XM-I X-Mini capsule travel speakers

When it comes down to matters of size and convenience of packing, the X-Minimaxes really bring home the bacon. The bases of both speakers are magnetized so they stick together, the three off-set rubber pads on the base of each speaker fitting into recesses in the base of the other ensuring the two units fit together squarely - or, rather, roundly. You end up with bouncing-bomb shaped unit about the size of a bundled pair of sports socks. Having no sharp edges or protuberances you can chuck the things into your luggage with abandon.

What the airport's X-Ray operatives will make of them is another matter...

Having ticked the 'small' and 'cheap' boxes, it wouldn't be much of a shock if the sound pumped out by the X-Minimax set turned out to be utterly terrible, but truth to tell it's not at all bad.

Extend for bass expansion

In fact, if used with a PMP to watch video they do a pretty amazing job. We plugged ours into a Cowon A3 and watched a couple of feature films, including Downfall, with all its German dialogue and exploding Russian artillery shells, and Revenge of the Sith with all it's incomprehensible dialogue and swishing Jedi lightsabres. The dialogue in Downfall, including Bruno Ganz's superb Hitler-rants, came across very clearly while even the loudest explosive sound effects didn't cause anything in the way of overload distortion.

Even more surprising was the composure they showed during the lightsabre duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin towards the end of Star Wars Episode III. Not only do these scenes have John Williams' powerful and inspired score hammering away in the background, but also all the sound effects generally associated with hanging about on a planet that is a vulcanologist's idea of heaven.

When it comes to music, matters are not quite so successful, the lack of bass being harder to overlook though they do still pump out a reasonable amount for something no bigger than a fat dormouse. If your listening interests lean more towards classical or jazz rather than rock and pop you'll be less likely to raise an eyebrow at the rather bass-lite sound.