INTRODUCTION

   One thing that we all admit is that Bluetooth connectivity opened new horizons for many things related to wireless data transmission and although i do think it still has a long way to go before it's capable of doing things we only see in the movies it has reached levels we didn't really think possible a decade ago. One of the markets especially influenced by Bluetooth connectivity has been the audio electronics one since it (along with Wi-Fi in the case of Apple) allowed the design and manufacture of both wireless headsets and speakers just in time for the smartphone revolution. Granted at first the available products were not what one would call impressive and had numerous flaws (although back then they weren't really seen as such) but nowadays we see many decent offerings by a very large number of manufacturers established and not. ARCTIC may not new to Bluetooth connectivity since we've seen compatible headsets by them in the past but today is the first time we're taking a look at a portable wireless speaker by them the S113BT.

   The increasing heat emission of modern CPUs and graphics cards has gone beyond the capability of most manufacturers to design powerful enough yet quiet coolers. An increasing noise level was the result, which had a negative impact on productivity. A quiet computer is the basis for pleasant working conditions. ARCTIC initiated the trend towards quiet cooling systems for desktop PCs in 2001 and has given distinction to it ever since. Today ARCTIC is one of the leading manufacturers in computer cooling and has acquired profound knowhow in consumer electronics. ARCTIC is a privately-owned company with its headquarters in Switzerland and offices in Hong Kong and the USA. ARCTIC contributed significantly to the development of computer cooling solutions, created a number of patented technologies leading to greater efficiency and remarkable noise reduction. Within the cooling industry ARCTIC is recognized for offering innovative solutions with a fair price tag. Our products are sold in over 45 countries across the globe. Up until 2009, ARCTIC COOLING focused solely on cooling solutions. In 2010, we became ARCTIC with the additional aim to provide a comprehensive set of innovative consumer electronics and peripherals. ARCTIC's long term goal is nothing less than being present in everybody's home. Our philosophy is still the same since the very beginning - offering consumers value-for-money, innovations at affordable prices.

   Ever since i first heard about ARCTIC roughly 10 years ago (it was ARCTIC Cooling back then) I’ve known that their primary aim has been to bring affordable products to the masses and so if you're hoping to see something similar to the Jabra Solemate MAX or the A73 Boombox by TDK you will be somewhat disappointed since the S113BT is in the same league as the Solemate Mini and the A26 TREK. As you can see from the above picture it does have a more "pleasant" design than the other two largely thanks to the rubber bumper which i was surprised to see that it's actually available in 6 colors to cover both men and women of all ages (black, white, green, orange, blue and pink). The S113BT also comes ready with support for NFC (Near Field Communication) compatible devices and features several standards like Bluetooth 4.0 (with EDR, A2DP, AVRCP and Hands-Free support), aptX and AAC (for lossless audio streaming). It’s hardware specifications include two 1.5" full range drivers (frequency response of 30Hz-20KHz) with bass radiators (2x3W RMS), an Omni-directional microphone (-44 ±3dB sensitivity) and a Built-in 1200mAh lithium polymer (Li-poly) rechargeable battery which according to ARCTIC gives the S113BT up to 8 hours of playback. So after this detailed introduction let’s take it for a spin and see how it does.