Last week I posted my review of the Leprechaun Wireless Bluetooth mini speaker by GoldTouch Asia, one of the leading providers for customised gold plating solution in Southeast Asia who has decided to leverage on their audio manufacturing experience to create their own line of audio products that are gold-plated.
The larger speaker, Goliath, is designed with a triangular frame instead of the common block or cylindrical shape. This tilts the twin speakers upwards at an angle for a more effective sound delivery. Behind the unit, the connectors and power button lay neatly at the bottom.
Above the speaker grille in front, there are touch controls, like track-volume, play-pause, and 3D. During operation, the play button lights up and flashes regularly to denote operation. During charging, the right-arrow next button lights up in red. At the far right, an NFC logo is where the NFC chip is located, allowing ease of pairing with your wireless audio devices.
At the side of the speakers lay the bass radiators with huge steel plates. Because the radiators can vibrate quite intensively, it is recommended to keep the speakers away from desk clutter or else the radiators could strike them and produce vibration noises.
The audio on the Goliath lacks brilliance at the treble range above 8kHz. I had to apply EQ to increase the frequency bands and brighten up the sound. The sub bass does not have the boomy feel experienced with the Bose Soundlink Mini or Sony SRS-X33. At high volume, the bass sounds restricted while the radiators move violently. I could almost hear vibrating sounds from the large steel plates stuck at the radiators, as well as slight internal component vibrations caused by harmonics in some passages.
The other odd thing about the Goliath is that when the volume is low, the audio signal gets cut-off below a certain threshold, as if there is a noise filter. What this means is that the Goliath must be listened at higher volumes in order to enjoy the full sonic experience. Classical music with wide dynamic range will not play will on this speaker.
The Goliath supports listening via Bluetooth and 3.5mm, but the Bluetooth audio takes precedence. To prevent disruption, the Bluetooth pairing should be disconnected from the source – there is no option to disable Bluetooth from the Goliath. Nor does the 3.5mm audio-in works when the Goliath is not powered up.
The speaker is speced to play continuously for 12 hours. It is possible to operate the speaker while charging. The speaker also works as a hands-free speaker for making voice calls.
At a retail price of S$189, the Goliath lacks the refinedness on the sonic execution at high volumes. If you prefer a more hi-fi sounding portable speakers, I would recommend the Sony SRS-X33 or Bose Soundlink Mini. The Goliath will find its home to consumers who desire a gold-plated soundbox that produces warm audio characteristics. I prefer enabling the 3D audio mode which offers slight improvement in clarity.
To cater for consumers who prefer an alternative colour to gold, GoldTouch Asia offers a limited edition black variant for the same price. Available from Lazada and selected retail outlets.
GTA Goliath Specs
Material: Graded Aluminium and Stainless Steel
Woofer: 3D Surround Sound, twin Pulse Bass Radiators
Chip: Built-in microphone chip, hands-free call
Cavity: Custom made large hollow diaphragm inner cavity
Battery type: Lithium
Frequency range:60Hz-18000Hz
Battery Capacity: 7.4V 2200mAh (up to 12 hours)
Input voltage: DC5V/1000mA
SNR: 80dB
Input Sensitivity: 800 mV
Out power: RMS 5W *2
Bluetooth band: 2.402 GHz- 2.480GHz
Bluetooth version: CSR 4.0
Bluetooth protocol: A2CP, AVRCP
Distance: up to 10m
