Cleer Scene

Verdict

The Cleer Scene is caught brief with regards to options, nevertheless it’s one of many best-sounding audio system presently out there across the £100 mark.

Introduction

Within the years since Cleer Audio arrived on the audio scene, it has positioned itself as an inexpensive various to the likes of Sony and JBL, and its newest speaker brings the expectation it’ll be one more value-added performer.

Not each product from Cleer has labored, however that hasn’t stopped it from attempting totally different approaches, whether or not it’s the Arc open ears or Crescent wi-fi speaker, its merchandise are typically a little bit distinct from the pack, significantly in visible phrases.

The Scene wi-fi speaker is aiming to tackle the funds Bluetooth speaker market, which isn’t wanting choices; the aforementioned JBL has a number of choices together with Final Ears and Soundcore. Can the Cleer Scene upset the established order of issues? Listed here are my ideas.

Design

• Waterproof design
• No carry strap or lanyard
• Facet-firing passive radiators

The Cleer Scene’s type is a kind of cylindrical form. I say kind of as a result of its curvaceous and swooping traces additionally give it an angular look, one additional embellished with side-firing bass drivers at both facet and a hidden central base on the speaker’s underside.

Briefly, the combination of opposing supplies offers it the sort of unconventional seems to be that seems like a Cleer product – the Scene has a little bit of a sci-fi look to it, very similar to the Crescent wi-fi speaker did.

The highest floor incorporates a wraparound cloth masking, whereas the core of the speaker is produced from onerous plastic. It’s straightforward (at the least for my massive arms) to carry it in a single hand, and that’s the one technique of carrying it – there’s no carry strap or lanyard. When you’re not carrying, it is a speaker to shove in a bag.

The material wrap is coarse to repel water droplets, and at IPX7 it’s licensed to be waterproof; in a position to be submerged in water at a depth of a metre for half-hour. That stage of safety is helpful if the speaker unintentionally falls right into a pool, or if you wish to use it close to the seaside.

It matches the spec of the Tronsmart T7, although because it doesn’t supply any surefire safety in opposition to mud, the Cleer could be thought of weaker in that division than the JBL Flip 6 or Final Ears Wonderboom 3 (each IP67).

On the highest floor (or forehead) are buttons for playback, quantity and microphone that don’t require a lot of a nudge. Maintain down on the amount buttons and you may skip forwards or backwards. Across the again are energy and Bluetooth buttons, both facet of a tab that conceals the three.5mm auxiliary enter and USB-C port.

Proper on the underside of the speaker is an LED strip that reveals present quantity ranges. Its placement isn’t all that conducive to viewing until you’re additional away from the speaker. What saves this side of the design is that it’s vivid, so until you’re hovering instantly over the speaker it may be considered from just about all angles (apart from behind, in fact).

Colors embrace this gray model and a particular racing crimson end.

Options

• Constructed-in microphone for calls
• No stereo pairing help
• As much as 12 hours battery

Options aren’t quite a few for the Cleer Scene with a built-in microphone that helps echo and noise cancellation to maintain voices clear throughout calls. Press the mic button to show it on and off however confusingly (or I’m simply dim), there’s no technique to point out whether or not it’s truly on or off.

Battery life is reportedly as much as 12 hours, although don’t take that to be precisely 12, as the speed at which the interior battery drains relies on the kind of music you take heed to (bass can have an impact) and quantity.

When performing a battery drain by listening to a Spotify playlist for an hour, the Scene misplaced 10%, although I don’t imagine Android was displaying the precise determine. In any case, round 50% quantity seems ok for 12 hours, so decrease volumes ought to supply even longer battery life. Charging is thru the USB-C port on the rear of the speaker.

Bluetooth help is model 5.0, and it has AAC help (and sure SBC too).

Except for the three.5mm jack to plug in an exterior machine (say a transportable music participant), that’s it for the characteristic checklist. No app help, no stereo pairing with one other Scene. What you see is just about what you get.

Truly, that’s a slight lie. Flip the speaker on and also you’re greeted by a power-up chime that, for the primary few notes at the least, seems like Take My Breath Away from High Gun. There’s the same inauspicious jangle when the speaker is turned off, and to be sincere I slightly prefer it. It’s just like JBL’s funky start-up sounds and it offers the Cleer a enjoyable, to not be taken too severe, character.

Sound High quality

• Clear, detailed audio
• Superb with vocals
• Can sound a little bit strident at increased volumes

Armed with twin 48mm drivers and passive radiators, at first blush the Cleer Scene’s efficiency radiates a little bit warmly. It’s not, nevertheless, sluggish or languid in its supply, because it has a driving sense of vitality about its efficiency. The Scene snaps and rips into songs with a excessive tempo, however can sluggish it down too and play the quiet moments as properly. In essence, it’s a enjoyable hear, and whenever you’re exterior that’s partly the rationale you need a wi-fi speaker.

Push the amount up and the Cleer Scene does present up some undesirable traits. Listening to Linkin Park’s Meteora 20^th Anniversary album and regardless of that (slight) heat and richness I discussed, it could possibly exhibit some sibilant traces with Chester Bennington’s and Mark Shinoda’s vocals.

However basically, the Scene places in an excellent, dynamic efficiency with vocals – barely extra dynamic than the cheaper Tronsmart T7, though that speaker offers voices extra weight – and the Cleer preserves the vocal efficiency of singers by planting them in the midst of the soundstage and relaying with welcome ranges of readability.

With Think about Dragons’ Enemy there’s good organisation of vocals and the observe’s extra synthesised components. There’s no sense that devices are shrouded or obscured by voices, and at occasions there’s some respectable depth to be present in soundstage the Scene conjures up.

What’s additionally good in regards to the Scene’s audio is its efficiency throughout the frequency vary. Increased frequencies are vivid, detailed, and different with GoGo Penguin’s Atomised, extra so than the dearer and neutral-sounding JBL Cost 5. Whereas on the different finish of the frequency vary there’s a firmness, weight and satisfying punchiness to bass that doesn’t search to turn into the driving drive of the efficiency.

With excessive ranges of midrange readability, devices are infused with spectacular sense of naturalism and element – a observe like Emily Rose’s Seven Moons is spaciously described and finely element – and allied with fluid sense of rhythm that may swing from light or energetic, the Cleer Scene impresses with many music genres.

I discovered the Cleer Scene to be a enjoyable, entertaining Bluetooth speaker, but in addition one with a powerful sense of readability and precision for its value. It’s properly value an audition for any out of doors journeys.

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Sustainability

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As a part of this mission, every time we overview a product we ship the corporate a collection of questions to assist us gauge and make clear the impression the machine has on the atmosphere.

We presently haven’t obtained solutions to the questions on this product, however will replace this web page the second we do. You may see an in depth breakdown of the questions we ask and why in our sustainability data web page.