LG’s $199.99 Xboom 360 XO2TBK speaker gets plenty loud and is reasonably durable, but its awkward design, subpar audio performance, and ho-hum lighting effects make it difficult to recommend for home or portable use. The $199.99 Edifier D32 ultimately has the advantage for room-to-room listening thanks to its stereo drivers, hi-res codec support, and built-in Wi-Fi, while the $149.99 Beats Pill is a better choice for outdoor use because of its more durable design and cleaner sound.
Design: Like a Headless Bowling Pin With Portability Issues
Although the Xboom 360 (XO2TBK) is technically a successor to the Xboom 360 (XO3QBK), it looks like a miniature version of the original. The updated speaker has a similar bowling pin-like shape but comes in at just 8.2 by 4.7 by 4.7 inches (HWD) and 1.9 pounds. That’s substantially smaller than the older model (12.9 by 6.5 by 6.5 inches, 7.1 pounds) on all counts. The Beats Pill (2.8 by 8.6 by 2.8 inches, 1.5 pounds) is smaller and lighter still.
Of course, a smaller design means less room for audio components. Whereas the XO3QBK features three drivers (a 4-inch woofer, a two-inch midrange driver, and a 1-inch tweeter), the XO2TBK has a single 2-inch driver and a passive bass radiator. The driver sits in a cutout partway up the frame and fires directly into a cone that LG says disperses the sound evenly in all directions.
The cone also houses LEDs. Some effects provide a cozy diffuse glow, though the more party-friendly ones are far from impressive. The cone protrudes from a platform that can appear to hover over the speaker from the right angle due to its small plastic neck. LG fits a series of capacitive touch buttons on the top of that platform, including a Bluetooth pairing button, volume buttons, a play/pause button, and a button for cycling through the lighting effects. All actions require two presses (the initial tap simply activates their illumination). In testing, I found that quick, repeated presses don’t always register correctly.
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The Xboom 360 supports Bluetooth 5.3, the AAC and SBC codecs, and multipoint connectivity with up to two devices. The Edifier D32 does much better here since it offers Wi-Fi and the LDAC codec for high-res streaming. The Beats Pill matches the Xboom 360’s specs except for multipoint support.
Below the driver, lighting, and control unit, the large, bulbous shell sports a rough fabric that’s neither pleasant to look at nor touch. LG seemingly tried and failed to copy the fabric designs of smart speakers from Amazon, Apple, and Google. The Xboom 360 doesn’t have any smart features, though it does have an IP55 rating for protection against dust and low-pressure water jets. The Beats Pill has a superior IP67 rating.
Rounding out the design is a power button at the back, alongside a covered USB-C port for charging via the included cable. LG claims the speaker offers a respectable 15 hours of playback and fully recharges in around 4 hours. The built-in battery makes it theoretically portable, though its awkward shape means it’s not easy to carry around or fit into a bag. (It doesn’t even include the carrying strap that came with the XO3QBK). The Beats Pill is much more suitable for outdoor adventures thanks to its more streamlined design and longer battery life of 24 hours. The Edifier D32 also has an internal battery, but it tops out at just 11 hours.
App Experience: It Gets the Job Done
The Xboom 360 pairs with the no-frills LG Xboom app (available for Android and iOS), which doesn’t require you to create an account. Importantly, it lets you switch between the Standard and Sound Boost modes. The latter amplifies the bass to an acceptable level, so I would have preferred to have a physical button to enable this function. To make additional audio changes, you can turn to the custom EQ, which has six bands between 100Hz and 10kHz. Volume and playback controls are also available for convenience.
In addition, the app provides advanced control over the lighting. Several modes are available: Ambient shines a single color continuously for a candle-like effect, Nature gradually fades between two colors, and Party plays various animations with up to three colors in reaction to the beat of the music. A Party Strobe for that last option flashes your paired phone’s flashlight in sync. You can choose the colors for each and adjust the brightness.
Otherwise, the app has a sleep timer that automatically ends playback after a set time and gradually dims the lighting. You can also link multiple speakers. A second XO2TBK model enables stereo playback, while other LG models create a multi-speaker setup.
Sound Quality: One Driver Isn’t Enough
The LG Xboom 360 XO2TBK has a strong presence in the mids, so it can sound harsh at full volume. I tested with the default audio settings but tried the Sound Boost mode at various points.
The Knife’s “Silent Shout” is a rollicking, rhythmic ride that benefits from a strong bass response. However, it features several hits that attack with a little too much bite compared with the rest of the song. The synth line that rages throughout the track suffers from a similar issue. With Sound Boost active, the speaker slightly distorts the bass notes that start off the song and continue throughout. I had to dial back the volume to about 70% to avoid this effect.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” reveals the speaker’s inability to reproduce sub-bass at the 34-second mark. Most of the notes feel far in the background because of how loud the mids are, while the deepest sub-bass notes are absent. This is all the more noticeable during Kendrick’s bridge at 2:20, which features vocals alone with the sub-bass; this section just falls flat.
Bill Callahan’s “Drover” sounds better since most of the track fits neatly into the frequency range the speaker can handle. Callahan’s voice is full, and the various instruments sweep into the mix with force. But as effective as the speaker is at producing large, room-filling sound, it misses out on all the subtleties that come with stereo sound. The track playfully introduces audio elements from the side, but no such effects are audible here.
Verdict: 360 Degrees of Disappointment
The LG Xboom 360 XO2TBK is underwhelming. The mono, mids-focused presentation makes for largely unenjoyable audio, the cumbersome design is not conducive to portability, and the lighting effects aren’t all that impressive. Overall, the Editors’ Choice-winning Edifier D32 is a superior choice for around-the-house listening since it offers better sound quality and connectivity for the same price. Meanwhile, if you are looking for a speaker to take with you on outdoor excursions, the Beats Pill, another Editors’ Choice winner, produces more balanced sound, is more durable, fits into a bag more easily, and costs less.
2.5
Between its odd design, bland light effects, and lackluster audio quality, there are few reasons to opt for the LG Xboom 360 XO2TBK over a more capable Bluetooth speaker.
About Mark Knapp
Contributing Writer
