Review of the Sven PS-950 mobile audio system

In recent years, Sven has been actively expanding the range of its mobile speakers for parties. They are distinguished by their volume, large size, backlight and the ability to connect microphones for karaoke. Presumably, someone inside the company shares the passion for the holidays, but most likely this is due to the high demand for such devices. Each new model must have unique features, otherwise the project is meaningless. Sven is developing its speakers in three directions: changing the design, increasing power and improving the backlight. Recently, it has been noticed that the design is becoming more concise and simple, which is very attractive. However, other features such as the built-in player, radio, microphone inputs and effects remain unchanged and have been in demand for many years. The Sven PS-950 model under review is an excellent example of progress in each of these directions. There is a reduction in decorative elements and improved lighting, as well as an increase in power to 160 W compared to the previous PS-800 model. Although the weight has increased from 5.2 kg to 9 kg, the speaker is still portable and can easily fit into the trunk of a car. Additionally, basic water protection (IPx4) has appeared, which was lacking in many previous models. It remains to be seen what other new features this model will bring.

Sven PS-950 comes in a blue and white package with a picture of the device and the main characteristics on the box. Inside the column is fixed with foam inserts, providing its reliable protection during transportation.

The delivery set includes documentation, a network cable 1.5 meters long, an audio cable with 3.5 mm mini-jacks at the ends also 1.5 meters long, and a remote control. All cables are made at a high level of quality: flexible, reliable and not too thin.

In addition, the kit also includes branded batteries for the remote control. The compartment for them is located under the cover on the back panel of the remote control, which we will discuss in detail in the corresponding chapter.

The speaker looks simple and minimalistic, with most of the side surfaces covered with a metal mesh and without noticeable decorative elements. However, everything changes as soon as the backlight turns on. Not only the speakers glow, but also the manufacturer's logos on the side panels, which adds brightness. In addition, all panels except the rear have bright LED strobe lights at the top and bottom.

Without active backlighting, the front panel attracts attention only with a voluminous logo on the metal mesh that protects the speakers. The sticker with icons displaying the technical characteristics of the speaker can be removed — this will give even greater rigor to the appearance.

There are as many as four emitters behind the grid. Large speakers with a diaphragm diameter of 140 mm are responsible for low and mid frequencies.

Around the bass speakers you can see translucent plastic elements that provide the lighting. The tweeters are located in the center of the front panel, their diameter is 58 mm.

On the back wall we see small stickers with brief technical characteristics of the device, a carrying handle, a power connector and a bass reflex hole.

The handle is wide enough to comfortably accommodate a large man's hand, but not too deep, which can cause discomfort on the fingers. In general, this is not a problem, since the speaker is not intended for long-term wear. However, for moving from place to place or short distances, the handle is ideal.

The bass reflex bell has a large diameter — 65 mm. The inner tube has a bend, which increases the efficiency of the resonator and prevents various objects from falling into the housing.

The side panels contain decorative elements containing the logo. They are noticeable even without backlighting, but with it they predictably look much more interesting.

At the top there is a large LED display and a control panel, which will be described later. It is important to note that all connectors and fasteners are covered with rubber plugs that provide protection from water. The surface of the case is matte and resistant to dirt from touch.

The panel stands out for its unusualness thanks to large buttons and the complete absence of rotary controls. The especially large volume control buttons are not only functional, but also have decorative value. The result is an unusual but easy-to-use panel.

At the bottom there are small rubber feet that ensure stable placement of the speaker on a horizontal surface and absorb a small part of unwanted vibrations during its operation.

As mentioned earlier, all fastenings are covered with something: legs, rubber plugs or stickers. This is probably done to improve appearance and protect against water. While a plastic sticker certainly won't provide much protection against liquid penetration into the case, it can prevent moisture from accumulating in the mounting recesses. For the stated IPx4 protection level, which implies splash protection, this may be sufficient.

The top panel can be easily removed, and on its inside there are boards that control the operation of buttons, controls and the display. Of particular interest is a separate board responsible for audio functionality, which we will consider in more detail.

Responsibility for the Bluetooth connection lies with MVsilicon BP1048B2, which is well known to us from other Sven products. This chip is also often found in budget devices from other manufacturers. For example, we saw it in an «advanced» network player, where Bluetooth support was used more as an additional option rather than a main feature. The antenna, as usual, is made in the form of a track on the board.

You should also pay attention to electrolytic capacitors from a Chinese manufacturer, which is represented under several brands, as well as transistors from Guangdong Lihong Microelectronics from Shenzhen and a voltage converter FP5217.

The selected components belong to the budget segment, which is not surprising in this context. But the real interest comes when examining the heatsink in the center of the board. We remove it and find that there are no markings on the amplifier, which is a slight disappointment. However, we have already encountered a similar chip in the Sven PS-730, although the declared power there was 100 W, while in the speaker we are testing today it is 160 W.

The grille is a single piece that covers all sides of the speaker except the rear. It comes off relatively easily. Below it on the front panel are the speakers. There is a translucent ring around the woofer membranes, behind which there are light sources.

Further disassembly of the device had to be canceled, since each subsequent step raised concerns about maintaining the integrity of the case and the possibility of its subsequent assembly. Glue is used in some areas of the seams, although not always neatly or everywhere. However, this may be sufficient to provide splash protection.

After activating Bluetooth, the speaker first tries to connect with previously connected devices, then goes into pairing mode — here everything is as usual. You can connect through the device menu, but it’s easier to use an NFC tag. We touch, agree, connect — the process takes only half a minute. When you turn it on for the first time, the device emits a loud signal, and then informs you of each action using beeps. Luckily, they can be turned off by holding down the audio source button.

The Sven PS-950 does not support multipoint; using the Bluetooth Tweaker utility, we traditionally obtained a complete list of supported codecs and their modes. There is again only one codec — SBC.

The maximum value of the Bitpool parameter is set at 250, which is significantly higher than the recommended High Quality profile with its value of 51. This guarantees maximum use of the codec's capabilities and ensures high-quality acoustics without restrictions.

With a wired connection, everything is simple: just connect the included cable to the source and speaker, and then activate the corresponding input. The same goes for microphones, the settings of which we will look at later. And if you want to enjoy full stereo sound, this option is also provided, even in wireless mode.

The top panel houses a large LED display, a control panel and a stand for a tablet or smartphone. The kit also includes a remote control — in general, everything is user-friendly. The speaker is pleasant and convenient to use, although there are still some nuances.

The screen here is large, but its information part, unfortunately, is not as large as that of previous models. Almost half of its area is occupied by equalizer “columns”, which in this case are more decorative than functional. While this gives the device a certain charm, we would have preferred to see more indicators, perhaps even tags or names of the audio files being played, especially if they were built into the player. But this remains just a dream for now.

The screen again consists of four seven-segment indicators and a pair of icons. All basic data is available: connection status, radio frequency, backlight mode, volume, and so on. Some information may look a little strange: for example, the «jazz» EQ preset appears as «ja22», and some adjustments may be reduced due to indicator limitations. But in general, it’s not difficult to understand and get used to it.

The buttons are large and comfortable, with a pleasant press and a soft click. Particularly prominent are the volume keys, which are hard to miss. Although a rotary control may seem preferable to some, it is a matter of habit. There are a lot of different buttons and connectors on the panel, some of them perform several functions at the same time. All parameters, including volume and microphone settings, can be controlled from the panel. The microphone input settings are very extensive, with the ability to adjust echo and equalizer effects to improve the sound of your voice. However, keep in mind that microphones are intended primarily for entertainment and not for professional use. Sven PS-950 is suitable for amateur karaoke and small events, but can also be used as a mobile music center.

We have already discussed three types of inputs: two for microphones, one line-level, as well as a USB port and a slot for microSD cards. The built-in player supports popular audio formats: MP3, FLAC, WAV, WMA and APE. It automatically goes through folders, and you can navigate between them using the remote or the buttons on the top bar. You can organize tracks into folders, which is useful for creating playlists, although only track or folder numbers are shown on screen.

The radio works great, finding most stations even indoors when the antenna cable is plugged into the line-in jack. Outdoors, the reception quality is even better, especially when the antenna is raised slightly upward.

The remote control has buttons that are pressed with some resistance, but at the same time they make a characteristic click. Keys for controlling playback and volume are grouped into a compact ring, which provides ease of use without visual control.

The number of buttons on the remote control reaches as many as 37 pieces — this is more than many other stationary devices. Mastering all their functions will certainly take some time, but thanks to this you can configure almost all parameters, from the backlight to the microphones. To make the process easier, you can use the illustrations from the instructions.

The speaker lighting offers a variety of modes, from breathing effect to simulated rotation, and the logos on the sides attract attention with their iridescent colors. Bright strobe lights flash to the beat of the music and can create the atmosphere of a real dance floor in motion. However, there are also some disadvantages. To turn off the backlight, you need to long press the corresponding key: first the strobes are turned off, and then, after pressing again, the entire backlight is turned off. It's comfortable. But the disadvantage is that every time you turn on the speaker, the backlight is activated again, and each time you have to turn it off again.

The promised battery life is up to 22 hours. This is an impressive figure considering the volume and backlighting of the speaker. However, actual battery life may vary greatly depending on the selected volume, backlight activity, and other factors including ambient temperature. During our testing, at medium volume with the backlight fully turned on, the Sven PS-950 lasted about 15 hours.

The sound of Sven PS-950 has its own unique feature, which differs from previously tested Sven partybox models. While the PS-730 pleased us with its relatively “even” sound, the heroine of today’s test has an original character, with a pronounced midrange and the upper parts of the sound range slightly shifted back. The bass sounds full, although a little boomy. The overall impression is loud, with an emphasis on vocals, which is suitable for outdoor dancing to popular tracks or for karaoke, where a pronounced midrange is important. However, it is worth remembering that there may be those around who do not share your musical preferences.

For clarity, we present a graph of the frequency response obtained by placing the measuring microphone at a distance of a meter from the acoustics, on the axis of the high-frequency speakers.

The bass range noticeably “buzzes” at the bass reflex tuning frequency, which is clearly visible in the graph of the cumulative attenuation spectrum (or “waterfall”). However, resonances at higher frequencies could probably be mitigated by damping the internal volume of the speaker cabinet.

The sound can be slightly adjusted to your taste — several options are offered for this. The Mega Bass feature is a little more subtle than its name might suggest, but still emphasizes the low-frequency range.

The built-in equalizer presets also have a gentle effect on the sound, each changing it slightly, adapting it to different genres. We started with the «Flat» preset, which marks the neutral position of all EQ controls.

If you want to influence the sound more significantly, the Bass and Treble settings will come to the rescue. You can significantly increase the bass or, conversely, reduce it. High frequencies can also be adjusted well, but the dip in the upper mids cannot be corrected.

Although the horizontal dispersion of the sound is not bad, it is still better to point the speaker towards the listeners. Even with a slight rotation of 15°, high frequencies begin to lose their expressiveness, and further rotation enhances this effect.

One of the main advantages of Sven PS-950 is its spectacular appearance. This device has become a new word in the field of Sven partyboxes thanks to its numerous backlights. But besides this, the speaker has many other advantages, such as convenient controls, support for selecting a folder on a connected drive and numerous settings for microphone inputs. We also note a minimal number of obvious shortcomings, such as the activation of the backlight every time you turn it on. As for the sound, it is quite specific, but goes well with the main scenario for using acoustics, which is to place it in the center of the dance floor at a friendly party.