u/CyraxxFavoriteStylus

Introduction

I want to thank LG for giving me the privilege of reviewing the LG xboom Stage 501 as part of a

promotional event. I was given a review unit, but my thoughts on the xboom Stage 501 are my own

and were not dictated by LG in any way, shape, or form. So, thanks again, LG.

Sound Quality: Powerful Performance From a Portable Speaker

Starting off with one of the most important aspects of a Bluetooth speaker, I have to say that the

xboom Stage 501 was a pleasure to listen to. I’m not an audiophile, but I did look forward to trying a

variety of genres. The xboom Stage 501 comes with a variety of sound effect presets, and using the

“Sound Field Enhance” preset resulted in a nice full sound, combined with a very pleasant bass at

higher volumes. I really enjoyed just using the speaker in my day-to-day life. I let multiple family

members borrow the speaker for a day, and they were all very satisfied with it. I didn’t hear any

complaints about sound quality, especially considering the speaker is portable. In addition to the

sound profiles, there is also a treble, mid, and bass slider for more in-depth customization.

Useful Features for Everyday and Party Use

One of the headline features is the AI Karaoke feature that can use LG’s tech to remove lyrics from a

song in real time. There are two quality levels, and I was very impressed with AI Karaoke when using

the voice remover on high. You do lose a bit of the instrumentation, but not so much that it is

distracting, and it isn’t very noticeable when actively singing karaoke in a party setting.

A feature I ended up enjoying quite a bit that I didn’t see advertised is the ability to connect the

speaker to a USB device as an audio output. I found it to be very useful for devices I couldn’t pair with

Bluetooth.

There is water resistance that I haven’t checked yet—hopefully I will never have to test that

feature—but I do really appreciate the peace of mind that comes with it.

There are two 6.3 mm audio jacks that can be used for mics for the aforementioned AI Karaoke

feature, but the speaker can also be used as a guitar amp, which is something I’ve never seen in a

speaker before. I don’t have a guitar, so I wasn’t able to test that feature, but it was present in the LG

ThinQ app, so there’s a cool bonus for you guitarists.

In addition to those features, there is also custom RGB lighting, a party link mode, and a DJ mode

that pair perfectly with AI Karaoke for party use. All in all, there are a lot of features, and they are all

very cool to use.

High-Capacity Battery for Long-Lasting Use

LG advertises a high-capacity battery with up to 25 hours of battery life, and that was about on par

with what I experienced. The high-capacity battery makes the xboom Stage 501 a great option for

long gatherings, outdoor activities, and parties where charging may not be convenient. I was able to

use the speaker for over a day without charging with the lights disabled and volume on 15/40. There

is really no comparison between the LG xboom Stage 501 and my old Soundcore 2, and I’m very

impressed at how long the speaker lasts.

Comparison to Other Portable Speakers

My main party speaker prior to the xboom Stage 501 was the Soundcore 2 from Anker, and the

Xboom 501 is no comparison. Between the audio quality, volume, long-lasting battery life, and the AI

Karaoke feature, I’ve literally never had more fun hanging with my pals than with the xboom.

Final Thoughts

I was very impressed with my time with the LG xboom Stage 501. It does have a bit of a hefty price at

$500 USD, but I would have been satisfied with my purchase if I had picked this speaker up.

Heading to Microcenter today to make some big purchases so I'm looking to get rid of this parts asap.

Timestamps: https://imgur.com/a/CMuMEzG

Prices:

Ryzen 5800xt/Asus B550M-A Wifi II/32gb (4x8gb) 3200mhz ram: $250

Ryzen 3600: $30

3080 12GB FTW3: $250

This is local only, pickup near Pearland or meet at Microcenter Houston around 11-12.