LG Xboom XL7

The $599.99 LG Xboom XL7 is a massive, karaoke-friendly Bluetooth speaker for people who take their parties seriously. Sonically, it delivers a huge bass response, bright highs, and more than enough volume for most environments. Combine that with customizable LEDs, mic and guitar inputs, in-app DJ effects, and an EQ, and you’ve got a veritable party machine. But if you don’t need all those extra features or near-PA-system-like output, consider the slightly less powerful JBL Boombox 3 ($499.95), which is more durable, easier to carry, and costs less.

At 27.6 by 12.2 by 12.4 inches (HWD), the 34.2-pound Xboom XL7 is significantly larger and heavier than the JBL Boombox 3 (10.1 by 19.0 by 7.9 inches, 14.7 pounds). Its black exterior features a large red Xboom logo on each side, but the most compelling visual touches are the LEDs that illuminate the 8-inch woofer and a thin horizontal panel on the front. Above that, a strobe sits between dual 2.5-inch tweeters that deliver high-frequency content. Altogether, the stereo drivers combine for an impressive 250 watts of power. A telescoping built-in handle is more or less a necessity for transport, and the two wheels on the bottom allow for relatively graceful steering.

The Xboom XL7 is compatible with Bluetooth 5.1 and works with the AAC and SBC codecs. For wired audio via the USB input, it supports MP3 and WMA files.

Up top, in front of the handle, the speaker includes power, volume, and playback controls, along with buttons to cycle through some LED lighting options and enable the Sound Boost EQ mode (which emphasizes the bass). Additionally, you get indicators for the Party Link, Bluetooth, and USB functions, as well as one for battery status. The Party Link feature lets you pair the XBoom XL7 with other LG speakers.

The back houses a covered connection port and a small pocket to stow the included power cable when you don't need it. A magnet below the connections panel holds the cover open. Connection options include a USB-A port and two quarter-inch inputs for guitars, electronic instruments, or mics. Discrete level knobs make it simple to hear any of these inputs over currently playing music, and you can just as easily listen to said instruments by themselves. The USB-A port allows you to add a thumb drive with stored music in order to bypass Bluetooth or wired connections. The back also includes buttons for enabling an echo effect (either with a short or medium slapback delay) and resetting the speaker.

LG doesn't market the Xboom XL7 as an outdoor speaker, but its IPX4 rating is nonetheless disappointing because the vast majority of other portable models I test are fully waterproof. The speaker can withstand just light mists or sprays of water from any direction, so I don't recommend using it by the pool, taking it out during a rainstorm, or washing down the exterior with a hose. The similar-style JBL Partybox 310 (which we have not tested) also has an IPX4 rating, but the JBL BoomBox 3 has an IP67 rating, for comparison.

LG estimates that the speaker can last roughly 20 hours per charge, but your results will vary based on your volume levels. The battery takes roughly 3.5 hours to fully charge from empty.

There’s no speakerphone function, but that's not surprising for this class of device.

The LG Xboom app (available for Android and iOS) is essential if you want to take full advantage of the speaker's LED features, which I discuss in the next section. The app’s main screen shows an image of the product, along with a battery life readout. Below that, you can switch between Bluetooth and USB inputs for audio, adjust the volume level, and choose between Standard, Sound Boost, and Custom EQ modes. The custom EQ has just three bands (100Hz, 1kHz, and 10kHz), but that's better than nothing.

As mentioned, you can wirelessly link the speaker with other compatible LG models. You can assign them to behave as a stereo pair or to play the same audio as one group.

DJ Mode is a silly but harmless section with flanger effects, turntable scratch sounds, and drum sample hits. Unfortunately, they have some built-in latency, so they don’t really arrive on time unless you account for that delay. You can create custom samples in the Sample Creator section, but this requires you to give the app access to your phone's mic.

The Karaoke section is active only after you connect a cable to the mic or guitar inputs, but it offers a few cool functions. For instance, you can adjust the pitch of music playing through the speaker in real time with a fader, as well as apply various vocal effects to the mic (such as Helium or Robot). Yes, these are all fun gimmicks that might get old quickly, but their inclusion adds a little extra to the experience. The Karaoke section also shows the mic and guitar levels, lets you apply the aforementioned echo effects, and allows you to mute either input.

Beyond this, you can adjust some basic power management settings (such as those related to sleep after inactivity), access the manual, and download firmware updates.

I typically don’t devote an entire section to LED lighting, but the Xboom XL7 goes beyond what most speakers offer. Scrolling text is just the beginning; the top panel on the front can also display emoji-like animated graphics ranging from a dancing cactus to a reactive soundwave.

The physical LED button on the top panel doesn’t give you much flexibility compared with what you can accomplish via the app. It mainly lets you switch between a couple of similar lighting modes for the woofer and the strobe, or turn either one off.

In the app, there’s a section for the so-called Dot Animations. Here, you can choose between a dancing robotic monkey, the aforementioned dancing cactus, various abstract graphic animation themes, and some built-in text readouts (such as “Make some noise!” and “Put Your Hands Up!”). And, of course, you can create presets with custom text and some emojis. You can even control the scrolling speed and make the words bounce. If nothing catches your eye, turning off the Dot Animations entirely is also an option.

Woofer lighting gets a section, as well. You can cycle through various presets, such as Cheerful Celebration, Gorgeous Night, Noise of Parties, Passion of Youth, and Visual Rhythm. You can also manually choose three hues as the basis of the effect from a color wheel or opt for a continuous color mode. The colors you choose encircle the woofer’s outer ring. Like the Dot Animations, you can turn off these LEDs as well.

Finally, you can toggle the strobe function, which tries to flash to the beat of whatever music is playing. In testing, some strobe modes kept up better than others, but the accuracy ultimately depends on the style of the current track.

Before I get into the details of the sound signature, know that the Xboom XL7 gets very loud. The output is far more than most people need to fill a room—or even a typical backyard. Stereo separation isn't noticeable unless you press your head up against the grille, however, so you should look into the Party Link feature if that's a concern.

I tested the speaker in the Standard audio mode, but the Sound Boost mode does indeed result in more bass power that you can feel throughout your body even at moderate volumes. At top volume levels, your neighbors are likely to hear and feel your music, too. Again, this is easily one of the loudest consumer speakers I've tested.

On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the Xboom XL7 delivers powerful bass depth. The opening thumps are full of intense low-frequency rumble and the deepest sub-bass hits rattled various items in my room even at moderate volumes. At the loudest level I could tolerate (which was not the maximum), I felt the bass in my bones.

That performance aside, the speaker can’t reproduce the sub-bass at the 34-second mark of Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” because the woofer simply doesn’t reach that low. The various vocal performances on the track at least come across with good clarity.

The drums on Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a more natural, varied track, sound full and heavy, but not overly thunderous. Callahan’s baritone vocals receive a solid low-mid boost which adds a bit of richness. But the higher-frequency elements still shine thanks to some sculpting. The speaker won't win any awards for accuracy, but the audio signature should be enjoyable for parties.

On orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, the Xboom XL7 sounds too bass-forward to appeal to purists, but the higher-register instrumentation remains bright and detailed. If your karaoke parties feature classical cuts, the speaker shouldn't have any issue keeping up.

The LG Xboom XL7 costs as much as some luxury speakers, but the focus here is not on finesse, but on power. It provides enough deep bass and volume to drive most parties, and the karaoke input just adds to the versatility. The lighting effects are fun to play around with as well. Just keep in mind that you can get the similar JBL Partybox 310 for $50 less, or the more portable JBL Boombox 3 for $100 less. The Boombox 3 isn't quite as powerful as the Xboom XL7, but it's far more convenient to tote around and offers a much more durable build.