Beats Pill offers a strong dose of bass

The speaker itself has a rubberised finish which gives a clear indication that this is a waterproof device that can be taken to the pool as well as for a dance session in the monsoon rain. While the speaker mesh faces the front, on top there are buttons for power, play/pause and volume. One the back you have the USB-C port, not hidden under a flap.

It pairs and works seamlessly with an iPhone. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Despite the relatively small size, the Pill has dual drivers inside and this makes the speakers very potent. In fact, I had it on my sofa initially and could feel the vibrations on my body too and decided it’s better to keep it on the coffee table nearby. Even when holding the speaker in your hand, you can feel the beats, quite literally.

With my favourite A R Rahman playlist, I could feel the bass punch of the speakers even as the vocals stayed clear of the lows. The speaker could handle the sudden change in track that made Konjam Nilavu a runaway hit almost three decades back. I pushed the volume to full to see if the pulsating beats of this song really stand the test of time. The Pill did well, though I would have loved another one of these speakers to test the Amplify mode by paring the two for a song a like this.

On the other end of the spectrum, a melody like Monta Re, with more digital clarity, worked perfectly on the Pill. The vocals were silken though sharp even as the strings and drums played in perfect harmony bringing one of my favourite songs to life in the early winter chill of the living room. I realise that a lot of speakers these days are tuned for clarity of digital recordings and might not express themselves well when we play songs from the analog era, unless they have been remastered.

Thanks to its IP67 rating, it is water resistant. (Image credit: Nandagopal Rajan/The Indian Express)

Switching to Soumyajit Das’s rendition of Tagore’s Sunala Sunala Balika, I had to tone the volume down. You don’t want to hear something as delicate as this at high volumes. The guitar and piano played perfect accompaniment to Das’s vocals, and when the note picks pace the speaker does not muddle up the tracks as I have seen on many other smaller speakers.

My only issue with the Beats Pill is that it is better experienced from the front and does not offer the same audio profile across the room. At this price point, I have tested speakers that are not limited to the front firing option.

With the lanyard and the IP67 rating, this is the perfect speaker for you to have in the backpack for trips. Also, if you are an Apple user, then the integration will make you feel good and offers you more ‘native’ choice for audio accessories. Don’t worry, it works equally well with Android too, for which there is even a dedicated app. At Rs 16,900, this is a peppy new speaker option for those who love a bit of bass and colour in their life. Recommended for Apple users, though others too will find this a pleasure to use.