TSST Handy Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

Recently we have reviewed a few of Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology's (TSST) portable charger accessories. Today we have a look at their portable bluetooth speaker, named Handy. Though not yet available in the UK, it will cost £34.99 - so is not the cheapest speaker set out there. We see if it's worth the cash. With the Handy portable speaker, TSST have clearly gone for a no-frills approach. This is obvious as the Handy will just play your music - no gimmicks, no showy features. Connect to the speaker via Bluetooth or 3.5mm jack and you're off - nothing else to it. But does that mean the Handy is any good? We have a look and decide if it is worth buying. Features Advertised 10 hour play time. Bluetooth V2.1 & 3.5mm connections. Weighs 187g without case. Charges via microUSB port. Unfortunately, TSST did not use a similar quality of packaging for the Handy as it does for the portable chargers. The Handy comes in a clear plastic box, belying the £34.99 price tag. Fair enough, it does get the job done and it fits the Handy well, but it is not nearly as appealing as the classy box TSST include with the TB100PA charger. Inside, TSST have included the microUSB cable necessary for charging, as well as a basic user manual. As with other TSST devices, this is again in Korean - but we are expecting the UK retail versions to ship with English documentation. The Handy has a simple and straightforward design, which makes it very easy to use. Initially, there's a choice of four colour options: 'Cherry,' 'Deep Ocean,' 'Coffee,' and 'Midnight.' We received a 'Deep Ocean' sample. The Handy itself is a very compact unit. Its dimensions measure 124x68x25mm, so you comfortably could fit in a back pocket. It also weighs 187g - without the included cover - so it is certainly portable. The speaker comes with a stylish 'flip cover,' which allows you to prop up the Handy at an angle. This is very useful for setting the device on a table, for instance, and is a feature lacking from many other portable speakers. When you lift the cover off, you will be greeted by a mesh face. Underneath the mesh are the speakers themselves - two, side by side, can be seen. On the right edge the on/off switch is located - one press turns the Handy on, two presses will turn it off, and that is it. Nothing complicated whatsoever. On the left edge, the charging port and 3.5mm jack connection can be found. It is a very simple design with no frills - you can stand the speaker up, turn it on with one press and instantly connect to a phone or tablet. The first thing to mention is the actual sound quality of the Handy. For £34.99, we expect a higher quality than we would from a speaker set costing a fiver from eBay. We were certainly not let down. There is a strong, driving bass to the Handy's sound production which really adds depth to music, for instance. Many portable speakers lack bass and are tinny - this is certainly not the case for the TSST device. There is also a fairly crisp high-end, which complements the bass and results in a very pleasing overall sound. Due to the strong bass, though, voices can sound slightly muddy, which is not ideal for films or TV. It's not awful, but it just means the Handy is certainly better suited to music playback than for media. The Handy is also impressively loud. When playing at full volume, we measured a peak level of 84 decibels, with 81db being the average. For comparison, this is the rough equivalent of a diesel truck doing 40mph from a 50 foot distance. If you want to annoy your neighbours, the Handy is certainly up to the task. As for battery life, TSST advertise 10 hour play back on a single charge. We put this to the test - and yes, we really did put the Handy on in the early morning and wait all day for it to fail. Impressively, it actually lasted 10 hours and 47 minutes before giving in. For whatever reason you may need it on all day, the Handy won't let you down.On the whole, TSST's Handy is a very impressive little speaker. Despite lacklustre packaging - we would expect better than a plastic outer body for £34.99 - it does the job and does not really detract from the overall experience. It just may not be the best first impression the Handy could give to a potential customer. The design is efficiently simple - stand it up, switch it on, and you are good to go. There is nothing to fiddle around with, and it also looks quite stylish due to the faux-leather cover. Actual sound quality is also fantastic. The speaker produces deep lows and crisp highs, and our only quibble is that voices are not as clear as we would like. The Handy is also impressively loud, peaking at 84db. It will also last you all day, too, as our sample exceeded the advertised 10 hour battery life by an extra 47 minutes. That is all there really is to the Handy - it is just a portable speaker. No frills, no gimmicks, it does what it says on the tin, and it does it very well. It is not currently available in the UK but it will cost £34.99 inc VAT from retailers including Dabs, Scan, Amazon and Ebuyer. Pros Flip cover. Long battery life. Well-rounded sound. Impressively loud for the size. Very portable. Cons Voices are slightly muddy. Cheap packaging. KitGuru says: The TSST Handy is clearly a very capable speaker. You do pay more than you would for some other portable units, but due to the superior sound quality and simple design, it is well worth it.

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TSST Handy Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

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