Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
The Pure Jongo S3 offers portability and flexibility in the form of Wi - Fi , wired , and Bluetooth connectivity , but its multi - way and Wi - Fi capabilities are limited as is its faithfulness .
Thanks to the growing popularity of AirPlay , and wireless speakers from the the likes of of Sonos , multi - way audio is finding its way into an increasing number of homes . Pure , a caller mostly known for its Internet - radio and iPod / iPhone - dock products , is a relative newcomer to this business with itsJongo wireless speakers . While I ’ve heed to a number of Jongo products , I focus here on the most elastic model of the family , the the $ 200Jongo S3 .
The S3 ’s flexibleness comes in the form of its portability and the turn of ways you may associate to it . At something close to 5 by 5.5 by 5.3 inches in size and weighing just under 3 Ezra Loomis Pound , the S3 can be easy moved from stead to berth ; aiding in that portability is an internal shelling pack rat for 10 hours of turn sentence . ( You charge the speaker , and can power it , using the include power adapter . )
In terms of connectivity , you may pullulate music to the S3 via Wi - Fi or Bluetooth ( the latter postulate an included Bluetooth dongle that jacks into a USB port on the back of the speaker ) . The S3 also includes an auxiliary - input jack for directly connecting an external audio beginning such as an iPod .
Inside the S3 you find a small amplifier , four .75 - inch tweeters ( two in front and two in back ) , and a single 3.5 - inch upward - facing speaker that handle the low and midrange frequence . The front of the utterer have intensity up and down button along with a mute push .
you could produce a stereo system pair if your have two S3s — one plays the leftover duct and the other the right . Alternatively , you’re able to stream the same music to multiple Jongo units on the same Wi - Fi net . However , unlike with a Sonos system , you ca n’t pour different music to different units within the same group . If you want to play classic music in the livelihood room and rap in the rumpus room , you have to expend a different source for each — your iPad for one room and an iPhone or Android gadget for the other , for deterrent example .
Making connections
To test the S3 , I tie in my iPad Air to the unit via both Bluetooth and Wi - Fi . Of the two , Bluetooth is the easiest to set up : I simply pressed the S3 ’s power button , switched on Bluetooth on the iPad , wait for the S3 to appear in the list of Bluetooth devices on the iPad , and then tapped that name . The loudspeaker paired with the iPad and then became usable as an audio destination .
Creating a Wi - Fi connection , however , was more tortuous . Unfortunately , the S3 does n’t endorse AirPlay , so I began by downloading a copy of the free Pure Connect app . Then I trade on the S3 , pressed the Wi - Fi button on the back , and expect for the power push button to show off xanthous . Next , I enter the Wi - Fi setting sieve on the iPad and tapped the S3 ’s name when it appeared . ( The S3 created its own Wi - Fi meshing for this apparatus routine ; this step join my iPad to that net . ) This launched a frame-up projection screen where I chose the Wi - Fi connection I really wanted to use with the speaker . Once I coif that up properly , the iPad reverted to the original Wi - Fi web it was using before I start all this . Finally , within the utter Connect app , I rap a button to exchange on the Jongo unit(s ) I want to stream to .
Thankfully , you have to do this for only the first S3 social unit you configure . To add another S3 , you just press and hold the Wi - Fi button on any already connected unit until its great power ignitor flashes light-green , and then press and hold the Wi - Fi button on the unit of measurement you ’re tally until its might sparkle pulses green . When both brightness level show a unwavering green , that means the 2d unit has connect the political party .
If there ’s a weak radio link in this chain — besides , for iOS users , the want of AirPlay — it ’s the requirement to go through the Pure Connect app when connect via Wi - Fi . Unlike with AirPlay and Bluetooth , you ca n’t teem all your equipment ’s audio over Wi - Fi . Rather , you ’re special to the audio that the saturated Connect app can manage : euphony filing cabinet stored on the machine , cyberspace radio station , compatible music files stored on DLNA servers on the same connection , and Pure ’s Pure Connect music - subscription service ( $ 5 a calendar month for streaming only , $ 10 to add offline playback ) . There ’s no fashion , for illustration , to play audio from popular euphony religious service such as Pandora or Spotify . The alternative is to flip to a Bluetooth connection , which earmark you to stream anything , but you ’re then cumber by Bluetooth ’s 30 - foot range between the broadcasting machine and the utterer .
Sounding off
The S3 has four speaker system profile : Mono 360 ° , Outdoor Boost , Stereo 360 ° ( where the four small utterer play left and correct audio and the large loudspeaker do as the “ subwoofer ” ) , and Stereo Forward Facing ( the front two speaker system speakers play along with the larger speaker ) . These options can be toggled only by pressing the Audio button on the back of the utterer . It would be nice if you could switch between profile using the Pure Connect app .
Quite candidly , I did n’t listen a startling difference between the profiles when pose in front of the verbaliser . With such a small envelopment , there ’s nearly no stereo separation , so you should n’t expect miracles when switching from stereo to mono . However , if you ’ve placed the utterer in the middle of a elbow room with no impedimenta around it and you ’re standing behind the speaker system , switch on the rear tweeter does make a difference .
The S3 is not a speaker unit that sounds its best when crank up up to tatty mass grade . Take it to its upper volume limit , and it sounds like a small speaker task with too much to do — the humble midrange takes over and things get muddy . At miserable - to - restrained volumes , it still sounds like a small talker , but one that is n’t trying too hard .
Audio quality also does n’t improve observably when you create a stereo duo of S3 units . Audio is still small and a bit boxy .
The bottom line
The Jongo S3 ’s primary advantage is that it can be used just about anywhere , thanks to three connection methods , portable size , and shelling power . But as part of a multi - way music system , it ca n’t compete with the similarly pricedSonos Play 1 , which sounds well and can be part of a system that has access to all the major music services over Wi - Fi , can access all the music in your home library , and can rain cats and dogs unlike medicine to different speakers on its web . If multi - room medicine is your ultimate end , go with Sonos . If , or else , you ’re after a portable and flexible speaker ( or two ) that ’s at home inside or out , your best bet is to audition the S3 along with a few other Bluetooth talker in its cost range .
