Brane X wireless speaker review
A different kind of speaker from a different kind of company
Brane is a newcomer to the audio scene, and the Brane X is their first offering to the audio world. If you’re like me, you’re thinking, what kind of name is “Brane” for an audio company? But, the more I played with this little speaker, the more I realized that some big “brains” had to be behind the surprising performance of the Brane X.
Brane X is a portable, water-resistant speaker with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi streaming capability, along with a 3.5mm auxiliary input. With a large built-in battery and a convenient carry handle, this speaker can go from bedside to poolside and crank out the tunes for hours of fun, day or night.
Plenty of volume will cut through party chatter, and if you’re a bass-head, a convenient bass-level button on top of the speaker brings just the right amount of “thump” to your gatherings.
The Brane X uses cutting-edge technology for detailed music, along with the proprietary Repel-Attract Driver (RAD) for deep bass.
You can keep it simple and stream your music via Bluetooth straight from your phone. The Brane X app also lets you stream via Wi-Fi. And if you’re an iOS user, you can use Apple AirPlay 2 to stream from your compatible device. It even has a soundbar mode for use with a TV and compatible HDMI or optical digital adapter. Plus, if you have multiple Brane X speakers, you can stereo pair two for a 2-channel system or stream to multiple rooms.
First impressions
The Brane X is small, less than a foot wide, but it has considerable heft. The exterior is plain black, with the only decoration being the small Brane logo at the top-front of the speaker. The rounded sides soften what could be a harsh, industrial-looking exterior, and the flexible carrying handle hints at music and fun wherever you go.
The Brane X delivers hot tunes outdoors or indoors; you bring the cool drinks.
Demo of streaming music
I placed the Brane X on the hardwood floor, about 10 feet away from my listening position. I pressed the power button on the back and heard a faint mechanical “whirr” from the patented Repel-Attract Driver (RAD) pressurizing. To keep things simple to start with, I connected my phone to the speaker with Bluetooth and opened my TIDAL app.
I decided to start with “Sucker” by Marcus King, a techno-blues-rock fusion with plenty of synth, bass, and guitars. Music filled the room, and I felt the bass thump. I could plainly hear the lyrics without having to adjust the volume. There was so much bass that I actually turned the bass level down a notch or two.
I moved the Brane X from the floor to an end table to see if it would affect the sound. No, it was the same impressive sound as before. I believe my significant other’s exact words were, “Oh my gosh, that’s ridiculous!”
My next tracks were from Bluegrass and Americana—Billy Strings and more Marcus King. They’re both heavy on guitar, and it’s practically mandatory that Bluegrass includes mandolin and fiddle (violin for you classical folks), so there was a wide frequency range to cover. The Brane X handled them easily, with no loss of detail of the string-picking and no shrill treble tones. The warmth of the vocal performances retained the individual character of each artist.
I ran through several of my favorite demo tracks, each chosen to highlight a specific quality. Pink Floyd’s “Signs of Life” illustrated the Brane X’s ability to manage a wide volume range within a single track, along with picking up small details like water lapping against a lakeshore and the creaking of a boat.
Alice in Chains’ MTV Unplugged album is my preferred choice to demonstrate the ability to capture acoustic instrument performances and the size of the virtual soundstage. While the Brane X captured the intimate feel of the setting, the soundstage was not captured as well as in a component system with a receiver/amp and speakers. In a larger system, it’s easier to imagine just where each musician is on the stage.
A couple of tracks were chosen specifically for their stereo imaging. “On the Run” by Pink Floyd and “The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix were my choices for this demo. Once again, I felt the narrow soundstage was not conducive to the stereo sound of these songs. Getting close to the speaker helped, but again, not the same as a component system. The stereo imaging is “there”, but it’s subtle. Fortunately, you can stereo-pair two Brane X speakers with the Brane app for a more expansive sound.
I decided to really test the bass capabilities of the Brane X with Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” and “Turn Down for What” from DJ Snake and Lil Jon. I could feel the bass vibrate the floor, and while it’s not a substitute for a full system with a separate subwoofer, it’s remarkable how much bass emanates from the Brane X. At the same time, the bass didn’t overwhelm music and vocals, making this speaker a solid choice for your next party.
Over the weekend, I took the Brane X outside to my back deck and jammed out for a few hours in the summer sun. I didn’t have to worry about spray from the garden hose splashing the speaker, since the sealed design is IP57-rated for full water resistance. It sounded just as good as indoors, and with over 200 watts of power, I wondered if my neighbors up the street could tell what music I was listening to.
I didn't have to worry about sprinkler overspray or a sudden cloudburst while relaxing on the back deck with the IP57-rated Brane X.
Use as a sound bar
While TVs have made significant advancements in the past decade, audio quality hasn't kept pace with video technology. We still recommend at least a sound bar, if not a component sound system, to enhance your viewing experience. Naturally, I wanted to try the Brane X's soundbar mode.
I connected the Brane X to the headphone jack/audio output of an older Sony TV with a 3.5mm cable. I queued up "Stranger Things" on Netflix and decided to watch THE scene — the one with Eddie absolutely shredding Metallica's "Master of Puppets". Since the Brane X processes all audio as two channels, I wasn't expecting surround sound. But after the excellent test of streaming music, I was expecting something with a little more "oomph" than standard TV audio.
The volume was acceptable, but I could only get it so loud. This may have been a limitation of the TV's audio output (or the operator's knowledge). The sound was good, slightly better than what comes from the built-in Sony audio, and there was definitely more bass. However, I found that it didn't "wow" me like streaming audio from my TIDAL app.
To be fair, the Sony uses Acoustic Surface technology that makes the entire TV screen a speaker, which is one of the better built-in TV sound systems on the market. A better test would have been to use an older TV with less advanced audio, and honestly, most of (if not all) the TVs we carry at Crutchfield don't have a 3.5mm audio output connection.
The Brane X's impact would be more dramatic with an older TV with more basic built-in speakers. My assumption is that the Brane X would be a welcome addition for a vacation destination where the amenities aren't quite as advanced — in other words, Grandma and Grandpa's house with the ancient TV.
Instrument connection test
Some portable wireless speakers have inputs for connecting guitars or microphones for impromptu jam sessions. I was intrigued to learn that the Brane X soundbar mode can also be used to connect instruments. For something different and fun, I decided to connect some guitars. I used a Fender Player Stratocaster, an Ibanez RGA42EX, and a Washburn Bella Tono Vite. I connected each in turn to the Brane X’s aux port using a ¼” to 3.5mm cable.
I heard nothing from the Fender, except a bit of faint sound at a high-volume setting. With the Ibanez, I got very low-volume sound, mostly bass. The Washburn acoustic-electric with an active pickup had the most volume, but it sounded "artificial". Also, if I took too long between notes, the Brane X wouldn’t output sound right away.
For practice purposes, I use a Fender Mustang Micro headphone amplifier on my guitars. On a lark, I connected the headphone amp to my Strat, then connected the headphone amp to the Brane X using a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable. Interestingly, I did get good volume and decent sound quality. But, this seems like a lot of effort to amplify a guitar.
If you have all the items available, you can use this setup in a pinch. I don't recommend it for anything more than entertaining at a friendly gathering. If you want to sound professional, get a proper amp. And if you have an acoustic guitar, play loud.
Final thoughts
You can take the Brane X practically anywhere, even to the beach. The battery lasts a long time. You can stereo pair for a sweet two-channel system or link up multiples for music in every room (but maybe skip the soundbar/instrument use). The most important consideration is that it sounds great!
I listened to several genres of music including orchestral, hard rock, and synth-pop, and I enjoyed them all. If I had to use one sentence to give my impressions of the Brane X, it would be this: A speaker this size has no business being this good. Honestly, I really like this thing. It takes a lot to impress me these days with all the fantastic gear we see here at Crutchfield, but I would totally buy it.
Product highlights:
- built-in Bluetooth 5.1
- built-in Wi-Fi for wireless music streaming when connected to a home network
- Apple AirPlay 2 lets you stream directly from an iPhone® or iPad® and ask Siri® to play Apple Music®
- 3.5mm aux port to connect compatible devices like MP3 players
- two 3/4" tweeters
- two 2-1/2" midrange drivers
- one 6.5" x 9" high-excursion Repel-Attract Driver (RAD) subwoofer
- bass frequencies as low as 27Hz
- four Class D amplifiers with a combined output of over 200 watts
- IP57-rated for full water resistance
- free Brane mobile app available from Apple® App Store and Google Play
- built-in rechargeable battery delivers up to 12 hours of operation and recharges in three hours
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