Welcome to Stereo Separation

I am a bit of an audiophile. I’ve always loved music and quality sound, and it might help to orient you when I say that right now in my house I have no fewer than 4 active subwoofers in multi speaker surround systems. My primo setup features architectural installations and a 7.1 surround setup. I’ve also had a fair amount of experience now with Bluetooth sound devices, from multiple sets of Bluetooth enabled headphones to owning and using both a Bose Soundlink and a Sony SRS-X5 speaker. The XR5 has been my go-to wireless speaker because of its ability to put out surprisingly big (and loud) sound from a reasonably compact source.  But what I haven’t owned was a Bluetooth enabled stereo setup. So when I was given an opportunity to test the August MS515 Stereo Bluetooth speakers I jumped at it. In this review I will detail the pros and cons of this particular setup as well as give a recommendation of who I think it is best suited for.

The August MS515 speakers are nicely compact, with relatively small dimensions when compared with my suddenly quite large Sony. A little under six inches in overall length and about 3 inches on each side of the triangle.  Each speaker weighs only slightly over half a pound compared to over 2.5 pounds for my Sony. The build quality and design is a bit nicer and sleeker in person than what pictures do justice to, and the main body of the speakers has a nice soft-touch feel that is pleasing to the touch. The one downside that I noted of this material is that it can and will pick up oils from your skin (I use essential oils on my face to shave with and moisturize and so have a bit more oils available to mark them up with!). The design is logical at the back, too, where the left speaker (the primary speaker) has an on/off switch, charging port, 3.5mm auxiliary port for non-Bluetooth audio sources (thank you!), and a toggle switch for controlling tracks back and forth if you happen to be closer to the speaker than your audio source. It also has a separate port (designated in red) where you connect a cable that will carry the audio to the right speaker.

That’s right. A cable.

If you were expecting these to operate in stereo without any wires, you may be disappointed. The signal is not wirelessly transmitted from one speaker to another but instead relies on a cable to connect the two. On a positive note, there are two included cable options. One is four feet (1.2m) long and the longer is right under 10 feet (3m). Both cables seem like good quality, are a fold flat design that has the added benefit of being easy to hide if you setting the speakers up in a more permanent way. Still, it feels somewhat disappointing to have “wireless” speakers that have a wire.

The charge port is (thankfully) a now very common micro-usb that is likely shared with a number of other devices you may already have and for which a variety of charging options are available. Both speakers have to be charged independently, but in a nice packaging move there is a charge cable included that has a standard sized USB lead on one end but splits into two micro usb dongles so that you can simultaneously charge the speakers. If you don’t happen to have a USB charging adapter already you will either need to separately purchase one or plug into a USB port on your computer or laptop to charge; no AC adapter is included.  USB charge ports are now found from cars to power bars to outlets these days, so I find that fewer manufacturers are including AC adapters these days.

The right speaker is a little more passive, and has only three ports/switches on the rear: a charging port, the red coded port for connecting the audio in lead from the left speaker, and an on/off switch.

If you have any experience in pairing Bluetooth devices, you will find this one a cinch. As you as turn on the power switch on the left speaker it will immediately go into pairing mode. Simply look for the speaker under the Bluetooth settings of your audio device, select MS515, and you will likely be paired within a few seconds. The speaker gives both a small tone when it powers on and a second double tone that confirms pairing. If you have trouble pairing later on you may want to check that the previous device you connected to isn’t in range and automatically establishing a connection with the speakers again. I found that syncing with the previously used device only took a second or two longer than it took the speakers to power on.

One other Bluetooth aspect worth noting is that I found the range on the speakers quite good. I’ve got a number of Bluetooth audio devices, and the range of the MS515s seemed to be among the best. No cutting out or “blips” in sound even when I went downstairs with my phone in my pocket. This is praiseworthy in a relatively inexpensive product.

Before I go on, let me mention that one advantage to the two speaker design when it comes to mobility is that you always have the option to just use the left speaker (the right speaker cannot Bluetooth sync). If you need to travel light you have a very compact choice to bring along. In most settings, however, you are missing out on the main attraction by using just one speaker.

The MS515 Magic

In an absolute sense the August MS515 Bluetooth Stereo speakers don’t have the punch of the more powerful Sony SRSX5 and its 30 watts of power plus built in subwoofer, but the sound stage comes alive when you start to create some stereo separation by moving these speakers apart. Sounds becomes immersive in a way that the more powerful (but also more directional) Sony can’t match. This makes for great sounding, sonically pleasing music, but also makes the MS515s a nice choice for watching video content on your tablet, laptop, or mobile device. The sound quality will almost certainly exceed that of your device and will also provide better stereo separation.

Using the MS515s connected to a tablet or laptop to watch a movie provides a surprisingly immersive experience provided the environment isn’t too loud. There are moments during dialogue that I longed for just a little more volume. On the flip side I never heard the sound break down and become distorted.

The MS515 puts out very nice, clear mids and highs that don’t muddy up as the sound is turned up, but they can’t match the low end output (unsurprisingly) of the larger Sony. Each MS515 speaker is only rated at 5 watts, but the sound output belies the low power rating. The Sony easily bests the August speakers for absolute volume and for low end, but the MS515s provide a much more immersive experience.

The trade-off for small output power comes in a much longer battery life, which exceeds 15 hours and has a standby time of a whopping 30 days. This easily bests my Sony’s 8-10 hour battery time by a wide margin – perhaps even doubling it. Expect about a 3.5 hour charge time if the battery is completely depleted. This is one of user reviews favorite points on the MS515s.

There is one other key factor that is praiseworthy about the August MS515 speakers – price. The price has dropped to under $30 on Amazon, which means that they are punching way above their price point in my opinion.

Who Is the MS515 for?

In this video I really break down the difference between these stereo Bluetooth speakers and a normal single speaker solution:

August MS515 Stereo Bluetooth Speakers Review | Welcome to Stereo Separation

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So who are they for? If you are looking for a loud, portable Bluetooth speaker to throw in a corner and fill a room with sound, look elsewhere. In absolute volume (and even ultimate sound quality), there are better options. But if your primary need/application is to add quality sound to a tablet, laptop, or phone (or video source) and you intend to mostly stay in the same location, the August MS515s add another dimension through their impressive (and customizable – just move the speakers closer or wider!) stereo separation. That primary advantage is lost if they are just shoved in a corner. If used to their natural advantage the MS515s are impressive in their sound quality, portability, and battery life…and that price just can’t be beat!