Kinivo M2 Bluetooth 2.1 Speaker System Review

Introduction

The name isn’t something deemed as well-known, but nevertheless, consumer electronics products maker Kinivo has dipped its hands in manufacturing Bluetooth speakers in the past – so this latest endeavor isn’t too surprising. Instead of coming up with a portable Bluetooth speaker, which is what we’ve seen previously on several occasions, they’ve opted to go with an in-home audio solution this time around. No doubt a stationary configuration, the Kinivo M2 Bluetooth 2.1 Speaker system is aiming to give audio purists a package that won’t strain the wallet.

The package contains:

• Subwoofer
• 2 satellite speakers
• RCA to 3.5mm stereo audio cable
• User manual

Design

Everything about this screams conventionality.

In the speaker world, bold and daring designs are what catch the attention of people. Unfortunately for this one, the Kinivo M2’s design is rather straightforward and conventional – so it comes off bland in a way. The system itself is comprised of three components: a hefty sized subwoofer and 2 satellite speakers. Sporting a black finish, with a cookie-cutter boxy design, it screams conventionality in almost every facet. Well, the copper accents on the satellite speakers give it a pleasant contrast from the black. At the end of the day, though, we would’ve liked to see Kinivo play around with its looks a bit more, but they’ve decided to play it safe with the design.

Hefty in size and weight, most of the speaker’s power emanates from the subwoofer. On its main façade, a fabric mesh grill protects the area where all of the bass is pushed through. On another side, there’s a hard-to-miss volume control knob that has a piercing white glow surrounding the edge of the knob. Finally, in the rear of the subwoofer, we have its set of ports and secondary controls. Specifically, they include its power switch, audio inputs & outputs, independent knob controls for treble & bass, and source & pairing buttons.

Beyond its Bluetooth connectivity, the Kinivo M2 features an NFC chip that’s located centrally on the top side of the subwoofer – making it super easy to connect our devices. All we’re required to do is place our device over this spot, where the connection is established. As for the two satellite speakers, they’re tethered via their composite connections to the subwoofer.

Performance

Commanding tones resonate with this speaker system.

Connecting our device to the Kinivo M2 is a simple, streamlined process – thanks in part to its Bluetooth and NFC connectivity. Using the latter method is the preferred one between the two, seeing that hovering the back of our HTC One M8 against the NFC area of the speaker initiates the connection. However, if your device doesn’t offer NFC, the Bluetooth connection is another alternative.

Depending on how you like your audio, you can setup the configuration of the system to your liking. Specifically, we gain that “surround” experience by placing the two satellite speakers far apart from one another – with the subwoofer placed somewhere in between. Alternatively, for a more focused arrangement, we can put everything in close proximity to one another.

Having a reserved outlook ahead of time, we’re pretty surprised by the Kinivo M2’s audio quality, which manages to shell out some robust tones – accentuated by the thumping bass. Of course, the quality of the speaker can be modified to enhance the experience more by playing around with the treble and bass knobs in the back of the subwoofer. However, testing out the system to its max, it emits a rather shrill, irritating tone at the highest volume setting. Overall, though, we’re pleasantly impressed by the audio quality, since it’s more than ample to encompass any room in a home.

Conclusion

Let’s not forget the obvious here folks. Kinivo isn’t regarded as a top contender in the Bluetooth audio space, but nevertheless, they have something pleasant going on here with the Kinivo M2 Bluetooth 2.1 Speaker system. At a glance, there isn’t anything polarizing with its design or features set, but what attracts us most is its aggressive price point. Generally speaking, in-home speakers of this caliber would normally dictate price points higher than $100. However, Kinivo is able to catch our attention because of the speaker’s competitive price of only $70 online.

If you’re able to overlook the brand name and the conventionality of the Kinivo M2 Bluetooth 2.1 Speaker system, you’ll be quick to realize that it offers a fair amount of audio quality for the dollar. Therefore, if some speaker systems are too rich for your blood, you ought to give this one a chance.