Stuff We Like: Nokia MD11 portable speaker

We continue our Stuff We Like series with an inexpensive portable speaker that actually sounds great. Nokia makes a lot of accessories and peripherals, including headphones and Bluetooth headsets. But one thing they aren’t necessarily known for are portable speakers.

The MD11 is a single — but stereo-capable — speaker that is completely portable and self-contained. Powered by three AAA batteries it can provide 30 hours of music; with its built-in 3.5mm stereo cable, it will take input from any compatible device. The concept is simple and powerful.

But how does it sound? Well, by itself the speaker sounds fine; you’re missing the deep lows and accurate highs of a larger dock. To whit, for most pop songs you’re actually only missing the low-end since there is so much dynamic compression that there is barely anything above 8000hz.

If you decide to buy two speakers you can daisychain them together using an input port on either speaker: the music signal is just doubled and projected in stereo depending on which one is the plugger and which one is the plugee.

Because by itself the MD11 is a 360 degree omnidirectional speaker, it doesn’t get very loud — it has to spread itself fairly thin. But it can fill a small room with decent sound, and it’s great for impromptu gatherings such as a beach or picnic. The cord design, which wraps around the bottom of the speaker and secures tightly, is excellent. We’d like to see it slightly longer, but it’s a small price to pay.

In terms of design, it adheres pretty closely to Nokia’s industrial design. It’s available in black, white or a colourful blue that matches the hue of various Symbian phones including the N8. It’s made of plastic but appears durable and should last a long time if treated well.

Check out the Nokia MD11 portable speaker for more information. It is available at Fido retail outlets for $29.95.