The box design of the Anker A7908 Classic Speaker looks compact and feels nice, making it perfect for portability. Its long-lasting battery inside definitely gives other Bluetooth Speakers in its price range a run for their money. Everything seems to be on point with the exception of its sound quality at higher levels. Let's take a closer look.
Design
As a whole, the speaker measures 3.1 x 3.1 x 2.7-inches and weighs nearly 10 ounces. The unique design of the Anker Classic puts the speaker grill on top and wraps it in a durable plastic shell. While it's smooth to the touch, it's horrendous with fingerprints. Without keeping this thing clean, it will accumulate every print and smudge it can. On the front are a few buttons for adjusting volume, skipping tracks, and to play or pause. An LED status indicator sits above all 3 and the built-in microphone is found below them.
Featured on the right side of the speaker are the power switch, auxiliary input, Micro-USB charging port, and a tiny battery indicator light. Keeping the whole unit from sliding around is a rubber square on the bottom. Included with the A7908 are a Micro-USB and auxiliary cable measuring 28-inches in length, along with a soft gray travel pouch.
Sound Quality and Functionality
This wireless speaker uses Bluetooth v4.0 to connect to your smartphone or tablet and rocks a single 4W, 2-inch driver to deliver its audio. There's also a smaller dedicated bass port that sits underneath the grill to the lower left. To be honest, I was a little disappointed in the audio quality with this unit — mostly at the higher volume levels. It didn't take long for mix to start getting muddy and distorted when cranked. When kept at a medium level, it doesn't sound half bad.
If you're pairing over Bluetooth, simply switch the speaker on and search for it under nearby devices. You can use the Anker Classic as a speakerphone if you wish, accepting and rejecting calls using the play/pause button in the middle. Inside the unit is an impressive 2,100mAh battery that provides anywhere from 15-20 hours of steady tunes depending on how loud you're cranking it. Recharge time takes roughly 3 hours.
Streaming with Chromecast Audio
Since the Anker Classic Speaker also features an auxiliary input on the side, you can skip the Bluetooth business and connect a Chromecast Audio instead. This allows a little extra range over the 33ft via Bluetooth and an uninterrupted stream of music — even when getting notifications and incoming calls.
5 speakers under $35 to use with Chromecast Audio
The skinny
Although I'm a fan of its compact design, the Anker Classic Speaker falls short of quality audio when turned up for what. It's still rated extremely well on Amazon, which makes me wonder if my unit had some sort of defect. At any rate, for $34.99 you can definitely find something that can push higher volumes for the same price — if not cheaper. For those that aren't looking for superior volume and just want a low profile portable speaker to carry with them, it's not too shabby. Available colors include black, blue, and white.
