LG XBoom Go PL7 review

The LG XBoom Go PL7 is a direct competitor to portable Bluetooth speakers like the JBL Flip 5 and the Sony SRS-XB33. Its only goal is to get the party going. That’s not just a meaningless statement that could be said about any speaker. It’s LG’s way of saying what they plan to do.

The XBoom Go PL7 is great for parties because it has features like wireless party link and water resistance. It also has a fun multi-color lighting option like the Sony speaker we just talked about. Along with its punchy Meridian-tuned sound and impressive 24-hour battery life, the LG XBoom Go PL7 is a great all-arounder for casual parties that put fun over sound quality.

The XBoom Go PL7 isn’t for everyone, of course. If you’re likely to sit in your den and listen to classical music while sipping brandy from a snifter, you might be better off with high-end bookshelf speakers, which have a cleaner sound and better acoustics.

LG XBoom Go PL7 review: Design

The 9.7 x 3.9 x 3.9-inch PL7 looks like the tips of a pill were shaved off and replaced with caps that have an LED light ring on each end. The rings pulse in different colors and at different speeds (you can control the lights with the XBoom app). The end caps also work as passive bass radiators.

When the sound has a lot of bass, they vibrate, which is another cool thing to see. The PL7 has two 2.3-inch drivers on the inside that make the high and midrange tones. It has buttons for volume, power, pairing with Bluetooth, Sound Boost (which makes the vocals louder), and a light that shows how much battery is left.

Behind a plastic flap on the back, there is a 3.5 mm auxiliary input, a USB-C port for charging, and buttons to change the light modes, turn on Multi Mode, and turn on Dual Mode. That’s more buttons than most portable Bluetooth speakers have, but it’s nice to be able to use most of the speaker’s features without having to use an app. You can buy this speaker from its official website.

LG XBoom Go PL7 review: Features

We already said that the back of the speaker had three more buttons. One is Dual Mode, which makes the speaker part of a stereo pair so that the sound is even bigger and scarier loud. You can only pair a PL7 with another PL7. For example, you can’t pair a PL7 with a PL5.T

he next feature is called “Multi Mode,” and it seems like it was added just to beat a Guinness World Record. With this, you can connect up to 100 LG XBOOM PL7 speakers and bother your next-door neighbors and those a few doors down. The third button is a lot easier to use.

It changes the mood lighting on the speaker. The PL7 also works with LG smart TVs with Bluetooth Surround Ready features. If you have two speakers, you can connect them to a TV that can handle it to get surround sound. Google Assistant and Siri can be used with the XBOOM PL7 through a mobile device, but you have to hold down the “Play” button for two seconds to make it work.

LG XBoom Go PL7 review: Connectivity

The PL7 is a bit different from other portable Bluetooth speakers because it has a companion app that lets you change the lighting, choose between BT and aux connectivity, turn on the SOUND BOOST sound mode, and update the firmware. The app can also play music from your phone or tablet.

Physical controls include a power button, a Bluetooth pairing button, volume up and down buttons, a button to turn on or off SOUND BOOST, and a play/pause button that can also be used to skip forward or backward (triple tap).

You can also answer or end calls by tapping the play/pause button, and if you hold it down for two seconds, you can use the digital voice assistant that is built into the phone and connected via Bluetooth. Around the back, behind a little water-resistant door, you’ll find buttons for Dual and Multi-mode connectivity.

A button to cycle through or turn off the unit’s lighting effects, a recessed reset button, a USB-C charging port, a 3.5mm aux audio in, and a USB port that can be used to charge portable devices (only when the speaker is on).

LG XBoom Go PL7 review: Sound Performance

On the top of the unit, you’ll find a set of controls, including a power button, a Bluetooth pairing button, volume – and + buttons, a Play/Pause button, and a button for turning on Sound Boost mode. Under a plastic flap on the back of the device are USB Type C and Type A ports, an AUX port, and buttons for Dual Mode, Multi-Mode (which lets you pair up to 100 speakers together), and cycling through light brightness levels.

Since the LG XBoom Go PL7 is made for people who like to party, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it can handle water up to IPX5 standards. This means that you can splash water on the device or even wash it under a running faucet, but you shouldn’t put it all the way under water.

LG XBoom Go PL7 review: Battery Life

The battery lasts a long time, too. The LG XBOOM Go PL7 Bluetooth speaker has a huge 3,900 mAh battery, which we used for more than 23 hours. With a 15W USB Type C charger from a Samsung phone, it takes more than 5 hours to charge (since there is no charger in the box of this speaker).

Most of the time, we had the charger plugged in, so it wasn’t a big deal. If you want to use it outside or without a charger, a full day’s battery life is great, and it’s by far the longest we’ve seen for a Bluetooth speaker. The speaker can also be used as a speakerphone for your phone.

Don’t forget that it doesn’t have a MIC, so you have to keep the phone close to you for the voice to be heard. Also, you can download the LG XBOOM app to access the device’s extra features, such as lighting effects and an equalizer. Most of the time, we didn’t need it because the default mode works well for all kinds of listening.

The highs, mids, and lows are all great. At 30W RMS, the LG XBOOM Go PL7 Bluetooth speaker is pretty loud, and the sound didn’t crackle even at full volume. We loved the sound as a whole.

LG XBoom Go PL7 review: Final words

The LG XBoom Go PL7 is a portable Bluetooth speaker with great sound, a long battery life, and a lot of volume. It also has fun lights. You don’t get a voice assistant built in, and the bass won’t be too loud. It’s not as tough as some other speakers either.

But the PL7 is worth considering if you want a reliable and attractive portable Bluetooth speaker and don’t need those extra features. It’s not the first speaker to have LEDs; they’re unnecessary. But if the PL7 does everything else you want, the lights could be a reason to choose it over other speakers like the UE Megaboom 3.