790 gram speaker feels sturdy in your hand, indicating that is made of solid, premium material. It uses two full-range 35mm-diameter drivers and a passive radiator for bass sound.
Part of Sony’s h.ear go range, it comes in five distinct colours of Cinnabar Red, Lime Yellow, Charcoal Black, Viridian Blue and Bordeaux Pink.
The wireless HG1 supports Sony’s LDAC high-resolution Bluetooth audio codec, allowing high-resolution audio content to be streamed from your High-Res music player or smartphone at the maximum transfer rate of 990 kbps or in 96Khz/24bit resolution.
The HG1 also has audio-in 3.5mm stereo jack allowing a hard-wire connection to a music player. It also has a micro-USB port to connect to your PC to stream High-Res music from your computer.
The speaker can also be connected to your Wi-Fi network by using SongPal application on your smartphone that is Bluetooth linked to the speaker. Once it is connected to a home router, music can also be streamed from your PC. You can also use the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button on the speaker and your Wi-Fi router to link the HG1 to your network.
The speaker has a built-in S-Master HX digital amplifier that delivers high-resolution sounds while reducing the noise level. It also uses ClearAudio+ technology to enhance the sound quality of streamed music. It has a built-in DSEE HX circuit to upscale and restore compressed music files to a level close to High-Res Audio.
The HG1 can also be used as a hands-free speaker for Bluetooth-linked smartphone with a call button for receiving or ending calls. Users can cycle through Audio in, Network or Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB functions and a status LED indicates which function is in use.
Apart from the call button, there are power, volume increase and decrease buttons and a button for turning the extra bass feature on and off.
I mainly tested the HG1 connected to a Sony A35 High-Resolution Walkman. Connection was simple using the NFC (Near Field Communication) function.
I found the HG1 reproduced good sound with clarity as well as music details, and the highest volume level was enough to fill my bedroom with sound. Even without the Extras Bass function, the speaker produced good bass. 
I also connected the speaker to my notebook and played Hi-Res songs using Sony Hi-Res Audio Player with pleasing results.
Sony’s SRS-HG1 has a suggested retail price of Bt6,490.

- Output power: 12W+12W
- Speakers: 2x35mm full-range 35mm drivers
- Sound modes: ClearAudio+, DSEE-HX
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 4.2, AAC, LDAC, SBC codecs
- Interface: micro USB, stereo mini-jack input
- Wireless connections: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, DLNA, Google Cast, Spotify Connect
- Battery: Internal rechargeable battery with 12-hour battery life
- Dimensions: Approx. 204x62x60 mm
- Weight: Approx 0.79kg