AYL Mini Speaker System, Portable Plug-in Speaker with 3.5mm Aux Input & 3.5 mm Jack, External Audio for Laptop, MP3, iPhone – Small Wireless Bluetooth Speaker with Built-in Mic (Black)

I purchased this speaker so that I could listen to mp3s in my car without headphones. It does the job very well and has good volume for the spoken word content that I listen to (podcasts, interviews, lectures) . The volume thumb wheel is a great feature which allows smooth level adjustment to the device it is paired with. The extended accordion feature does add a slight amount more bass, butt only just noticeably. You are not going to get a lot of bass out of a speaker this size, and the volume will not blow your hair back, but it is a vast improvement over an onboard device speaker. I did try it with some music, and was not all that impressed...it sounded tinny and thin, although clear in the mid-range and highs. But for my application and usage, it's the perfect solution at a reasonable price. The onboard connector plug has a fairly short wire, but it also came with an ~18" extension cable which is super handy. The listing mentioned "velvet carry bag" which wasn't in the box, but no big deal there as it collapses down to a good pocket size.

I bought the AYL Mini Speaker System because my computer is tucked so far under my desk, behind monitors, cables, and possibly a small ecosystem of dust bunnies, that its built-in speakers might as well be whispering from inside a cardboard box wrapped in a blanket inside a cave. And I was not about to move it. That would involve effort, and possibly locating a screwdriver. Enter this tiny plug-in speaker. First reaction? “Oh great, another micro-speaker that’ll sound like a kazoo in a tin can.” Actual reaction after plugging it in? “Wait… why does this thing sound better than my TV?” This little guy is roughly the size of a golf ball with ambition, yet somehow it pumps out sound like it really cares about my YouTube videos and questionable Spotify playlists. Pros: Plugs directly into the headphone jack. No pairing. No Bluetooth drama. No "Searching for device…" while you scream at your phone. Just plug and boom — noise. It’s tiny. Like "I lost it in my backpack for three days" tiny. Sound quality is shockingly good. Not “replace your home theater” good, but definitely “wow, I didn’t know small electronics could have bass” good. Built-in battery that recharges via USB. Because of course it does. It’s 2025, and we don’t accept AAA batteries anymore. Cons: If you're expecting Dolby Atmos from something the size of a jawbreaker, you’re going to have a bad time. The cord is... there. It’s not winning any beauty contests. But hey, it’s functional, and that’s more than I can say for most of my ex-tech gadgets. Final Thoughts: I got this because my computer was basically whispering to me from Narnia, and now I’ve got a loud, proud, snack-sized speaker that actually sounds great. It’s the audio equivalent of finding out your goldfish can sing opera. Would I recommend it? 100%. Would I be mildly offended if it ever dies? Absolutely. We’ve been through a lot together already.

This improves on the weaknesses of the basic, small, hamburger speaker. After struggling with the controls on a no-name brand hamburger (the volume control and power switch are combined; the stem for the 3.5mm has a sharp bend when stored which will make it prone to breaking the wire inside; non-standard charging port). The AYL has a power switch and a separate rotary volume control. The connecting cable is long enough that when stored it does not put pressure on the internal wires. It has a USB-C charging port. The AYL also stretches open like a hamburger to increase sound. It allows connecting other AYL speakers together. I have never used either of these options. It is a more than decent mini speaker. Provides more than adequate sound for my Mp3 player and portable DVD player.

I'll cover a fact or two that may not be apparent about the little wired speaker (AYL), but keep in mind that this speaker has been sold for several years, and from other reviews it is clear that it has undergone some design changes over that time - so everything here applies only to the one I happened to receive, in early December 2022. Also, bear in mind that I am not an audiophile, and am using the speaker on a QRP (low power) amateur radio that has a very small and inadequate built-in speaker, not for listening to music. Volume control: Mine has a traditional continuous control, zero to full volume, not the push or flick side-to-side volume control many others have reported. Either will work; I prefer this control. Charging port: USB C. The included short USB C cable is claimed to be only for charging, not data transfer. The speaker charges fine from other USB C charging cables & chargers intended for phones. The USB C port has an intriguing "CHARGE AUDIO" labeling on the device. Surely this doesn't mean it will accept USB audio input? I did not check. It probably is just an artifact of sharing parts with another model that does, or of carelessness in labeling. Perhaps some brave soul will test it and report back in a review or comment. It came with a microscopic instruction manual, written in "stiff" English. Also a greeting card from the USA seller, with phone # and web site. The "Aux" output jack (labeled "AUDIO" on the device), intended for daisy-chaining multiple speakers together to get more sound, appears to be a pass-through (it is active whether the speaker is on or off). Take Note: it can be used as an input as well. It is more handy for me to use a male-to-male (plug to plug) stereo 3.5 mm jumper cable to connect my audio to the speaker than to unfurl the short stereo cable and plug from its position tucked away on the bottom of the speaker (this plug/cable is labeled "AUX IN" on the device). A 3.5mm stereo extension cable (female to male / jack to plug) was included to help get that short plug/cable on the speaker bottom to an audio source more than a couple of inches away (I did not measure its length), but since I don't use that cable input, I simply tested this extension cable (it works fine) and stored it away with other audio cables and connectors. Some people have complained that the speaker will not stay "shut". Mine can be squeezed down to compress the accordion pleats and twisted to lock it into a compact ball. It will stay that way while handled. I did not feel the need for the extra bass the extension "pop-up" is intended to deliver. That might get music "thumbing" the bass rhythm, but for radio communications, it has plenty of bass when "closed". I expect the audio quality is fine for the kind of casual music listening for which it is intended. For any hams reading, the radio is a tr(uSDX), with its tiny, tinny speaker (better than nothing, but still). The AYL speaker gives great audio, with a decent range of volume, with the radio set to volume levels of 10 or so. You can turn up the volume on the radio without triggering feedback (owners will know what I mean), but at some point the little speaker will overload and start to distort. It should be enough volume for working outdoors in all but the very worst conditions. For those times, give up and use a headset. I don't have any experience on ruggedness, longevity, battery life, etc., though the battery seemed to be holding up fine for some extended listening, right out of the box, without charging it at all. The LED on the bottom is blue during operation, red during charging, and blue again when charging is complete. I don't know yet whether the LED somehow signals a low battery. (Hopefully, not with that creepy voice some reviews report!) The only thing I'd change is the top; it is too open for my taste, potentially allowing dirt and debris into the speaker diaphragm area. I'd prefer a fine screen. A very minor design complaint. It did not come with a bag or case, but I'll find something to keep it safe and clean during transport. If it fails early, or there is "news", I'll try to come back to this review and update it.

Happy with the sound this little speaker puts out. It is easy the turn on & to adjust the sound. If the cord to hook to the player was longer I might buy another for my computer, but I am using it with a tiny MP3 player in my office and both take up only a hands length of space on my shelf so it is perfect.

I am very happy with my AYL mini speaker! I got it primarily to use with my sine wave generator. It holds the tone very well and is small enough to fit in a small space!

I'm using this in a hotel room both to listen to a radio app while getting dressed and to boost the sound of my alarm clock apps in the morning. Pros: Very small. Good sound. I can play it in the bedroom area and hear it in the bathroom area. You can turn the volume loud enough to hear without distorting the sound (I'm not using this for music, but it is fine for the news). It comes with the minimally required cords. Cons: 1) You are going to want to buy your own cords as the cords that come with it are a bit short. 2) When you use other cords, though, the power cord will pop out at random. Even though it is supposed to hold a charge, it often stops playing when unplugged. I never actually used the cords that came with it, so I'm not sure if the original cord posed the same problem. 2) The speaker makes a noise (sometimes, not always, but enough to be annoying), when it is plugged into my phone but I'm not playing audio. That's a problem because I want to leave the speaker on, but my phone silent, so my alarm will play through the speaker. It improved when I moved the power source from my USB hub (where I also plugged in my phone) to a power outlet on the other side of the nightstand. Still, this problem seems common with mini speakers. I've ordered a Bluetooth speaker to see if that bypasses the entire problem. 3) Oh, that's another con - it isn't blue-tooth capable. 4) The blue light is super bright. Probably not a problem for most people, but I can't stand any light when I'm trying to get to sleep. I'm not sure why it needs to be that vibrant... I know I put down a lot of "cons" but I do like this little speaker. It just doesn't suit my purpose as well as I had hoped.

I've had this for 7 months now. It works very well. Much better than expected. The only reason for not giving it 5 stars is that it has become very hard to shut off. The switch doesn't have a positive click when going to off and I have to press on it hard to get it to shut off. Sometimes I have to turn it on and off a couple of times before that will work and then I'm still not sure it will stay off. The only other negative is that there is no indication when the battery is low. It just suddenly shuts off and needs to be charged, but that's a small point. The on off switch not turning it off is the only real problem. The sound is good. The volume level is good. I probably have a random one with a bad switch. Better to have it hard to turn off than hard to turn on. I would recommend this product.

Great Company, fast delivery. Excellent quality speaker using it with my portable radio amateur equipment the perfect set up.

Es muy básico, no es bluetooth ni wireless como dice la descripción