Philips TAS1209 review: Pocket-sized speaker that packs a punch

What if you could get a Bluetooth speaker that’s handy enough to clip to your backpack, loud enough for your morning walk, and affordable enough that it doesn’t sting the wallet? Would you settle for 80% of the way there? The Philips TAS1209 asks exactly that.

​I have been using the Philips budget speaker for around a month, and here’s my two cents on how it performed in the real world.

​Design and features:

​The speaker comes in a full plastic design with rounded corners and the media control buttons on the top. You get the usual buttons: Volume up, Volume down, Power on, and Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, there is no separate button for changing tracks, and the volume buttons also don’t support this feature. There is also a small LED indicator adjacent to the volume buttons which lights up in white to show the speaker is turned on and then switches to a dark blue shade when the speaker is paired.

​On the front of the speaker is a black grille with a pattern of small red perforations which gives it a sporty look. The lack of any lighting around the grille, though, seems like a missed opportunity.

​What’s great is that Philips has designed a carrying hook into the speaker itself, which means you can easily attach it to your backpack when going for a long walk, yoga sessions in the park, or treks. At around 200 grams, the speaker is also light enough to toss in your bag and forget about it.

​Performance:

​The TAS1209 comes with a 5W output which translates to an output that is good enough for a single person to listen to but isn’t loud enough to light up even a big-sized room. As for the audio quality, I found that the speaker packs a punchy bass which makes listening to Bollywood or Punjabi songs enjoyable, but for an indie lover like me, the vocals feel a bit overshadowed.

​As for the battery life, Philips claims that the speaker can last about 12 hours on a single charge, but in my tests the speaker only lasts a maximum of 7-8 hours, which is also decent enough for its size. Meanwhile, fully charging the speaker takes about 1.5-2 hours.

​The speaker can also take calls with the built-in microphone, but don’t get your hopes too high about the call quality.

​Verdict:

​The price of the TAS1209 varies depending on the platform you buy it from. At the time of writing this review, the speaker was listed around the ₹1,600 mark on the Philips website and ₹900 on Amazon. At this price, the Philips TAS1209 offers great value with its sporty look, attached hook, IPX4 rating, and pleasing sound quality for most users. However, the loudness could be an issue for people who prefer to listen to their music at high volumes.