BIGGIE Portable Bluetooth Speaker from Morel Hifi

Morel Hifi is one of those premium audio brands that I was peripherally aware of, but hadn’t had a chance to try. The company has made a name for itself assembling handcrafted car audio and home speakers. It also launched a minimalist portable Bluetooth speaker called the Högtalare a few years ago, it was widely accepted. This year, Morel has beefed up its portable Bluetooth speaker offering in a big (or rather small) way with the new BIGGIE. It’s clearly related to the Högtalare – minimalist, sleek and packed with high-quality components – but the BIGGIE is smaller, more affordable (at $249), available in a wide range of colors and equipped with a faux leather handle for easy portability.

Yes, using the BIGGIE name for a smaller speaker is a bit confusing, but as you’ll see, Morel Hifi does a lot of things differently.

I’ve spent the last few weeks keeping up with a couple Morel Hifi BIGGIE Speakers. The BIGGIE isn’t for everyone – I wouldn’t take one camping, for example – but they performed impressively and looked fantastic.

First impression: Looks like it should be more expensive

The BIGGIE is a minimalist box with a low-gloss painted finish, faux leather handle (embossed with Högtalare to confirm its relationship with the larger Morel Hifi speaker) and two machined metal circular pads on either side that hold the strap. position. Except for the handle, everything is sharp angles. On the back of the speaker is a 3.5mm AUX jack and a USB-C port which is used to charge the speaker or use its battery to charge a smartphone. There are no visible switches or buttons to break the surface, just the handle.

The front is completely covered by a fabric grill that matches the color of the case and is magnetically attached. Pop it and BIGGIE is suddenly revealed to be all business. The black speaker cabinet is dominated by a 4-inch woofer, with a tweeter and an on-screen bass reflex port, as well as a vertical row of backlit buttons.

As far as portable speakers go, I’d say this falls on the smaller end of the mid-sized spectrum. It’s 7 inches square, 4.5 inches deep, and weighs 5.7 pounds.

So many colors

Most portable speakers come in one color – usually black. Some offer a few colors. Morel produces the BIGGIE in nine different colors including the Denim Blue and Aqua Frost of my review units. There is a color available to complement any decor or preference.

Morel Hifi also bucks trends by assembling their products by hand.

First listen: Sounds like it should be more expensive

Looks are one thing, but what does BIGGIE sound like? The good news is that Morel didn’t spend the entire budget on making a speaker that looks good. The BIGGIE has some solid audio credentials, including a large 4-inch woofer, a 1-inch tweeter, 60W Class D amplification with custom DSP, and a front-ported bass-reflex cabinet design.

The speaker puts these components to good use. BIGGIE plays music with satisfying lows, solid mids and crisp highs. The overall tone is warm, but not muddy. Songs like Television’s “Marquee Moon” and Killing Joke’s “Love Like Blood” – both with a prominent bass line and strong electric guitar presence – sounded great, making the most of the dual-driver setup. Dandy Warhol’s “Every Day Should Be a Holiday” was full of energy.

There’s no bass or treble adjustment on the speaker, and at least at the time of writing there’s no app, so tuning the speaker is how it’ll sound—unless you resort to your phone’s EQ. The goal is balanced sound and BIGGIE does it very well.

With 60W on tap (45W on the woofer and 15W on the tweeter), BIGGIE has the power to fill a good room with impressive music. It’s also loud enough to hear neighborhood noise at a backyard party. Morel says the BIGGIE uses a dynamic EQ that continuously adjusts the sound by volume to prevent distortion.

I should mention that the BIGGIE’s battery (USB-C charger included) is good for about 20 hours of use. As with any portable speaker, this will vary depending on how loud you turn the volume, but I regularly went a week between charges without reaching a low battery warning. BIGGIE also supports fast charging, so you can go from zero to 100% in just two hours.

Also worth noting is the use of Bluetooth 5.3 wireless connectivity. The speaker has a range of up to 165 feet, and I got a good lesson in how well it works while listening to another Bluetooth speaker while swimming in my backyard pool. I had accidentally left BIGGIE on my desk and in the middle of a track, the music stopped. I thought my iPhone had overheated, but it was actually reconnected to the BIGGIE in my office and playing the music there – about 75 feet, a brick wall, two drywall walls with vents and wiring, and 2 glass doors away.

TWS: Stereo pairing takes portable wireless audio to a new level

If you have the budget to spend on two BIGGIES, the sound becomes even more impressive. Easy TWS pairing on the speaker sets one BIGGIE as the left channel and the other as the right for true 2-channel stereo. Place the speakers six feet apart and enjoy a very loud listening experience. Music has much more depth and separation than you can get from even the best mono speaker. Hearing the enhanced soundstage on tracks like Genesis’ “Turn It On Again” and Boston’s “Foreplay/Long Time” made me a convert: if I bought one of these speakers, I’d definitely pair it up.

BIGGIE Key Specifications

• Portable 2-way bass reflex speaker with custom 4-inch woofers and 1-inch soft dome tweeter
• 60 W class D amplifiers (45 W woofer and 15 W tweeter), with custom DSP
• Frequency response 40Hz-20KHz
• Bluetooth 5.3 BLE (165-foot range, Auracast-ready)
• Backlit power, volume, Bluetooth and TWS buttons
• 3.5mm AUX input
• Removable fabric grill
• Synthetic leather handle
• Rechargeable Li-ion battery with 20 hours of use @ 50% volume
• USB-C charging (and power bank function for phones), supports fast charging
• Includes USB-C charger and cable
• 7 x 7 x 4.5 inches, weighs 5.7 pounds
• Available in nine colors, MSRP $249

Not quite perfect

The one design choice I question is the decision to hide the function buttons behind the speaker grill instead of placing them on top. Yes, the buttons are backlit so they can be seen through the fabric grill, and yes, that makes for an even more minimalist look, but – you have to turn on the speaker before the buttons light up, and the power button is also hidden. You have to guess where it is. Pressing the buttons under the thin cloth can also lead to wear and/or discoloration of the material.

Of course you can solve this by removing the grill when in use.

BIGGIE also doesn’t pretend to be rugged or waterproof. You’ll want to avoid situations where it could get wet, dirty, or bumped. It also lacks the volume button that some laptops offer to boost sound output in outdoor environments. The BIGGIE can definitely be used outside, but you should play it safe with placement.

Morel Hifi BIGGIE recommendation

The Morel Hifi BIGGIE it’s a real sweet spot for anyone looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker but values ​​style and performance over features like durability and water resistance. It’s a portable that sounds as good as it looks – no mean feat considering how smart this speaker looks – and it’s easy to pick up and take with you. But it deserves a place on your patio table instead of sinking it right by the pool, the beach, or on a log by the fire.

It’s just a bonus that the BIGGIE is priced at a very reasonable $249. At that price, it would be awfully tempting to buy two. You could choose two different colors and have a portable speaker available to match any mood or decor. Whichever colors you choose, together the BIGGIES will create a very modern look and a very capable 2-channel stereo setup.

Disclosure: Morel Hifi provided BIGGIE speakers for review purposes but had no input into this review.