The manufacturer has made newer versions of this product, therefore this particular model is now discontinued.
MiniRig is one of the best-known brands on the market for customers in search of a compact, powerful speaker tech.
Best known for colorful, resilient, and durable speaker functionality, MiniRig gives you the kind of peripherals you need to perform in any environment.
In this MiniRig 3 portable review, we’re looking at one of the most compact Bluetooth speakers that the brand has to offer.
Not only do you get a sensational 100-hour battery life from this product, but you can also expect a range of bonus features, including a 5-band equalizer, sensational syncing and linking functions, and 40 watts of power.
If you’re looking for a small but reliable speaker that looks, feels, and sounds rock solid, it’s hard to go wrong with the MiniRig 3.
Is the MiniRig 3 any good? (in short)
Though small enough to take wherever you go, the MiniRig 3 delivers a sensational sound quality that’s wonderfully clean and balanced. The MiniRig 3 aren’t audiophile-grade speakers designed for the next level of music performance, but they do outperform a lot of other contenders in their price and weight range.
MiniRig 3 Review: Portable Speaker Specs
The MiniRig 3 is a portable, rechargeable speaker intended for life on the move. If you take your music with you to bars and booths around your city, then this device will ensure you never have to compromise on volume or sound quality.
The MiniRig 3 is just one of the many speaker options available today, but with its 100 hours of battery life, it’s become a must-have for many festivals and weekend events.
The “3” in the speaker’s name refers to the 3 stages of evolution the MiniRig has moved through during the last few years.
Today, this device is much more powerful than the previous MiniRig, with a custom 70 mm driver that really delivers sensational power. There’s also the added bonus of the wireless linking function, so you can run multiple MiniRig speakers at the same time.
The MiniRig 3 is packed full of “bonus” components, including a MiniRig lanyard, charging cable, manual, sticker, and more. There’s also a carry case included with your purchase. Specs include:
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Battery powered for up to 100 hours of play
- Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 2.87 inches
- 1.74 pounds
- App access
- 70mm speaker with 40 watts of power
- 5 band equalizer
- Headphone access
MiniRig 3 Review: Features
The MiniRig 3 is an upgraded version of a popular portable speaker from the same brand.
Various additions and changes make this speaker more impressive than ever, including a new custom-built 70mm driver with wonderfully deep bass, and a fantastic 100-hour battery life.
The MiniRig Linkup function is also a new feature, which ensures you can connect your devices without having to worry about extra wires.
This is handy if you’re going to be working in a booth with limited space.
Build Quality and Design
The appearance and durability of the MiniRig 3 portable are among the first things you’ll notice when evaluating this speaker. The hand-assembled devices come with ruggedized grills for internal protection and fantastic anodized aluminum bodies.
There are plastic elements to consider, but this isn’t any flimsy plastic from cheaper speakers. Instead, you get a toughened polycarbonate that can resist knocks and drops easily.
The mining 3 is very similar to the previous product in its design. Throughout the years, this is a brand that’s stayed true to a constant focus on quality in design.
Although there are slightly more attractive great speakers out there, you’ll struggle to find anything as simultaneously strong and compact as the MiniRig 3.
From an aesthetic perspective, the MiniRig 3 isn’t bad.
You get a sort of industrial appearance that’s available in several colors. these speakers aren’t designed for beauty first, they actually look fairly good as part of any set-up.
On top of that, when you pick the speakers up, you can instantly recognize the quality of the materials. Everything feels thick and substantial, without dragging down your kit.
As mentioned above, this is a product designed to withstand various trips in your life as a professional DJ. Aside from being wonderfully compact, the MiniRig 3 also benefits from a custom design that reduces the risk of any damage from knocks and bumps.
There’s also a handy case included, so you can keep everything tucked away when you’re not using it.
The case fits the speaker perfectly, and it’s tight enough that you’re not going to end up struggling to find space in your luggage. There’s also enough space to store your charging cable alongside the speaker too.
The manufacturer has made newer versions of this product, therefore this particular model is now discontinued.
Ease of Use
Even if a speaker looks and feels amazing at first glance, it’s difficult to fall in love with the device if it’s tough to operate. Managing the MiniRig 3 portable speaker is very straightforward.
On the top of the device, you’ll find buttons for things like power.
When you press the power button, it lights up to let you know that your device is powering up.
There’s also a syncing button you can use to track down your Bluetooth devices. Although there aren’t any volume buttons, there are two settings you can switch between which instantly turn the volume and fullness of the sound to different levels.
Unfortunately, the connectivity of the MiniRig 3 does have some issues to consider.
Although Bluetooth is available on these speakers, getting everything set up and working properly can be a real headache. There may be issues with lag and dropped connections to consider.
Connectivity
As mentioned above, Bluetooth on the MiniRig 3 isn’t as great as it could be. Although this functionality works around 95% of the time, you will occasionally have issues with dropped connections, which is the last thing you need if you’re a professional playing a show.
You might notice audio occasionally cutting off from one unit if you have multiple devices connected.
However, you can use a wiring option instead if you prefer more stability. The wiring connections mean that you can chain as many speakers as you like, without having to rely on Bluetooth.
You can also add a MiniRig subwoofer into the mix, as this device also includes two 3.5mm jacks for connectivity too.
On top of that, you can input from computers, instruments, mixing boards, and many more, without any unnecessary issues.
Battery Life
For most professionals, the incredible battery life of the MiniRig 3 is likely to be one of the most exciting features.
You can access up to 100 hours of battery from this device, although it’s worth mentioning that the way you use your speaker will have an impact on the sound signature.
If you need a good level of medium high volume, this will significantly reduce the battery performance.
If you’re going to have your device going flat out at all times, then you might struggle to get more than 10 hours out of your system.
We’d recommend double-checking what you can actually expect battery-wise with a little testing at home before you take these devices to a festival or gig.
Although it’s unlikely you’ll get 100 hours all the time, there’s a good chance you won’t need to recharge the MiniRig 3 speakers too often between playing sessions.
App Functionality
As mentioned above, the MiniRig 3 is intended to be a little more tech-friendly than its predecessors.
Aside from things like Bluetooth syncing to extra speakers, you can also access a MiniRig 3 app.
Available for both Android and Apple devices, the app gives you a 5-band equalizer that you can experiment with. There’s also more control over your music through the app.
The app is something you’re definitely going to need if you want to unlock the full potential of the MiniRig 3.
With your smartphone, you can adjust high or low gain, adjust the volume, quickly mute your music, and even use your MiniRig as a headphone receiver mode.
An extra bonus of the app is that you’ll get quick access to some top mixes from around the world, from leading new artists. This extra music access is fantastic if you’re looking for new sounds to play with as a DJ.
There’s also track skipping on the app, power saving mode if you want to stop draining your battery between sets, and more.
Although the five-band EQ system here could be a little more advanced, you still get a decent level of performance from an extremely small and compact device.
Other MiniRig 3 Points to Consider
The manufacturer has made newer versions of this product, therefore this particular model is now discontinued.
Aside from the points mentioned so far, there are a handful of additional features that might make the MiniRig 3 more appealing to some professionals.
For instance, it’s nice to know that you can link multiple speakers to the same system and create a stereo surround sound effect.
Keep in mind that there are also a host of additional peripherals that you can link to the MiniRig 3 from the same brand.
This means that you can even implement your own next-level MiniRig subwoofer experience if you’re looking to turn things up a little.
MiniRig offers a range of packages intended for audio enthusiasts who want to combine more than one speaker for a complete portable system.
That brings us to another point that you should keep in mind when you’re checking out the MiniRig 3.
Although it doesn’t have the most advanced features on the planet, this is an extremely compact and great portable sound device. You can easily throw your speakers in a DJ backpack and take them with you wherever you go.
MiniRig 3 Sound Quality
Now we come to the point that’s likely to make or break your decision when it comes to purchasing the MiniRig 3.
Usually, when you see something as small as this compact device, it’s easy to assume that you’re going to miss out on functionality, sound stage, or volume.
The MiniRig 3 aren’t audiophile-grade speakers designed for the next level of music performance, but they do outperform a lot of other contenders in their price and weight range.
Though small enough to take wherever you go, the MiniRig 3 delivers a sensational sound quality that’s wonderfully clean and balanced. Although you won’t get the same crispness as you’d get from a speaker with a dedicated tweeter, you get much more than you’d expect.
As a speaker with a single driver, the MiniRig 3 goes above and beyond to deliver an unforgettable stereo sound experience.
You might even find that if you end up purchasing a full package of products with a subwoofer included, you forget to turn it on. The sound is good enough that you should enjoy the output with or without that extra tech.
The MiniRig 3 is also one of the loudest Bluetooth speakers we’ve seen.
This little device can deliver some sensational power, with 40w of RMS to ensure you fill a whole room in seconds.
Just a single speaker will be more than enough to really get people gathering together in an open space, or even encourage some complaints from the neighbors.
When you consider that you can daisy chain as many of these devices together as you want, the volume potential is astronomical.
One slight downside is that the more you ramp up the volume, the more likely it is that you’ll lose out on things like bass clarity.
On a normal volume, you can expect a good sound base response down to around 80hz, thanks to the powerful main drivers. There’s dynamic equalization included within these devices to ensure that the sound remains as crisp as possible.
However, at the louder levels, the low frequencies do begin to dwindle.
MiniRig 3 Review: Pros and Cons
No speaker is perfect, particularly when you’re searching for something that’s small and portable enough to take with you to any environment.
The MiniRig 3 is a compact speaker that has a lot of value to offer, but there are some downsides, too, such as a lack of volume control on the speaker itself and issues with Bluetooth connections.
However, if you can get past the small criticisms that some customers have about these speakers, you’ll be amazed about the quality of sound you get.
Remember, what you’re getting here isn’t a full-size set of monitors with their own dedicated tweeters and subwoofers.
You’ll need to buy extra components separately if you want a full sound system, but what you do get from MiniRig 3 is something portable, compact, and reliable.
Pros
Cons
MiniRig 3 Review: Our Final Verdict
There are many things that make the MiniRig 3 well-worth your attention if you’re looking for something compact, durable, and brimming with power.
Among the available compact speakers for DJs and musical professionals, it’s hard to find a speaker like this that can check virtually every box. On the one hand, you’ve got the durability and portability you need for life on the move.
A well-made chassis combined with high-quality materials and fantastic drop protection makes these speakers stronger than your average tech. You can also expect some water resistance, although we wouldn’t recommend submerging these speakers in too much liquid. T
here’s also the added bonus of the carry case that comes with each purchase.
Plus, you also get the option to use speakers and other advanced tools at the same time if you like. You can either stick to a single speaker for your basic needs or upgrade by daisy-chaining your devices through wires or Bluetooth.
We recommend sticking with wires if you want complete dependability without any risk of dropouts. Connect a Subwoofer and extra components from MiniRig, and you’ll be up and running in minutes.
The app does have the occasional bug to worry about, and Bluetooth isn’t perfect, but there are a lot of great bonuses that help to make up for this. It’s nice to be able to experiment with EQ components and other features within the app.
You can even look for music within the MiniRig network.
It might be nice to have a few extra features on the MiniRig 3 devices too, however. Access to things like volume buttons and quicker syncing would be helpful.
It’s also a bit of a shame that there’s no tweeter or subwoofer built into the products, but you can only expect so much when you’re buying something so compact.
The manufacturer has made newer versions of this product, therefore this particular model is now discontinued.
