Loewe We. Hear Pro review: a go-anywhere Bluetooth boombox

Introduction

Loewe signed Kylian Mbappé to be the face of the We. Hear Pro well before Euro 2024 kicked off, and French footie ace is now well on his way to bagging the Golden Boot trophy (at the time of writing, anyway). Has some of that magic rubbed off on this outdoor-ready bluetooth speaker?

The German brand is better known for its TVs than its wireless speakers, but has come out swinging here. The Loewe We. Hear Pro has the battery life, shoulder strap and weatherproofing to take on the class-leading JBL Xtreme 4, while costing considerably less at $275/£255. Some clever on-device controls also negate the need for a companion app. Does that make it the speaker to go for this summer?

Design & build: totally tubular

Giant KM initials at either end of this cylindrical speaker make it clear the We. Hear Pro is a team effort, but it’s not as overt as some tech crossovers and collaborations I’ve seen in the past. At least not for my black review sample; KM’s favoured colour, neon yellow, is anything but subtle. The denim blue version is halfway between the two.

All three carry the striker’s logo on their matching shoulder straps, but if you aren’t a football fan you’d be none the wiser as to what it stood for. I thought the strap fabric was a little scratchy and not especially high-end, but it was easily sturdy enough to lug the speaker around safely. At only 2.2kg this is a surprisingly light speaker for its size. Don’t think you have to fit the shoulder strap just because Loewe includes one in the box.

The tube-like shape is thoroughly modern, and a world away from throwback speakers like the Orange Box or Marshall Kilburn II. It’s wrapped in an acoustic fabric that didn’t pick up any unsightly stains or marks during my testing. An IPX6 water resistance rating means it’s not a problem if you’re caught outside in a rain shower, but there’s no guarantee it’ll survive a full-on dunking. For pool parties and trips to the beach, the IP67-rated JBL Xtreme 4 might be the better choice.

The We. Hear Pro is meant to be laid horizontally rather than stood vertically, to avoid blocking one of the bass radiators at the end. That blocks access the USB-C and 3.5mm ports, unless you roll it forward a bit. Thankfully this doesn’t colour or dampen the sound at all, so you’re fine to play and charge at the same time.

Features & battery: no app needed

With wired connectivity underneath, all the other controls are found on the top of the speaker, contained in one long rubber strip. The power button handily doubles as a play/pause button, but double- and triple-presses don’t skip tracks.

It’s the volume slider and dedicated buttons for bass and treble that make the We. Hear Pro stand out from other Bluetooth speakers. The volume slider was wonderfully responsive to even the lightest of touches, and puts EQ controls right at your fingertips – no smartphone app required. Just press Bass and slide up or down to add or remove low-end oomph; pressing Treble does the same for high-end frequencies. This is so much simpler than reaching for your phone every time you want to adjust the audio. I’m fully expecting other brands to copy it. I wish the LEDs were brighter, though; it’s almost impossible to see the slider position when outside, even on overcast days.

The Bluetooth pairing button also activates Loewe’s bespoke true wireless multi-pairing tech, which lets you pair up to 14 speakers for stadium-filling sound. I only had one unit for this review, so couldn’t test it out. Only people on Mbappé-level salaries are likely to have that many, anyway. I’d have liked to see Auracast included as well; in theory it’ll let you stream to speakers from different brands.

A built-in microphone isn’t always a given in Bluetooth speakers of this size, so I appreciate Loewe including one – even if it can only be used for voice calls, and not wake your phone’s voice assistant. Calls I made were clear enough I didn’t feel the need to unpair and reach for my phone.

Loewe reckons the We. Hear Pro is good for up to 24 hours of listening. That largely bore out in my testing, lasting multiple days of work hours playback before it needed a charge. A full refuel took around two hours from the mains. The battery isn’t user-replaceable like the JBL Xtreme 4, but I like that the USB-C port can charge other gadgets when you have juice to spare.

Sound quality: party starter

Loewe has squeezed two woofer drivers, two tweeters and dual passive bass radiators inside the We. Hear Pro, along with 100W of class D amplification. That’s an impressive amount, and means this portable speaker gets seriously loud, well before you reach maximum on the volume slider.

I’m sure music fans will be relieved to hear Mbappé had no sway over the sound tuning, which was a purely in-house effort. Loewe has gone for a bass-heavy curve that works well outdoors; inside I thought it could be a little OTT at higher volumes, depending where in a room or on what surface I placed it on. But the EQ controls made it a breeze to dial it right back. Even then, the passive radiators could be seen putting in a shift, vibrating back at forth from moderate volumes upwards. If you like your tunes to have plenty of oomph, this absolutely delivers.

This speaker doesn’t have the widest frequency range in its class, which translated to a slightly muddied low-end in electronic tracks. Bob Vylan’s Wicked & Bad also revealed a bright high-end, with vocals that were just a little too sharp. Again, the EQ controls can reign this in, but not completely. You’ll want to avoid cranking the volume as far as it’ll go for the best listening experience.

Loewe We. Hear pro verdict

Celeb endorsements are a double-edged sword. They can raise a gadget’s profile with non-tech heads, but those in the know might see it as a way to camouflage a sub-par bit of kit. I’m happy to report that’s not the case with the Loewe We. Hear Pro. A few Mbappé logos aside, this speaker is up to Loewe’s usual high standard.

It has enough battery to keep the party going all night, is effortlessly easy to use, and isn’t short on volume. Sound quality falls short of the very best luggable Bluetooth speakers, and there are rivals that are more waterproof – but the competitive asking price goes a long way to making up for it.

Loewe We. Hear pro technical specifications