LG XBOOM Go XG7 review: All bass systems Go

The LG XBOOM Go XG7 is the mid-range model in LG’s latest line of XBOOM Go party speakers. It may not be perfect, but with powerful low-end reproduction wrapped up in a waterproof package, it’s a portable speaker bass lovers should definitely consider – especially when it’s discounted.

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LG XBOOM Go XG7 review: What do you get for the money?

At the time of writing, you can pick up the LG XBOOM Go XG7 for £200 from Currys and LG – over the Christmas period it was available for just £100 from both retailers. It sits between the lighter and more compact LG XBOOM Go XG5 and the more powerful LG XBOOM Go XG9, with all three models joining the XBOOM Go roster in 2022.

We were thoroughly impressed with its 2021 precursor, the XBOOM Go PL7, awarding it a four-star rating and Recommended award, and the XG7 offers a similar experience while making a few notable tweaks to the formula.

First, the XG7 has solved our only major quibble with the PL7 by improving its protection against the elements. Now, its mesh fabric body has IP67 credentials, rather than IPX5, meaning it’s completely dust-tight and can be submerged in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes at a time.

The speakers’ dimensions are very similar, with the XG7 10mm wider, 7mm shorter and 3mm shallower at 261 x 91 x 95mm, and featuring the same set of depressable buttons for playback and Bluetooth controls on its crest. Despite a relatively minor change in dimensions, the XG7 is almost a third lighter than the PL7 at 1.09kg, marking it out as an even more portable pick.

As for audio credentials, the XG7 is capable of delivering 40W (RMS) power. The PL7’s two stereo woofers have been swapped out for a racetrack woofer (30W) and tweeter (10W) – a similar setup to our favourite Bluetooth speaker of 2022, the JBL Flip 6, and the five-star JBL Charge 5.

That output is helped by two passive radiators, both of which are surrounded by LED lights that can be controlled and customised in the LG XBOOM app. You can also connect multiple LG speakers via Wireless Party Link Mode, with the LG XG9Q, XG7Q, XG5Q and X030 all supported.

Unlike the PL7, the XG7 doesn’t use Meridian’s digital signal processing but supports the same Bluetooth codecs – SBC and AAC – over Bluetooth 5.1. There’s also a 3.5mm auxiliary input should you want to play music over a wired connection.

It’s charged via USB-C, with the USB-C port, 3.5mm input and a handy USB-A port for charging other devices all found beneath a rubber bung on the rear of the speaker. After a five-hour charge, the XG7 should run for 24 hours at 50% volume and without lighting effects, which is better than the majority of its competitors.

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LG XBOOM Go XG7 review: What do we like about it?

LED lighting can often come across as a bit of a gimmick but as with the LG XBOOM Go PL7, the effects produced are captivating and well implemented. The lights react to sound inputs when set to Party mode and add a welcome splash of colour to the listening experience.

When no music is playing, the lighting moves smoothly between three colours before kicking into gear when a bassline comes crashing in. You can choose which colours you want displayed by selecting one of three presets or individually customising a selection of your own in the LG XBOOM app. The same is true for the two other lighting modes, which don’t move in time to what you’re listening to. The Nature mode changes between two colour selections at regular intervals, while Ambient uses just one colour to create a static, relaxing background effect. Alternatively, you can switch the lights off entirely – which will save battery – but they’re something that I enjoyed and felt worth sacrificing a bit of playtime for.

The PL7 worked successfully when used as a speakerphone or to hail a voice assistant, and the XG7 does a similarly solid job. Microphone quality held up across calls, with those on the other end reporting stable and clear communication throughout. To pick up a call, you simply press the play/pause button or hold it down for two seconds to decline/end a call. Handily, pressing the play/pause button while on a call will mute your voice too. Likewise, you can hold the button for two seconds to awaken your voice assistant, and I found both Siri and Google Assistant heard and answered my queries flawlessly.

As for audio, the XG7’s upgraded speaker configuration produces some exceptionally gratifying low-end frequencies. The overall tonal balance is best suited to genres with a heavier emphasis on bass, such as the deconstructed reggaeton beats of “Tiro” by Arca. On that track, the XG7 delivered a hearty low-end grumble at 50% volume combined with higher frequency reproduction free of harshness.

The XG7’s other sound profile – Sound Boost, which LG says amplifies sound power and widens the soundstage – offers an even more satisfying bass response and showcases the effectiveness of its dual passive radiators by adding a distinct thump to low-end registers on top of its already bass-biased sound.

When on its Standard setting, tracks play through with little distortion from its default sound signature, even at the highest of volumes. That maximum volume is incredibly loud, too, comfortably filling a medium-sized flat at the 70% mark.

Should the default sound signature not be to your liking, there’s a six-band custom equaliser that can be used to move each frequency band up or down by up to 6dB to alter the XG7’s sound somewhat.

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LG XBOOM Go XG7 review: What could be improved?

I say somewhat, because while having banded equalisation is welcome given that many speakers – including the PL7 – lack it, the custom EQ doesn’t work all that well. First of all, simply selecting custom EQ mode causes audio to become quieter. Pushing the volume up three notches brings it back to a similar level but this is an added inconvenience and means it can’t get as loud in this mode.

Despite the equaliser suggesting a world of customisation possibilities, EQ changes have a negligible impact compared to others I’ve used. The lowest frequency point on the equaliser is 90Hz and it caps out at 10kHz, but I found increasing or decreasing the decibel levels of these bands had very little effect on tracks featuring sub-bass or a lot of very high-frequency notes.

These EQ problems are more difficult to swallow given the speaker’s default sound signature, on any of its three sound profile options, is a little muddy in the mid-range. Both the Cleer Scene (£100) and Marshall Emberton II (£149) offer greater detail and natural timbre for less money. The XG7’s lack of clarity was most noticeable across genres where bass takes a backseat and songs featuring greater instrument layering, such as the groovy jazz of “Shakara” by Ezra Collective and Kokoroko. A more impactful EQ would go some way to getting a better balance even if it wasn’t able to transform how much detail the XG7 articulates.

Putting the speaker into Sound Boost mode further exacerbates the problem. I found guitar licks to get a little lost behind the kick drum and Bill Withers’ voice on “Grandma’s Hands”, with a jump in volume being the only other noticeable change despite LG’s claims of a wider soundstage.

Elsewhere, I found the responsive lighting effects to be very engaging, but the design of the XG7 limits how impactful they are. Its boxy shape means only one light can be seen at a time if viewed from either end. Compared to the XBOOM Go PL7, which has both passive radiators protruding out to showcase both lights at once from its frontal position, this means half the viewing time of those audio-reactive effects. This is a minor grievance, especially when you may have better and brighter lights to put to use during a party, but it begs the question of what prompted the design change to begin with given its boxy shape is also, in my opinion, less attractive than that of the PL7.

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LG XBOOM Go XG7 review: Should you buy one?

The LG XBOOM Go XG7 has the tools to make those seeking a bass-rich portable audio experience giddy with glee. Reproducing sonorous sound at impressively loud volumes, it offers deeper audio than most “go-anywhere” speakers, while remaining lightweight and waterproof and offering an impressive 24-hour battery life.

Audio clarity in the mid-range is disappointing, however, and the ineffective equaliser does very little to help matters. This leaves the XG7 as a speaker that will predominantly appeal to lovers of dance music, which isn’t entirely surprising given its party-focused nature. It’s a hard sell at £200 given the competition from its cheaper stablemate the XBOOM Go PL7 and highly capable JBL Charge 5. But should it go on sale for £100 again, it will suddenly become a far more attractive prospect.