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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Was very skeptical but the MD-4 is great, April 30, 2009
UPDATE (5/17/09): I recently purchased the JBL On Tour portable speakers and have found that the Nokia MD-4 does not match up well in sound quality, after all, like I'd originally stated. Quite frankly, the JBL On Tour blows the Nokia MD-4 out of the water- this fact was immediately evident even to an acoustical noob like me when I listened to the speakers back-to-back (both run on the same set of fresh batteries).
Music that I'd originally foolishly thought sounded full on the MD-4 now sounds very tinny when compared to music played through the On Tour. In comparison, the quality from the MD-4 might be equivalent to what one would get from a decent set of speakers if they turned up the treble to max and the bass all the way down. Although the On Tour doesn't have much bass, either, it's not treble-centric, and its sound quality is only a notch below the (non-portable) Sony SRS-U10.
The MD-4 still wins in the size and portability department though. It's insignificantly small and light, and if these are truly meant to be travel speakers for you, the sacrifice in sound quality over something like the comparably much larger and heavier JBL On Tour might be worthwhile. Adding to the MD-4's ultra-portability is that its audio cable is permanently attached the speakers, while the On Tour's audio cable must be unplugged from the speakers in order to close the unit and make it suitable for transport.
--END UPDATE
Pros:
- Good sound quality and volume for its size
- Built-in volume limiter (protects damage to speakers)
- Very, very, very small form factor (4.5" x 1.25" x 1" folded)
- Long input cord (29.5")
- Good battery life (4 AAA's last about 25-30 hours)
Cons:
- Poor bass production
- Battery-powered only. No AC power option
- Slightly more expensive than many other alternatives
- Oddly overly-sized carry pouch (6.5" x 4"- big enough to hold the larger iPods)
Other Notes:
- No volume control on the speakers. Speaker volume is controlled entirely through the connected audio device
- Volume fades in when speakers are first turned on
- Speakers automatically shut off when folded up
There's not a lot of info on these, even on Nokia's website, and as far as I could find, there aren't even any official specs listed for the MD-4's beyond built-in amplifier and 12 micro-drivers (i.e., sound holes). According to second-hand sources (i.e., vendors), power output is 1.6 watts RMS (3.2 peak), but again, this info is absent from Nokia's website and packaging, so take with a grain of salt.
Before the MD-4, I was using the Sony SRS-U10, which is compact and attractive, but not portable, since even for around-the-house duty, an electrical outlet wasn't always in a convenient location (the SRS-U10 is not battery-powered).
Anyway, I'm happy to say that the speakers have surpassed expectations. Keeping in mind I'm a layperson when it comes to audio quality, I think the MD-4 sounds as good as any portable speakers I've heard (excluding the JBL On Tour). As expected, you're not going to get much bass out of speakers like these nor enough volume to be able to drown out a lot of background noise, but music comes out clear without the tinniness prototypical of small or cheap speakers.
Also, when testing distortion-free volume range, I found the MD-4 was louder than the Sony SRS-U10 (which are rated at 3 watts peak); however, the audio quality of the MD-4 was not as good as the SRS-U10's. The SRS-U10 produced a much fuller sound, while the MD-4 sounded a bit hollow; this was most evident with songs that had even a moderate amount of bass. If your mp3 has equalizer settings, you can improve audio quality a bit, but much of any bass will still be lacking.
The only other real downer with the MD-4 is that it can't be run by AC- 4 AAA batteries only. A definite positive though is that the Nokia speakers are MUCH more compact than other comparable speakers, so carrying around the MD-4 is zero hassle. Plus, thanks to its very, very small (and adjustable) footprint, finding a place to set the Nokia speakers is never a problem- a feature I've found to be extremely useful.
Overall, the MD-4 is great, and I highly recommend them.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome Speakers, January 12, 2009
I bought these speakers for my son , they are really good quality and have stood up to the test of a teenager.
they are a beautiful black color and they sound decent for the price.
They fold up nicely and fit into the pouch.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Surprising Sound Quality in Small Size, September 19, 2009
I originally purchased Nokia MD4 Ultra Portable Speakers for use with my Nokia E71. The E71 has a 2.5mm jack but fortunately an adapter was included with the speakers.
By chance I tried them with a Sony DVP-FX930 DVD player because the DVD sound was poor. The improvement was quite noticeable. My wife heard the improvement and wants a set for her DVD player and phone. I also use this unit with my laptops for significant audio improvement.
Extremely compact and easily carried in a pocket or tucked away in briefcase.
Excellent sound within limitations of size (bass could use help)
Shuts off when closed.
Powered by AAA batteries.
Can be adjusted to various configurations (flat seems to improve bass).
An attenuation switch to control over-driving would help.
I highly recommend these speakers for their sound quality and portability.
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