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It can prove difficult getting all the features you want in a Bluetooth speaker while keeping it affordable, but that is what Inateck has attempted to do with its Mercury Box. Made of anodized aluminium, this compact wireless speaker is certified IPX5 waterproof, packs two strong five watt drivers into its casing and has a battery life that is said to last up to 15 hours on a full charge.
And it claims to do all this for as little as £40.
This is a speaker with an impressive feature set but at a fraction of the price of many of the big name speakers we have looked at in the past. Whether that means this one has some hidden weaknesses, we do not know, but we will do our damnedest to find out.
Features
- Dual 5W drivers provide high quality sound for different music styles.
- Up to 15 hours of battery life keep the speaker going.
- IPX5 waterproof certified means you can shower with this speaker without worrying.
- Bundle includes handstraps, protective case and additional cables.
The packaging for the Mercury Box is quite basic, but functional. It is white with a large picture of the speaker itself, as well as its model number and package contents listed on the end. The rear breaks down some of its more attractive qualities – including waterproofing capabilities and auxiliary inputs.
Inside the main box is… another box. This one is entirely black and offers more protection and padding for the speaker while it is winging its way to you.
Inside, along with the Mercury Box itself, is the promised carry case, charge cable, auxiliary 3.5mm data cable and a start up manual.
Although rather bland in appearance, Inateck's allusion to Apple hardware on its homepage suggests this was intentional. It is looking to appeal to those who adore the refined, aluminium MacBook look and if that is something you like, this one probably ticks all the boxes. It is compact, with a cool-to-the-touch metallic shell and a circular perforated grill on the front.
On the reverse side, there is another grilled section, with a small Inateck logo just above it. All corners on this speaker are rounded, which eliminates any potential issues from stepping on it down the line.
The very top features a rubberised panel for the controls – to keep that pesky water out – and they include: power on/off, play/pause, Bluetooth/ speakerphone and volume up and down. The volume controls also double as track skip buttons too. Though in an interesting choice, pressing one skips, while holding the volume adjusts it. We would have expected it to be the other way around.
At one end of the Mercury Box you will find a rubber panel which when bent back gives you access to the micro-USB charge port and the 3.5mm audio data port for auxiliary input.
The other end has a rubber-holed panel which lets you connect a carry string or similar clip system for ease of transportation. The underside has a black plastic panel which looks much like the rubberised top side panel, alongside a pair of rubber feet to keep the speaker in place and prevent scratches on desk tops.
Testing a speaker like this involves listening to a number of different songs of various genres, as well as talk radio, podcasts and similar to make sure it can achieve a full range of sound and at what quality levels. We also test it at low and high volumes, as well as running it for many hours to gauge battery life.
In the case of this speaker, we also ran it under a shower during use to test its waterproofing claims (see video below).
The first and most important test of any speaker is of its sound quality. I listened to many hours of music on the Mercury Box and found it a very capable speaker. It handles high frequencies well and the bass is strong considering the diminutive size of the speakers. That said, it does not reproduce really deep bass that you would expect from a much larger speaker or dedicated subwoofer. Not really a shock to be fair, but bass is punchy enough to be enjoyable.
Vocals are reasonably well presented in the mid range, but there is a thin veil apparent throughout this range.
Although it's not exactly pocket shaped, Inateck was quite proud of the fact that this speaker can fit in your pocket
The speakers do lose a little bit at the very top end with a noticeable roll off, but that has been the case with most mobile speakers we have tested in recent years and a compromise you need to be willing to accept.
There is no crackling with the Mercury Box though, so if you want to have it blasting at full tilt then it can do so without any really obvious distortion. Just do not expect it to do your 24bit/192Hz tracks justice.
Speaking of volume, the controls are a bit different on this speaker than others. There are volume up/down buttons on the speaker itself which operate when depressed and held. If pressed once, they double as skip functions back and forth. Interestingly though, the volume control on your smartphone is actually a separate digital amplifier.
While this might allow for some more fine tuning than if they were unified, it does mean that in order to fully customise the volume you need to be within reach of both the speaker and the broadcasting device, which seems to defeat the point of adding more controls to the speaker.
The control system for the Inatech Mercury Box works fine otherwise, with a slight depression of the volume down button so that you can operate it without looking if needed. The other buttons work well, giving more ability to control the music than most speakers, as well as speakerphone control.
Although tinnier sounding than using your phone directly, both the caller and the receiver come through great on each end, thanks to the decent microphone built into the speaker. It also has its own separate ring tone which is handy. Music is automatically paused during the call and resumes by itself afterwards.
The other abilities of this speaker are equally impressive. Its range extends up to 60ft with a clear line of sight to the device broadcasting to it, and with walls and doors in the way it can reach to 20ft.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG3yAzuJCzM
NB. Music source: The Palmer Squares
Waterproofing is not as good as some devices, so the Mercury Box cannot be submerged. However it can survive quite a rigorous drenching with a shower head. If you keep it on its side too, the water bounces along with the music in a particularly fascinating manner. See our video above for more on this.
Although not designed to be shock or damage resistant, the aluminium casing is very sturdy. When dropped from a height of one and a half metres on to a stone flooring, the speaker bounced around a little and came to a rest with just a few corner scuff marks. Music continued to play throughout.
Battery life is said to be as long as 15 hours. We can confirm that it ran for around 12 hours on our first charge before the battery ran dry.
The Inateck Mercury Box is one hell of a speaker. Despite its rather understated – you could argue, bland appearance, it is an amazing piece of kit for the price. Not only does it sound great throughout the volume and frequency range but it is waterproofed enough to sustain a severe drenching, which means accidental splashes or using it in the shower with you will not negatively affect it at all.
After extended sprays with the shower a little water did get into the rubberised charge/data compartment, so be a bit careful as this is not a completely waterproof speaker – but it does offer some excellent resistance.
Its sound is not perfect of course, but even the speakers we have reviewed which cost upwards of £250 struggle with certain frequencies and deep bass. The Inateck Mercury Box does however lack any form of companion app and Smart Bluetooth support for remote on, which would have been nice.
The battery life and range are both excellent and the ability to control songs is very handy. Skipping tracks back and forth as well as play/pause and volume controls. It seems a shame that there are separate volume controls on your phone and the speaker – as it means adjusting both for maximum volume, but this seems like a minor gripe when everything is considered.
The speaker is also durable which is not surprising considering the casing but its ability to take a beating is not something even Inatech advertise. The price point seals the deal – it costs only £40 and it offers more features than many of the more expensive speakers we have reviewed in the last year. You can buy the Inatech Mercury Box from Amazon for £40. It claims to be reduced from £100, but it is advertised for a similar amount on the US version of the site.
Pros
- Solid sound quality throughout the frequency range.
- Surprisingly strong bass for a speaker of this size.
- Splash and spray proof.
- Durable.
- Long range when within line of sight.
- On board controls allow for song skip, play/pause.
- A decent bundle of extras.
Cons
- Volume controls on phone and speaker are separate.
- Mid range frequencies are not as strong as others.
- Some mid range muffling at higher volumes.
- No companion app or smart Bluetooth support.
KitGuru Says: A powerful little speaker with waterproofing and a tough casing the Inatech Mercury Box is one of the most understated, overpowered Bluetooth speakers out there – and at a great price.
