MARCH 2020 MACWORLD 117iPhone XS, the Motion+ got quite loud
when I cranked the volume all the way.
Since it’s not an omnidirectional speaker,
the Motion+’s sound became a bit muffled
when I moved behind the speaker, so you
should be sure to point it toward any
listeners rather than plunking it in the
middle of a crowd.
Switching the speaker to the custom EQ
mode and sticking with a flat frequency
response, the Motion+ sounded pretty
impressive given its $100 price tag, although
I wouldn’t have minded more high-end detail
from the speaker’s twin tweeters. I did
appreciated the Motion+’s relatively powerful
bass, even if the boomy BassUp feature was
overkill for most of the tracks I tried. Crucially,
the Motion+’s robust midrange kept the
sound from feeling too thin.
Dialing up Vlado Perlemuter’s rendition
of Maurice Ravel’s solo piano
works on the Nimbus Records
label (granted, probably not the
album the makers of the Motion+
had in mind when they designed
this speaker), the sound was full
and relatively rich, if (again) a tad
lacking in high-end detail.
Skipping over to the title track of
Bruce Springsteen’s “The Ghost
of Tom Joad,” I liked the sound of
the plucking acoustic guitar
scenes, while the rising synth
sounded appropriately warm
without being overbearing (that’s with the
BassUp feature turned off, mind you).
While I wish the Motion+ delivered finer
high-end detail, I prefer its sound to cheaper
Bluetooth speakers that sacrifice midrange
sound for a shrill yet thumpy mixture of
thunderous bass and a overly brassy high
end. Indeed, because of its solid midrange
sound, the Motion+ actually sounds better
the more you crank the volume, making it
ideal for outdoor playback.
Anker promises 12 hours of battery life
from the Motion+’s rechargeable battery,
and after several hours of playback, I’d
only put a modest dent in the speaker’s
battery meter.BOTTOM LINE
You can’t expect perfect sound from a
$100 Bluetooth speaker, but Anker wisely
chose a solid middle ground
when it came to the Soundcore
Motion+, a compact, waterproof
speaker that eschews goosed,
flashy sound (the too-boomy
BassUp mode notwithstanding)
for robust midrange
performance. Sure, a little more
high-end detail would have
been nice, but if you’re hoping
to take your portable sound to
the next level, be prepared to
shell out a much bigger chunk
of change. ■mmmh
Anker Soundcore
Motion+
PROS- Robust midrange sound.
- Waterproof design.
- App-based EQ controls.
- aptX codec support.
CONS - BassUp feature is overkill.
- Lacking in high-end detail.
- No sleep timer.
PRICE
$99
COMPANY
Anker