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Morel Hifi is one of those premium audio brands that I’m somewhat familiar with but hadn’t had the chance to try out. The company has made a name for itself in hand-assembled car audio and home speakers. It also released a minimalist portable Bluetooth speaker called the Högtalare a few years ago, which was very well received. This year, Morel has significantly increased (or rather decreased) the range of portable Bluetooth speakers with the new BIGGIE. It’s obviously related to the Högtalare—minimalist, stylish, and packed with high-end components—but the BIGGIE is smaller, more affordable (at $249), comes in a wide range of colors, and comes equipped with a faux leather handle for easy portability .

Yes, using the BIGGIE name for a smaller speaker is a bit confusing, but as you’ll see, Morel Hifi does a lot of things differently.

I’ve spent the last few weeks working with a pair of Morel Hifi BIGGIE speakers. The BIGGIE isn’t for everyone – I for one wouldn’t take one camping – but they put in an impressive performance and looked fantastic.

First impression: Looks like it should be more expensive

The BIGGIE is a minimalist box with a low-gloss painted finish, a faux leather handle (stamped with Högtalare in confirmation of its connection to the larger Morel Hifi speaker) and two round metal-looking pads on either side that hold the strap in place. Apart from the handle, everything has sharp corners. On the back of the speaker is a welcome 3.5mm AUX input and a USB-C port, used to charge the speaker or use its battery to charge a smartphone. There are no visible switches or buttons to break up the surface, just the handle.

The front is completely covered by a fabric mesh grill that matches the color of the case and attaches magnetically. Turn it off and BIGGIE is suddenly all business. The speaker’s black body is dominated by a 4-inch woofer, with a speaker and bass reflex display port, and a vertical row of backlit buttons.

As far as portable speakers go, I’d say this falls on the smaller end of the mid-size spectrum. It is 7 inches square, 4.5 inches deep and weighs 5.7 pounds.

So many colors

Most portable speakers come in one color – usually black. Some offer multiple colors. Morel produced BIGGIE in nine various colors including Denim Blue and Aqua Frost from my review units. There is a color available to complement any decor or preference.

Morel Hifi also bucks trends by hand assembling its products.

First listen: Sounds like it should be more expensive

Looks are one thing, but what does BIGGIE sound like? The good news is that Morel didn’t spend the entire budget on making a speaker that looks good. The BIGGIE has some real audio ID features, including that large, 4-inch woofer, 1-inch tweeter, 60W Class D amplification with custom DSP, and a front-port bass reflex enclosure design.

The speaker makes good use of these components. BIGGIE reproduces music with a satisfying low-end, stable mid-range and crisp highs. The overall tone is warm but not murky. Songs like Television’s “Marquee Moon” and Killing Joke’s “Love Like Blood”—both with a punchy bass line and heavy electric guitar presence—sounded great, making the most of the dual-driver setup. Dandy Warhol’s “Every Day Should Be a Holiday” was full of energy.

There’s no bass or treble adjustment on the speaker, and at least at the time of writing there’s no app, so the speaker setting is how it’s going to sound – unless you’re resorting to your phone’s EQ. The goal is a balanced sound and the BIGGIE does a pretty good job of that.

With 60W of power on tap (45W to the woofer and 15W to the tweeter), BIGGIE has the power to fill a good-sized space with pounding music. It’s also loud enough to be heard above neighborhood noise in a backyard party situation. Morell says the BIGGIE uses a dynamic EQ that continuously adjusts the sound according to volume to prevent distortion.

I should mention that the BIGGIE’s battery (USB-C charger included) is good for about 20 hours of use. As with any portable speaker, this will vary depending on how loud you set the volume, but I regularly went a week between charges without getting a low battery warning. BIGGIE also supports fast charging, so you can go from zero to 100% in just two hours.

Also worth noting is the use of Bluetooth 5.3 wireless connectivity. The speaker has a range of up to 165 feet, and I got a good lesson in how well it works while listening to another Bluetooth speaker while swimming in the backyard pool. I had accidentally left BIGGIE on in my office and halfway through a song the music stopped. I thought my iPhone had overheated, but it had actually reconnected to BIGGIE in my office and was playing the music inside – about 75 feet, one brick wall, two drywall walls with vents and cables, and 2 glass doors.

TWS: Stereo pairing takes portable wireless sound to a new level

If you have the budget to spend on two BIGGIES, the sound becomes even more impressive. Easy TWS speaker pairing sets one BIGGIE as the left channel and the other as the right for true 2-channel stereo. Place the speakers six feet apart and enjoy some seriously elevated listening. Music has much more depth and separation than you can get from even the best mono speaker. Listening to the enhanced soundstage of tracks like Genesis’ “Turn It On Again” and Boston’s “Foreplay/Long Time” made me convert: if I was buying one of these speakers, I’d definitely make it a pair.

BIGGIE Key Specifications

• 2-way bass reflex portable speaker with custom 4″ woofers and 1″ soft dome woofer
• 60 W class D amplifiers (45 W bass and 15 W tweeter), with custom DSP
• Frequency response 40Hz-20KHz
• Bluetooth 5.3 BLE (range 165 feet, Auracast ready)
• Backlit power, volume, Bluetooth and TWS buttons
• 3.5mm AUX input
• Removable fabric grill
• Faux leather handle
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 20 hours of operation at 50% volume
• USB-C charging (and power bank mode for phones), supports fast charging
• Includes USB-C charger and cable
• 7 x 7 x 4.5 inches, weighs 5.7 lbs
• Available in nine colors, MSRP $249

It’s not quite perfect

The only design choice I question is the decision to hide the function buttons behind the speaker grille instead of placing them on top. Yes, the buttons are backlit so they can be seen through the fabric grill, and yes, it creates an even more minimalistic look, but you have to turn on the speaker before the buttons light up and the power button is also hidden. You have to guess where it is. Pressing buttons under thin fabric can also cause wear and/or discoloration of the material.

Of course, you can solve this by removing the grill during use.

BIGGIE also makes no claim to be rugged or waterproof. You’ll want to avoid situations where it might get wet, dirty, or bumped. It also lacks the volume button that some portable devices offer to amplify the sound outdoors. BIGGIE can certainly be used outside, but you have to play it safe with placement.

Morel Hifi BIGGIE Recommendation

The Morel Hifi BIGGIE is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker, but values ​​style and performance over features like durability and water resistance. It’s portable that sounds as good as it looks—which is no mean feat considering how smart this speaker looks—and is easy to pick up and carry around. But it deserves a place on your patio table instead of being tossed right next to the pool, on the beach, or on a log by the campfire.

It’s just a bonus that BIGGIE is very reasonably priced at $249. At that price, it would be awfully tempting to buy two. You can choose two different colors and have a portable speaker to match any mood or decor. Whatever colors you choose, together the BIGGIE will make a very modern looking and very capable 2 channel stereo setup.

Disclosure: Morel Hifi provided BIGGIE speakers for evaluation purposes but was not involved in this review.