In recent years, boAt has emerged as a prominent value-for-money audio brand, offering high-quality, affordable audio devices. Their latest addition to the lineup is the boAt Stone Lumos speaker, notable for its LED Projection feature. After using the Stone Lumos for several weeks, it’s clear why this speaker stands out in the under ₹10,000 segment. Here’s a comprehensive review of the boAt Stone Lumos, covering its design, features, sound quality, battery life, and overall value.
The boAt Stone Lumos is designed to turn heads with its impressive features and striking aesthetics. The first thing that catches the eye is its robust, rugged build, which suggests durability and reliability. Despite weighing 2kg, the speaker manages to balance substantiality with portability, avoiding any overly bulky feel.
The speaker’s solid matte-finish exterior gives it a premium touch, while the cylindrical shape and sturdy mesh grille provide a comfortable grip. Additionally, the handle on top enhances portability, allowing for easy carrying or hanging. Its IPX4 rating offers splash and sweat resistance, making it suitable for use by the poolside or on hiking trips. Although an IP68 rating would be preferable, the IPX4 rating still provides adequate protection.
The control buttons are positioned on top of the speaker and feature a rubber finish, which adds to the rugged feel and ensures usability even when the speaker is wet. The speaker includes essential buttons like play/pause, volume control, and power. Ports such as USB-C, USB Type-A, and a 3.5mm aux input are protected by a high-quality flap, enhancing the speaker's water resistance.
One of the standout features of the Stone Lumos is its LED projection. Rather than projecting images or videos, the LED function creates ambient lighting that enhances the room's atmosphere, particularly during movie nights. Watching a Marvel movie with this speaker revealed a cinematic experience, with the LED lights syncing with on-screen events, adding a dynamic layer to the viewing experience.
The boAt Stone Lumos allows users to customize the LED projection through the boAt Hearables app. This app provides various light themes and effects to match different moods. While the customization options are somewhat limited, expanding them could significantly enhance the overall experience.
In terms of sound quality, the boAt Stone Lumos performs impressively for its price range. The speaker is equipped with two front drivers and a passive radiator for bass, offering a total output of 60W. This power is sufficient to fill a medium-sized room with sound, though it might not be ideal for large outdoor gatherings.
Indoors, the speaker delivers a bass-heavy output with good depth in lower frequencies. The bass does not overpower the mids, allowing for clear vocals and crisp treble. Even at higher volumes, the speaker exhibits minimal distortion. It is well-suited for genres like Bollywood music, EDM, and pop. While the speaker does not offer 360-degree sound distribution, the audio remains consistent throughout the room when placed near a wall.
Pairing the speaker with a smartphone is straightforward, and it connects instantly via Bluetooth. A notable feature is its automatic power-off function, which helps save battery when the speaker is not in use. However, this can be inconvenient as it requires the speaker to be turned on repeatedly if left idle for a few hours. Although the speaker pairs easily with multiple devices, it does not always reconnect automatically, necessitating manual pairing from the Bluetooth settings.
The boAt Stone Lumos is equipped with an 800mAh battery, which the company claims provides up to 9 hours of playback. In practical use, the speaker lasts around 4-5 hours on a single charge with the volume set at 60% and the LED feature off. The battery depletes faster when the LED is in use, lasting only 1-2 hours. Consequently, frequent charging is necessary for extended use, especially if the LED feature is active.
Charging the speaker via the USB-C port takes less than 45 minutes, making it relatively quick to recharge. Overall, the battery life is dependable, though users should be prepared to charge it more frequently if using the LED projection feature.
Priced at ₹6,999, the boAt Stone Lumos is a well-rounded portable speaker that offers excellent value for money. Its rugged design, premium feel, and decent sound quality make it a strong contender in the budget segment. The IPX4 splash-resistant rating and reasonable battery life add to its appeal. The LED projection feature, which is a unique selling point, enhances the binge-watching experience by creating a cinematic ambiance.
Currently, Flipkart offers bank discounts on this speaker, making it available at a slightly lower price. Given its overall performance and features, the boAt Stone Lumos represents a worthwhile investment for those seeking a durable, feature-rich portable speaker under ₹10,000.