The BassMe Personal Subwoofer – €129.99/ £119.99 from Scan.co.uk

OVERALL RATING: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars

I was playing the PlayStation recently and wondered if there was a way I could elevate my gaming experience to the next level. Welcome BassMe, a personal subwoofer. 

The Idea of Bassme Created by Alban Duroy in 2017  brings you into the game or film and allows you to feel the bass like never before. You can also use the BassMe when listening to music and feel that bass like never before.  When I got asked to review this device the idea of wearing a subwoofer made me really interested.  I have had this since the end of September below is how I experienced the BassMe.

Design

Opening this device just adds a level of intrigue. This device won awards for innovation & Design at CES 2019 & 2020.  The BassMe should be worn with the shoulder strap as seen on the box.  

Inside the box, you are given the main device, 2x shoulder straps one that fits a small to medium user and the other which is XL so that it will fit anyone else.  Also in the box is an Audio Jack, Micro USB cable and Audio Jack cable with a volume control cable.

Some users might be a little confused about the cables so let me explain. The 3.5mm jack cable is used to connect your device like a Mobile Phone and the input of the BassMe. You also get a second cable that connects to the Bassme sound output via its 3.5mm jack. The other end of the cable the female jack connects to your headphones. You will notice a volume control on the cable if required.

Moving on to the actual device it is a little heavy at 300g but remember it will connect to a strap on your shoulder so you won’t notice the weight. The Polymer chassis offers a streamlined design finished with a silver plate that has the BassMe logo.  The BassMe comes in 6 different colours:

  • Black
  • Blue
  • Red
  • White
  • Pink
  • Gold

 On the inside, you have a rubber looking disc which is actually the subwoofer and it’s this part of the BassMe that will connect to your body. 

You will notice all the controls and ports are all on the same side. This includes the power button and then the audio output for your headphones followed by the charging port (Micro USB) and last but not least the audio input. The only other control is on the back and that is a small switch that can allow for either bass only or all audio.  The BassMe comes with a 26w speaker and connection wise it comes with Bluetooth 4.2. The BassMe when fully charged offers 6 hours of use but recharge time is 3 hours. 

BassMe does have a QR code on the quick user guide that provides more in-depth instructions on the various ways you can use this device unless you’re an iPhone user they seem to have forgotten about this user base. 

Performance

You can use the BassMe either via a wired or wireless connection. After testing both options I would say the wired option gives you a better experience and the wireless option can be a little limited.

What I mean by that is if you use the wired option simply connect the audio input of the Bassme to your headphones, turn on the Bassme and bingo you’re done. 

Here is a short video showing you how to connect the Bassme via either Wired or Wireless modes.

 

The wireless option can be a little tricky. Firstly you need a phone that allows you to connect two Bluetooth devices at once. If you have a relatively new smartphone this should not be an issue. The problem occurs when you want to have different levels of volume between your phone or the Bassme you may also have connection issues depending on your Bluetooth signal.

In this review, I decided to stick with the Wired option for the rest of this review as I wanted to use this on my Playstation and see how it improved my gaming experience. Set up is very easy on the PS4 controller you have a sound output which you connect to the BassMe. I did this when watching a film as well as I have Netflix on my PS4. It is also good to have as it means you do not need to be connected via a cable to your TV. 

Once connected just simply place the shoulder and you’re ready to feel the bass. Your whole body will vibrate, it’s such a strange feeling. Play a game like Call of Duty and feel being shot via vibration it’s such an odd experience it’s like the bullets actually come out of the screen.

Watch a film and it’s like being in a 4DX screen in a Cineworld you feel every bump and smash in the film.  A film where this device comes into its own is the Hitman’s Bodyguard featuring Ryan Reynolds & Samuel L. Jackson. This action-packed film was taken to the next level using the BassMe. This is due to the level of immersion you get with the action-packed film. When using the BassMe when watching a film make sure you activate the low pass filter so that only low frequencies are reproduced. If you don’t do this your reproduce the entire sound signal which you don’t want. Also bear in mind you will need to consider the type of game/film/song you use the BassMe with.

When listening to some bass-heavy music like ACDC Highway to Hell and close your eyes and it feels like your seeing the band Live. I feel you will get used to the Bassme very quickly. 

Verdict

The BassMe is completely unique to anything I have ever reviewed. I would stick to using the wired option but it’s good to have a wireless option but the wireless option is just a little tricky to set up. 

Want to take this device and the feeling of bass even higher? Well if you happen to have a pair of Skullcandy Crusher Evo headphones that allow you to increase the level of bass and offers a level of immersion I have never experienced until now. Add the BassMe with the Skullcandy headphones and its bass that will blow you away.  Using both when playing an action game like Call of Duty Warzone or even Fortnite the level of immersion coming from the headphones and the BassMe is just amazing.  

So would I buy this device? 

If you are a fan of immersive bass this device can be used on your phone, console or TV.  It offers a unique elevated auditory experience and adds a level of immersion to your gaming or film watching unlike any other.

 

Product Rating: 

Design: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars

Performance: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars

User-Friendly: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars

Value for Money: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars

 

OVERALL RATING: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars

The BassMe Personal Subwoofer – €129.99/ £119.99 from Scan.co.uk

 

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