We took a “Deep dive” in our American Audio APX12 GO BT Review. Here’s what we think:
Here at The DJs Guru, we’ve noticed a trend. Battery-powered speakers are becoming more and more popular and for good reason. An increasing number of people, especially wedding clients, are choosing to have their celebrations in remote locations. Even if you aren’t doing a lot of outdoor events, a portable battery-operated speaker is useful. Where? For wedding ceremonies, cocktail hours, and backyard parties to name just a few places. American Audio was one of the first DJ audio companies to offer a compact battery-operated speaker for those on a budget with the ELS GO series. Now with the APX12 GO BT, they’ve created an even better option that still comes in at an affordable price. Not only is the speaker battery-powered, but it includes built-in wheels and an extendable handle, Bluetooth capability, a media player, and even an included wireless microphone. In this American Audio APX12 GO BT Review, we’ll talk about all the features, pros, and cons of this awesome little speaker.
Build Quality
The APX12 GO BT, like many PA speakers on the market, is constructed with a durable plastic cabinet. This reduces weight and is resistant to scratches. I banged my speaker around quite a bit during testing and there is nary a scratch to be seen. Because the speaker body also contains a battery, the plastic construction helps keep the weight to a reasonable 35 lbs.
The most important aspect of the cabinet design in my mind, however, is the extendable luggage-style handle. This is found on the top of the speaker along with the small rolling wheels on the bottom. These are discreet and not noticeable while the speaker is mounted. But they make the process of transporting the speaker into and out of venues a breeze.
Ins and Outs
One of the biggest advantages that I see to the APX12 GO BT is the myriad of connection options on the back. Starting with the most typical, you have an XLR microphone input, a line-in section that has XLR, 3.5mm aux, and RCA connectors, and an XLR link output for daisy-chaining speakers together. Each of these inputs has its own volume knob. The speaker also has a master volume knob and a two-band (high and low) EQ.
Above these inputs is the media player, which is one of the biggest selling points of this speaker. The media player was introduced with the previous ELS series of speakers. It is truly a handy tool to have on hand for music playback. It consists of a USB input for flash drives, an SD card slot, a Bluetooth connection, an FM radio, a small display to change settings, and a handful of control buttons.
All of these work flawlessly. During testing, I was able to use the Bluetooth connection up to about 150 feet before I completely lost signal. This is way farther than I would be comfortable stretching the Bluetooth at an event. However, it’s nice to know the connection is solid. Even if you use your DJ controller and laptop 100% of the time and never think about the media player, it’s nice to know that, should the worst happen and your controller and laptop go down, you can pop a USB stick in the media player and have music going while you troubleshoot.
American Audio APX12 GO BT Review – Accessories
Included with the speaker is an AC cable for powering the speaker or charging (it can be used while it is charging), a small IR remote, and a wireless UHF microphone. The IR remote works up to about 25 feet to control the media player. This gives you the ability to change tracks, volume, and modes without being behind the speaker.
The UHF microphone is another great inclusion for those who see this speaker as the ultimate backup. I’ll be honest – neither the build quality nor the sound quality of the microphone are stellar. However, they are passable for backup use. You could easily reach for it if your main microphone went down and it would help you finish out the gig. Once again, I got usable audio from the microphone out to a distance of 150 feet or so. Even without the microphone, the speaker is a killer value, so the fact that they threw one in is a huge plus.
Sound Quality
Sound quality is what you’d expect from an entry-level speaker. Despite having a 12″ woofer, the bass is thinner than other 12″ cabinets. The highs and mids, thankfully, are not recessed or scooped like many budget PA speakers. The sound is surprisingly clear – much more so than the previous ELS series and more than I expected at the price point.
You can add a little more reinforcement to the low end by bumping up the low EQ knob to the 2 or 3 o clock position. Power is rated at 65W continuous, 200W peak, so you won’t be throwing any school dances with these. That being said, there is more than enough juice for a wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, or background music.
Final Thoughts
In my mind, the APX12 GO BT is the ultimate backup speaker for the average DJ. The combination of battery power, handle and wheels, built-in media player, and included microphone make it a no-brainer to have one of these stowed in your vehicle in case of an event emergency. The value for the money far exceeds what they’re charging for it, and it earns a solid two-thumbs up from me.
