Jawbone has made a name with distinctive Bluetooth headsets that offer a combination of aesthetics and functionality. New to its lineup, the Jambox speaker system aims to bring those same features to a music dock with the company’s characteristic minimalist design. Mixing business with pleasure, the unit’s solid construction offers rich sound, and a built-in microphone allows it to double as a conference phone.

The Jambox is built like a brick in the best way possible with a heft that makes an impression right off the bat. The stealthy diamond-patterned design of the black version we reviewed is inconspicuous when powered down, but changes as soon as this tiny dynamo starts dropping full-bodied beats. At only 6 inches long, 2.25 inches high, and 1.5 inches deep, the Jambox’s tiny footprint and rechargeable battery make it incredibly mobile. A folding magnetic case makes it easy to throw the set in a purse or bag for use at the next impromptu party or meeting. A 10-hour battery life means it will keep going through even the most grueling conference calls (or PaulyD sets).

Jambox’s barebones design strategy also comes across in the interface, with two buttons for volume and one for connecting and disconnecting incoming phones calls. Input is handled by either Bluetooth or a 3.5mm stereo jack, with a mini USB for charging.

Engaging an LED-rimmed switch on the side of the unit starts the synching process, with a voice that updates users on the status of their connection. Syncing to a Bluetooth-enabled device is effortless, handled with a quick area scan from your phone or computer.  Once paired, your tunes will play through the Jambox even when the source is clear across the room, and a range of 30 feet should be more than enough for the intended use.

When synced to your phone, incoming calls will automatically pause your music and the same voice that assisted in the synching process will announce the caller. Once the call has ended, music will continue to play where it left off.

While the unit sounds great at low and medium volume with great range and balance, it suffers from many of the same issues that other speaker docks of it size typically have. At higher volumes, deep bass tends to rattle the Jambox, and mid ranges can sound a bit muffled and washed out.

During conference calls, voices below a certain volume threshold will cut out, and if they are too loud, they come off as grainy and muffled. The unit’s microphone is also not as sensitive as it could be, occasionally requiring users to get uncomfortably close to make themselves clear. There was a noticeable audio delay when watching video on a laptop and minor interference while typing and listening to music at the same time on a Droid handset.

That may sound like a lot of qualms but at moderate volume the sound quality of the unit was excellent.

The Jambox performs the tasks it was designed for well and will perfectly fill the niche of a larger speakers or conference phones when no other option is available. While the sound issues and a price that’s a little steep ($200) take it out of the “essential gear” category, for a small, attractive and functional speaker set the Jambox is about as good as it gets.