The Anker A3143 is capable of playing all genres of music at any volume level while maintaining an even mix, incredible clarity and thumping bass. It's larger than Anker's other Bluetooth speakers, measuring 8.27 x 2.36 x 2.36-inches and weighing in at 1.4-pounds. It's not exactly a speaker you'd consider pocketable, but rather one you'd toss in your bag and pull out when you get where you're going.
Underneath the front grille are two 10-watt drivers that provide a combined output of 20 watts. In between those drivers are two passive subwoofers that feature Anker's MaxxBass technology, which helps keep the bass from distorting at volumes soft and loud. The chassis is made of a durable plastic and sports a matte finish around the sides and is glossy on top where the buttons are found.
Since this Bluetooth speaker doesn't feature a built-in microphone to manage calls or NFC for advanced functions, the Anker A3143's feature set is pretty basic. The buttons on top include power, play/pause, and volume/skip track. To put the speaker into pairing mode, simply hold the play button down for a few seconds until the blue light starts blinking. After you've successfully paired it to your device, the light will remain a steady blue. When the battery begins to hit critical levels, the LED on the power button will blink red. The speaker charges at a max of 1.5 amps and the LED glows orange until it's completely charged.
Anker doesn't specify the size battery inside, but it's advertised to provide up to 8 hours of music. Of course, the louder you push it, the more it drains the battery, so enjoying your playlists around a 50% volume level is your best bet for getting the longest life.
Included with the speaker is a 25-inch Micro-USB charging cable as well as a 24-inch 3.5mm audio cable for plugging directly into your phone or laptop's headphone jack. On the right side of the speaker is where you'll find the Micro-USB and auxiliary ports. It features Bluetooth 4.0 and has a range of approximately 33 feet, give or take a few feet depending on obstructions. Keeping the speaker from sliding around is a large gray rubber pad on the bottom.
The sound quality is comparable to that of the Braven Balance, but at half the size and price. Granted, it's not built to handle drops, nor is it water resistant, but for general use, this Anker speaker offers plenty of power for an excellent price range.
