Bluetooth audio at an XS price

Geneva XS Bluetooth speaker/FM radio/alarm clock by Geneva Lab
$249.95 at Amazon.com

With so many Bluetooth wireless speakers on the market, how can a company stand out from the crowd? Switzerland’s Geneva Lab has found a way. First, make a speaker that looks and sounds really good. And then, charge a small fortune for it.

The Geneva XS is a sleek white plastic box that unfolds into a sort of travel clock/radio. Yes, you can tune in FM stations; it even has an old-school telescoping antenna. It’s also got a rechargeable battery that’s supposed to be good for about five hours of listening, though you can also plug the XS right into the wall. You can connect a cellphone, MP3 player, or other portable audio device using a standard phono jack. Or if your phone or laptop has Bluetooth, do a wireless hookup.

I fed the speakers a series of selections from my Android phone, and found it the best sounding Bluetooth speaker system I’ve tested. This little speaker can crank out an remarkable volume of sound, with a minimum of distortion. Alas, an even more remarkable feature of the XS is its price, far more than I’d ever pay for a portable speaker. But if you’re an audio buff with deep pockets, the Geneva XS is well worth a listen.