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Like most laptop owners, the built-in speaker system leaves a lot to be desired, which is where Edifier comes in with theirMP250 'Sound To Go' portable multimedia speaker.

The MP250 is designed like a speaker bar that encases two 3-inch woofers and two 1-inch tweeters and includes a built-in amplifier.  At roughly 10.5 inches wide, 1.5 inches high and 1.75 inches deep, the speaker is relatively compact and easy to carry.  Though it should fit just fine in any laptop case or bag, Edifier also includes a velvet drawstring carrying bag.

In terms of build, the speaker looks much heftier than it actually is, being encased in an aluminum finish with a black front grill.  Underneath, two rubber feet are placed at both ends that keep the speaker from sliding.  Given that the speaker isn't too heavy, it would have been a nice to have an optional clip to attach to the top of a monitor, but it's certainly not a dealbreaker.  As it is, the speaker can sit in front of a laptop (or next to it), or can sit above the keyboard for those with larger laptops.

Using the speaker is also a breeze as it requires no software.  Simply plugging in the MP250 via the included USB cable is all that's necessary to get it going.  A quick and automatic driver installation will take care of everything without needing to go through a setup process.  Aside from the USB connection, the speaker also houses an auxiliary audio connection and comes with the required 3.5mm cable to plug into any audio device such as an iPod.  To control the volume, an aluminum button on the right side can be pushed to increase the audio levels, while holding the button will decrease it.  I found this to be a little unintuitive as the design led me to believe that rotating the button (which looks like a dial) would be the way to go.  A quick look at the instruction manual explained otherwise.

Adding to the portability, the speaker doesn't require a power plug, relying solely on a laptop's power source via USB.  Underneath the volume knob, a blue light signals that the device is turned on.

The sound quality, especially in comparison to a laptop's was impressive.  Audio is loud and clear with solid stereo sound, when placed directly in front of your face for optimum performance.  The highs and mids were pretty solid though the bass reproduction was satisfactory at best.  However, for those who don't listen to music with too much bass, the speaker will perform just fine.  At only 2-watts per channel, the highest volume level was quite high, clearly audible from a few feet to a few yards away, though I found the audio to sound best at about 60% (according to the laptop's audio levels).

At a suggested retail price of $49.99, the MP250 is a solid addition to any laptop that requires a little more juice in the audio department.  It's compact, lightweight, easy to use and comes with quality sound - an easy recommendation.

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Interested buyers can pick one up at any Apple Store in the SF Bay Area or via online retailers such as Amazon.com andBuy.com.

The MP250 was a CES Innovations Design & Engineering Award Winner for 2011.

Written By: Ramon Aranda

Source: www.examiner.com

Full Article: http://www.examiner.com/gadgets-in-oakland/review-edifier-mp250-portable-multimedia-speaker-review