In a brief listening session, it was clear why Urbanista has decided to make this power saving mode optional rather than the default. In its regular listening mode, the Malibu delivers a chunky and weighty listening experience, much like you’d expect from a rugged Bluetooth speaker advertised with photos showing it beside the pool. But with the power saving mode turned on, some of the bass’s impact gets reduced, and the sound separation isn’t quite as distinct. I can see it being very listenable for podcasts or the radio, but if you were to listen to say, EDM, I think you’d miss the extra bass response.