For the past ten days, I've been battling one of my most ingrained habits: using headphones. My day often begins and ends with a pair of headphones on: I use them on the train, when walking, in front of the PC and even while having breakfast. For many of these operations there is no alternative. I mean, I don't want to harass an entire carriage by forcing passengers to listen to my favorite music or some science and technology podcast, and I definitely don't want to walk around town with a box in hand. However, there are occasions when headphones can undoubtedly be replaced by one speaker Bluetooth, one like Sharp GX-BT280. For a whole week I therefore decided to use this product as much as possible, putting a large part of my arsenal of headphones and earphones in the drawer. How did it go? I'll explain it to you in this review.
Modern and robust
Sharp GX-BT280's design is certainly not one of the most original. The market is now full of similar speakers: cylindrical shape, rubber on the top and bottom and central body in fabric.
The front features three buttons: two dedicated to volume and a classic button to start or pause playback. On the back instead we find the power button and due ingressi: AUX, to connect an audio source, and microUSB, for charging. Both are protected by a small rubber hood, designed to protect them from the fury of the elements. At the ends we finally have two passive radiators dedicated to bass.
To characterize Sharp GX-BT280 we also have a low weight (about 400 gr), a small strap to attach it to a backpack or to your bike and the IP56 certification. This means it can survive a little rain, but no, you can't keep it in the bathtub or throw it in the pool.
[
How does it behave?
Operation is extremely simple: just turn it on, connect it to your smartphone and that's it. It will take you a few minutes to appreciate the 20 W of this speaker. The sound is powerful, full and crystal clear, but there are some flaws. The bass, for example, is not the best despite the presence of radiators located at both ends.
The microphone is not quite satisfactory. No problem when you are very close to this Sharp GX-BT280, but don't expect the best results when you are across the room. A speech that applies to both calls and communications with Google Assistant or Siri.
He also left us some doubts the structure of this box. Ideally - given the key position and best stability - it should be held vertically, but this effectively blocks one of the radiators. Horizontally, on the other hand, you will lose some stability but the sound will be better. In short, something better could be done at the design level.
Instead, the battery is promoted: with one charge you enjoy about 12 hours of playback.
Sharp GX-BT280: to buy or not to buy?
In the end yes, I got used to using Sharp GX-BT280. I used this speaker for listening to podcasts, for some music in my spare time (or while cleaning the house) and even for a few calls. I liked it? I would definitely say yes. The user and listening experience are really good, but the price is not the lowest. In fact, to take it home you will have to spend 99 euros.
Sharp GX-BT280
Pro 
- Simple to use
- Good sound quality
- IP56 certification
- Good battery
Cons 
- Unsatisfactory bass
- Improved microphone
