Felt Audio’s Pulse mobile Bluetooth speaker is a fine example of the old adage “Good things come in small packages.” The adaptable wireless speaker is about the size of a business card, a little thicker than an iPhone, and weighs only 2.5 ounces. The Pulse can serve many functions, all while fitting in your pocket. The Pulse retails for $79.99.
It’s not often that you come across a truly good-looking Bluetooth speaker, but the Pulse fits the bill. The Pulse I’m reviewing is almost totally white, except for a silver frame around the speaker grill and the Felt logo and multi-functional button on the side of the unit. The front of the Pulse is monopolized by a speaker grill that takes up almost the entire length and width. The back of the speaker is mostly empty except for four pegs. These pegs fit into an included clip/kickstand combo which I’ll discuss further later in my review. The top of the speaker has a hole for a microphone during phone calls and the bottom of the speaker has a microUSB port for charging. The left side of the Pulse houses three buttons, one is a volume up/forward button, one is a volume down/backward button, and the middle button is a multi-functional button that controls actions like power, play/pause, pick-up/hang-up, and Bluetooth pairing.
The Pulse, Hitchstand, and included orange microUSB cable.
The clip/kickstand combo that comes with the Pulse and connects to the back of the speaker is called a “Hitchstand,” and is patented by Felt Audio. It’s made out of strong polycarbonate and can be snapped on and off the speaker quickly and easily. The Hitchstand can convert from a clip, which can clip onto any bag or item of clothing, to a kickstand, which stands the speaker up to direct the sound toward you. The clip allows the Pulse to travel with you wherever you go and once you’re settled, you can quickly convert to the kickstand to listen to music or use the speakerphone.
Pairing with my phone via Bluetooth was a snap after holding the multi-function button for a few seconds. After pairing, use of the speaker was extremely easy. You press the plus/minus buttons to skip tracks or go back and hold the plus/minus buttons to control the volume. The speaker sounded surprisingly good. The Pulse’s 39mm driver pumps out impressive sound when you take its size into account. The speaker sounded a little tinny at times and gets distorted when the volume gets too high, but that’s not unusual for this size speaker and for the price you’re paying. Another great feature is the Pulse’s 8-hour battery life, which is really impressive in this genre. The Pulse can also piggyback onto your mobile phone with Felt Audio’s phone cases that are sold for an additional $19.99. Or, you can buy a bundle that includes both the Pulse and a case for $99.98.
If you’re in the market for a mobile Bluetooth speaker that can handle anything you throw at it, you’re in luck if you’ve found Felt Audio’s Pulse Bluetooth speaker. This speaker is tiny, capable, and looks really nice doing it.
The Pulse can be purchased directly from Felt Audio.
MSRP: $79.99
What I Like: Slick looking; Good sound quality; Hitchstand works well; 8-hour battery life.
What Needs Improvement: Sound quality is good, not great.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
