LG XBOOM Go PL7 review: a party speaker with impressive sound

LG XBOOM Go PL7 is one of the best wireless speakers from LG that uses Meridian's Sound Boost technology. The device is aimed at lovers of fun and noisy parties.

Thanks to the changing multi-color lighting system and high-quality sound, the model is perfect for noisy companies.

Specifications LG XBOOM Go PL7

LG X-Boom OM7560

Output power: 1000W

Functions: color speaker illumination, karaoke (creating soundtracks from songs), Party Thruster, wireless audio synchronization with TV, creating multiplaylists, club strobe lighting, DJ effects

Interfaces: unbalanced stereo output, unbalanced stereo input, FM tuner, USB x2, CD tray, 3.5 mm jack for connecting portable devices

Dimensions: 330 x 815 x 302 mm

Weight: 16.8 kg

Design and appearance

LG XBOOM Go PL7 is a top-level portable speaker, so its dimensions are appropriate. The dimensions of PL7 are 98x245x98 mm. The device can be held in one hand, but it will be inconvenient.

Unlike the PK7 model, there is no built-in handle. However, if you want a smaller Bluetooth speaker from LG, there are the PL5 and PL2 to choose from. The XBOOM Go PL7 weighs 1.46 kg, which is quite a lot for a “portable” model, but the PK7 weighed twice as much.

The equipment looks attractive thanks to its curved and smooth lines. The shape is a bit like an American football. The body is covered with rubber, which is comfortable and non-slippery for your hands. The subwoofers on the sides have a nice ring lighting. The only drawback of the acoustic housing is that fingerprints and smudges remain on the rubber coating.

The speaker grilles are on the front, while at the back there is a huge XBOOM logo. Below it is a flap that provides access to a USB-C port for charging, an AUX output and a USB-A connector for charging mobile devices. Nearby you can find three control buttons, we’ll talk about them later. A little higher - there are power keys, Bluetooth connection, volume control and playback, as well as a battery indicator. The battery charge level is indicated in three colors: green, yellow and red. There is also a special Sound Boost button from Meridian, which enhances the sound.

The XBOOM Go PL7 speaker can also be used as a speakerphone to receive phone calls. A microphone is built into the upper right part of the device for this purpose.

Large battery and rugged case

All three models received cases made of matte black plastic, and the speakers were covered with metal grilles with perforations. The youngest speaker, PK3, has full water protection - you can safely throw it into the lake and not be afraid that it will fail. The larger models - PK5 and PK7 - are only splash-proof.

If the younger speaker looks like a black brick, then the older ones have an interesting industrial appearance. These speakers weigh 1.2 and 3 kg respectively, so LG engineers added handles to make them easier to carry. Due to the handles, by the way, PK5 and PK7 are slightly tilted back. Rubber feet will prevent the speakers from scratching furniture and will prevent unwanted damage to the speakers themselves.

Passive radiators are built into the ends of all systems

The palms do not slip on the plastic handles - it is comfortable to grip and carry. You can easily throw the PK7 over your shoulder, holding it slightly, like a classic boombox, and stun the entire area by turning on the Notorious BIG. Plus, older models can be attached to something with the same handles - for example, to a bicycle.

All models communicate with sources via Bluetooth, but each speaker also has an input for a 3.5 mm plug hidden behind a shutter on the rear wall. Next to this connector there is a charging input: for the PK3 and PK5 it is USB-C, but the larger PK7 can only be powered by the included power supply with a round plug. The batteries of the speakers are decent: the smallest one will last up to 11 hours at medium volume, the medium one will last up to 15 hours, and the largest one will last a whole day.

Models PK5 and PK7 received white broadbands - these reflect light better

The younger model supports aptX and SBC codecs, while the older ones also work with aptX HD, which allows you to transmit audio in 24-bit/48 kHz quality. Most modern LG smartphones support signal transmission in this format, so the PK5 and PK7 speakers will be excellent companions for them.

On the top panel of the speakers there are buttons: after the power and Bluetooth connection keys there are volume controls, buttons for pausing and starting playback, turning on the light music and launching the voice assistant (common for both functions), as well as buttons for special sound modes. Some buttons received white LED operating mode indicators. Next to the power button, the developers placed a battery icon and a multi-colored LED indicating the charge level.

You can simultaneously connect two wireless sources to the speakers and create a common playlist from them. The special Music Flow application will allow you to create a single system from two speakers - PK5 and PK7 in any combination. If a pair uses speakers of the same model, then the application will offer a stereo pair mode, but if the models are different, then it will simply output the same melodies to them without dividing them into channels. The pairing button for the speakers is hidden behind plugs on the rear panel.

The Music Flow Bluetooth application allows you to assemble a system of two speakers PK5 and PK7 in any combination. In the case of different speakers, you will actually get bluetooth multiroom, and identical speakers can work as a stereo pair. Here you can also collect playlists for speakers and select the operating mode of the light and music

The main feature of PK5 and PK7 is the presence of light and music. In PK5, only the broadband speakers are illuminated, while PK7 also received two horizontal LED strips. There are three operating modes of the light music, which differ in the shades of the bulbs used: bluish Water, yellow-green Forest and the most colorful Party. Of course, the light music can be turned off. The application has a button to turn on the strobe light - for a couple of seconds the speakers begin to blink very quickly.

Light music is a fun thing. True, for example, she can’t keep up a little with the frantic drive of Slipknot, but she works out the standard simple rhythms of modern electronic music with psychedelic joy.

Features Features

Meridian's contribution to the development of LG XBOOM Go PL7 is that the Sound Boost function has been added to the speaker. Thanks to it, the sound is amplified by simply pressing a button on the body, becoming louder and more powerful.

Among the audio codecs, Go PL7 supports MQA, AAC and SBC. Since this is a portable speaker, it has IPX5 water protection - accidental splashes are not a problem. The main thing is not to place it close to the pool, because it most likely will not survive a fall into the water.

I have already said that next to the connectors in the XBOOM Go PL7 there are three additional buttons. The first switches the acoustics to Dual Mode - this means that the speaker can be combined into a stereo pair for more powerful sound. However, this requires a second PL7, since PL5 does not steam. The second key activates Multi Mode, one of those weird features they add to punts. Thanks to it, you can combine up to 100 XBOOM Go PL7 speakers to drive not only your neighbors, but the entire neighborhood crazy. The third key simply changes the backlight style.

The equipment also supports Bluetooth Surround Ready, which is available on a number of LG's 2022 TVs. If you have two XBOOM speakers, you can use them to create a surround sound system for your TV.

Mini-system LG OM7550K will show and sing along

All X-Boom systems work with karaoke and are equipped with a pair of microphone inputs, but the most specialized is the OM7550K model (as indicated by the letter “K” in the index): it comes with one microphone and a disc with 2,000 songs. Each model can mute vocals in a song and create almost a backing track from any track, and the OM7550K includes a fanfare button to encourage the singer.

Minisystem LG X-Boom OM7550K

The included DVD allows you to implement full-fledged karaoke: the mini-system is connected to the TV (via an HDMI output), after which the singer will see pictures with the lyrics of the songs in a creeping line. The drive installed in the OM7550K is capable of playing video in MPEG2 format - but you need to play it, of course, on a TV connected to the device.

The connectors are designed in the same style on all OM-series minisystems

A ten-inch driver in a separate chamber in a bass-reflex design is responsible for the low frequencies in the OM7550K. The MF-HF section is located higher in a separate chamber with its own bass reflex.

Like any full-fledged music center, the OM7550K can play music on a schedule - it has an alarm function. We think that a kilowatt alarm clock will cope with its task without problems and will wake up anyone - even those who were not supposed to.

Voice control and app

XBOOM PL7 from LG supports voice assistant control from Google and Apple. However, calling them is not done in a very convenient way - you need to press the play button of the paired smartphone for two seconds. The option works well, but it doesn't seem to be very useful.

It is worth noting the convenient XBOOM application for Android and iOS. It has most of the control features listed above, as well as a couple of other settings. Among them: gesture control, automatic playback and changing the backlight. The application interface is simple and convenient.

Voice assistant "Alice"

Alice has hundreds of functions and several serious shortcomings. The latter include total dependence on Yandex services, the inability to download music from other streaming services, and the fact that the voice assistant periodically simply does not understand you. The calibration and power of the LG XBOOM microphones is satisfactory: when music is playing, “Alice” does not always confidently recognize the user’s phrases.

A little about the functions. Here's what you can do with the voice assistant on LG XBOOM:

• find out the travel time from point A to point B;
• set an alarm or reminder;
• find out a recipe for preparing a dish (upon the request “Alice” launches a search in “Yandex” and reads the results from culinary sites);
• translate a phrase into another language;
• turn on or off a smart home gadget (“Alice” can work with devices from Yandex, Xiaomi and Redmond);
• play a game (for example, “Cities” or “Guess the Animal”);
• find out the exchange rate;
• include sounds of nature (for example, forest, ocean or fire);
• turn on the music and set a timer to turn it off;
• find out how much the product costs (“Alice” will display the price from Yandex.Market).

This is only part of the functions. The full list is available on the Yandex website.

Sound quality

It's hard to expect anything other than loud and powerful sound from a portable speaker called XBOOM. Therefore, the LG XBOOM Go PL7 fully lives up to expectations, although it is also capable of accurately reproducing more subtle and complex compositions.

Dual-action passive drivers give the speaker extra power and roar compared to competing devices. The bass has a dull thud, although the sound remains clear and dense. The acoustics may not create the widest soundstage, but the upper and lower frequencies are distributed competently.

The Go PL7 excels at reproducing orchestral music and demonstrates that it's not just suited to today's bass-heavy genres. Turning on the Sound Boost function increases the sound field, after which even more power is transmitted through the 2.3-inch subwoofers. Of course, the portable system will not sound wider, but the sound will droop further, feeling more energetic.

The XBOOM Go PL7 also manages to remain balanced and neutral. High frequencies are not the most accentuated, but everything is in order with synchronization and rhythm.

The playback process is accompanied by a flashing light. It may seem pretentious to some, although the style suits the speaker perfectly and can create a festive mood. The backlight looks especially good in complete darkness.

Performance

On tracks with intense sub-bass, such as The Knife's "Silent Shout", the Xboom Go PL5 will give you an interesting experience. At maximum volume, the speaker's drivers and heatsinks can't handle the depth of the bass, and the track is riddled with distortion with Sound Boost turned on or off. However, passive radiators that have LEDs on them vibrate wildly, which looks pretty cool. Unfortunately, the speaker on this track struggled with bass even at moderate levels, although distortion at these levels was significantly reduced.

How we test speakers

Bill Callahan's "Drover", a track with much less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better idea of ​​the Xboom Go PL5's overall sound signature. The drums on this track tend to sound too loud on speakers with directional bass, but here they sound rather subdued, with Callahan's baritone vocals getting the bulk of the low-end boost. The mix also gets a significant treble boost, but with Sound Boost mode enabled, the sound signature changes radically - the high mids and highs get a lot more sculpture and boost, and the bass response takes a small step forward. Neither sound signature is as accurate, but those looking for clearer audio will want to enable Sound Boost.

The same can be said for Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild" - the bass drum loop gets a higher midrange and retains its punch more with Sound Boost turned on. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are implied rather than delivered, no matter what mode you listen to. Vocals get a brighter, clearer response with Sound Boost enabled, but switching between the two modes sounds like the standard mode. almost muted.

Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams' ballet. The Gospel According to the Other Mary, the sound is rich and balanced in standard listening mode, with the lower register instruments playing a strong anchor role. With Sound Boost turned on, higher register vocals, horns and strings sound a bit too bright on this track, but depending on your listening environment this may be ideal.

The hands-free microphone provides excellent intelligibility. Using the Voice Memos app on the iPhone 8, we were able to understand every word we recorded relatively clearly, with very little Bluetooth distortion in the mix. The microphone even seemed to pick up a bit of low-frequency response and produced a relatively strong signal even from a couple of feet away.

Autonomy LG XBOOM Go PL7

Inside the XBOOM Go PL7 there is a 3900 mAh battery installed, according to the manufacturer it is enough for 24 hours of music playback.

In practice, to achieve such results you need to set the volume to 50%, and also turn off the backlight and the Meridian Sound Boost function. In general, battery life depends entirely on how you use the speaker. Fully charging the battery takes about five hours.

Bulky but autonomous device

With dimensions of 320x167x152 mm and a weight of 2.9 kilograms, the LG PK7 turns out to be quite a weighty device. However, there are wide handles built into the body, so this shouldn't be a barrier to using the Bluetooth speaker outdoors. The bulkiness of the design is compensated by the high battery life of 15 hours 32 minutes, which ultimately gives an overall good rating for mobility. The battery will be fully charged 3 hours after connecting to the outlet.

Bottom line

The LG XBOOM Go PL7 speaker is smaller in size compared to the PK7, looks more stylish and does not look like a toy at all. This portable speaker system is capable of reproducing any sound in high quality, with plenty of bass. You will also be pleased with the excellent detail, coupled with excellent clarity. The Sound Boost feature will noticeably enhance the sound without introducing distortion.

The absence of the aptX-HD codec was not noticeable to me during tests, since the audio quality is impressive from the first tones. In my opinion, the main competitor to this model from LG is the Marshall Emberton speaker.

Is it worth buying?

XBOOM Go PL7 is another excellent Bluetooth speaker from LG that will brighten up any party, filling the atmosphere with great sound.

Party mood

The immodest dimensions of the mini-systems allowed LG developers to equip them with large and even quite high-quality speakers that are ready to give full sound to the parties. Despite the fact that the speakers, of course, belong to the party segment, Pink Floyd also sounds perky on them, especially Gilmour’s sonorous notes.

The relatively portable mini-system LG X-Boom FH6 managed to accommodate as many as two eight-inch woofers

LG managed to create mini-systems that, by their very appearance, even when turned off, set the mood for a club, party mood, and due to their considerable size, high-quality speakers and funny DJ effects, they sound to match this mood. The festive mood is also added by interestingly implemented light music, completely multi-colored, but harmonious in FH6 and fully emulating parties in OM7560.

The editors remind you that by law it is forbidden to make noise after 11 pm in apartment buildings, but on New Year’s Day, and even with such speakers, we think it is still possible.

Official website: LG FH6, LG OM6560, LG OM7560, LG OM7550K

Prices:

LG FH6 — 18,990 rubles*,

LG OM6560 — 15,990 rubles*,

LG OM7560 — 22,990 rubles*,

LG OM7550K — 21,990 rubles*

*average price indicated