In the world of portable speakers, Brane Audio’s Brane X stands apart for just how low its lows can go. We’re talking about bass, of course, the low-frequency parts of a song we tend to hear (or feel) first – something that the Brane X delivers in droves to easily eclipse most other speakers of its size.
The Austin-based brand has created what it calls “the world’s first portable speaker with a built-in subwoofer” – an all-black basket-shaped audio device that it claims “delivers a 10x increase in sub-bass without any sacrifice in size or power consumption”. It’s a pretty impressive feat and one that Brane Audio has achieved thanks to a technological breakthrough it developed in-house: namely, its Repel-Attract Driver (RAD), a system the brand says breaks Hofmann’s Iron Law – which, in short, stipulates that speakers have to either be huge or use a lot of electricity to produce a big bass sound – by cleverly using magnets to negate the internal air pressure that would otherwise stop a speaker the size of Brane X from being so punchy. Brane Audio describes RAD as “a proprietary array of permanent magnets [that] cancel internal air pressure forces,” an entirely new way of producing deep bass that “compensates for the higher pressure of air compression relative to air expansion using asymmetrical magnetic forces.” In other words, the company is using magnets to change the air pressure inside Brane X – maybe it’s just us, but we can’t help but picture a tiny Magneto and Storm going at it inside the speaker (just us?).
Aside from its innovative subwoofer, Brane X is constructed with four class-D digital amplifiers that output a combined 200 watts. These are complimented by two midrange 2.5-inch drivers and two 0.75-inch dome tweeters, with the former helping to provide listeners with clear stereo separation of the mids and the latter helping to produce crystal clear highs and what the brand calls “an ultra-wide soundstage”. The speaker is also call-ready and features four microphones that capture your voice wherever you’re situated – the mics are waterproof, too, allowing you to take calls poolside without taking any risks – as well as being compatible with the built-in Alexa voice assistant.
In terms of connectivity, Brane X features both Wi -Fi and Bluetooth and can be used natively with streaming services including Spotify Connect, Prime Music, Pandora, Deezer and others, all of which can be accessed and controlled via Brane Audio’s companion on either iOS or Android. The mobile app is also where users can customize the speaker’s sound to their liking, using the adjustable EQ to fine tuning to all three frequencies. And, at the heart of Brane X, is its digital signal processor (DSP) – a custom built “engine” that, according to the brand, can process “over 500 million EQ calculations per second.”
If wireless isn’t your thing, Brane X can be connected to any device with a 3.5mm stereo cable through its AUX port. And, when it comes to power, the speaker houses a respectable 72 watt-hour battery that can be fast-charged to full in three hours using the included 15-volt, 6-amp power supply.
Groundbreaking bass aside, one of the best features found on the Brane X speaker is its “Party” and “Stereo” modes. Brane Audio has enabled up to eight individual speakers to be connected simultaneously, allowing users to create multi-room shared experiences. While it’s a fun feature, it’s probably not for everyone – pairing a couple of speakers in stereo, though, is more realistic, and a Brane X duo makes for an incredibly immersive stereo sound experience that’s as good as playing music as it is for watching a movie.
While it was previously available in the U.S. exclusively, Brane Audio recently launched its speaker to the U.K. and British customers can now purchase Brane X via the brand’s website. The speaker is available now priced at £449 GBP / $499 USD.
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