[cgramer]

I'm in the market for a Bluetooth speaker for my living room, mainly for background music. I'm shopping in the $100-200 price range, and so far I've listened to the Bose SoundLink mini (meh), the Sonos Play:1 (technically not a Bluetooth speaker, but it'd work for streaming music), and one from Sony (can't remember the model number). I recently saw an ad for a new Bluetooth speaker from Fluance, the Fi30. Has anyone on here heard one? The price is right ($149.99), and their other products are pretty well-reviewed for sounding quite good and mostly being a great value.


Here are the specs (from here ):

• System Type: Full Range 2 Driver Bluetooth Music System with Integrated Amplifier
• Woofer: Dual 3" Woven Glass Fiber Composite Drivers with Butyl Rubber Surrounds
• Bluetooth: 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate); aptX codec
• Input: 3.5mm Auxiliary Audio Input, 2.1 A USB Charging Input
• Audio Formats:
• Frequency Response: 50Hz - 20KHz
• Amplifier Power (RMS): 6 Watts Continous Average Output (x 2 channels)
• Enclosure: Tuned Rear Port Bass Reflex Design
• Cabinet: Precision Crafted MDF Wood Internally Braced
• Dimensions: 16.5 x 5.5 x 5.5 in (420 x 140 x 140 mm)
• Weight: 8.3 lbs (3.8kg)
• 18 gauge internal lead wire to reduce signal degradation

I'd be willing to give it a shot and pay return shipping if I didn't like it within 30 days, but my wife won't agree to buy one that hasn't been reviewed, and I can't find reviews anywhere.


If you've heard this one, please let me know what you thought. If not, but you know of other great Bluetooth speakers in the $100-200 price range, tell me all about it/them. Thanks!


—Chris

 

[Patrick Collins]

I replaced my wife's Bose speakers with a pair of NuForce 1R-BT speakers. They might be a little above your price range but still good for comparison. They're Bluetooth with Aptx and another great wireless technology called SKAA. The master speaker also has RCA inputs and limited controls for your mobile devices. Both also have speaker level inputs. Google it for reviews, they were pretty good. I like them so much, I'm thinking of other uses for them. In smaller 5.1 systems they would make great L/R rears.

 

[cgramer]

Thanks for the tip, though I can't find the 1R-BT model anywhere. I did find Sony MDR-1RBT Bluetooth headphones... I also found NuForce S3BT speakers, which have good reviews for their sound but poor reviews for their reliability (the Bluetooth module seems to have failed for a lot of people). Thanks to searching for your 1R-BTs, though, I did find the Grace Digital GDI-BTSP201s, which look quite promising, and they're just $181:

http://www.amazon.com/Grace-Digital-GDI-BTSP201-Bookshelf-Bluetooth/dp/B00DS5QZYO/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp


The search continues... and I'd still love to know if anyone has heard the Fi30 from Fluance.

 

[Patrick Collins]

As you might guess, I have that model 1R-BT, Sony headphone. So your right, the NuForce speaker model is S3BT. Looks like I can't keep track of my model #s like I used to. Still liking those speakers. Didn't know anything about the reliability issue though. In fact NuForce is a quality company.

 

[merb]


I am one of the NuForce users who have had the bluetooth fail on the S3BT. The replacement speakers are so far so good but I could not recommend them seeing as so many people have had this problem.

 

As it happens, I just received the Fluance Fi30 today. I'm listening to it right now. It needs about 10 hours of break-in before the speakers loosen up a bit but I must say it sounds pretty good so far. It's a heavy speaker, must weigh close to 9 pounds. That's because it is a manufactured wood (MDF) cabinet. But that really gives this speaker a more resonant sound than most other bluetooth speakers I've heard. The speaker has no controls on it save for the on/off switch and bluetooth reset button.

 

It's definitely worth every penny of $149 based on other bluetooth speakers I own.. Bose SoundLink, SoundLink II, SoundLink III and SoundLink Mini, just to name a few. I'm not a big Bose fan... it just happens that my wife is :-(

 

I'll be doing a full video review of this speaker and putting it on Amazon soon.

 

[merb]


I let the speaker play all night to break it in and gave it some heavy-duty listening time today.

 

I'm very impressed particularly considering its price of $149.

 

I posted a review of the speaker on my blog...

http://www.amazontopreviewer.com/audio/bluetooth-speakers/fluance-fi30-bluetooth-speaker/

 

[cgramer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by merb  /t/1517513/fluance-fi30-bluetooth-speaker-any-thoughts#post_24439258


I let the speaker play all night to break it in and gave it some heavy-duty listening time today.


I'm very impressed particularly considering its price of $149.


I posted a review of the speaker on my blog...
http://www.amazontopreviewer.com/audio/bluetooth-speakers/fluance-fi30-bluetooth-speaker/

Thanks! I'll take a look.

 

[merb]


I don't know how you interpreted the Fluance Fi30 specs... but they seemed to indicate the Fi30 has a 3" woofer in it. It does not, It has 2 tuned bass ports but there is no woofer, just the 2 full-range speakers. Just want to clarify that.

 

[cgramer]

 @merb , those are straight from the Fluance website—no interpretation at all on my part.

 

[merb]


Right, and you probably think that the speaker has a woofer in it because of that right? It doesn't.

 

[cgramer]

Not sure how you interpreted my post, but I never said I believe the Fi30 has a woofer or woofers. Just wanted to clarify that.

 

[merb]


I'm not sure how this got to be so complicated. You posted specifications that indicated the speaker has a woofer. I am simply clarifying that the speaker does not have a woofer.

 

Peace out.

 

[cgramer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by merb  /t/1517513/fluance-fi30-bluetooth-speaker-any-thoughts#post_24454475


I'm not sure how this got to be so complicated. You posted specifications that indicated the speaker has a woofer. I am simply clarifying that the speaker does not have a woofer.

Haha... It has gotten complicated.

In my original post, I copied and pasted the specs directly from Fluance's website for the Fi30. They incorrectly use the word "woofers" to describe the 3" drivers, though they also state that the drivers are "full-range" and that there are rear bass ports. I agree, this is confusing, and Fluance ought to correct that. Having seen their website, though, including various diagrams/cutaways of the speaker, it's pretty clear it doesn't have woofers (which would imply separate tweeters), but rather the aforementioned full-range drivers.


I guess the way you worded your response about my "interpretation" of the specs seemed a bit condescending to me (and upon rereading your response, it appears I probably "misinterpreted" it—ack!), since I never interpreted anything, and you seemed to be presuming that I would incorrectly assume, based on the mere presence of the word "woofer" in the specs, that the Fi30 is a two-way speaker, which it clearly isn't. I was probably a bit touchy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by merb  /t/1517513/fluance-fi30-bluetooth-speaker-any-thoughts#post_24454475


Peace out.

Indeed! And thanks for your review of the Fi30! If a few more reviews appear, I think I'll finally be able to convince my wife that we should order one.

 

[cgramer]

Ordered a white Fi30 after CNET worked with Fluance to offer it for $99.96 (coupon code FI30CNET). It arrives tomorrow... I'll post a review after I've broken it in as @merb mentioned.

 

[merb]


$99 is a pretty sweet deal for this speaker.