Mitchell Acoustics uStream Cube Review

Introduction

Wireless bookshelf speakers are having a moment thanks to salivating launches from the likes of Cambridge Audio and KEF, but a small batch British brand that may have escaped your radar is Mitchell Acoustics.

Founded by namesake Paul Mitchell, an experienced audio designer and music producer, it offers Bluetooth speakers of various sizes and even the odd wireless turntable. I’m focusing on its baby uStream Cube setup.

Aiming to give the likes of Ruark, Kanto and Edifier a run for their money, the smallest model in the range is designed for near-field listening, smaller rooms and spaces where a full hi-fi system would be overkill.

With no app-based EQ or native smart assistant integration, the question is whether simplicity here feels helpful or merely basic, especially when wireless sound is via Bluetooth only.

If you value clarity, understated looks and a plug-and-play approach to wireless audio, the uStream Cube is about to set its stall out.

Design

• Compact and discreet
• Minimalist aesthetic
• Solid, unfussy construction

The uStream Cube is a small, boxy speaker setup with clean lines and a deliberately understated look. There’s nothing flashy here aside from some rather fetching orange gold speaker cones.

Piano black wooden veneer cabinets feel utilitarian rather than refined, but the build quality is reassuring and blends nicely into modern interiors. There are no fabric wraps, no RGB lighting, and no other finish options. One for the purists, then.

Controls are kept deliberately minimal, with a backplate of buttons on each speaker cabinet that includes all ports, and an aluminium remote featuring a mildly irritating screw opening. Alternatively, volume and content can be dabbled with from your chosen Bluetooth device.

Features

• Straightforward Bluetooth connectivity
• No apps, no accounts, no friction
• No cable between speakers

The uStream Cube sports proprietary 4-inch magnesium-alloy drivers with 20oz neodymium magnets. The idea is to bolster the low end, given there’s no room for a subwoofer.

Like a pair of earbuds, the uStream Cube uses True Wireless Stereo (TWS) to connect its left and right channels without a connecting wire. Each speaker requires a mains connection with a pretty bulky power adaptor.

Using an external adaptor makes it easier for the speakers to function with the various power standards in different regions, and also reduces the weight of the speakers themselves, but it does make tucking away cabling that bit trickier. 

Speakers don’t get much simpler than this. To connect wirelessly, it’s Bluetooth or nothing. Pair the left and right speakers with each other, then your phone, tablet or laptop and start playing. Pairing confirmation comes via audible alerts in a rather splendid British accent, too.

Bluetooth 5.3 is as solid as it comes, and with no app or bloated functionality to concern yourself with, it’s unlikely a firmware update will ever be needed. Nonetheless, you’re reliant on a USB service port rather than over-the-air updates.

The TWS connection remained pleasingly stable throughout testing, and I suffered no Bluetooth dropouts during playback other than when wandering outside a reasonable range.

While the uStream Cube can be used alongside Alexa or Google Assistant via a connected phone, it doesn’t support native smart-speaker integration or true multi-room audio in the way Wi-Fi speakers do.

The inclusion of an HDMI ARC input makes the uStream Cube perfect for smaller TVs, gaming setups, and computers. Optical would have been nice, while DJs and producers would love RCA, but this can be bridged with the 3.5mm aux in.

Using HDMI ARC with a TV is equally simple by selecting the right mode from the speaker control panel or remote. There’s no HDMI lead bundled in the box, but hey, fair enough.

Sound Quality

• Balanced, natural tuning
• Clear midrange presentation
• Bass is tidy rather than thunderous

The uStream Cube’s sound signature leans towards balance rather than blistering booms. Vocals sit clearly in the mix, acoustic instruments sound natural, and there’s a pleasing sense of cohesion across the frequency range. Bass is present, but understandably limited by the compact enclosure.

You get definition rather than depth, making it well-suited to gaming, podcasts, acoustic music, jazz and lighter electronic tracks, but less convincing with overly bass-heavy genres, so lay off the dubplates unless it’s for DJ cueing purposes only.

Treble is clean without becoming sharp, and there’s enough detail to keep long listening sessions engaging without fatigue. For a speaker of this size, the overall presentation feels considered and mature.

Volume levels are more than sufficient for personal listening or filling a small room, just don’t expect to blow away bigger groups, either in the home cinema or house party stakes. Used as intended, the Cube feels composed and controlled.

There are compromises. An app-based EQ would be useful, as although some Bluetooth devices, streaming services, and TVs do carry this functionality, a turntable does not.

Should you buy it?

FAQs