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Sharp SumoBox CP-LS100 Review
A loud, attention-grabbing sound system
In This Article
Verdict
The SumoBox CP-LS100 sits somewhere between a PA speaker and a party speaker. It’s loud, sounds fantastic and looks professional. It’s a great fit for small events, but it’ll rock a house party, too.
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Sharp SumoBox LS100 looks like it should be part of a PA system in a nightclub or concert venue. The big difference here is that it’s battery-powered and has modern conveniences likeBluetooth, so it can be deployed anywhere.
If you’re looking for a loud attention-grabbing sound system, but can’t be doing with the hassle of a mixing desk and mains power, this could be just the ticket. It looks and feels professional, but it’s as convenient as any other Bluetooth speaker.
With an MSRP of £399, the Sharp SumoBox has some stiff competition from the likes ofSonyand JBL. Its professional looks inspire confidence, but does it have the sound and performance to match?
Design
The SumoBox CP-LS100 is constructed in a traditional fashion, the main enclosure is made from wood with a black textured veneer, and there’s a large non-removable metal grille covering the entire front side.
If you asked someone to close their eyes and picture a speaker, there’s a good chance it’d look like this. It’s about as anonymous as speakers get. The upside to this is that it looks extremely professional, and it’s the polar opposite of flashy LED-encrusted party speakers like theJBL PartyBox Ultimate.
The downside to this design is that it’s not especially durable. After removing it from the box and placing it on my desk, I could already see the veneer wearing thin on the corners. It’s not the ideal construction for a portable speaker, and I think Sharp knows this, as there are large ball-shaped rubber corner protectors included in the box.
With the protectors in place, I was a lot more confident carting this speaker around. It’s a strange workaround, though, and I’d prefer the speaker to be made of a more durable material to begin with.
Fitting these corner protectors is a laborious task, too. The curvature of the speaker housing means that the protectors are all different sizes, and it’s not super easy to figure out which is which. Then, you need to remove and reinstall a total of 16 hex-head screws. It’s all very time-consuming, and not the kind of thing you’ll want to do very often.
The speaker stands 63 cm tall and weighs just under 10kg, so it’s big, but not massive. It sits somewhere between a large bookshelf speaker and a floorstander. It’s a lot easier to move about than some of the large party speakers that I’ve tested recently, but it’s not suitable for carrying long distances.
There are large carry handles on the left and right sides and one on top. On the underside, there’s a hole that lets you use it with standard 35mm speaker stands. It’s not something I have much use for, but if you’re a touring musician or DJ, it might be just what you’re looking for.
Features
One of the more unique aspects of this speaker design is the removable battery pack. It snaps into place on the rear of the speaker and can be removed by pressing a latch. This means that you can charge the battery separately, and that could come in quite handy with a large speaker like this.
Equally, it means you can get a second battery and quickly swap them when you’re out in the field. It’s not hot-swappable, so there will be a few moments of downtime, but it could help keep the party going while you’re away from mains electricity.
Also on the rear of the speaker, you’ll find two XLR inputs designed for use with a microphone, guitar or keyboard. Of course, they’ll work with all manner of other instruments and music gear, too. Each input has its own physical volume, bass, treble and reverb controls, so you can easily get your source sounding just right.
You’ll also find two quarter-inch sockets that can be used to daisy chain speakers. However, wires are only needed if you have more than two units in play. Otherwise, you can create a wireless stereo pair over Bluetooth.
The SumoBox LS100 is compatible with the Sharp Life app for Android and iOS, but its functionality isn’t the most impressive. Once connected, the app essentially gives you a virtual version of the controls on the rear panel. It could be handy if your speaker is in a hard-to-reach location, but otherwise, you can forget about the app and you won’t be missing out on anything.
Sound Quality
As the size and styling of this speaker suggest, it’s capable of delivering some serious volume. It’s not as crazy as the PartyBox Ultimate, but it still gets louder than you’d ever need in a small home, and it holds its own outdoors, too.
A single unit will be more than enough to fill a small venue, church hall or garden party – and you could always add more speakers for larger occasions.
I first listened to the speaker in my office at a relatively low volume, and I was a little underwhelmed by the sound quality. However, as I later found out, this speaker really comes alive when you crank the volume up.
Another thing that makes a big difference to the sound quality is switching between the indoor and outdoor EQ. Indoor mode has a flatter sound, whereas outdoor mode adds some warmth and punch to the low end. I much prefer the outdoor EQ, regardless of speaker location, it’s a much livelier profile and makes it sound more like a live concert than a home audio system. With outdoor mode active, even lower volumes delivered the thump I crave.
I was particularly impressed with the clean and clear presentation of the vocals and midrange. Meanwhile, the dual 8-inch woofers deliver pounding bass notes that you can feel, without muddying the other frequencies.
Listening to some drum and bass tracks, like Chase and Status’ latest collaboration with Stormzy – Backbone, really allowed the speaker to flex its muscles, but the SumoBox sounds fantastic with all genres of music. If I closed my eyes while listening to Slow Pulp’s Falling Apart, I could almost convince myself I was at a live show.
The only area that’s lacking is the sub-bass. Sharp doesn’t list the exact frequency response range, but you should just know that it doesn’t extend as low as an actual subwoofer. It’s no big deal, most music doesn’t take advantage of the frequencies, and it’s not designed to be used with a TV – but if that’s what you’re looking for, you need to look elsewhere.
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Should you buy it?
You want a professional speaker with wireless portability
The Sharp SumoBox CP-LS100 is essentially a professional-grade PA speaker with Bluetooth and a battery pack. If you want a pro sound system without the hassle of installing a full set-up, it could be a great choice.
You want eye-catching aesthetics
The CP-LS100 has a very anonymous design, and it’s not going to turn any heads, especially at an event. If you want an eye-catching party speaker, there are far better options.
Final Thoughts
The Sharp SumoBox CP-LS100 is an ideal speaker for anyone running small to medium-sized events. It looks the part, it’s loud, it’s compatible with a wide range of audio gear and most importantly, it sounds great.
With an MSRP of £399, it’s up against a lot of competition. The JBL PartyBox 310 and Sony SRS-XP700 are two that immediately come to mind. Both of these speakers have a more durable construction, built-in lights and more comprehensive apps.
On the other hand, the SumoBox gives you a more professional look, XLR inputs, and a removable battery, all things that the competition lacks. It’s also the only portable speaker that I’ve found with a speaker stand mounting hole.
Whether it’s right for you all depends on your personal needs, but if you’re weighing up this option compared to a traditional PA speaker, it’s very easy to recommend. It’s very simple to set up, sounds excellent, and is compatible with just about any source.
How we test
We test every wireless speaker we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in ourethics policy.
Tested across two weeks
Tested with real world use
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FAQs
Yes, two SumoBox CP-LS100 can be used as a wireless stereo pair over Bluetooth. If you need more speakers, you can daisy chain them with a cable.
The SumoBox is rated for 10 hours of playback on a charge, which isn’t the best battery life we’ve seen, but it’s more than enough for most parties.
Full specs
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
