Cloudwalker Burst E3000 soundbar review: Plenty of room for improvement

The soundbar is good enough for regular video streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime and other such platforms but if you have a good ear for sound quality, the limitations would not escape your attention

A few months ago we reviewed Cloudwalker's Smart Screen (review) and felt it was incomplete without a good soundbar. Later, the Mumbai-based tech startup came up with its new soundbar, the Burst E3000, with a 100 watt output, for Rs 7,999.

We got hold of a unit and reviewd it. Here's what we found:

Design and connectivity

The Burst E3000 has a glossy finish on top and sides, with its branding on the front grille. It comes with a subwoofer unit that makes it a complete package. The soundbar is neither sleek nor bulky. There are two ports at the rear to mount it on a wall. On closer look, the plastic material used here makes it look less sturdy. But that is not too bad, given its price.

There are physical buttons at the top for play/pause, standby/source, while the connectivity ports are placed at the back. What's interesting is the LED light strip beneath the bar that offers 11 light effects which can be managed using a tiny remote controller. The LED light gives a good effect overall if you dim the lights of your room while watching movies or a web series.

For connectivity, the Burst E3000 features Bluetooth 5.0 and it's really quick to connect with a smartphone or other Bluetooth-enabled devices. The Soundbar offers multiple connectivity options like AUX, Line IN and Optical port to connect it with other compatible devices.

Performance

Given the set-up, we expected a powerful sound output from the soundbar unit. But it did not quite live up to the expectation. The tuning somehow did not go well, and we felt the soundbar might be good enough to add loudness to a TV's sound output but not versatile enough to offer a rich experience.

Some more disappointment came when we connected the soundbar with a phone. The audio seemed flat, as the bass effect did not lift the output. Considering that there's a 60W external subwoofer to support the overall sound, we were a bit disappointed with the performance of the entire set-up.

The soundbar might be fine for regular video streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime and other such platforms. But if you have a good ear for sound quality, you won't miss the limitations of this product.

Verdict

What can really work in the Burst E3000's favour is its price tag of Rs 7,999. The soundbar may work well for those looking to justslightly improve their TV's overall sound and make it louder. But if you are looking for a rich sound experience, you might have to spend some more money and get a better soundbar.

The party light is a welcome feature and does light up the ambience, but a happening party needs a rich sound as well.