LG XBOOM 360 DXO2T

Package and technology of the LG XBOOM 360 DXO2T

The speaker comes in a simple yet attractively designed cardboard box together with documentation material and a one-metre-long USB-A to USB-C cable. A power supply unit is not included. You will, therefore, need a standard charger, power bank or laptop to charge the speaker’s battery, which then provides up to 15 hours of music and light.

The device, which measures 11.9 x 20.9 x 11.9 centimetres and weighs 900 grams, features a 3-inch woofer that radiates downwards and a 1-inch silk dome tweeter that radiates upwards. Two passive radiators are recessed at the sides. LG claims an output power of 20 watts. The rubberised main switch and the USB-C port, concealed by a cover, are located at the rear. A round module with a control panel at the top and lighting at the bottom sits above the fabric-covered body of the speaker, seemingly floating in the air.

Functions and features of the LG XBOOM 360 DXO2T

The LG XBOOM 360 DXO2T pairs quickly and easily via Bluetooth 5.3, and the codecs SBC and AAC deliver the sound. All the important functions can be controlled directly on the touch-sensitive control panel on the top of the speaker: play, stop, skip (forwards, backwards), volume, lighting and Bluetooth pairing. If you touch these during operation, you can connect a second device without interrupting the programme of the primary player – multipoint at its best!

To get the full functionality of the XBOOM 360 DXO2T, you need to install the LG XBOOM app for iOS or Android – LG prompts you to do this the first time you connect. Once this is done, you can manage updates, switch off signal tones and program a switch-off timer. There is also an equaliser with two pre-sets and a six-band EQ.

With Wireless Party Link, you can connect two XBOOM 360s to form a real stereo pair (dual mode) or combine several of these speakers as a small sound group in multi-mode.

In terms of lighting, there are three basic moods available (‘Party’, ‘Ambient’, ‘Nature’), under which numerous pre-sets are grouped with evocative names such as ‘Passion of Youth’, ‘Refreshing Morning’ or ‘Peaceful Calm’. In ‘My selection’, you can individually select up to three light colours. A candle effect provides soft flickering, while the ‘Party Strobe’ effect creates flashes of light in the dark.

If you want to play a specific light effect with a specific playlist, this can be done using one-touch mode. You can define the connection and activate it by pressing the lighting button for two seconds.

The ‘XBOOM Lab’ section also offers you nature and wellness sounds that can be played via the ‘Healing Therapy’ area. If you start the sleep timer, you can also activate a kind of ‘night light’ that gradually fades out until it switches off.

And if the XBOOM 360 is connected to a power supply, it can be switched on remotely via the Bluetooth menu of your player, provided you have activated this option in the app first.

How does the LG XBOOM 360 DXO2T sound?

The LG XBOOM 360 DXO2T looks a bit like a vase and should ideally be placed at the centre of a table in the middle of the room, as that is when its all-round sound will come into its own. Indeed, if you walk around the speaker, the music can be heard equally well from any position. In terms of dispersion angle, the XBOOM 360 delivers an almost uniform 360 degrees.

In the standard EQ setting, the sound of this speaker was somewhat flat and lacking in power. There was hardly any bass, the mids dominated, and the highs were rather subdued. This changed significantly for the better when the ‘Soundboost’ pre-set was activated, as this made the sound more powerful, deeper and more balanced.

If you then use the six-band EQ and boost both the low and high frequencies, you will get booming bass and fresh highs that really stand out from the somewhat blurred mids; this made a much more sophisticated impression. The music of Thorsten Quaeschning and Schiller sounded powerful and driving, Taylor Swift was pleasantly warm and honest, and even the highly compressed pop music of recent Coldplay releases was still quite penetrable, albeit not very dynamic. With music from the classical end of the spectrum, for example, Max Richter, you will experience the limited possibilities of this system. It lacked the clarity and depth required by more complex music.

However, the sound of the XBOOM 360 was quite impressive and even when turned up above medium volume, the sound did not completely collapse. Nevertheless, this speaker is not made to be played really loud. The core competence of the XBOOM 360 is displayed when it is placed on a side table or chest of drawers, spreading dim light and cosy music.

Conclusion

In terms of sound, the LG XBOOM 360 DXO2T certainly attracts attention, even if you will need to do a lot of tweaking of the equaliser to bring the sound to its full potential. However, if the music becomes too complex, the system cannot adequately transmit it. The same also applies to high volumes – then the sound simply seemed untidy and, unfortunately, also somewhat unpleasant.

However, the excellent workmanship of this speaker and the all-round successful integration of numerous features via the app are very positive features.

This inconspicuous speaker, with its warm, powerful sound and atmospheric lighting, is certainly well suited to enhancing the ambience of a cosy room.