Skip to main content

NuForce S3-BT Review

Image used with permission by copyright holder
NuForce S3-BT
MSRP $299.00
“The S3 BT have a light and airy touch that we found especially well suited to acoustic and instrumental music.”
Pros
  • Gorgeous upper register
  • Smooth warmth in midrange
  • Big power in a small package
  • Crystal clear wireless signal
  • Intuitive and convenient
Cons
  • A little weak in the bass and upper mids
  • Some signal dropout in certain instances

“Why you can trust Digital Trends – We have a 20-year history of testing, reviewing, and rating products, services and apps to help you make a sound buying decision. Find out more about how we test and score products.“

You may have noticed that, over the past year or so, we’ve written enough Bluetooth audio device reviews to fill a book of War and Peace-type proportions. Right now, Bluetooth audio is so hot, we can barely keep up with the onslaught of new product introductions. That won’t keep us from trying, though. Whenever there’s a glut of a certain product type, we want to be there to help you separate the wheat from the chaff and make an informed buying decision.

Recommended Videos

Although there’s no shortage of wireless speakers and speaker docks to choose from, seldom do we come across systems that can replace a conventional home stereo. Usually, a compromise has to be made between factors of affordability, design, convenience and high-quality sound – rarely do all come together in a single product.

Nuforce aims to deliver where few others have with its Bluetooth-enabled, powered bookshelf speakers. Priced at a reasonable $300, the S3-BT bring an impressive list of hardware and software specs to the table. We sat down with the speakers for a thorough listen. Here’s what happened.

Out of the box

Pulling the S3’s from their bright red box, we got an immediate impression of quality. The speakers are long and relatively heavy for their size, cloaked in a thin layer of black vinyl. At the back of the speakers, amidst the inputs and a small sound port, we were encouraged to find gold plated, five-way binding posts of the sort used to connect professional-grade monitors. Along with the speakers, we found a power adaptor, a 3.5mm to RCA aux cable, and an ample length of speaker wire.

Features and design

Though the S3-BT system may initially look complex to the novice, it’s actually a simple design. The speakers’ amplifier resides in the right speaker where inputs and controls for setup and navigation are also housed. The left speaker is slaved to its partner, connected only by a single length of provided speaker wire.

nuforce s3_bt bluetooth bookshelf speakers front logo macro
Image used with permission by copyright holder

On the rear of the right speaker we found a power jack, stereo RCA input, a USB power output for charging devices, and the main power switch. A rectangular panel sunken into the top of the speaker holds a small set of control keys including buttons for volume, song navigation, play/pause, and a source key which alternates between Bluetooth and the stereo line-in.

Prying off the speakers’ grills revealed 1-inch tweeters above 3.5-inch midrange drivers. Nuforce claims the speakers’ built-in amp delivers 18 watts x 2 RMS.

For the S3-BT, Nuforce has employed the very latest Bluetooth profile version 4.0. The relatively new protocol allows for the cleanest, lowest-energy Bluetooth communication available, optimized for high-fidelity audio. When correctly utilized, Bluetooth 4.0 makes crystal clear wireless audio with very little latency possible.

Setup

After tethering the two monitors via speaker wire, we powered up the system and were promptly greeted by a blue and red-flashing LED, indicating the speakers were in pairing mode. After a lightning-quick pairing, we were ready to rock.

Audio performance

To test S3-BT we wirelessly piped music directly from our iPhone 5 and iPhone 3GS, and via Nuforce’s Air DAC wireless digital audio converter. What we heard was an extremely well balanced sound system, supported by one of the cleanest Bluetooth signals we’ve encountered so far.

The S3-BT have a light and airy touch that we found especially well-suited to acoustic and instrumental music. Selections from Nickel Creek and Bela Fleck were delivered with bright, intricate guitar clicks, warm upright bass, and brilliantly smooth mandolin and banjo.

Vocals rendered by the speakers were well detailed, and the midrange was bolstered by the pristine accuracy of the treble, roundly exposed in shimmering crash cymbals and tactile piano lines. We were also struck by the S3’s strong command of instruments like harmonica and accordion, which were played with a reedy vibrance.

Compared to the… NOCS NS2 Airplay, the S3 BT have a less zesty treble region and less robust low bass response.

As we moved on to rock and electronic music, we were impressed to hear the speakers rise to the challenge, presenting the music with clarity and vast spatial dimension. The speakers’ small drivers showed a knack for fleshing out the rich timbre of the overdriven electric guitars and crunchy woodwinds of 70’s rock. When pushed to their maximum volume with electronic tracks from the likes of Muse and Radiohead, the speakers filled the room with barreling synth tones that were well-balanced and distortion-free.

Considering their size, the S3-BT are understandably limited in their bass capabilities. Though Nuforce claims the speakers’ frequency response is rated down to 50 Hz, we heard a serious roll-off after about 100 Hz. As such, the deepest notes in hip-hop tracks went missing. Still, what the speakers did crank out provided a solid groove, and the chocolate-y smooth tones we heard from the upper end of the bass were gorgeous as well.

On the whole, the S3-BT were a joy to listen to, but we did dig up a few problems to report: We noted a minor lack of presence in the upper midrange which left some instruments sounding pushed back in the mix. We also experienced a few instances of a delay in the entrance of some music when delivered via our iPhone 5 and a friend’s iPhone 4s. When we quickly switched songs, sometimes we’d miss out on the first second or two of our track. The issue seemed related to buffering and was not easy to replicate, though, so we don’t see it causing most listeners any major problems.

nuforce s3_bt bluetooth bookshelf speakers driver macro
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Compared to the recently reviewed NOCS NS2 Airplay speakers, the S3-BT have a less zesty treble region and less robust low bass response. Still, their right midrange response and sufficiently detailed highs make them a great choice for those seeking a room-filling sound without the need for heavy-handed bass.

Conclusion

Though we’re not ready to trade in our full-sized hi-fi just yet, the S3-BT managed to push us further in that direction than any other wireless system in its price range has to date. Nuforce has delivered a rare combination of attractive design, user-friendly interface, excellent sound quality and approachable price point with its S3-BT speakers. Whether destined for your desktop, bedroom or living room, these should be a welcome addition to your home or office.

Highs

  • Gorgeous upper register
  • Smooth warmth in midrange
  • Big power in a small package
  • Crystal clear wireless signal
  • Intuitive and convenient

Lows

  • A little weak in the bass and upper mids
  • Some signal dropout in certain instances
Ryan Waniata
Former Home Theater & Entertainment Editor
Ryan Waniata is a multi-year veteran of the digital media industry, a lover of all things tech, audio, and TV, and a…
One of the best TVs ever made is below $2,000, and comes with expert delivery
Panasonic Z95A

When you look through our current list of the best TVs, there are exactly two TVs that should stand out to you, even if you're a casual skimmer. The first is the Sony A95L QD-OLED, simply because it is at the top of the list. The second is the Panasonic Z95A, not because it's the runner-up (which it is) but because it's... Panasonic. It's just not a brand we see making winning TVs, but wow, what a winner the Z95A is. We immediately called it one of the best TVs ever made, something that will be apparent to your eyes if you get it. Now, what's exciting about this TV right now is that it has a low price. You can get the 65-inch version of the TV for $1,998 right now, a savings of over $1,200 off its usual $3,200 price point. You can even get a deluxe delivery and unpack for free if you select the right option on the sales page (accessible by tapping the button below). But, this deal has been around for some time now, since around the start of summer. With Prime Day here and ending soon, it's very likely the time for this deal to end as well. If you want one of the best TVs ever for under $2,000, be sure to tap the button below now.

$1,998 at Amazon

Read more
An amazing TV under $1,000 has a sub $500 Prime Day price (and it’s ending soon)
TCL QM6K

We're now in the final moments of Amazon's summer Prime Day 2025 event, and finding critical last-minute deals. Here's one that almost fundamentally changes how you'll likely think about a product. See, we have a whole list of the best TVs under $1,000, a price point that a ton of people that love TVs just don't feel comfortable crossing. Then, we have a separate list for budget TVs, the best TVs under $500. Even though prices (which move up and down!) are quantitative data points, the differences between a sub $1,000 and a sub $500 TV feel almost categorical in nature, like the difference between water and steam. This deal take the $600 55-inch TCL QM6K (one of the TVs in our 'under $1,000' list) and pushes its price down by $152. This puts it at a price of $448, which is an all time low for it on Amazon, transforms it into an 'under $500' TV. Tap the button below to get the transformative deal while Prime Day is still here or continue reading to see why we liked it so much even when it was over $500.

$448 at Amazon

Read more
Our favorite soundbar is 41% off for Prime Day, but time is running out
Samsung HW-Q990D Dolby Atmos Soundbar.

There are a lot of soundbar deals that are still available as we approach the end of Prime Day, but this is the one that you should target -- the Samsung HW-Q990D with a huge 41% discount from Amazon, slashing its price from $1,998 all the way down to just $1,178. It's still expensive, but if you want to make an investment to dramatically improve your home theater setup's audio, you shouldn't miss this chance at $820 in savings. You have to hurry though, as there are only a few hours left before the shopping event closes.

$1,178 at Amazon

Read more