Onevision Quattro portable bluetooth speaker. Pic: Noel Campion.

It’s that time of year again when we start migrating back into the garden for the occasional coffee, or even, dare I say it, a garden party. And, what party or get together would be complete without a little music to set the mood.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been testing the latest Bluetooth speaker from Dublin-based audio company, Onesonic.

The Onesonic Quattro Bluetooth speaker features the same distinctive, black-only colourway found on all of Onesonic’s products. This isn’t a bad thing and despite the lack of any colour, the Quattro is very stylish with a premium build and quality finish. Based on all the product photos I’d seen before receiving the speaker for this review, I was expecting it to be much bigger. Weighing in at 2.164kg and measuring 310 x 152 x 118 mm, the Quattro isn’t small but the glossy piano black handle makes carrying it easy. There are also metal bars on either side of the handle to attach the supplied shoulder strap for an additional method of carrying the speaker.

The Quattro features two 20W and two 10W speakers for a total of 60W, so four speakers hence the name Quattro. The frequency range is 65Hz-18kHz, which means it has an above-average bass and treble response.

Unfortunately, there’s no companion app, which is a pity, but thankfully, there are three built-in EQ settings that can be accessed by double-pressing the dedicated Mode button on the speaker. The standard, outdoor and 3D sound effect EQs are designed to suit the environment your using it in.

A single press of the Mode button will toggle between Bluetooth, AUX (3.5mm auxiliary jack – cable included) and USB connection. The latter allows you to plug in a USB drive and play tracks saved on the disk through the Quattro speakers.

Although I wasn’t able to test it, the Quattro also features the ability to connect two Quattros together for a TWS connection for true stereo with one speaker acting as the left and the other as the right channel.

All of the ports are protected by a substantial rubber flap that prevents water from getting into them. The Quattro is IPX6 water-resistant – as long as you ensure the flap is fully closed. This makes it ideal for use outdoors and the odd shower or splash won’t damage it.

The Quattro uses Bluetooth 5.0 and I had no issues while testing it on a variety of devices. The connection was always lag-free and stable.

The 7,200mAh built-in battery is large enough to provide up to 12 hours of playback. However, this time will vary based on input type and volume. It takes up to three hours to charge the speaker and while Onesonic suggests a 5V/2A charger (not supplied), I found using a more powerful charger doesn’t improve on this.

One additional feature that can be a lifesaver is the ability to use the speakers’ internal battery as an emergency power bank. Of course, while it could fully charge most phones, doing so will dramatically reduce the playtime.

Thanks to the built-in mic, you can use it to make hands-free calls. I found this was handy if I was listening to music and a call come in. Another advantage of the mic is support for Siri and Google Assistant.

The 60 watts speakers are complemented with two passive radiators that produce an impressively balanced soundstage. The bass is nicely controlled and doesn’t get muddy even at high volumes. I would like to have tested two Quattro speakers in TWS mode but even in solo mode, it manages an expansive soundstage with excellent imaging and instrument separation.

For its size, the Quattro packs a powerful punch with impressive loudness and excellent clarity and detail.

The Onesonic Quattro is big enough to produce a large and open sound with exceptional clarity while not being too big to be burdensome to transport. The handle looks great and makes taking it with you so much easier and you still have the option of using the carry strap too.

There’s a good selection of inputs and the IPX6 water resistance makes it versatile for any situation or environment. The €219 price tag for the Quattro is more than justified considering the solid build, features and sound quality.

News and analysis on business, money and jobs from Munster and beyond by our expert team of business writers.

News and analysis on business, money and jobs from Munster and beyond by our expert team of business writers.

A lunchtime summary of content highlights on the Irish Examiner website. Delivered at 1pm each day.

Our Covid-free newsletter brings together some of the best bits from irishexaminer.com, as chosen by our editor, direct to your inbox every Monday.

© Irish Examiner Ltd, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Registered in Ireland: 523712.