Saregama Carvaan Mini+ deserves a Christmas wrapping paper around it

Saregama Carvaan is one of those products about which a lot can be said to someone who enjoys music from the archives of the evergreen music label. Bluetooth speakers from Saregama are not new but how the music company continues to change the configuration of the speakers is interesting, thereby keeping it relevant and definitely on bestselling gadgets list. The new machine is called Saregama Carvaan Mini+. It’s still a Bluetooth-enabled device. It’s still portable. And it still offers a great listening experience. So, what’s changed? A feature we feel is not necessary but once we try it out, it becomes essential.

No-nonsense design

The microphone on a Bluetooth speaker is an underrated feature. Imagine yourself making a dent in the sofa after a meal when a phone call comes through. Why take it on your phone when you can have it routed through the speaker at the press of a button. Calls come through loud and clear. Don’t expect a very rounded, podcast-like audio feed, but what you get is good enough. The microphone is powerful enough to capture your voice from a few feet away.

The other feature that I appreciate about this Bluetooth speaker is the finish. It has a wooden finish, which makes it suitable for any nook in the family room. The metal grille adds to the design and the button panels are well laid out. All these small things matter while purchasing a Bluetooth speaker.

On top of the speaker are the power, volume up/down, track forward/backward and Bluetooth call buttons while on the left side are buttons for ‘Saregama’ access, FM/AM radio and Bluetooth. It helps to have dedicated buttons. Anyone who doesn’t care about remembering combinations to run a Bluetooth speaker will find it easy. A click on the Saregama button takes you to the preloaded library of 1,000 songs, which this time features Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Mukesh and many other evergreen voices.

Sparkling audio

There is an antenna for AM/FM radio

Diving into the audio department, the speaker comes with 10W speakers. What you get is crystal-clear sound as long as you stream through any of your music apps via Bluetooth.

There are four ways to listen to music — via Bluetooth, the preloaded library of 1,000 songs, USB storage units, and the Carvaan app. Bluetooth mode is simple to understand — connect your phone to the device and turn up the volume. James Brown will give the feel-good vibes with his I Got You (I Feel Good) while Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin are their breathy best with Je t’aime Moin Non Plus. Even for someone who is used to enjoying Lou Reed breaking into Perfect Day in Spatial Audio after returning home to the family, a cup of coffee and a purring cat, the speaker does justice to the song. Like the man sings: Just a perfect day/ You made me forget myself/ I thought I was someone else/ Someone good.

The second method involves listening to the preloaded tracks. There are 1,000 songs and these can be accessed via a press of a button. You can skip 10 tracks at a time. As much as I enjoy listening to Kishore Kumar and Hemant Kumar, the same tracks sound slightly better if you stream via a music app. The bit rate of the preloaded tracks is slightly lower, which is understandable, but, in the same breath, quite acceptable.

The third method involves connecting the device to the Carvaan app, which supports the Mini+. The world of Saregama opens up. Finally, get access to your collection through a USB storage unit.

Should you buy it?

Most of the function keys are on top of the device

Here’s the deal: there are those who already have a smart home speaker, like the ones from Apple, Google or Amazon. Most of these speakers sound brilliant, offering 360-degree sound. I use the HomePod Mini, which sounds stunning for its size. But I still have to do a few things to access Bollywood classics. Carvaan devices give you those Bolly evergreen gems at the press of a button, which is what most people want.

Second, the unit comes with FM/AM radio (plus a proper antenna), which again is something some people still ask for. And the battery lasts four-five hours, depending on the volume — an acceptable figure for a device that’s very small.

There is really nothing negative to say about the speaker. If you can lay your hands on it for Christmas, it will make for an excellent addition to the selection of gifts below the tree. Saregama Carvaan Mini+ deserves a Christmas wrapping paper around it.

At a glance