Carbon Audio Zooka review

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Verdict:

This nicely designed speaker and tablet stand is expensive, but it has decent audio quality

Review Date: 5 Jan 2013

Price when reviewed: £78

Supplier: http://shop.nordstrom.com

Reviewed By: Kat Orphanides

Our Rating 3 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

The Carbon Audio Zooka Bluetooth speaker amplifies your smartphone or tablet’s music, and looks rather snazzy while doing so. It’s designed so it can either perch on top of your laptop screen or, with the addition of a screw-in stand that's normally concealed in a recess, act as a stand for your tablet or smartphone. If you're using it as a stand, the volume controls, 3.5mm input and Bluetooth connection button are underneath it, making them awkward to access.

The audio has a slightly harsh edge that makes the speaker a little hard to listen to, especially if both its internal volume and that of the connected music player are at maximum volume. This is particularly noticeable on complex vocal harmonies and cymbal hits. This harshness was slightly more pronounced when we connected via Bluetooth, but was still present when we connected via the speaker's 3.5mm stereo input.

Mid-range frequencies sounded pretty good for a portable speaker, and satisfyingly loud. Dance, pop and rock music sounded absolutely fine, although distorted guitars tended to sound a bit crunchy. With a battery life of up to 8 hours (if you keep things quiet), it's a decent companion for your tablet.

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