INTRODUCTION

   Compared to even just 3-4 years ago portable speakers have grown significantly in size and although there are still not that many in the market which are not considered really "portable" any more thanks to their massive power outputs these also happen to be the only ones that can effectively cover large areas (you don't throw a party in a small room right?). Speakers like the EXOS-9 by Aiwa (and other similar in size models for example by JBL, Ultimate Ears and Marshall) may combine medium size enclosures with impressive power output but for many people (especially professionals) the lack of several features (not applicable to all) like an integrated MP3 player, physical controls (not only via smartphone), FM radio, limited connectivity and even support for Karaoke (although far less popular) are deal breakers. The recently reviewed JAD38-B Digital Sound System by E-Lektron did offer all of the above (and then some) but the lack of an internal rechargeable battery severely limited its uses. Today under our "microscope" we have the EL225-UHF (810.490) Mobile Sound System again by E-Lektron which doesn't seem to be hindered by that rather significant detail.

   E-Lektron started its business in 2007, its target to offer DJ & PA electronics online at competitive prices and with premium service. At that time regular suppliers were not so keen on their products being offered online so E-Lektron started developing their own products, starting with speakers and amplifiers. Our products are being manufactured by contract-manufacturers with E-Lektron’s high standards and are shipped to our customers in the EU with DHL from our warehouse in Paderborn, Germany. Our prices are competitive since there's no “middle man” and our products are covered by a 2-year warranty (after which we can still repair them in our own workshop thanks to our large stock of spare parts, also for older products).

   Just like the JAD38-B the EL225-UHF again by E-Lektron is a large 13.5Kg heavy digital 2-way sound system but unlike the JAD38-B even though it delivers an impressive maximum power output of up to 300 WRMS (4Ohm impedance) it can do so either plugged into a wall socket or via an interior rechargeable battery pack which can power the speaker for up to 6 hours (this depends largely on the volume used however). Digging further inside to its specifications sheet we find that thanks to its two relatively large 10"/25cm diameter woofers paired with a single 1"/25mm titanium-dome dynamic tweeter the EL225-UHF has a frequency range/response of 40Hz-20KHz with a SPL/sensitivity of 97dB. Other features include Bluetooth v4.0 connectivity via CSR's BlueCore CSR8635 QFN chip (AVCRP v1.4/A2DP v1.2/HFP v1.6/HSP v1.2/DI v1.3), rear mixer with 5 control knobs, integrated MP3/WMA player (USB and SD card), FM radio, rear LCD display with media controls, two battery powered wireless microphones (UHF) with talk-over function and 3 control knobs, dual 6.3mm ports (for two wired microphones or a single one and an instrument like an electric guitar), 3.5mm audio output and line-in and mix-out stereo RCA ports. Also we need to point out that the EL225-UHF may not be exactly what we'd call portable but to that end it has three carrying handles (left/right/top) and a telescopic handle with two base wheels which basically allows you to pull the speaker the same way as you would a suitcase.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Just like the JAD38-B the EL225-UHF arrived inside a plain cardboard box that has a product drawing on both the front and rear.

The product specifications are printed on the left side of the box (some of these don't match the ones listed online - and in our 2nd page - so we reached out to E-Lektron and they verified that the ones online are the valid ones).

Both microphones are placed inside the top cardboard spacer which is also used to keep the speaker secure during transport.

Along with the EL225-UHF Portable Sound System you are also getting its power cord, two wireless microphones, 4 AAA batteries, remote control and the user manual.

THE EL225-UHF

The two battery operated wireless microphones feature hard plastic bodies with aluminum top covers.

An on off switch is placed at the center of the plastic enclosure while the dual AAA battery compartment is located at the lower end as seen above.

With a total height of 80cm the 31.5cm wide and 30cm deep ABS plastic enclosure of the EL25-UHF is certainly not what we'd call small.

To have a better idea about its size we placed the EL225-UHF next to both the JAD38-B and the EXOS-9.

Both 10"/25cm woofers are located at the front of the enclosure behind metal grills and right beneath the bass reflex ports and the 1"/25mm titanium dome tweeter placed in the acoustic horn.

All three ABS plastic handles are very sturdy and so is the telescopic handle which is made by both ABS plastic and aluminum (the handle features a press to release button at the top and when extended the height of the speaker increases to 97cm).

Once again at the rear is where all the fun is so here we find the control console (mixer) with its 5 individual control knobs (microphone volume/echo/treble/bass/master volume) and the talk-over button, LCD screen with its 7 control buttons (mode/SD-USB source/previous track/next track/repeat/mute/play-pause-scan), SD/MMC card slot (E-Lektron states support for SD cards up to 16GB in capacity but just like with the JAD38-B we even used 128GB models without issue), USB port (supports only USB flash drives), two 6.3mm ports, stereo line-in and mix-out RCA ports, 12V DC in (E-Lektron sells both a wall and a car lighter adapter), battery status LEDs, on/off button and 3 control knobs with their activity LEDs for the wireless microphones.

Further down we find the power port with the fuse compartment.

At the base we see two small plastic wheels (can be replaced if broken/worn out) and a 35mm pole socket for use with standard speaker stands.

Here you can see the battery/power activity LEDs when the device is turned on.

Removing the metal plate located beneath the power port reveals a Ritar 12V 7.2AH (7200mAh) Sealed lead/acid battery cell (too much power output for anything less).

The LCD screen is longer and more detailed than the one found in the JAD38-B.

CONCLUSION

   Just like the JAD38-B the ABS plastic enclosure of the EL225-UHF may not offer much in terms of design/appearance (it’s basically a very large speaker design-wise) and it’s not the highest quality material available but it’s sturdy/durable and quite lightweight compared to other material so it’s no wonder that there are countless sound systems in the market made by it. Personally i think that RGB lighting is the only thing missing from ABS plastic enclosures to make them comparable to others made by more expensive materials (some manufacturers have in fact begun to add RGB lighting to their models and although it may not sound quite “professional” still it’s a feature we’d like to see). Once again the built-in MP3/WMA player accessible by both the USB and the SD/MMC card slot (once again you can use SD cards of at least up to 128GB as long as you format them with the exFAT system) and the intergrated mixer made us remember two of the reasons behind the why we liked the JAD38-B so much. The wireless microphones may not be good enough for serious professional use (signal range and clarity are good) both because of their plastic housings and audio quality in general but they actually perform better than expected for a PA system (should be quite invaluable for children parties). Audio quality is once again surprisingly good and seems to actually be just a tad better compared to that of the JAD38-B (probably because of the two woofers instead of a single larger one). Still at times volume levels felt less powerful compared to those of the JAD38-B so in terms of power output although the EL225-UHF seems to have more on paper in reality they seem to be evenly matched. One of the strong selling points of the EL225-UHF however is without doubt its built-in 7200mAh battery and although 6 hours is not a realistic number (E-Lektron must have reached that number with the volume set at like 20%) we did manage to hit slightly over 4 at almost 50% volume which for a speaker that size is a very good number. The really good news is that you can find batteries like the one used in the EL225-UHF pretty much everywhere so not only can you replace this one when depleted for good but you could also carry a couple around with you for backups (replacing the battery shouldn’t take more than 2 minutes in total).

   The E-Lektron EL225-UHF Mobile Sound System currently retails for 252.99Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) and although at first glance some people may consider this as a bit much let’s keep in mind that there are less powerful and feature-rich models in the market that cost a lot more (even almost twice as much in some cases). True because of their design they may blend-in better in your living room or bedroom but strictly from a features and power output standpoint they fall short when compared to the EL225-UHF. Overall just like with the JAD38-B the EL225-UHF may not be perfect but thanks to its available features, power output, battery operation and current price tag it’s certainly worth our Golden Award.

PROS

- Durable ABS Plastic Enclosure
- Power Output (300 WRMS)
- 7200mAh Rechargeable Battery (Up To 6 Hours)
- Bluetooth v4.0
- SD/MMC/USB Player (Compatible with MP3/WMA)
- 2 Battery Operated Wireless Microphones
- Microphone/Instrument 6.3mm Inputs
- Stereo RCA Input/Output Ports
- LCD Screen With Controls
- FM Radio
- Alarm Mode
- Price (Compared To Similar Models)

CONS

- Size/Weight
- No RGB LEDs
- Price (For Some)