Following the 10th anniversary of the “Pill” speaker, the advanced model, Beats Pill+, will also celebrate its 10th birthday next year. After a decade, Beats has finally revisited this compact speaker and plans to update it with the release of the Beats Pill 2024.
The new model retains the original name but features a lighter body than the Beats Pill and a larger battery. It also introduces a brand-new speaker design, signaling an update that keeps pace with modern trends.
The design style of the new Beats Pill hasn’t changed significantly. Visually, it looks like a two-layered version of the Beats Pill+ instead of the previous three-layer design. The back is minimalist, with only a USB-C port, and the rest of the body is covered in waterproof, non-slip material.
The material has been treated to be skin-friendly, offering the most comfortable and refined hand feel among wireless speakers in the same price range. It’s available in matte black, classic red, and champagne gold. It would be even better if the white color of the Pill+ could be brought back with this texture.
The front of the speaker features a sound mesh with openings angled upwards, so when it’s placed on a table, the speakers face directly towards the listener, similar to using an angled stand for a desktop speaker.
The buttons are located on the top of the body, arranged from left to right: power button, play button, and volume controls. The play button supports the most common gestures used with Apple devices. Each button has tactile markings, allowing users to operate the speaker blindly, even when it’s placed in a position where the buttons aren’t visible.
The power button integrates both the power control and the pairing mode activation. In any situation, simply long-pressing the button will activate the speaker’s pairing mode, and this action is consistent even after the speaker is powered on. If you only want to power off the speaker, you need to press and hold a bit longer, or you might accidentally activate the pairing mode instead of powering it off.
The side of the speaker has a lanyard hole, and it comes pre-equipped with a sturdy lanyard so you can easily hang the speaker on the outside of a backpack or attach it to a water bottle loop. The lanyard is quite thick, so there’s no need to worry about it breaking when hanging on a backpack. The opening is spacious enough to accommodate a carabiner if you wish to hang it from a climbing rope.
However, if you plan to hang it on the outside of your backpack, be prepared—the speaker is still quite heavy.
The new Pill weighs 681g, slightly lighter than the 748g Pill+, but it still has some heft when you hold it. While it doesn’t need to be held for long periods, if you’re planning to carry it on the outside of your backpack during outdoor activities like hiking, it might feel a bit uncomfortable. It’s recommended to store it inside your backpack or secure it in a water bottle pocket.
Colleagues who frequently exercise have tried the new Pill and commented that the non-slip rubbery texture makes it feel more like a dumbbell. Paired with the lanyard, holding two of them could add some extra weight to your workout routine.
In terms of specifications, the new Beats Pill has been upgraded to support Bluetooth 5.4, ensuring stable connections and low latency, making it suitable for video playback and light gaming.
As is typical with Apple products, Bluetooth transmission only supports SBC and AAC codecs. However, the built-in USB-C port has been upgraded to support up to 24-bit/48kHz high-resolution lossless audio playback via Apple Music, similar to the Beats Solo4 when connected to a computer.
This port also supports reverse charging and “Fast Fuel” quick charging, which offers two hours of playback with just a ten-minute charge. The reverse charging feature can be used to charge small devices like an Apple Watch, AirPods, or Beats true wireless earbuds.
Overall battery life has been increased from the Beats Pill+’s 12 hours to 24 hours, which is a significant improvement for users who need long-lasting power for outdoor activities like camping or hiking.
Speaking of outdoor use, it’s worth mentioning the multi-speaker connectivity feature of the Beats Pill.
Like the Pill+, the new model supports both amplification mode and stereo mode, allowing two speakers to connect to the same device. Amplification mode enables both speakers to play the same sound, while stereo mode combines the two speakers into one unit to deliver stereo sound.
Compared to stereo mode, amplification mode can increase the playback volume, making it more useful in open outdoor spaces. A single Beats Pill can already cover a small event room, but with two, plus a simple projector, you could even set up an outdoor movie night.
Now let’s talk about the most important upgrade: the sound configuration.
The new generation of Beats Pill has optimized the dual-driver setup from the Pill+’s “two woofers and two tweeters” to a new “one woofer, one tweeter” configuration.
The bass units have been redesigned from two units to a single track-style unit. By expanding the unit’s size through a track-shaped structure, the piston area has increased by 53%. The internal components have been upgraded with higher-grade N50PH magnets, boosting the motor power by 28% and air displacement by 90%.
As the unit size increases, Beats has added 16 radial ridges at the track’s corners to reduce distortion caused by driver flexing during operation. Beats claims this design is more effective and controllable than traditional designs using passive radiators.
These design improvements are reflected in the new Pill’s sound performance.
The Pill’s bass is powerful, with a strong sense of impact reminiscent of the drum beats in front of ancient courthouses. The rhythm of the music is amplified and enhanced, making the new Pill ideal for energetic music or intense dance tracks.
If you’re used to the increasingly balanced sound of Beats headphones, you’ll notice that:
“The familiar Beats is back.”
If the previous Beats Pill+ was like adding a couple of teaspoons of syrup to sparkling water, the new Beats Pill is like turning a fizzy drink into a thick soup.
The tweeter has also been equipped with a new fixed structure to reduce the mutual interference between drivers.
When playing pop music in relatively relaxed environments, the Pill delivers crisp, quick highs with a slicing sharpness, akin to a large, sharp blade cutting through. It’s not overly stimulating, but neither is it too delicate, giving a broad, bold sound.
However, the Pill’s bass remains a bit too dominant.
When listening to tracks with pronounced bass lines, the high frequencies and vocals can get overshadowed, creating a somewhat muffled effect, as if a layer of fog is covering the sound.
When two Pills are paired in stereo mode, the bass becomes even more powerful, and the sound texture thickens, but the improvement isn’t dramatic. Considering that the soundstage of a single Pill isn’t too narrow, the stereo mode doesn’t add much value.
Conversely, amplification mode, which increases volume, is more practical.
Lastly, let’s look at the price. The Beats Pill is priced at $149.99, which is quite a bit cheaper than the original $199.99 price of the Pill+.
After using it, I found that the Beats Pill embodies the classic Beats sound.
It hasn’t followed the trend towards more balanced sound but instead has focused on enhancing the impact and completeness of the bass. Beats aims to use new-generation technology to show users what a modern “thumping bass” experience is like.
Compared to the increasingly Apple-aligned true wireless earbud lineup, the Pill has maintained its own distinctive sound style. It’s fair to call it a “return to form after ten years.” If you’re a fan of Beats’ sound and want a Bluetooth-only wireless speaker, the new Beats Pill is the answer you’ve been waiting ten years for.
However, if you’re not fully committed to the Beats sound, there are plenty of other options at the same price point.
For example, the Marshall Emberton II also has a multi-speaker “Stack” mode, offering strong bass with a more balanced sound that’s likely to appeal to a broader audience.
The Sonos Roam SL, now priced around $140 (1,000 rmb), supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay, and Spotify Connect, making it more versatile for home use. You can stream music directly without interrupting other phone activities…
In contrast, the Bluetooth-only Beats Pill faces more competition at this price.
Looking ahead, if there’s a next generation of the Beats Pill+, adding Wi-Fi and AirPlay support could make it an even more appealing option as an Apple Music-exclusive physical client for home use.
Source from ifanr
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