LG XBOOM Go DXG8T

What’s included

In the party-style box, you will find the speaker, the carrying strap and a proprietary power supply with an unusual round plug are well packed. This is not so good, as you can’t just use any standard USB charger or power bank, but always have to have this power supply with this plug so you can charge the speaker. On the other hand, the LG XBOOM Go does have a USB-A socket so you can charge your mobile phone or tablet. A USB-A socket is no longer quite as state-of-the-art as it once was, but it was perfectly good at charging my iPhone. However, to do this, the speaker must be switched on.

The practical carrying strap can be used both as a handle and – when fully unfolded – as a shoulder strap. The weight of 2.8 kg is easy to carry and with outside dimensions of 37x15x14.7cm, the XBOMM Go is not at all bulky. Hidden behind the front grille, you will find a track-woofer and two cone tweeters, which share the bass and treble work. There are two radiators to the left and right of the speaker, which resonate passively to increase the bass response. The control buttons are embedded in a rubberised surface on the front. Finally, the power and USB connections are located on the back behind a flap.

Workmanship of the LG XBOOM Go

Sturdy plastic and a velvety-smooth, grid-like casing ensure that the speaker will definitely survive a wild party at a pool or barbecue. Protection class IP67 offers protection against water showers, immersion in water and dust. The LG BOOM Go is advertised as “Tested according to American military standards!”. This means that this speaker can really take a beating.

Features and app

The not-so-new Bluetooth 5.1 ensures problem-free pairing with up to two devices simultaneously (Multipoint), and the music is delivered via SBC and AAC codecs. Play/pause, skip (press play twice or three times) and the volume can all be controlled directly on the BOOM Go itself. The “Soundboost” function can also be activated, and this expands the sound of the XBOOM Go.

To get the most out of this speaker, the LG XBOOM app is an essential addition. This is where you can install updates, activate and deactivate voice announcements and signal tones and set a sleep timer. There is also a sound control area where you can choose between standard, Sound Boost and a 6-band equaliser. In the lighting section, you can choose between three light show settings (Party, Ambient, Nature), each with three variants. These have evocative names such as “Happy celebration”, “The comfort of a cosy night” or “Gentle fluttering”. In addition, you can define your own colours in a colour palette and choose how the light sources should flicker, pulsate or swirl. Have fun playing with the settings.

With Wireless Party Link, two LG BOOM Go can be paired in dual mode to form a real stereo pair. LG also offers the option of connecting this stereo pair to a TV. And with the Multi-Mode, many LG BOOM GO DXG8Ts can be connected together to form a sound wall. However, LG does not say how many this should be. Other suppliers have the confidence to suggest connecting up to 100 speakers.

The sound of the XBOOM Go

In standard mode, the sound of the XBOOM Go seemed a little indecisive. The bass did not really come through, and the treble did not play clearly and freely but seemed clipped. The mids dominated the picture, which was a bit boring.

But when I switched on the Sound Boost, the speaker suddenly sounded much rounder and fuller. The bass really came into its own. Mids and highs formed a harmonious overall picture, which presented the music of Taylor Swift beautifully and made electronica sound beautifully dry. The speaker also maintained this pleasantly warm and clear sound over a fairly wide dispersion angle. If one or two frequencies seem under-represented, you can adjust the equaliser. Otherwise, with Sound Boost, the sound was good and balanced at low to medium volumes. Unfortunately, this impression was quickly lost as we got closer to maximum volume. Then, the bass was almost completely lost and was unpleasantly outshone by the upper mids and highs, leaving behind a thin and sharp sound that was no longer warm and full.

Making calls with the XBOOM Go

The speaker can be used as a hands-free speakerphone The person on the other end of the line’s voice was easy to understand, and they also found my voice pleasant and easy to understand via the built-in microphone – almost as if I were speaking through a headset. Of course, it helped to speak as close to the speaker as possible. Another interesting feature: Siri or Google Assistant can also be used through the microphone.

Runtime and charging issues

LG claims a runtime of 15 hours – at medium volume without the lightshow. To charge the LG XBOOM Go, you need the supplied power adapter, which is not only quite large but also has the kind of plug that you would expect to find on laptops. Asking to borrow someone’s USB charger is therefore out of the question and makes the speaker a little less mobile than it could be. LG should definitely change this when they make an XBOOM Go 2.

Conclusion

The LG XBOOM Go DXG8T is a good accessory for outdoor events when they require a pleasant and warm, but not too loud, sound system. The ideal places to use this speaker would be by the pool, by the river bank or out on your allotment. Equipped with useful features and robustly built, the XBOOM Go offers a lot of features and has a solid runtime. The proprietary charger with a round plug is annoying. The fact that the sound becomes rather choppy at a certain volume is tolerable if you use the low and medium volume. Having said that, the LG XBOOM Go DXG8T sounds really good.