For people who know where to look, Lenrue is slightly off the mainstream market providing decent quality Bluetooth speakers at an even more decent price comparatively. The speakers they make are often good value for money, have a good level of durability, and are an overall good bang for your buck. In today’s article, we’ll check out the Lenure F9 hands-on and share our thoughts. So, without further ado, let’s begin!
What is in the Box?
The Lenrue F9 comes with a pretty basic-looking box. Opening the box, we get a suction cup, which we can use to mount the speakers almost wherever we want. We also get a user manual, a registration card, and finally, the speaker itself wrapped in a semi-plastic wrapping. Deep inside is another paper box that holds the cables and to our surprise, a carabiner to hang the speaker from your bag, purse, bicycle, or wherever you prefer.
Design and Build Quality
The Lenrue F9 has a very good first impression, as it had the outlook of being one of those premium Bluetooth speakers. Visually, it comes with a two-tone color theme with matte black finish and reddish-orange accents, that’s very pleasing on the eyes and looks the part. The materials are pretty impressive as well since anyone can say from the first hands-on impression that this speaker was built to last. With soft-to-the-touch yet thick rubber padding, Lenrue F9 is pretty much guaranteed to survive a few accidental drops at least. There are buttons on both sides with which you can play, pause, control the volume or the lights. The strap on the top that continues on the back is made out of silicone and feels pretty sturdy. In the back, there’s a dedicated bass port, which we will go to in a bit. The feet at the bottom helps to maintain a steady profile when in use, while the suction cup with the help of screws can make it stick almost anywhere, making this a perfect speaker for mounting in the kitchen or shower. And finally, at the bottom, there’s a pull-open platform with a relatively strong seal covering the SD card slot and USB port.
Functionality and Features
To turn the speaker on, you need to hold the power button for 3 seconds, which will initiate pairing mode. This will be signaled by the pulsing blue light, and it will go full RGB when paired. The Bluetooth 5.0 feature makes sure pairing is a cinch, and a large 33ft radius makes sure you’re free to use it however you please. Oh, and did we mention its solid IPX7 waterproof rating? Cause it’s a pretty neat feature that practically makes this speaker a perfect shower companion. The RGB lights with the light-breathing function are a treat to any RGB enthusiast, and an added SD card slot will be handy when you don’t want to pair your speaker to any device.
Audio Quality
After pairing this up with our device, we can say with certainty that the outstanding feature of this Bluetooth speaker is the amount of bass it creates from such a small device. It especially shines when you listen to bass-heavy music like HipHop or EDM, as you can really feel the thump, although not floor-shaking, it’s understandable considering its form factor. Other than that, it has a pretty solid and open soundstage with clear mids and highs. To understand the true auditory depth, however, you will need to pair it with another Lenrue F9 and use it in stereo mode, which in itself is a pretty nifty little feature. And best of all, the sound quality doesn’t really take a hit when using it on max volume, which means no audible distortion. A solid sound from a solid speaker set.
Portability
Considering how the Lenrue F9 is already small in form, it’s fairly easy to clip it anywhere using the carabiner that comes with the speaker. Showers, kitchens, bicycle handles, backpacks, or simply upon any solid platform, the possibilities are nearly endless. The strong carabiner also provides a solid grip and protection that plays a big role against accidental slips and theft.
Other Features
One of the reasons why a lot of people are interested in the Lenrue F9 other than its durability and sound quality is its RGB setup. The LED lights are bright and vibrant with a good viewing angle, even when looking at it from a comparatively lower perspective. But, unfortunately, the finishing surrounding the lights isn’t really top-notch, as we can see some unfinished edges around the corner. The RGB lights feature a color-breathing effect, which is really soothing to the eyes, and you have the option to turn the lights off entirely if you please with the help of a dedicated button. The speaker also comes with an SD card slot, for when you don’t want to pair it with anything. You can load up some music on the card and play it one after another, without the need for any devices. The speaker also comes with a built-in microphone, which might not be revolutionary in terms of quality, but gets the job done when you want to make calls when you’re out chilling in the pool, or busy cooking. In terms of battery, it charges fast via its USB-C port, while the robust battery enables it to stay operable for up to 24 hours on a single charge.
Ending Thoughts
Apart from having a very impressive appearance and a rugged exterior, the Lenrue F9 is a relatively good Bluetooth speaker that has a lot of features with a pretty nice price tag. In terms of audio quality, they provide a hefty amount of bass and loud noises without distortion. Talking about range, we couldn’t find anything to complain about, since it pushed its advertised distance and then some. And to wrap it all up, it comes with an incredibly durable build, that’s water-resistant as well, so extra points for the overall heft. All in all, for the price, the Lenrue F9 is a pretty great Bluetooth speaker and comes highly recommended by us.
