Measurements

Frequency response
89 Hz to 14.9 kHz, ±5.1 dB 0° on-axis, ±5.1 dB 0° to 30° avg

MCMäxxx™ maximum level test (1 meter)
86 dB

Frequency response measurements were taken with a Clio 10 FW audio analyzer and the MIC-01 measurement mike designed for use with Clio. The measurements above 300 Hz were done at a distance of 0.5 meters with the device atop a 2-meter stand using quasi-anechoic MLS technique. The blue curve in the accompanying graph shows the response at 0° on-axis; the green curve shows the average of measurements taken at 0°, 10°, 20°, and 30° horizontally. To measure response below 300 Hz, I did a ground plane measurement at 1 meter. The ground plane result was then spliced to the quasi-anechoic curves. The ground plane measurement was smoothed to 1/6^th octave; quasi-anechoic measurements to 1/12^th octave. All measurements were taken using the 3.5mm line input, feeding the left channel only.

The Dash 7's frequency response looks pretty flat up to 2 kHz; then it rises abruptly by several dB; then it gradually declines between 3 and 10 kHz. That resonant peak at 14 kHz might look a little scary, but it's so high in frequency that it's unlikely you'll notice it. Averaged 0° to 30° response is almost identical to the on-axis response, indicating broad dispersion, but that's to be expected with such small drivers.

I also included a chart comparing the Dash 7's frequency response to that of the FoxL v2 I measured for last year's Bluetooth speaker roundup. As you can see, the measurements are a little different, but there's a strong family resemblance, indicating that that Dash 7 shouldn't sound radically different from the FoxL.

In my MCMäxxx™ test, in which I crank up Mötley Crüe's "Kickstart My Heart" (a tune that employs extreme dynamic compression) then record the maximum usable volume at 1 meter, the Dash 7 scored 86 dB, beating out the Jambox by 3 dB and coming just 1 dB short of the output of the much larger Braven BRV-1 and the even larger Native Union Switch. That's impressive and surprising output for such a slim device.

Bottom line

The Dash 7 would be a great product even if it weren't quite as good as the original FoxL, just because its form factor is more convenient and its look is sexier. The fact that the Dash 7 is actually slightly better than the original FoxL-and better than most competing Bluetooth speakers I've tried-proves that it's just as much a miracle product as the original FoxL was. There's no speaker I'd rather share my hotel room with.