Pros:
- High quality microphone provides good reception with noise and echo cancellation
- treVolo Voice Engine – designed to focus on human voice clarity – makes this soundbar ideal for online learning, Microsoft Teams meetings, VOIP apps, and other applications where voice reception is critical.
- ~12 hours of battery life
Cons:
- $209, but it’s worth it if you have need of crystal clear voice transmission
About BenQ
BenQ Corporation was founded in 1984 and is based out of Tapei, Taiwan. They’re well known for their quality projectors and high end monitors and ZOWIE gaming brand – but they also make products like reading lamps, webcams, wireless HDMI systems, and speakers.
With this article we’ll be taking a quick look at the BenQ treVolo U, a portable bluetooth soundbar designed for crystal clear voice clarity.
Introduction Video
Packaging
The treVolo U soundbar arrives in a small box about twice the size of the speaker itself.
Opening the box reveals the quick start guide, with the accessories and speaker underneath. The speaker is protected by a soft covering and molded cardboard.
Included with the package are:
- treVolo U Bluetooth Speaker
- Power Adapter/Charger
- USB Charging Cable
- Analog Audio Cable
- Quick Start Guide
The Speaker
The soundbar itself is white with a metallic aqua blue grill on the front. On the left is the unit’s ECM microphone and distance sensor.
On top of the speaker are the button controls. The first button controls the audio mode, the second activates the safe audio feature, and the rest are self-explanatory – volume up and down, bluetooth, and power buttons.
On the back of the unit is another grill, a USB-C port, and an analog audio port for those who have devices without bluetooth support.
Features
Details that matter
BenQ advertises the following features with the treVolo U bluetooth speaker:
A. treVolo Voice Engine
This exclusive technology strengthens vocal sounds, enhancing clarity and pronunciation.
B. High quality microphone
Wide-angle sound reception takes in all the details.
C. 12-degree Elevation
Both the speaker and microphone are directed upward, enhancing the hearing and speaking experience.
D. Duo driver speaker
Separating the tweeter from the mid-range driver and woofer provides a rich and consistent sound mix.
E. Acoustic echo cancellation
Delayed echo and ambient sounds are filtered out to provide the crispest human voices.
F. One-piece cabinet design
Vibrations and sound leakage are minimized for better overall sound quality.
G. Customized passive radiator
Specially selected patented materials give even low volumes bold bass.
Background Noise Isolation and Echo Cancellation
Two are better than one
If you have two treVolo U speakers, you can use the “True Wireless Stereo” mode in the treVolo U app to use them together as a left and right speaker.
Three Sound Modes
The treVolo U has 3 preset sound modes with settings optimized for different environments. The default music mode is designed for video and media consumption. Video learning mode is designed to enhance vocal quality for online courses, and live learning mode provides smart echo control and noise cancellation.
Sleep Mode
One feature I really enjoy is the device’s Sleep Mode. When you enable this mode, you set a time limit. Once that limit is reached, the speaker turns itself off. This is a nifty feature if you like to fall asleep to music or other sounds.
Focus on voice clarity
The treVolo U features a premium Electret Condenser Microphone (ECM) and a parabolic design reception for sound input. Combined with the noise isolation and echo cancellation features included with the treVolo U’s built-in AEC technology the result is real sounding, accurate and crisp voice clarity.
For a demonstration on the quality of the microphone, I’ve made a recording using the speaker where I read a portion of this article.
Safe Volume Mode
Safe Volume mode is designed to automatically adjust the volume levels of the speaker based on ambient noise, the distance of the user from the speaker, and the input audio for good audio clarity and to safeguard hearing. This feature utilizes both the distance detection sensor, microphone, and the treVolo Voice engine to accomplish this.
Using the companion treVolo U app, this can be calibrated for optimal clarity. If you’re closer to the unit, the noise levels will be reduced. If you are further away, it will increase the volume to an appropriate level.
Updateable Firmware
The treVolo U speaker is capable of firmware updates to enhance and improve its functionality. The companion app will alert you when a firmware update is available.
To update the firmware, you’ll need to download the update software from BenQ and connect the speaker to a computer via USB. The process is fairly simple, taking about 5 minutes to complete.
Conclusion
I’ve been using BenQ’s treVolo U for a little over a month now. My primary job involves a lot of VOIP applications, and BenQ’s focus on voice clarity makes a world of difference. When I’m speaking to someone using the treVolo U, the crystal clear quality of the sound makes it feel like I’m actually talking to the person in real life rather than on a call.
At $209, the treVolo isn’t cheap – but if you’re like me and have use of a device which focuses on ensuring the clarity of voice transmission for VOIP applications or remote learning, it’s worth every penny.
