The Minirig 4 is a high-end portable speaker geared towards audio enthusiasts who want the flexibility to go wireless or wired. You can place it vertically or on its side, hang it from a lanyard around your neck, or add a Minirig subwoofer or Minirig speakers. Despite its small size, most of the aluminum and ABS casing is dedicated to fitting around the 70 mm driver without any unnecessary bulk.
Our Verdict
The Minirig 4 is alright for listening to music. It's a single speaker, so it downmixes stereo content to mono. You can wirelessly connect or pair it with other Minirig speakers via the AUX cable to create a stereo pair and even add one of the brand's subs. By itself, its default sound is somewhat warm, with more high bass and low-mids emphasis than bright treble. Bass guitars sound fairly warm, but don't expect punchy or thumpy kick drums from this tiny device. You get bass and treble sliders to alter the sound in an otherwise straightforward app. It also gets loud for its size and sounds more or less the same across different listening angles. That said, many of the speaker's benefits are unlocked when you mate it to one or more Minirig speakers, which is no small added cost.
Bass and treble sliders in-app.
Flexible wired and wireless connectivity.
Solid battery performance and features.
Many features need a second speaker to appreciate.
App is pretty basic.
Downmixes stereo to mono.
The Minirig 4 is not bad for watching videos and movies. On the plus side, it exhibits low latency over Bluetooth and wired connections, so you're unlikely to experience lip-sync mismatches. It's no replacement for a soundbar, and while you can create a stereo pair with a second Minirig, as is, it downmixes your audio to mono. For dialogue-heavy viewing, this is fine, but it's not immersive or capable of reproducing the deep bass necessary for most blockbuster films.
Bass and treble sliders in-app.
Flexible wired and wireless connectivity.
Low latency audio.
Many features need a second speaker to appreciate.
App is pretty basic.
Downmixes stereo to mono.
The Minirig 4 is excellent for listening to podcasts. Voices are reproduced with clarity, and the speaker's directivity means you can place it in the room while you move about the space and expect it to sound similar from different listening angles. You can also pair a second device with it, so switching audio sources is seamless. That said, it doesn't necessarily get loud enough to reach your ears from several rooms away, but it's small enough to take to the other side of the house or on your patio.
Very portable.
Solid battery performance and features.
App is pretty basic.
The Minirig 4's microphone is for calls only and doesn't support voice assistants.
The Minirig 4 is good for outdoor use. Its small size makes it easy to take with you, and its battery life is long enough for an outing, depending on the volume level. Plus, you can charge your phone using the speaker's battery. That said, its IPX4 rating is only splash-resistant, meaning it's not totally impervious to the elements if you're heading to the beach or poolside. Due to its size, it's also unable to reproduce a full-sounding low end. But it does get loud.
Bass and treble sliders in-app.
Very portable.
Flexible wired and wireless connectivity.
Solid battery performance and features.
Many features need a second speaker to appreciate.
App is pretty basic.
Lacks dust-proofing and impact resistance ratings.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 28, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 1.0.1. This includes the Test Bench 1.0 updates to all of our Sound tests: Frequency Response Accuracy, Raw Frequency Response, Directivity, and Loudness, as well as the revised Low-Frequency Extension calculation and related DRC updates introduced in Test Bench 1.0.1. There have also been text changes throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons, where applicable, to match these results. You can read more about these changes in our Test Bench 1.0 changelog and Test Bench 1.0.1 changelog.
- Updated Jul 13, 2026: This review has been updated to Test Bench 1.0, which includes new results for all of our Sound tests: Frequency Response Accuracy, Raw Frequency Response, Directivity, and Loudness. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons, to match these results. You can read more about these changes in our changelog.
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Updated Apr 29, 2025:
We updated the binaural audio recordings in the Raw Frequency Response section of this review because the previous recordings used incorrect gain settings.
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Updated Apr 07, 2025:
We retested the speaker's sound in other configurations, on its side and upright, with extra graphs added. We also tested the battery performance with different quick chargers. A note about battery sizes was added to Differences Between Sizes And Variants.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Minirig 4 is available in a few eye-catching jewel tones to visibly stand out from the crowd or blend in with neutral and stealth mode shades. Our unit is 'Brushed Ion' (here's its label), and we expect it to perform about the same as the 'Electric Blue,' 'Ultra Black,' 'Green Wave,' 'Purple Ray,' and 'Laser Red' variants. There's also a hand-painted variant by Mr Cenz. At some point in their production, the speaker's internal battery was upsized from 28Wh to 33Wh, so that may affect the battery performance between units.
If you encounter another variant, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Minirig 4 is the upsized sibling of the Minirig Mini 2 and boasts a larger driver with a longer expected battery life. Alongside the Minirig Subwoofer 3, meant to fill out the bass frequencies, these speakers are unique in that they're pint-sized Bluetooth speakers aimed at the audiophile market. In contrast, there are speakers like the Sonos Roam 2, which has extra smart features not available to the Minirig 4. In exchange, the Minirig boasts wired connectivity, the possibility of adding the brand's subwoofer, and an attractive metal build, striking a different note than the similar-sized JBL Clip 5, which is purpose-built for duties like muddy hiking trips that the Minirig can't handle without a greater degree of care.
For more comparisons, check out the best small Bluetooth speakers, the best portable Bluetooth speakers, and the best-sounding Bluetooth speakers.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve II and the Minirig 4 are both upscale portable speakers meant to stand upright and not meant to go on especially rugged terrain. The Bose has a more comprehensive control scheme and a higher IP55 rating. It also lets you use a voice assistant. Unfortunately, it lacks an EQ and uses Micro-USB to charge. In contrast, the smaller Minirig offers bass and treble sliders to alter the sound. While its battery life is shorter, you can fast charge it (if you have a 20W USB-C PD adapter) and use it as a power bank for your devices, too. Like the Bose, you can pair it with other compatible speakers. On the downside, its controls aren't as intuitive, and its IPX4 rating isn't as tough.
Whether the JBL Flip 6 or the Minirig 4 is better for you depends on your primary usage. The JBL's IP67 rating makes it a more durable speaker for rough elements. Its interface offers more immediate access to playback controls than the Minirig, though it lacks wired connectivity of any kind, aside from a charging port. That said, the Minirig supports both wired and Bluetooth pairing, and its soundstage is less susceptible to listening at angles, which makes it a bit more flexible in these regards. Its battery lasts longer and can be used as a power bank to charge other devices in a pinch. Still, it's only IPX4-rated, so it's only protected against water splashes.
Although the Sony SRS-XB100 and the Minirig 4 are both small cylindrical Bluetooth speakers, they have different strengths and belong to different tiers. The Sony speaker's strengths include its long battery life, dedicated physical controls, and IP67 rating. You can add a second speaker of the same model for a stereo pair. However, you can't change its frequency response in its basic app. In contrast, the Minirig is made from premium materials, though its IP rating is lower. You can also link it to other speakers via a wired or Bluetooth connection with up to four speakers.
The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 is more versatile than the Minirig 4, though less customizable. The Ultimate Ears speaker's battery lasts longer, with a tougher IP67 rating, making it suited for adventures. Its controls are clearly laid out, and you can pair a second compatible speaker over Bluetooth. However, the Minirig offers both wired and Bluetooth connections with an app that lets you adjust the bass and treble. Despite being smaller, it also gets a bit louder than the Ultimate Ears. You can also use it as a power bank to recharge other devices. However, its IPX4 rating won't ward off damage beyond a few raindrops.
Test Results
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