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Was I expecting too little of the Stellé Audio Couture Audio Clutch?

I have to wonder when a speaker-in-a-purse sounds so good. At a price of $300, maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised.

The Audio Clutch appears to be a woman’s handbag, but springs open to reveal two 1.5-inch speakers. It connects to a music source by Bluetooth or 3.5-millimeter phone jack, and pumps out very good sound.

The device is 9 by 4.5 by 2 inches when shut. While weightier than an evening bag, it shouldn’t be too burdensome to carry.

The Audio Clutch’s Bluetooth connection, however, had glitches — it had to be reset several times. In subsequent uses, it did not reconnect reliably, and when it did reconnect, it did so slowly.

The speakers handled a variety of music quite well, providing clear, full sound, with one exception — the Overture to “The Mikado” caused distortion. No other music I tried did, however.

I could blast jazz, rock, blues and hip-hop music at maximum, and while the volume was louder than I would like, it wasn’t quite room-filling. You’ll be disappointed if your goal is to rattle the windows at a dorm party.

The fit and finish is good, with a glaring exception. The charging and accessory port is covered with a loose flap of faux hide material. How long before that little flap becomes worn?

Carrying the Audio Clutch might look cooler than toting a speaker dock, except people may wonder why you are carrying two purses. The Audio Clutch is so crammed with electronics, it can’t be used to carry anything else.