Travel Gadget: Geneva XS portable sound system

The Geneva XS portable sound system is at the pricier end of the scale but it's versatile and sounds good enough for home use when you're not jet-setting. Photo / Supplied

The Geneva XS portable sound system is a pretty clever little thing, or a clever pretty little thing, depending on whether aesthetics or functionality is higher up your list.

Part of a range (which goes from XS to XL ... geddit?), the XS is the most compact and well-suited for slinging in your suitcase or backpack.

It comes in a hard leather case, which unfolds to reveal the streamlined hi-fi unit. This automatically turns itself off when the case is shut - however, should you run it flat, the built-in rechargeable lithium battery means there's no need to lug spare batteries around the world.

As one of the masses with a certain type of phone, I can vouch for the ease with which you can establish a bluetooth connection to the XS for audio streaming. No need to download any software, just a couple of setting changes and away you go.

It's also pretty nifty as an amp for a laptop, so you can get decent sound while watching Star Wars in your hotel room.

All devices (MP3 player, TV, computer, etc) can be also be connected by mini line-in. More importantly for the traveller, the XS has a digital clock and alarm, as well as a digital FM radio tuner.

Oh, and did I mention the sound quality? It's got a bunch of stuff I don't understand (tweeters and a woofer, anyone?), and I suspect they might have something to do with excellent sound performance. The only real flaw I discovered in the XS was how difficult it was to read the display in bright sunshine.

At an RRP of $349, it's at the pricier end of the scale but it's versatile and sounds good enough for home use when you're not jet-setting.