Last summer Nimzy wowed the audio world with the release of the popular Vibro Blaster, an innovative portable speaker that uses something called electro acoustic technology to vibrate a surface to produce sound.

Its successor is the Vibro Max and offers an increased 20W RMS power output and improved functionality as well as a handy remote control. With an attractive sleek black finish the Vibro Max is around the same size and shape as a Rubix cube, is mains powered and compatible with any audio source via its line input.

Place the Vibro Max on a desk, plug in an mp3 player and sound will literally emanate from the surface as if it were a giant speaker. It’s every gadget lover’s dream, and we are pleased to report that audio quality is surprisingly good, particularly now that bass, treble and loudness can be adjusted for different environments.

Since every material produces a slightly different sound, experimentation is essential. Like a doctor feeling around with a stethoscope for a heartbeat, expect to find yourself pressing the Vibro Max against all manner of household surface until you find one that works best.

In our tests we found that less dense materials were more effective, laminated chipboard worked better than hardwoods and metal for example. Since the audio quality is reliant on this, we’d be more accurate to say that its 'potential' quality is extremely good. On the right surface, it exudes some serious bass device with crisp and clear sound and we had great fun moving it around to see what worked and what didn't.

As a portable speaker solution, and considering that the range of suitable materials you can use with the Nimzy should be in abundance, this is an excellent product, particularly for those who appreciate gadget appeal.

We were very surprised at how effective it was and priced reasonably at around £80 it's not too extortionate. If you’re after a more straightforward solution that works with a minimum of fuss you might be more comfortable with traditional speakers, but more adventurous types should be well pleased with the Vibro Max.

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