Scored using Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Portable Speakers Methodology v1.0

Soundfreaq Sound Step Review | 130 Data compared

Avg. price:~£110Audio output power:?Battery life:6 hoursIP rating:?Bluetooth version:2.0Weight:1410 g

Soundfreaq Sound Step Review: Compare 130 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Portable Speakers category and whether it is worth buying.

6.1/10

Overall score

Score
6.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of products in the Portable Speakers category, based on technical analysis and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference for identifying the best products in the Portable Speakers category.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

80%

6.1

Technical score

20%

?

User score

â–¼Worse than 85% of portable speakers
7.3

Value for money

Value for money
7.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

6.1

Overall score

30%

9.9

Price

â–¼Worse than 79%
6.1

Technical score

Technical score
6.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

32%

7.2

Audio

20%

5.7

Battery

18%

5.6

Durability

16%

5.3

Connectivity

8%

6.0

Controls

3%

7.6

Design

3%

3.9

Smart features

â–¼Worse than 76%
?

User score

User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

  • No image
No image
Where to buy
    N/A~ £110
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
Loading...
Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of portable speaker Soundfreaq Sound Step

Technical score
Technical score
6.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Portable Speakers category across these key areas: Audio, Connectivity, Battery, Durability, Controls, Design, Smart features.
When it matters
When you want to compare products in the Portable Speakers category by technical performance, specifications, and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

32%

7.2

Audio

20%

5.7

Battery

18%

5.6

Durability

16%

5.3

Connectivity

8%

6.0

Controls

3%

7.6

Design

3%

3.9

Smart features

6.1
User score
User score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews with the total review volume for products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you want to know how products in the Portable Speakers category perform in everyday use and how reliable owners find them over time.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components

70%

?

User ratings

30%

?

Number of reviews

?
Popularity
Popularity
1.0/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by products in the Portable Speakers category.
When it matters
When you prefer products in the Portable Speakers category that have been chosen and reviewed by many other buyers.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Popularity:
Soundfreaq Sound Step has a popularity score of 1 point, which is lower than 59.2% of products in this category.
1.0
Value for money
Value for money
7.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the overall score of products in the Portable Speakers category with their prices.
When it matters
When you are comparing products in the Portable Speakers category and want a good balance between quality and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
Score components:

70%

6.1

Overall score

30%

9.9

Price

7.3
Audio output power
?
Driver unit size
51 mm
This portable speaker has a driver unit size of 51 mm which is larger than that of 54.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.8% of portable speakers.
Number of drivers
3
This portable speaker has 3 drivers, which is more than 70.1% of portable speakers and equal to the number in 11.5% of portable speakers.
Frequency response tolerance
?
Lowest frequency
20 Hz
This portable speaker has a lowest frequency of 20 Hz which is lower than that of 84.8% of portable speakers and equal to that of 14% of portable speakers.
Show more
Bluetooth connectivity
yes
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth audio. 5.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Bluetooth version
2
This portable speaker supports Bluetooth version 2 which is older than that of 99.4% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.6% of portable speakers.
Maximum Bluetooth range
10 m
This portable speaker has a maximum Bluetooth range of 10 m which is longer than that of 4.3% of portable speakers and equal to that of 70.2% of portable speakers.
Bluetooth profiles supported
A2DP
Bluetooth LE Audio
no
This portable speaker does not support Bluetooth LE Audio. 2.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Battery life
6 hours
This portable speaker has a battery life of 6 hours which is shorter than that of 84.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 7.3% of portable speakers.
Battery capacity
?
Charging time
?
Maximum charging input power
?
Built-in rechargeable battery
no
This portable speaker does not have a built-in rechargeable battery. 81.4% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
IP rating
?
Water resistance
no
This portable speaker is not water resistant. 61.7% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Dust resistance
no
This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant. 51.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Waterproof depth rating
?
Drop resistance
no
This portable speaker lacks an impact-resistance rating. 32.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
On-device controls placement
front
Touchscreen
no
This portable speaker does not have a touchscreen. 0.3% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Smartphone app control
yes
This portable speaker supports smartphone app control. 46.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Compatible mobile app provides speaker control or settings.
Remote control
yes
This portable speaker includes a remote control. 85.1% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Fast pairing
no
This portable speaker does not support fast pairing. 22.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more
Weight
1,410 g
This portable speaker weighs 1,410 g which is heavier than that of 64.1% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.1% of portable speakers.
Height
9.2 cm
This portable speaker has a height of 9.2 cm which is shorter than that of 65.9% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.5% of portable speakers.
Width
33 cm
This portable speaker has a width of 33 cm which is wider than that of 85.2% of portable speakers and equal to that of 0.6% of portable speakers.
Depth
?
Carry options
none
Show more
Companion app name
Soundfreaq Remote
Firmware updates
no
This portable speaker does not support firmware updates. 47.2% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Firmware update method
?
Voice assistant support
no
This portable speaker does not support voice assistants. 26.5% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Spotify Connect
no
This portable speaker does not support Spotify Connect. 10.8% of portable speakers offer this feature.
Show more

Soundfreaq Sound Step vs the average portable speaker

246810TotalAudioConnectivityBatteryDurabilityControlsDesignSmart features
  • 40 Hz deeper bass extension
    This portable speaker has deeper bass extension than the average portable speaker (20 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    20 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • Includes a subwoofer
    This portable speaker includes a subwoofer, while the average portable speaker does not include a subwoofer.
    Has an integrated active subwoofer driver.
  • Has built-in stereo speakers
    This portable speaker has built-in stereo speakers, while the average portable speaker does not have built-in stereo speakers.
    Provides true stereo output within the unit.
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • 1 more speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has more speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (3 vs 2).
    3 vs 2
  • Has a removable battery
    This portable speaker has a removable battery, while the average portable speaker does not have a removable battery.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • Includes a remote control
    This portable speaker includes a remote control, while the average portable speaker does not include a remote control.
  • 40 Hz deeper bass extension
    This portable speaker has deeper bass extension than the average portable speaker (20 Hz vs 60 Hz).
    20 Hz vs 60 Hz
  • Includes a subwoofer
    This portable speaker includes a subwoofer, while the average portable speaker does not include a subwoofer.
    Has an integrated active subwoofer driver.
  • Has built-in stereo speakers
    This portable speaker has built-in stereo speakers, while the average portable speaker does not have built-in stereo speakers.
    Provides true stereo output within the unit.
  • 1 more speaker drivers
    This portable speaker has more speaker drivers than the average portable speaker (3 vs 2).
    3 vs 2
  • Has a power bank function
    This portable speaker has a power bank function, while the average portable speaker does not have a power bank function.
  • Has a removable battery
    This portable speaker has a removable battery, while the average portable speaker does not have a removable battery.
  • Includes a power adapter
    This portable speaker includes a power adapter, while the average portable speaker does not include a power adapter.
  • Includes a remote control
    This portable speaker includes a remote control, while the average portable speaker does not include a remote control.
  • Has an FM radio
    This portable speaker has an FM radio, while the average portable speaker does not have an FM radio.
  • Supports playback mute
    This portable speaker supports playback mute, while the average portable speaker does not support playback mute.
    Speaker playback audio can be directly muted.
  • Is not water resistant
    This portable speaker is not water resistant, while the average portable speaker is water resistant.
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • 6 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (6 hours vs 12 hours).
    6 hours vs 12 hours
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This portable speaker has fewer microphones than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • 3 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (2 vs 5).
    2 vs 5
  • Does not have a built-in rechargeable battery
    This portable speaker does not have a built-in rechargeable battery, while the average portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery.
  • Does not include a passive radiator
    This portable speaker does not include a passive radiator, while the average portable speaker includes a passive radiator.
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • 4.21x less popular
    Soundfreaq Sound Step is less popular than the average portable speaker (1 vs 4.21).
    1 vs 4.21
  • 3.8% worse value for money
    Soundfreaq Sound Step offers worse value for money than the average portable speaker (7.27 vs 7.5).
    7.27 vs 7.55
  • 1 fewer microphones
    This portable speaker has fewer microphones than the average portable speaker (0 vs 1).
    0 vs 1
  • Does not include a passive radiator
    This portable speaker does not include a passive radiator, while the average portable speaker includes a passive radiator.
  • 25 mm smaller built-in subwoofer
    This portable speaker has a smaller built-in subwoofer than the average portable speaker (76 mm vs 101 mm).
    76 mm vs 101 mm
  • 3 Bluetooth levels older
    This portable speaker has an older Bluetooth version than the average portable speaker (2 vs 5).
    2 vs 5
  • 6 hours shorter battery life
    This portable speaker has a shorter battery life than the average portable speaker (6 hours vs 12 hours).
    6 hours vs 12 hours
  • Does not have a built-in rechargeable battery
    This portable speaker does not have a built-in rechargeable battery, while the average portable speaker has a built-in rechargeable battery.
  • Does not have a battery level indicator
    This portable speaker does not have a battery level indicator, while the average portable speaker has a battery level indicator.
    Shows charging or power status only, not the remaining battery level.
  • Is not water resistant
    This portable speaker is not water resistant, while the average portable speaker is water resistant.
  • Is not rated as dust resistant
    This portable speaker is not rated as dust resistant, while the average portable speaker is dust resistant.
  • 5 °C higher minimum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a higher minimum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (5 °C vs 0 °C).
    5 °C vs 0 °C
  • 5 °C lower maximum operating temperature
    This portable speaker has a lower maximum operating temperature than the average portable speaker (35 °C vs 40 °C).
    35 °C vs 40 °C
  • Does not support stereo pairing
    This portable speaker does not support stereo pairing, while the average portable speaker supports stereo pairing.
  • Does not support True Wireless Stereo
    This portable speaker does not support True Wireless Stereo, while the average portable speaker supports True Wireless Stereo.
  • Does not provide voice prompts
    This portable speaker does not provide voice prompts, while the average portable speaker provides voice prompts.
    No spoken status prompts; feedback is absent, visual, or tone-based.
  • 14.9 cm wider
    This portable speaker is wider than the average portable speaker (33 cm vs 18.1 cm).
    33 cm vs 18.1 cm
  • 610 g heavier
    This portable speaker is heavier than the average portable speaker (1,410 g vs 800 g).
    1,410 g vs 800 g
  • 8 older
    This portable speaker was released earlier than the average portable speaker (2011 vs 2019).
    2011 vs 2019

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

C
cnet.com
26/07/2011
Summary of the review
E
expertreviews.co.uk
11/12/2011
Summary of the review
T
trustedreviews.com
28/12/2011
Summary of the review
S
starkinsider.com
03/06/2012
Summary of the review
O
ourkidsmom.com
23/09/2012
Summary of the review
T
thesuburbanmom.com
24/09/2012
Summary of the review
T
theregister.com
26/10/2011
Summary of the review
W
wisconsinmommy.com
17/10/2012
Summary of the review
G
geardiary.com
09/08/2013
Summary of the review
I
ilounge.com
14/05/2021
Summary of the review
I
ifun.de
07/01/2012
Summary of the review
C
connect.de
20/10/2011
Summary of the review
A
apfeltalk.de
01/05/2012
Summary of the review
N
netzwelt.de
01/11/2012
Summary of the review
I
imaedia.de
07/11/2012
Summary of the review
A
alpha-audio.net
15/11/2011
Summary of the review

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Soundfreaq Sound Step

  • Versatile multi-device connectivity including Bluetooth, Apple dock, and 3.5mm auxiliary input
  • Compact, low-profile design that fits easily onto nightstands or countertops
  • Dedicated USB power port allows simultaneous charging of secondary mobile devices
  • Decent wireless Bluetooth range and seamless pairing stability
  • Convenient built-in storage compartment located underneath the unit for the remote control
  • Includes helpful extras like a composite video output and a built-in FM radio tuner

What customers don't like about Soundfreaq Sound Step

  • Sound profile can feel thin, muddy, or lifeless compared to dedicated stationary speaker docks
  • Noticeable audio distortion and loss of clarity when pushed to maximum volume levels
  • FM radio is difficult to tune without using the dedicated mobile app due to the lack of an on-device LCD screen
  • The physical build and high-gloss plastic finishes easily attract dust and fingerprints
  • The included infrared remote control feels cheap and has limited operating range
  • Chunky form factor lacks fold-away elements, making it less travel-friendly than other portable speakers

Verdict

The Soundfreaq Sound Step is a compact 2.1-channel wireless audio system and docking station that features a flexible front Apple dock connector, Bluetooth A2DP wireless streaming, an integrated sub-woofer, an FM radio tuner, a 3.5mm auxiliary input, a composite video output, and a rear USB port that delivers 5V power to charge external devices. Its key advantages include its highly versatile connectivity suite, a low-profile design that accommodates an iPad even inside a case, capacitive touch-sensitive navigation controls, and an option for a built-in lithium-ion battery providing up to 6 hours of cordless playback. However, its main drawbacks are that the audio performance can lack depth with a somewhat muddy mid-range and audible distortion at maximum volumes, the high-gloss black finish easily attracts fingerprints and dust, and the FM radio requires a companion mobile app to operate manually.

Compare Soundfreaq Sound Step with other products in the Portable Speakers category

1Product to compare no. 1
VS
2Product to compare no. 2
VS
3Product to compare no. 3 (optional)

Graphic comparison of Soundfreaq Sound Step and other products in the Portable Speakers category

No results found