We all know the benefits of playing smartphone audio from an external speaker, but they are bulky to carry around and a hassle to manage the wireless connection. The worst thing? The speaker runs out of battery easily. Enter the Pioneer Rayz Rally, which solves all these problems and more.
This Lightning-powered single driver speaker offers a more open audio experience in a conference environment, so that everyone in the room can hear the conversation better. A smart button lights up in green during operation, and turns red when pressed to mute the microphone.
With the Rayz Rally, the sound is fuller at the mid-range without sounding tinny. The built-in microphone offers some improvements on conversational clarity compared to the iPhone X mic which I used for the test. The Rayz app does come with some selectable profiles – personal, huddle, conference, on the go – that changes the mic response. For instance, conference mode will eliminate room echo, while on the go mode will reduce environmental noises.
Other than a conference speaker, Rayz Rally can also be used as an audio speaker to listen to music or watching videos. It elevates the aural experience thanks to the fuller range frequency, and although the bass frequency is hard to match, you can hear them pushing out with the best effort. When listening at close proximity, within 10cm, the bass is audible. Even at maximum volume, the speaker do not crack under pressure, nor is there any rattling sound. In music mode, the smart button works as a multi-function playback controller. Press once and music will pause, press again to play. Double-tap to skip next track, triple-tap to go previous track.
The best part of Rayz Rally is that there is an additional Lightning connector at the bottom, so that you can still charge your iPhone at the same time.
Verdict
Rating: 4.5/5
S$164
The Pioneer Rayz Rally is a must-have audio accessory for the Lightning device owners. Its convenience in plug-and-play makes it a snap to use. A capable full-range speaker, a smart button, and an additional Lightning connector gives little excuse not to own one. The price might be over the top compared to other Bluetooth portable speakers, but Apple users should already be accustomed to paying premium price for great accessories.
