Finance
With a distinct audio device portfolio, Saregama Carvaan has carved out a niche in the crowded wireless speaker market. The Saregama Carvaan Mini+, a portable Bluetooth speaker with 1,000 classic songs built in for standalone use, is new to the lineup. This speaker appears to be an ideal companion for anyone looking to purchase a compact speaker with pre-loaded music. Is it? Let us investigate:
Design
The Saregama Carvaan Mini+ has a rectangular body with a wooden finish plastic enclosure on the sides and a metal grill on the front. On the top of the speaker, there are dedicated buttons for play/pause, previous, next, volume, and power. The buttons make it simple to use and operate as a standalone speaker with songs built in. However,there is no backlight to support ease of use in low-light or no-light environments. Speaking of standalone utility, the speaker has a dedicated ‘Saregama’ button on the left side, besides FM/AM radio and Bluetooth discovery buttons, for the user to access the pre-loaded songs.
The images of legends such as Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar engraved on the metallic grill and a retractable FM antenna with its own storage cavity on the back side elevate the design. On the top, there is an AUX in/out port, a USB 3.0 port (up to 32GB), and a reset button. It has a USB-C charging port on the right side, as well as an LED indicator that shows the battery’s charging status.
Audio
The Saregama Carvaan Mini+ has 10W audio drivers, which may appear insufficient on paper but produce loud and clear sound. This wireless speaker allows you to listen to music in a variety of ways, including Bluetooth, pre-loaded 1,000 songs, USB drive, FM/AM radio, and the Carvaan app for smartphones. The speaker has Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity with supported devices such as televisions, laptops, smartphones, tablets, etc. It comes with 1,000 pre-loaded Hindi songs by singers like Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Mukesh, and many others. These songs are accessible either by pressing the Saregama button on the speaker or with the supplementary smartphone app for ease of use.
Surprisingly, the app does not require an internet connection to manage and operate the speaker and its pre-installed songs. However, an internet connection is required to sign in for the first time on the app. When connected to a smartphone, it can also function as a speaker for voice calls, which is an intriguing feature. To answer the call, press and hold the play/pause button for three seconds. To reject the call, press and hold the button for three seconds.
The Carvaan Mini+’s only drawback is its slow charging time. The speaker’s 2,200 mAh battery takes three to four hours to fully charge. The on-battery time is also challenging, lasting up to four hours depending on the volume.
Verdict
The Saregama Carvaan Mini+, priced at Rs 3,990, is unlike any other Bluetooth speaker on the market. It is a stand-alone speaker that accepts multiple input modes. As a result, you have the best of both worlds. Furthermore, FM/AM radio services are supported, which is uncommon in wireless speakers regardless of price range. The Carvaan Mini+ would have been a great budget wireless speaker if it had a longer battery life and faster charging speed.
Source:BS
