There is no volume button on the device, but they have two power settings that will instantly give more loudness and increase the fullness of the sound. You can switch between these modes via a single power button press. Last month I was down in London meeting up with about 20 or so other audio fans. Everyone had come together to show off their latest and greatest portable gear. Loads of high-end stuff were set out for us to play about with; the usual headphones, amps, DACs, and DAPs littered the tables; it was a nerds paradise. So it was kind of strange that, on this occasion, the product I came away most impressed with was a tiny portable Bluetooth speaker. It wasn't just me though, a lot of people had been blown away by the Minirig Bluetooth speaker, a modular speaker unit that was pumping out the beats when we arrived in the reception area. What are Minirigs? Just a single speaker will be more than enough to really get people gathering together in an open space, or even encourage some complaints from the neighbors. MiniRig is one of the best-known brands on the market for customers in search of a compact, powerful speaker tech. The main reason that the Minirigs sound so good comes down to the big single-unit driver on the inside. Almost all these other companies have taken the approach of creating multi-driver Bluetooth speakers, whereas Minirigs has opted for a single extremely high-end unit.

Minirigs is a UK-based company that has taken a completely different approach to designing a portable Bluetooth speaker. One of simple design and outstanding build. The simplicity and attention to detail and performance are what sets them apart. A couple of years ago, they released their Minirig System of Bluetooth speakers. You can read our original Minirig speaker review here, but the short version is that I was blown away and declared it my favorite Bluetooth speaker.2 years later, do I still feel the same? Yes. Have I found anything better? No. Not in a direct comparison of sound and performance with its competitors. One slight downside is that the more you ramp up the volume, the more likely it is that you’ll lose out on things like bass clarity.

Things just got lively

As mentioned above, the MiniRig 3 is intended to be a little more tech-friendly than its predecessors. Various additions and changes make this speaker more impressive than ever, including a new custom-built 70mm driver with wonderfully deep bass, and a fantastic 100-hour battery life. The sound is full and rich, with lots of detail and minimal distortion. Even when you push the speaker to its total volume, it sounds incredible and results in a slight clipping of the bass instead of completely degrading the sound. There’s also an app for Android and iPhone that enables you to play and pause your media, pair up Minirigs, switch between stereo and mono modes and even turn them off remotely. It’s a great little addition to the whole setup.

Clearly the long and thin stereo approach is more desirable for enhancing the audio when watching video on a laptop or any other occasion where you’ll be sat directly in front of the speaker/s but for just blasting out music while camping, gardening, cooking, partying in your hotel room, a single loudspeaker does the job just fine. So where then does the Minirigs potential hit the ceiling? Where does it get to the point that it can't compete? Well, for that answer, I would say around about the Helsinki or Iloud. It becomes a matter of size and the amount of air you can move, and those two are far bigger speakers with much less battery life. Well, the Minirig doesn't have anywhere near that functionality, so if those features take priority over sound for you, then you best stop reading.As a speaker with a single driver, the MiniRig 3 goes above and beyond to deliver an unforgettable stereo sound experience. This is handy if you’re going to be working in a booth with limited space. Build Quality and Design Credit: Minirigs

You wouldn’t be wrong if you mistook the Minirig 3 for the original model or the second because Minirig doesn’t change their design, and there is an excellent reason. The speaker, in my opinion, is perfect the way it is and built better than any other on the market. Yes, the Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth speakers are prettier to look at than many others, but they are nowhere near as robust and compact as the Minirig 3’s chassis. The “3” in the speaker’s name refers to the 3 stages of evolution the MiniRig has moved through during the last few years. The way it works is your link in the subunit to the speaker and should significantly boost the low end. As I said I haven’t had the chance to play with one of these, but it could be an exciting addition if you don’t mind carrying the extra weight.Sound Quality Aside from the points mentioned so far, there are a handful of additional features that might make the MiniRig 3 more appealing to some professionals. A well-made chassis combined with high-quality materials and fantastic drop protection makes these speakers stronger than your average tech. You can also expect some water resistance, although we wouldn’t recommend submerging these speakers in too much liquid. THowever, at the louder levels, the low frequencies do begin to dwindle. MiniRig 3 Review: Pros and Cons At high volumes, there is a bit of distortion, especially in the bass as the single woofer struggles to provide enough impact, leading to a hollow and wooden sounding beat. Highs at max volume are slightly harsh but still very controlled. There is a single button that controls power, pairing, and gain output. The sides have points of connection for daisy-chaining the speaker with other Minirigs products such as the bass cannon and Minirig 2 or just another Mini to make a 2.1 style mini hi-fi system. However, the provided cable does allow you to use the Minirig’s battery to charge your mobile devices. There’s enough juice onboard to fully charge an iPhone 6 Plus once or an iPhone 4S twice. The Minirig Mini is an amazing sounding speaker for its size. Sound is balanced and there’s even a bit of bass to be had, which isn’t always the case with small speakers. While the bass response is good, mids are where the Mini shine, allowing vocal and acoustic music to sound natural. You even get a sense of an instrument’s texture.