SuperTooth Disco 2 Review

Introduction:

Last summer, we had the opportunity of reviewing the reasonably priced portable Bluetooth speaker in the SuperTooth Disco. Now after a long year of waiting, its successor in the aptly named SuperTooth Disco 2 is nearing availability – sporting the same $99.99 price point as its predecessor. However, this new version is flaunting one modern design that's sure to catch a few prying eyes. Redesign aside, let's hope it can still deliver the goods in the audio quality department.

Design:

Without question, SuperTooth decided to make a huge emphasis on the design of the Disco 2 – and it clearly shows right off the bat! Whereas the original didn't hide the fact it was a speaker, the Disco 2 impresses with its clean lines and harmonious proportions. Essentially, it appears more like a vase of some kind or a work of art as opposed to a cutthroat speaker design. Standing upright, there's a fair amount of sturdiness seen throughout its construction, which is mostly attributed to its solid plastic body. Livening things up even more, the Disco 2 is available in a rainbow of colors to match your specific taste.



On the front, two speakers are discreetly hidden behind the grill – blending in perfectly to form a uniform look. Combined with a high efficiency bass reflex system in the rear, the entire thing is reported to pump out 16 watts of RMS audio power.

Meanwhile, the top of the speaker is where we find all six of its physical controls, which are circular in size and recessed. Specifically, these include the power, volume up, volume down, track forward, track reverse, and pause/play. Thankfully, they all feature potent backlighting to enable us to visibly see them in all lighting conditions.



Finally, the bottom portion of the rear features its AC jack, LED light indicator, and a 3.5mm auxiliary port to physically wire other devices to it.

Performance:

Setup is a breeze, naturally, as we're able to pair it right away with a Samsung Galaxy S III. In terms of pure audio quality, we're delighted to say that its output is reasonably strong and vibrant at the highest volume setting – accompanied with a subtle amount of bass. However, when compared to its predecessor, it's not a powerful and lacks the commanding presence needed to really shake a room. Still, it's ample enough to blissfully listen to our music. On another note, the SuperTooth Disco 2 is equipped with aptX protocol support to optimize the integrity of your original audio files when streaming to the speaker.

Battery:

With its internal NiMH battery, which takes approximately 2 hours to fully charge, it's rated to offer 3 to 4 hours of usage on the highest volume setting and roughly 1,500 hours of standby.

Conclusion:

Even though the SuperTooth Disco 2 improves in the design front, its audio quality is lacking the same boisterous tones produced by its predecessor – albeit, it's still pleasant enough to the ears. Call it a compromise, the $100 price point attached to the portable Bluetooth speaker is still sufficient enough to warrant a purchase for those looking to discretely blend a speaker into a living room home theater system. Sure, there are solutions out there that are more comprehensive, but if you're not looking to plop out a whole lot of moolah, this should absolutely be on your list of options.

SuperTooth Disco 2 Video Review: