[ad_1]
The $59.99 Sengled Solo is a dimmable LED smart light bulb and a Bluetooth speaker in one. We’ve seen these technologies come together before in bulbs like the Awox Striimlight WiFi ( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) and the MiPow Playbulb Color ($80.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , and the combination has yet to impress. Unfortunately, the Solo follows suit, with average-at-best sound quality and very little in the way of smart features.
Design and Features
The Solo is a big bulb. It measures 5.5 inches long and 2.8 inches around at its widest point, and weighs a hefty 12 ounces. That said, it works in standard E26 screw sockets, and I was able to fit a lampshade around it. Although the bulb is dimmable with an app, Sengled advises that you shouldn’t use it with an external dimmer.
The bulb is made of mostly matte white plastic with a metal speaker grille ring around the top. It disperses light at a 105-degree angle, so it only shines up or down, but not out. That means it’s mainly suitable for accent or mood lighting, and not for filling an entire room.
A 50-watt equivalent LED, the Solo shines at up to 550 lumens of brightness. That’s far brighter than the Playbulb Color’s 200 lumens, though it’s only capable of giving off warm white light at a 2,700K color temperature. The Playbulb Color, meanwhile, is capable of producing just about any color you can imagine.
Similar Products
Philips Hue Connected Bulb
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Philips Hue Connected Bulb Review
Philips Hue Lux Starter Kit
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Philips Hue Lux Starter Kit Review
Connected by TCP Smart Lighting System
Read Our Connected by TCP Smart Lighting System Review
Cree Connected LED Bulb
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Cree Connected LED Bulb Review
GE Link Connected LED
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our GE Link Connected LED Review
LIFX LED Light Bulb
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our LIFX LED Light Bulb Review
LIFX White 800 LED Light Bulb
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our LIFX White 800 LED Light Bulb Review
Awox Striimlight WiFi
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Awox Striimlight WiFi Review
MiPow Playbulb Color
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our MiPow Playbulb Color Review
Misfit Bolt Wirelessly Connected Smart Bulb
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Misfit Bolt Wirelessly Connected Smart Bulb Review
JBL Clip+
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our JBL Clip+ Review
Behind the speaker grille are dual 3-watt speakers (for left and right channel stereo separation) from JBL.
Pairing and Performance
Setting up the Solo is easy. All you need to do is screw the bulb in, turn it on, and download the Sengled app, which is available for both Android and iOS devices. When you open the app it will automatically search for the bulb. I connected the bulb with a Samsung Galaxy S6 ($129.71 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) via Bluetooth without any problems.
For music playback, you have to make a separate connection by going into the Bluetooth settings on your mobile device to look for the speaker. Once you’ve established a connection, the bulb will automatically pair with your device when it is on and within Bluetooth range (up to 100 feet).
For a smart bulb, the Solo offers little in the way of useful features. There is almost nothing you can do except swipe a dimming slider and tap an On/Off switch in the app. You can also adjust speaker volume from the app, but it won’t increase past the volume level already set on your device. And that’s it. There are no alarms, no timers, no scheduling, no IFTTT (If This Then That) integration, or any of the other features you’ll find in many smart bulbs on the market.
As for the sound quality, it’s passable, but nothing special. It’s definitely a step above the Playbulb Color, but there is no bass at all and music turns tinny at higher volumes. I played Roy Orbison’s “Candy Colored Clown” at mid volume and enjoyed the suave vocals and whimsical strings, but at higher volumes the sound began to distort. The audio quality is no match for even an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker like the Polk Boom Swimmer Jr. ($39.95 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) , which has a passive radiator to offer far superior bass response.
Conclusions
For the price, the Sengled Solo offers simply average sound quality and next to the nothing in the way of smart features. You’re better off buying an inexpensive smart bulb, like the color-changing TikTeck , and a separate Bluetooth speaker, like the aforementioned Swimmer Jr. or the JBL Clip+ ($79.95 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) . That combination will get you a much better lighting and audio experience, and depending on the speaker, you’ll even have a couple of bucks left over.
2.5
(Opens in a new window)
(Opens in a new window)
View More
The Sengled Solo is a smart light bulb that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, but it doesn’t excel at either task.
[ad_2]
Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/sengled-solo
