HIGHLIGHTS
- The Realme Cobble includes a USB Type-C charging connector.
- The Realme Link app may be used to customise the Cobble speaker's settings.
- This speaker has a reasonable volume and is suitable for personal listening.
The Cobble Bluetooth speaker now has Realme Link app compatibility.
The word 'Cobble' refers to cobblestone, which was formerly a popular building material for roadways, sidewalks, and even buildings. The top-firing driver is protected by a huge grille on this oval-shaped speaker. The grille has a Realme logo painted in the centre, and I received a black unit for my evaluation. The Cobble is also available in blue, with a unique camouflage design instead of a Realme logo on the grille.
The Realme Cobble is neither particularly tall nor particularly broad, and it sits rather securely on any surface owing to little rubber feet at the bottom. The speaker includes a permanent strap for easier carrying on one side and a rubber flap that conceals the USB Type-C connector on the other. The Realme Cobble speaker is IPX5 certified for water resistant, so it should be able to withstand a few splashes.
The front includes two buttons: one for power and another for multi-function. The latter can be set to control playback as well as other purposes. The Realme Link app allows you to customise different button-press combinations, and the speaker automatically enters pairing mode when it isn't connected to a source device. On the front, there's also a microphone and an indication light.
A single 5W driver powers the Realme Cobble Bluetooth speaker. It connects through Bluetooth 5 and supports the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. A USB Type-C charging cable is included in the sales package. The speaker weighs about 200g, making it easy to transport.
The Realme Link app may be used to customise button behaviour, turn on the auto power-off feature to save power after 15 minutes of inactivity, enable low-latency gaming mode, and choose between equalisation settings. The app also shows the speaker's battery level and may be used to set up stereo connection if you have a second Realme Cobble speaker. These are quite impressive features for a low-cost wireless speaker, and most others in this price range don't have them.
For a Bluetooth speaker of this size and price, the battery life is adequate. The Realme Cobble's 1,500mAh battery can run it for around eight hours on a single charge when listening to music and making phone calls at moderate volumes. This was close to the Cobble's claimed playback time of nine hours.
The Realme Cobble Bluetooth speaker has a reasonably powerful and nice sound.
Most wireless speakers costing around Rs. 2,000 are modest and designed for a personal or limited-radius listening experience. That is exactly what the Realme Cobble is. However, with the volume turned up, it is pretty loud for its price and size, and it sounds good even at roughly 80 percent loudness.
Because of the top-firing speaker driver, the sound travels very effectively around the gadget, allowing it to be utilised in almost any posture, including hanging on its strap. Although it vibrates quite a bit in normal usage, the rubber feet make it sturdy when put on any flat surface, and the multi-function button was simple to reach when I used this speaker at my work station.
With the volume dialled up, listening to Everlasting Days by Nu:Logic on the Realme Cobble Bluetooth speaker was a pleasurable experience, with sound that was clear and coherent for a gadget of this size and budget. The Cobble was able to keep up with the track's shifting tempo and energy, but the low-end didn't sound as stunning as I had imagined — the bass seemed flat and lacking in impact.
Changing the equalisation setting through the app improved the rumbling and attack slightly, however I felt that the mid-range and highs suffered as a result. I returned to the 'Balanced' EQ preset and listened to Kings of Convenience's considerably slower and more polished The Girl From Back Then. The highs of the jazzy piano and saxophone riff near the end of the tune, as well as Norwegian vocalist Erlend Nye's soulful vocals, sounded relaxing and accurate.
I felt most at ease listening to music on this speaker at roughly 60% loudness, with it around two feet away from me. The Cobble can tolerate audio playback up to 80 percent loudness before it becomes harsh and distorted. The Realme Cobble gets loud enough and delivers decent enough sound at its highest practical volume level to function in a fairly large bedroom. Of course, you can transport it from room to room and even use it outside.
The Realme Cobble Bluetooth speaker is ideal for music, but it can also handle occasional dialogue-heavy video programmes. It also contains a microphone for hands-free phone conversations, and call quality was adequate. Although the microphone caught up my voice rather well, I couldn't hear calls very well. Even at high settings, I frequently had to pick up the speaker and move it closer to my ear to hear well.
Verdict
Realme's first Bluetooth speaker in India is amazing for a variety of reasons, but the value on offer here stands out the most. At Rs. 1,799, this is an excellent tiny wireless speaker with a great design, app customization, IPX5 water protection, and reasonable quality.
Although not as bass-heavy as some may have hoped, the Realme Cobble Bluetooth speaker provides a clear, crisp, and moderately powerful sound for the price. The Realme Cobble Bluetooth speaker has very few flaws, and it has quickly become one of my top recommendations in this category.
