While strolling through the aisles at a well-represented exhibition in Mumbai, the sound of a little speaker rose above the din of loudspeakers playing in other stalls. My carefully tuned auditory nerves sent a signal to my brain that, when processed, told me that this was a unique sound. And of course, this comes after years of listening to music on speakers of all sizes. I looked around, expecting tower speakers of sorts, but could find none within range. And then I spotted the BIGGIE in a corner of a stall.
The BIGGIE, a smaller version of the Högtalare series, is manufactured by Morel HiFi. Its name alludes to its ‘big’ sound – not the size of the little box. With dimensions 7 x 7 x 4.5 inches, it’s a bit bigger than the square tissue dispenser box seen in Indian restaurants. It weighs just 2.6 Kg / 5.7 pounds and has a nice built in leather-like handle wrapped around the top of the unit.
The speaker won the EISA award for Best Product 2024 – 2025 in the portable speakers category.
While checking the technical specifications I was astounded to see 40Hz on the lower side of the sound spectrum. This is very rare in a box of such dimensions.
Big Sound, Small Box
Now let’s talk about the most important aspect – the sound. Yes, it is small, but it delivers deep, warm sound without distortion or clipping at high volume levels.
It features a 2-way bass reflex system with a custom-made 4-inch woofer and 25 mm soft dome tweeter. It reproduces high frequencies with exceptional clarity and detail – without any harshness or distortion. The sound is tonally balanced and accurate across the entire frequency spectrum.
Customized DSP (digital signal processing) technology optimizes the sound quality. The sound from this speaker is accurate, well-balanced, immersive and natural – without distortion or coloration. No clipping either. I tested it myself at the stall and was astounded by the deep bass coming out of the bass reflex port.
According to the manufacture, the DSP allows Morel’s acoustic engineers to configure a dynamic EQ, which continually adjusts according to the set listening volume to create a well-balanced and natural sound free from distortion and coloration.
Tech specs
Maximum Loudness (SPL): 95 dB @ 1 m
Frequency range: 40Hz-20KHz
Amplifier: 60 Watt Class D amplifiers (45W woofer + 15W tweeter)
Drive Units: 1× 100mm (4”) Woofer and 1×25mm (1”) Tweeter
Cabinet Principle: Bass-Reflex
Connectivity
It has Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) 5.3 wireless connectivity and that’s another plus point. BLE is a power-efficient wireless technology designed for short-range communication. Unlike classic Bluetooth, which is built for continuous, high-bandwidth data like streaming music, BLE transmits data in short bursts, allowing devices to stay in sleep mode and run on standard coin-cell batteries for months or years. It has a range of upto 50 meters.
What’s more, you can pair two BIGGIE speakers wirelessly to create a stereo soundstage – just as we did in the ‘old’ days when ‘Stereo’ was a big selling feature in audio systems.
It also has a 3.5 mm AUX in port, which is not present even in BT speakers manufactured by premium brands.
Design
The minamalist and practical design is sure to draw your attention, especially if you go for chic, stylish looks to complement the decor in your home.
The BIGGIE is available in nine colors and has a leather-like, hand-bag style handle. All the controls are on the front of the unit.
The rechargeable battery offers upto 20 hours of listening at normal levels (50%). I’m told the speaker has fast charging and 20 mins of charging will offer 4 hours of listening. It takes two hours to charge it fully.
But I cannot guarantee that as the manufacturer did not allow me to buy it or take it home to test it!
I was told that the product should be available in India by “the end of the year” – and I think it would make an excellent Diwali or Christmas gift to those who appreciate music.
Where to Buy
At the time of writing this post (31 May) I did a Google search to find out the availability and price.
While it is listed on Amazon.in the Morel BIGGIE is “currently unavailable”. Sold out? Maybe.
Price: Car Concepts – Rs. 26,890.00 (incl. tax).
Should you buy? Even if the final price is higher, I would still recommend the BIGGIE over a Bose speaker. Personally, I do not consider only the brand value – I buy for the quality of the product and of course, the rich sound.
I know that Indian reviewers will put the ‘high’ price as a con (when they can’t find any other imperfection). But If you value something good, and can afford it, this is a good investment.
Go ahead and buy it!
Distributor: As far as I know, Morel has not yet appointed a national distributor. But you should find it online soon – or in popular electronic retail outlets or AV stores.
For more information write to Morel HiFi: https://www.morelhifi.com/en/contact-us/contact-us
The reviewer has been testing personal audio products for three decades. He is the former Editor of CHIP magazine India (which had a test center).