This and That:
Standard power cord that can be replaced easily (C7 plug).
The design seems to be clearly inspired by that of an early generation Bose Wave Radio (the same seems to go for the sound, as the Mi sounds very full, warm and bassy as well).
Rubber feet and surprisingly heavy. Made of plastic.
Decent build quality but doesn't appear as premium as Xiaomi's small Bluetooth speakers or the GGMM E5.
Very nice buttons.
It would have been super cool if the Mi logo were illuminated, but it isn't.
Button to switch between playlists (can be configured in the app).
Unfortunately no remote control (not even an IR sensor, as far as I know).
3.5 mm AUX in.
USB input to connect external USB storage to the speaker.
8 GB internal memory (can be accessed through the network, so one can load music onto it wirelessly through a computer that is on the same network).
Bluetooth 4.1, AirPlay and DLNA.
Mi Speaker app with many features.
Synced volume control with my Asus Google Nexus 7 (2nd generation). Volume not synced with my Apple iPhone 4.
Listening quietly is possible but the volume jumps when using the buttons on the speaker are quite coarse (Android). Much finer attenuation steps when using the Mi app.
Features a 5-band EQ (+/- 6 dB each) that can be configured through the app. The best thing about it: the setting is stored on the speaker, so the EQ'd sound is there with all connected devices and not only the one that's running the app.
Can be used as an alarm clock.
Very, very nice: volume of jingles/info text can be adjusted. They can be disabled as well or set to be synced with the music volume.
Playlists and stations that have been configured in the app can be accessed directly on the speaker without having to use the app. There doesn't seem to be a playlist/station limit (if there is any, it's (very) high).
Sound:
I am using my Apple iPhone 4 (AirPlay), Asus Google Nexus 7 (2nd generation; presumably DLNA through Mi app as well as Bluetooth) as well as the internal storage and a USB stick for listening. I couldn't detect any sound quality difference between AUX, USB, internal memory, Bluetooth and WiFi.
There are two tweeters and two low-mid speakers behind the grille, playing in stereo configuration. Opposed to many other compact speakers, the Mi Smart Network Speaker's extension is based on bass reflex instead of passive radiators.
Very nice: no hiss, even very close to the speaker. Only when one's ear is directly next to the speaker, one can hear a very quiet hum if no music is playing.
Tonality:
With the EQ not used, the sound is very warm, full and bass-heavy. Strong midbass, upper bass and fundamental range. Bleeds into the midrange. Clearly boomy sound.
Extension is nice and the -6 dB point of 60 Hz stated on the packaging seems very plausible. It's clear that the lows roll-off further below that, however not as steeply as expected, wherefore parts of the lower midbass and even real sub-bass are still only just audible.
Even though the fundamental range bleeds clearly into the mids and makes them sound very full and warm, the mids aren't really overshadowed.
The highs are mostly even, on the slightly milder side, and barely coloured.
In the upper frequency range the balancing act of softness and relaxation as well as some sparkle/brilliance in the upper treble is very good - I believe to notice an accentuation in the upper treble, which does not sound sharp, but soft and harmonious. Accordingly, cymbals are not harsh, but sound present nevertheless.
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The bass and fundamental range elevation and dominance can be reduced thanks to the sourcewide 5-band EQ in the Mi Speaker app, however even when the two lowest bands are set to -6 dB, the sound is still clearly full, bassy and warm, however not as dominant anymore and with a milder bleed into the midrange as well as less boominess. Yes, midrange timbre improves audibly after reducing the lows (two lowest bands of the 5-band EQ).
Still clearly north of neutral, but not as unpleasant anymore. Bass guitars and double basses are still somewhat too dominant, though.
Yup, I like the Xiaomi the best with the bass turned all the way down - it keeps its velvet smooth, even highs, while the mids benefit from the reduced fundamental range as well as upper bass dominance and lessened warmth while the extension remains mostly unaltered.
It's still clearly not a flat sounding speaker, though.
Resolution:
The small speaker sounds decent and reaches the level of not-to-bad sounding micro stereo systems in the lower three-digit price range.
The overall presentation is harmonious and the resolution seems to be distributed evenly.
The Mi's treble is rather soft than hard sounding but not in a blurry or undifferentiated way. Therefore it's easy to listen to it over a long period of time.
The bass is rather clean but on the softer, although not fully spongy side. Details and definition are decent as well.
There is also no air flow noise at the bass port at higher volume settings and the speaker cones' excursion doesn't hit the grilles either.
Note separation is fairly clean as well and fast passages don't end in a mushy mess.
Yes, the speaker does a good job of a micro-system replacement.
One thing I noticed: the housing seems to be constructed and dampened well, as even at higher volume settings, with boosted bass and bass-oriented tracks, there's hardly any vibration.
Soundstage:
Like most speakers of this size, the Mi doesn't have a convincing soundstage either but remains quite compact and almost one-dimensional sounding.
Conclusion:
Attractive price, really nice features, good enough sound quality. My only gripe with it is that it sounds warm and full even with the bass turned all the way down.