It’s no secret that Bluetooth devices seem to multiply exponentially these days, blurring into a wireless sea of anonymity. But every once in a while, as we sift through the litany of our daily emails, we find a new device that, on paper anyway, looks cool enough that we just have to share.
Such is the case with the new Lyrix Duo from Digital Treasures (that’s Treasures not Trends). Priced at $50 (about half the price of most the entry-level Bluetooth speakers we review), the Duo is a small, pod-like Bluetooth speaker that offers about 4 hours of run-time from its rechargeable battery. It sprouts from a handy suction cup base, allowing you to secure it to just about any smooth surface nearby.
Adding a bit of an “As Seen On TV” element of tantalizing utility, the Duo also allows you to remove its core – a Bluetooth receiver – and connect it to a pair of headphones, or any stereo with an RCA input, effectively turning your aging hi-fi into a wireless piece of modern tech. Now, we’ve seen devices like this before, but never at this price, and seldom with this level of all-in-one functionality.
Since the Duo is pretty tiny, and runs Bluetooth version 2.1 – the senior citizen of the Bluetooth community – we’re left to ponder whether the speaker sounds any good, or has Bluetooth functionality worth pairing with your precious hi-fi. But, at $50, it’s a good bet that many will find it “good enough.”
For now, like our first glimpse of Vince’s magical Shamwow towel, we remain cautiously optimistic that this new gadget really can deliver the goods. We’ve got a request in for a review sample and will let you know for sure soon enough.
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