Review: BlueAnt Burleigh Bluetooth Speaker – Big sound with a little price tag

BlueAnt is an Australian owned and designed audio company that has been around the market for a few years now. The last of their products we picked up here at EFTM were the Pump Air True Wireless earbuds, and they impressed – which is why we were so excited to get our hands on the BlueAnt Burleigh. On first impression you’ll note that this speaker is big and beautiful, what you missed is its hidden functionality and simple controls.

Packing 40W of power, Burleigh is able to produce an enormous sound. Before anything else, my first two questions when buying audio equipment is whether or not it’s clear and whether or not it’s loud. Burleigh provided in both regards. Retailing for $240, this device is a serious competitor in the speaker market.

Certified at IP54 splash-proofing, Burleigh is durable enough for your outdoor events, while being stylish enough for the lounge room. It’s just as suited to the poolside as it is the home theatre room. Those paying close attention will notice there are two heavyweight indents on top of the speaker for mounting or otherwise carrying it around, a nice touch by the team at BlueAnt.

The right side panel is home to some very simple, but all encompassing controls. You’ve got next song, previous song, mute and EQ buttons surrounding the power button in the center. On top, Burleigh houses a play/pause and volume controls – with the left hand panel comfortably concealing the charging ports.

With three EQ modes, BlueAnt Burleigh will suit the vast majority of the population’s audio needs. Between the ‘standard’ mode, ‘bass boost’ and ‘movie’ (treble mode for all intents and purposes), you’re more than able to get a sound that suits you.

The only possible complaint I could make about this speaker is the fact that it has verbal responses. Every button/action you make is met with a voice confirming or otherwise announcing, e.g “Pairing”, “Powering Down”, “Connected”. You could hardly argue that this is a flaw in any capacity, just a personal preference that I feel is shared with the majority.

All things considered, for $240, BlueAnt Burleigh is a phenomenal bluetooth speaker for both home use and your outdoor events. The device is available exclusively through Telstra in other one upfront $240 payment or otherwise in weekly installments.