Maxhub BM52 — a speakerphone with wireless Wi-Fi connectivity and advanced daisy-chaining
Maxim Liadov
Maxhub has been on the market for a long time and has a good reputation. Its wide product range makes it easy to choose a model for a business's needs. The manufacturer develops its own products and again shows its technical strengths with the advanced BM52 speakerphone. The 5 in the name places it in the higher-end range. The new model is well suited to medium and large meeting rooms and conference halls. Up to 8 units can now be linked in one chain. With microphone pickup extended to 8 meters, the speakerphones can cover rooms up to 80 meters in size and events with up to 30 participants. Ordinary models do not offer these capabilities. However, users can start with only one or two BM52 units and expand later.
Technology is a clear priority in the Maxhub BM52. Instead of familiar Bluetooth, it uses the more advanced Wi-Fi 802.11ax wireless protocol in the license-free 5 GHz band. This can potentially provide even higher sound quality and better resistance to interference.
Let us compare the specifications across the Maxhub speakerphone range.
| BM21 | BM31 | BM41 | BM52 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voice pickup range | 5 meters | 6 meters | 6 meters | 8 meters |
| Microphone | 6-element microphone array | 8-element microphone array | 8-element microphone array | 8-element microphone array |
| Frequency range | 150 Hz–8 kHz | 100 Hz–15 kHz | 100 Hz–15 kHz | 100 Hz–10 kHz |
| Loudspeaker | ||||
| Sound pressure level | Full-range driver | 0.75-inch tweeter, 1.75-inch driver | 0.75-inch tweeter, 1.75-inch driver | Full-range driver |
| Operating frequency range | 150 Hz–16 kHz | 75 Hz–20 kHz | 75 Hz–20 kHz | 100 Hz–20 kHz |
| Inputs, outputs, buttons, indicators | ||||
| Inputs/outputs | USB Type C 3.5 mm AUX (audio input/output) |
USB Type C | USB Type C | USB Type C, Ethernet PoE |
| Linking multiple units | Yes, with an optional cable | Yes, wireless TWS mode | Yes, wireless TWS mode | Yes, 2 to 8 speakerphones |
| Wireless connection | Bluetooth 4.2+EDR | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3 | 5 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11ax) |
| Buttons | Power, Answer/End, Microphone mute, Bluetooth, Volume+, Volume- | Power, Answer/End, Microphone mute, Bluetooth, Volume+, Volume- | Power, Answer/End, Microphone mute, Bluetooth, Volume+, Volume- | Answer, End, Microphone mute, Volume+, Volume- |
| Indicators | Power, Volume, Bluetooth, Microphone, Answer/End | Power, Volume, Bluetooth, Microphone, TWS | Power, Volume, Bluetooth, Microphone, TWS | Answer, End, Microphone, Volume+, Volume- |
| Physical specifications | ||||
| Dimensions | 120 mm × 35 mm | 127 mm × 35 mm | 127 mm × 35 mm | 122 mm × 65 mm |
| Weight | 380 g | 470 g | 380 g | 450 g |
| Color | Dark gray | Dark gray | Dark gray | Dark gray |
| Battery | ||||
| Capacity | 7.4 V/2200 mAh | 3.7 V/4400 mAh | 3.7 V/4400 mAh | Mains-powered |
| Power supply | Wired charging, 5 V/2 A | Wired charging, 5 V/1 A | Wired charging, 5 V/1 A | 54 V/1 A adapter |
| Operating time | Up to 8 hours | Up to 8 hours of music, 15 hours of calls | Up to 8 hours, 15 hours of calls | Mains-powered |
The comparison table shows this model's focus: expansion to 8 speakerphones and an unusually long pickup range of up to 8 meters. Power over Ethernet (PoE) allows the speakerphones to connect without extra power cables. This is a very attractive feature. The BM52 can also connect by USB-C cable if required.
The manufacturer's repeated use of 8, rather than 7 or 9, has a simple explanation. In Chinese, the pronunciation of 8 sounds similar to a word associated with success. In every Asian office we have visited, we have seen three eights displayed on a wall using decorations or flowers. If that improves staff mood and confidence, why not?
Compared with other models, the BM52 has a taller housing. This is not a problem because its main use is a fixed installation in medium and large meeting rooms. The speakerphones are designed to stay connected, but go to sleep automatically after a long period without use. The plastic housing has a metallic finish. The entire bottom, including the feet, is rubber. Combined with the fairly high weight, this keeps the speakerphone firmly in place.
Each speakerphone comes with a USB Wi-Fi adapter, a high-quality Ethernet PoE cable, and a USB cable. A voice announces whether a normal or linked connection has been established. No user action is needed. Bluetooth speakerphones usually require the linking button to be held down; this speakerphone connects automatically. Just be careful not to mix up the RJ-45 input and output. The input is next to the power socket.
The built-in full-range loudspeaker provides loud sound with 5 W of power. We heard no distortion, and the remote participant's speech was clear. We concluded that Wi-Fi benefits the sound. Quality seemed slightly higher than with Bluetooth, and latency was lower. The most important point is freedom from Bluetooth audio profile changes. The speakerphone will not switch from high-quality music mode to lower-quality speech mode to save bandwidth. Voice transmission quality remains stable and depends only on the remote participant's internet speed. Wi-Fi may not deserve all the credit. The proprietary Tencent Teana technology is also designed to improve speech clarity while keeping voices natural. The full range of digital signal processing (DSP) is available: voice direction tracking, echo cancellation, and removal of unwanted sounds. As usual, we tested the speakerphone in a 5-by-6-meter meeting room and found no problems. We did not need to raise our voices, and the person at the other end was comfortable too.
We used Microsoft Teams. The audio device appears as USB SpeakerPhone. It is best to disable the application's processing so that it does not overlap with the speakerphone's built-in processing. As usual for Maxhub, most functions have touch buttons. Each touch produces a sound from the loudspeaker, making operation easy. The crossed-out microphone button temporarily mutes the microphone, for example to cough or drink water. This is useful in air-conditioned rooms. Everything is simple and easy to understand. Illuminated buttons help in darkened rooms.
Conclusions
The Maxhub BM52 surprised us with its technical innovations and wide capabilities. Its practical appearance does not use expensive materials, but inside is an advanced modern speakerphone with 5 GHz Wi-Fi. The design suits companies that have outgrown one or two speakerphones and need flexible expansion. Even without professional installers, users can buy the required number of units and link up to 8 with the supplied Ethernet PoE cables. The 8 microphones and pickup range of up to 8 meters allow comfortable calls in medium and large meeting rooms. The full-range loudspeaker provides loud, clear sound. The latest built-in AI processing allows easy conversation without raising the voice.
If the Maxhub BM52 offers more than you need, consider the more affordable Maxhub models covered in our earlier reviews: Maxhub BM41, Maxhub BM31, Maxhub BM21.
Note. This is an adapted machine translation into English. It follows the “In simple terms” approach. Read the original article at https://prosound.ixbt.com/microphones/maxhub-bm52.shtml.