Spring is almost upon us and that means only one thing — outdoor party time by the pool or picnics in the park with the kids. Consumers have a lot of options in 2023 when it comes to portable outdoor loudspeakers and LG is making a strong play for that business.
In addition to its OLED TVs and Soundbars, LG makes a lot of other entertainment products, including its XBOOM speaker line. XBOOM speakers are designed for party and on-the-go entertainment. For 2023, LG is adding to its XBOOM Speaker product line with the new XL7 and XL5 models. Let’s check out what they have to offer.
Shared Features
Bluetooth and USB: Both speakers incorporate Bluetooth ver 5.1 with SBC and AAC codec support. The XL7 and XL5 speakers also provide a USB input for music playback from USB flash drives.
Karaoke: The XL7 and XL5 both include Karaoke capability with a mic and guitar input with Echo Control and Karaoke Star features.
Wireless Party Link: LG’s Wireless Party Link feature allows you to wirelessly connect up to 10 LG XL7 or XL5 speakers for a room or home-filling music listening experience.
XBOOM App: LG also includes access to the XBOOM app (iOS/Android). This allows users to easily use the feature and setting controls for XBOOM speakers. The app also provides a DJ function that can make you the true life of the party.
Multi-Color Ring Lighting: This produces light shows with various rotating, flashing effects that perfectly sync to the music to add an extra dimension to the listening experience.
Customizable Lighting: This feature allows users to choose their own colors, patterns, animations, and personalized messages via the XBOOM app to create custom lighting effects that perfectly match their mood or playlist.
Weatherproof Rating: The XBOOM party speakers also boast an IPX4 rating. This means that users can enjoy music outdoors without worry, even around a swimming pool or in the bathroom.
XL7 Specific Features
Speakers: XL7 includes two 2.5-inch dome tweeters to provide needed high-frequency clarity as well as an 8-woofer for a deeper bass response.
Power Output: The XL7 can fill any room with up to 250 watts of audio output.
Dynamic Bass Optimizer: This feature enhances sound further by punching up the bass without bass distortion. This especially helps when playing content at low volume as it automatically increases the bass levels.
Portability: The XL7 is equipped with a telescopic handle and wheels for easy portability.
Playtime: The XL has a 20-hour playtime after a 3.5-hour charge.
Pixel LED lighting: This feature comes with Animation Mode which expresses colorful patterns, a Visual EQ effect, characters, or customized text on the speaker’s LED panel to enrich the atmosphere of any space.
XL5 Specific Features
Speakers: The XL5 incorporates the same 2.5-inch tweeters as the XL7 but a smaller 6.5-inch Woofer:
Power Output: The XL5 provides up to 200 watts of audio output.
Portability: The XL5 is smaller than the XL7 and has a carry handle, but it’s not a telescoping handle as is provided with the XL7. As a result, it is a little more inconvenient to move.
Light Effects: Similar to the XL7 it also has party lights but doesn’t have the added Pixel LED festure.
Playtime: The XL5 has less battery playtime than the XL7 with 12 hours after a 3.5-hour charge time.
Comparison
XL5 | XL7 | |
Size (W x H x D) | 11.1 x 22.4 x 11 inches 282 x 570 x 280 mm | 12.2 x 28 x 12.4 inches 310 x 700 x 316 mm |
Weight | 26.5 lbs 12kg | 32.5 lbs. 14.7kg |
Total Wattage | 200W | 250W |
Channels | 1.1ch / 2 Way | 1.1ch / 2 Way |
Woofer | 6.5” Woofer | 8” Woofer |
Tweeter | 2.5” Tweeter x 2 | 2.5” Tweeter x 2 |
Pixel LED lighting | – | Y |
Multi Color Ring Lighting | Y | Y |
Karaoke | 1 Mic + 1 Guitar in Echo Control / Karaoke Star | 1 Mic + 1 Guitar in Echo Control / Karaoke Star |
DJ Function | Y (App) | Y (App) |
Wireless Party Link | Dual (L/R Stereo) / Multi (Up to 10EA) | Dual (L/R Stereo) / Multi (Up to 10EA) |
Water Resistance | IPX4 | IPX4 |
Battery Charging Time / Battery Life | 3.5 hrs / 12 hrs | 3.5 hrs / 20 hrs |
Grab & Move | Handle | Telescoping Handle /casters |
Bluetooth Ver | 5.1 | 5.1 |
Bluetooth Audio format | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
USB file playback | Y | Y |
Pricing and Availability
Update: On April 7, 2023 LG announced pricing as follows:
- LG XL7 –
$599$393 at Amazon
- LG XL5 – $399 at Amazon