Lexon Mina L Audio lamp review, the design is just the beginning. A design object that is both simple and sophisticated, the new Lexon Mina L Audio desk or bedside lamp offers unexpected personalization and respectable audio performance. But let’s go in order and let’s examine it from the beginning.
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A nice discovery
The box is already a nice discovery, because even when closed we can open the front flap and see the lamp inside, a detail that will certainly make retailers happy.
Once the box is opened, however, the first, bizarre surprise: there is no power cable even though there is a USB-C connector at the base. Certainly not a drama, because there are now several USB-A/USB-C or USB-C/USB-C cables in every home (and if so, a cable costs very few euros), but here comes the first novelty, looking better at the details explained in the attached booklet and is that the lamp is also recharged by induction, like the iPhone.
To recharge it we tried both the Lexon Powersound and the SanDisk Ixpand Wireless Charger 15W which proved to be perfect in the task because the base coincides almost perfectly with that of the Lexon Mina L Audio, the largest of the Mina models on the site.
Although the model we tested is the largest in the series, the dimensions are still small, 17.8 x 14 centimeters in size for about 320 grams in weight. The good news is that the lamp is IPX4 certified, which means it won’t suffer from small jets of water, splashes or dust from any angle.
Aluminum base
The lamp is built with an aluminum base, where there is a series of small flowers in the area below that favor the audio output (which are not present in the versions without speakers).
The lower part is offered in six different colors: Ali Poli (of which you see the photos in these pages), Dark Red, Gun, Dark Blue, Orange and Soft Gold. In all cases, the upper part is made of white plastic, which also functions as a large button for on, off and color change.
To tell the truth, this type of interaction has left us a bit perplexed: in the sense that it works well, but we haven’t fully understood how to give the on/off input or the color change one, mostly going by trial and error. We would have liked to have an extra key or a more marked difference between the inputs to control everything more securely.
A second button is present under the lamp, almost hidden and is used only for pairing the lamp to a device via Bluetooth (operation that must be carried out in settings because there is no support App).
Audio via Bluetooth, but not for everyone
The operation of the Lexon Mina L Audio is quite basic: once charged (about three hours for a full charge) the lower button is used to activate the pairing phase with a device and it is paired with a Bluetooth device, which will be recognized every time you turn it on, unless you change it: in our tests no problems with iPhone, while our 2019 Mac mini paired but could not see it as an audio source.
Once the device has been paired, the internal speaker carries all the audio, music as well as sound alerts for messages: the audio is 360° and has returned a good response, higher than expected from such a small device .
Despite being compact, the feeling is that the 360° audio makes up for where some tones, such as bass and mids, would need a larger speaker, resulting in a musical response suited to the type of use, which according to the writer is that of background music.
We were unable to understand the technical specifications of the speaker, which are not indicated on the site, but we can say that it can still work as a speaker for a small room, since it has served the writer both as a desk companion alongside the Mac (but connected to the iPhone) and as an accessory on the bedside table for evening reading.
The battery life is also good: the company promises 24 hours of full operation on 75% brightness at 22 °C ambient temperature indoors, which means that it can comfortably do three continuous days of audio when used during office hours , standing out for the lighting, or even longer periods, with the lamp off.
To save energy, after a few minutes of inactivity, the speaker turns itself off, while the lamp does not have this ambition and remains on until the user inputs or until there is energy left. A small LED at the base, near the connector, offers essential battery and pairing information.
- The shapes somewhat recall the avant-garde design of the mid-seventies, but the technology inside is all from this decade, as is the richness of some solutions, such as the change of color in the lamp or the aluminum used for the underlying part.
- The speaker can be useful, but it is certainly not the main reason for the purchase, given that even in models without this, the charm remains unchanged for what is certainly an effective gift at an absolutely accessible budget.
Pros:
- Sophisticated design
- Lamp with color change
- Integrated speaker
- Double refill system
Versus:
- A control App is missing
- Color change input can be improved
- The charging cable is missing
Price:
- €29.90 (Lexon Mina)
- €29.90 (Lexon Mina Glossy)
- €49.90 (Lexon Mina M)
- €69.90 (Lexon Mina L)
- €99.90 (Lexon Mina L Audio)