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Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII review: sonically impressive and updated multi-room features

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What Hi-Fi? Awards 2022 winner. Audio Pro adds Google Cast and AirPlay 2 to a winning recipe
Tested at £359

(Image: © Audio Pro)

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

The update to the multiple Award-winning Audio Pro C10 gets AirPlay 2 and Google Cast to complete a multi-room home run

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Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Audio Pro is in the highly favourable position of having produced one of our favourite wireless speakers in the Addon C10. In the three years since its arrival, it has won three consecutive What Hi-Fi? Awards in its price category. The Swedish firm has since released a sequel, the sensibly named Addon C10 MkII, which delivers on its promised enhanced functionality, sound quality and design to now also become a multiple Award-winner.

With the C10 MkII, Audio Pro builds on the original model’s feature list, which boasted Bluetooth, AirPlay, aux and RCA inputs and access to music streaming services via wi-fi, by adding AirPlay 2 and Google Cast streaming smarts.

Essentially, the C10 MkII has three ways of being used in a multi-room environment: with Apple devices via AirPlay 2, Google Cast-compatible speakers via built-in Chromecast, and other Audio Pro wireless speakers via Audio Pro’s own dedicated app.

The aesthetic design has also been tweaked, although the dimensions and driver configuration remain the same.

• Audio Pro Addon C10 MKII (White) at Amazon for £327.74

Build

(Image credit: Audio Pro)

In the name of improved sound quality, Audio Pro has enhanced the electronics here and revised the bass port design.

Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII tech specs

(Image credit: Audio Pro)

Inputs RCA, Bluetooth

Outputs Sub

Finishes x3

AirPlay 2 Yes

Google Cast Yes

Dimensions (hwd) 16.6 x 32 x 18cm

Weight 3.2kg

The dual 20mm textile dome tweeters and 13cm long-throw woofer that helped make the original such a sonic class-leader remain, but the tweeter grilles are now flush with the front baffle rather than slightly bulging. 

This could be to accommodate the new removable mesh fabric grille, which is fixed with hidden magnets. Although it’s nice to have the option of a more understated and contemporary aesthetic (available in arctic white, coal black and storm grey hues) and it brings the new C10 more in line with the firm’s latest speakers, such as the G10 and BT5, we are fans of the classic, slightly rock ’n’ roll Audio Pro look.

A quick glance at the premium-look brushed metal top plate – silver on the white model and gold-tone on our grey sample – shows that the number of preset buttons has been increased from four to six, allowing two more shortcuts to any playlist or radio station without needing to use the control app. 

There are now also skip forward and backward buttons on this control panel, in addition to the play/pause button. They function with a high-end feeling click, too, with three small LED lights to indicate how you are currently accessing your tunes (labelled ‘wi-fi’, ‘BT’ and ‘line’) completing a classy finish.

Gone is the ethernet port on the back of the unit, the wi-fi/input switch and the 3.5mm aux in, and the retro leather handle has also been scrapped for the MkII edition to achieve the sleeker aesthetic. We’d be lying if we said we didn’t miss the handle, which made carrying the relatively weighty C10 around much easier.

There are still RCA inputs, meaning you can connect sources such as a phono stage-toting record player – but it’s probably worth mentioning that no RCA cables are included.  There’s a subwoofer output, too.

Features

(Image credit: Audio Pro)

The headline-grabber here is that you now get three options for multi-room connectivity: aside from Audio Pro’s app, there’s both Google Chromecast and AirPlay 2. We set two C10 MkIIs up with Audio Pro’s app (we name one ‘White’ and one ‘Grey’ for easy identification) and it’s surprisingly easy to get audio to play through one, both, or as a stereo pair.

The app itself is slick and easy to navigate, with a little musical note icon in the top left of our iPhone taking us to the exhaustive menu of streaming services it can access, plus the option to go Bluetooth. We log into Tidal and streaming our playlists and searching for songs is a painless and fuss-free experience. The Addon C10 MkII supports Apple Lossless, MP3, WMA, AAC and FLAC files.

For those who own the previous C10, Audio Pro says the C10 MkII can be used as the master speaker with the older version following a firmware update. Indeed, after setting up the older C10 through the Audio Pro app, we are able to use it as the master and sync the MkII with it for multi-room audio.

One thing for Alexa users to note is that Alexa voice control integration, which works well on the C10, is nowhere to be found on the MkII model. Because the C10 MkII has Google Chromecast and is built upon Google’s software, Alexa is now off-menu. The move toward Google is preferable and the compromise is worth it, but those who regularly use Alexa may disagree.

Sound

(Image credit: Audio Pro)

Throughout our listening session, we notice sonic gains through the low end afforded by the updated bass port design, especially during grime tracks such as Stormzy’s Vossy Bop. Bass is marginally cleaner and tighter on the new model and the performance is a touch more expansive too, particularly through the lower registers. We hear layered bass notes, such as the bluesy keys in Stormzy’s Lesson, in isolation and with an extra ounce of precision.

Without losing its predecessor’s impeccable timing, the new C10 MkII offers a slightly more even presentation. We stream Daniel Avery and Alessandro Cortini’s Illusion Of Time and are treated to a neutral and transparent presentation where each musical passage and atmospheric element is given its due diligence. Leading edges of notes throughout the more lyrical passages are clearer and more perceptible.

If you’re waiting for a ‘but’, here it comes. In the same way that we prefer the older model’s leather handle and grille-free aesthetic, it proves a touch more sonically enthusiastic, lively and fun, if a little less refined, than the new speaker.

We stream Ghostpoet’s Concrete Pony and the original C10 offers a marginally more zealous and entertaining performance. Sirens, guitar feedback, percussion and whispered backing vocals are slightly more compelling, adding to the brooding nature of the track. It’s a small issue and only notable in direct isolation – but for those who favour an exciting listen over hi-fi transparency, it’s worth noting, especially if you’re looking to upgrade your original to the MkII iteration.

Verdict

When we tested the original C10, we pitted it against models almost double its price and found it bettered them. We’re happy to report that the case for buying a C10 stands today – if £500 ($500) is your maximum budget, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a speaker that comes close to the performance of the Audio Pro C10 MkII. We miss the handle, but in return we can’t argue with three options for multi-room streaming or the levelled-up grippy bass and improved hi-fidelity performance. 

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 4
• Build 5

MORE:

See all the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2022 winners

Read our guide to the best wireless speakers

Read our Audio Pro Addon C3 review

Audio Pro Addon C10 MKII: Price Comparison

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What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world’s leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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Apple HomePod 2 review: the HomePod is back, and it sounds better than ever

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The much-missed HomePod is back – and it sounds better than ever
Tested at £299 / $299 / AU$479

(Image: © Future)

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

The new HomePod is a great-sounding smart speaker made even better – it’s an irresistible choice if you’re an Apple user

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Pros

• +

  Natural, solid and energetic sound

• +

  Spacious and three-dimensional, particularly with Atmos

• +

  Brilliantly well made

Cons

• –

  Still only suitable for dedicated Apple users

• –

  No Siri control for Spotify, Tidal etc

• –

  Some rivals have a more direct sound

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi?
Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Apple’s decision to discontinue the original HomePod was surprising to say the least. The announcement came just four months after the launch of the HomePod Mini, and it never seemed likely that the company intended for its smart speaker family to feature just one, tiny member.

Our suspicion was always that the much-publicised manufacturing issues and parts shortages that have afflicted everything from cars to road bikes, microwaves and printers forced Apple to discontinue the original HomePod before its successor was quite ready. But with each passing month, our confidence that a new model was on the way dwindled.

Now, almost two years since the original’s untimely death, the HomePod 2nd Generation, aka the HomePod 2, is finally here and, at first glance, it looks as if very little has changed.

The familiar exterior of the HomePod 2 hides a number of enhancements, though – most importantly, at least as far as we’re concerned, to the sound. That’s right; the new HomePod sounds even better than its predecessor, and that makes it one of the very best wireless speakers you can buy – as long as you’re a dedicated Apple user, that is.

• Apple HomePod (2nd Gen) (Black) at John Lewis for £299

Price

At £299 / $299 / AU$479, the new HomePod bucks the increased cost-of-living trend by actually launching at a lower price than its predecessor did in 2018.

It is a fair bit more expensive than many of the smart speakers that some people will be considering as alternatives, such as the Amazon Echo Studio (£190 / $200 / AU$329) and Sonos One (£199 / $219 / AU$319), but right in the ballpark of the Award-winning Audio Pro C10 MkII (£329 / $450 / AU$570) which, while more traditional in its appearance, also boasts smart capabilities.

Since the HomePod 2 launched in February, however, Sonos has brought the fight to Apple with the release of its Era 100 (£249 / $249 / AU$399) and Era 300 (£449 / $449 / AU$749), the latter of which, like the HomePod 2, supports spatial audio. Know that this HomePod 2 sandwich is represented not just by the price of the three speakers but also by their performances. More on that later.

(Image credit: Future)

Despite having taken a while to appear, the new HomePod looks almost identical to its predecessor. The squat dimensions remain more or less the same (it’s just a smidge shorter than the original), so the new HomePod is once again a little bigger than it looks in pictures. It also dwarves the HomePod Mini, which is only half as tall as its bigger brother. At 200g lighter, the new model is less incredibly dense than the old version, but it still feels very solid.

The new HomePod’s mesh coating looks at first glance to be identical to that of the previous model, but the diamonds in the pattern run vertically rather than horizontally, which helps to make the speaker look a little less chunky. Unfortunately, the pattern is just slightly see-through, which means that at certain angles and in certain lighting, the white model looks as though it has some darker patches that are a bit unsightly.

The best part of the HomePod’s design has always been the glossy touch panel on the top, so it’s slightly disappointing to discover that this has shrunk a few millimetres for the new model. The ‘+’ and ‘-’ icons that only lit up when playing music on the old model are now simply low-tech markings on the panel, which is another slight disappointment. Perhaps this is a cost-cutting measure, or perhaps Apple found that some users were baffled by the sometimes-there, sometimes-not volume controls. We suspect it could be a combination of the two.

The good news regarding the top panel is that while it’s slightly smaller than before, significantly more of it illuminates when you invoke Siri or play a song, making it a far more enticingly colourful surface.

One final, neat little upgrade is that the new model now has a detachable cable, so owners can switch to a longer cable if necessary.

Features

(Image credit: Future)

Within the familiar-but-not-identical shell lies a familiar-but-not-identical hardware arrangement. Like its predecessor, the new HomePod features a woofer at the top and tweeters at the bottom – a configuration that is still unusual to this day. As before, the woofer is a high-excursion design that’s capable of moving by an impressive 20mm, allowing it to shift more air than is typical of a wireless speaker’s driver, in theory resulting in louder, weightier sound. The woofer bounces audio off the underside of the glossy top panel so that it can then escape the casework evenly around its circumference.

The number of tweeters has actually been reduced from seven to five, but they’re more tightly packed and more aggressively angled than before. Sound from the tweeters is fired down and outwards from the HomePod via individual horns, with the arrangement designed to prevent sound reflecting off the surface upon which the HomePod is placed.

Arranged between the woofer and tweeters are a number of sensors, including several microphones, that between them measure the performance of the HomePod in real-time, both in terms of its positioning, the music it’s playing, the volume and, apparently, even its own “current mechanical and electrical conditions”. The data collected by these mics and sensors is then analysed by the new S7 chip, and the performance is adjusted so that the sound is as good and correct as it can be at any given moment. To develop this sense of musical correctness, Apple analysed performance in over 1000 real-world places and with over 10,000 of the most popular tracks.

The speed at which the new HomePod adjusts its sound when it’s moved and the consistency of sound it achieves is just one very impressive aspect of this. If you pick it up from a position in free space and move it so that it’s close to a wall, you can hear the sound adjusting to compensate for the new surface (largely by reducing bass) as you’re holding it. More or less by the time you remove your hands, the HomePod sounds essentially the same as it did in its previous position. There’s probably a crazy placement that can flummox the new HomePod, but we haven’t found it yet. And if you do find the speaker to be too bass-heavy at any point (perhaps purely because you’re having a midnight disco and the rest of the house is in bed), there is a ‘Reduce Bass’ button in the HomePod’s settings, which you’ll find in the Apple Home app.

Apple HomePod (2nd Generation) tech specs

(Image credit: Future)

Finishes x2

Inputs Apple AirPlay 2

Features Siri, stereo pairing, Spatial Audio

App Yes, Apple Home (iOS)

Dimensions (hwd) 17 x 14 x 14cm

Weight 2.3kg

On a more basic level, we’re also very impressed by the new HomePod’s ability to hear ‘Hey Siri’ commands from across the room, even when two of them are blasting at maximum volume. The way it alters its sound when Siri is listening has extra charm to it, too, in that there’s not just a reduction in volume but also a muffling and echoing of what’s playing that’s reminiscent of still being able to hear the band from a music venue’s toilets. It’s highly unlikely that this was specifically what Apple was going for, but we appreciate the nostalgia it provokes all the same.

Unsurprisingly, the HomePod 2 supports Spatial Audio, which you’ll largely make use of in order to play Dolby Atmos tracks via Apple Music, though it can also be used for movies if you have an Apple TV 4K. More on all of that later, but it’s worth noting that the Sonos Era 300 supports spatial audio from Apple Music and Amazon Music.

It’s important to point out that while not strictly limited to working only with Apple devices (although you do need one in order to set it up), we wouldn’t recommend the HomePod to people who aren’t already firmly embedded in Apple’s ecosystem or willing to jump into it wholeheartedly. It’s not just about having other Apple devices – after all, most control is done via Siri – you also really need to be an Apple Music user to get the most out of a HomePod.

Spotify, Tidal and Amazon Music users will be disappointed to discover that the HomePod still won’t play music from those services via Siri, even though iPhones will, and in CarPlay mode, too. You can, of course, play music via these other services, but you have to do so via AirPlay, which means the music is being sent from the phone to the speaker. The same is true of non-Apple radio stations, including the BBC’s.

Perhaps that won’t be an issue for some, and there’s certainly no obvious degradation in sound quality when you use the HomePod via AirPlay, despite the theoretical extra compression it will add to higher-resolution tracks, but the best experience comes from requesting tracks, albums, playlists and even more broad musical inspiration (“hey Siri, play something I’ll like” remains a brilliantly powerful command) using your voice. Do so and the HomePod will draw music directly from Apple’s servers in Dolby Atmos, Lossless (24-bit/48kHz) or CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) as appropriate. Somewhat surprisingly, Hi-Res Lossless, which Apple classes as anything over 24-bit/48kHz, isn’t supported via HomePod. In truth, we’re not sure the difference would be noticeable on a speaker such as this, but Apple could have included support as a fun flex at least.

Another neat way for Apple users to interact with the new HomePod (and the HomePod Mini) is Hand Off, which involves transferring music that’s playing from an iPhone to the speaker via a light tap.

Siri can, of course, do plenty besides play music. There are the usual timers, alarms and weather forecasts, but the HomePod can also send iMessages and make phone calls, and it can broadcast an Intercom message to the other HomePods in the house, just in case you can’t be bothered to venture into the East Wing to let your little lord or lady know that dinner’s ready.

As expected, the HomePod is also able to control plenty of smart home devices such as lightbulbs, thermostats, blinds and security cameras. In fact, support for the new Matter platform opens up compatibility with even more devices from even more brands, and the new HomePod even has integrated humidity and temperature sensors, opening up opportunities for greater automation (turn on a dehumidifier when the humidity hits a certain level, for example).

Sound

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, it’s the sound that we’re most interested in, and the new HomePod delights in this regard from the off. Breaking it in with Apple Music’s Dolby Atmos version of The 1 by Taylor Swift, we’re immediately struck by the clarity and warmth of the vocals. Swift’s voice is at once airy and focused, and the breathy quality of the delivery is really nicely resolved.

The harmony in the chorus is a lovely advert for Dolby Atmos music and the new HomePod’s ability to reproduce it, with the additional vocal tracks stretching up and outwards, spatially distinct and ethereal but very much part of the whole.

While not the greatest test of extension at either end of the frequency range, this track still proves a good illustration of the new HomePod’s general tonal balance. There’s ample weight and texture to the bassline and a satisfying snap to the rhythmic clapping, with both drawing the ear just as much as they should, complementing the vocals but never overshadowing them.

To give the HomePod’s frequency response more of a workout, we spin up SBTRKT’s Trials Of The Past in Apple Lossless. Trials Of The Past is a rather fizzy recording that’s driven to brightness and sibilance by lots of serious hi-fi kit, so most affordable wireless speakers don’t stand a chance, yet the HomePod 2 delivers it with assured control. The clicky beat and the edges of the vocal sparkle without hissing or irritating, so there’s plenty of excitement without any unappealing roughness. The bassline, meanwhile, has vastly more weight and presence than a speaker this size has any right to produce, yet it’s never overbearing or flabby.

Taking the bass test a step further, we switch to James Blake’s incredibly challenging Limit To Your Love, and again the HomePod 2 puts on a great show. True, the final, deepest-of-deep note in the track causes the compact speaker to lose a little of its conviction, but the fact that it gets down there at all is very impressive, and on the way there it demonstrates the sort of low-frequency flexibility that the average wireless speaker can only dream of. This is no lump of detached bass, but rather a seamlessly integrated and dexterous bottom end, without which the track’s more energetic second half wouldn’t have nearly the impact that it does.

In fact, the HomePod 2 has boundless energy all round. Whether you’re playing a dancy number such as Caribou’s Never Come Back, the ridiculous ’80s-style metal of Kaisarion by Ghost or even a piece of classical music such as Arvo Pärt’s Tabula Rasa, the new HomePod’s enthusiasm is infectious, its rhythmic drive always exciting and engaging.

We’d compare it to a Golden Retriever’s eagerness to please, but there’s something much cooler and more effortless (and less slobbery) about the HomePod’s approach. What it really comes down to is that it’s the music that draws the attention and not the actual speaker.

Downsides? Sonically, it’s hard to pinpoint anything really. A more traditional, forward-firing speaker such as the Audio Pro C10 MkII will project further into a room, making for a more direct delivery for those who listen to their music in a more hi-fi-like, sit-down-and-pay-attention style, but we believe that the new HomePod’s more open, less directional and fuller-bodied approach will even better suit the environments in which a wireless speaker most often finds itself.  

And what about the Sonos Era 300? While the HomePod has a wonderfully rich texture and sense of musicality, it is surprising how small-scaled it sounds next to the more open and spacious Era 300, which also manages to outdo the Apple speaker in terms of delivering spatial audio music at every turn. As we said in our Era 300 review, “there’s more power and punch, more convincing shifts in dynamics and emotions, and there is more detail and subtlety around each note”. Of course, the Era 300 is a significantly pricier speaker, so its sonic superiority is perhaps expected. Indeed, if your buying decision is between the HomePod 2 and the (Sonos One-replacing) Era 100, the Apple speaker justifies its modest premium with more nuance, dynamic subtlety and a natural way with vocals.

What if you’re lucky enough to have the budget for two HomePods? We’d seriously consider it. There’s even greater weight and solidity to the whole presentation, and both focus and spaciousness improve dramatically. A stereo pair of HomePods is particularly beneficial with Dolby Atmos tracks, which sound even more open and three-dimensional, with very impressive spatial placement of voices and instruments.

Combine those two HomePods with an Apple TV 4K and you’d also get a viable home cinema system, particularly if said Apple TV 4K is a 2nd or 3rd generation model, as they have an eARC port and can send all of your TV’s audio, even that from other sources such as games consoles or Blu-ray players, to the speakers. If that sounds like overkill, consider that two HomePods and an Apple TV 4K will set you back £847 / $727 / AU$1656, which is very similar to what you’d pay for a Sonos Arc. We’re not saying that the HomePod-based system is clearly better than Sonos’s top soundbar, but we are saying that its solidity, spaciousness and musicality make it a wildcard option that’s well worth considering.

Verdict

(Image credit: Future)

It’s something of a surprise to find that the new HomePod is so similar in styling and design to its 2018 predecessor, but Apple has clearly decided to iterate on rather than reinvent that original which, let’s remember, Apple started working on in around 2012.

Importantly, there are upgrades, and the new HomePod is smarter and even more flexible in terms of placement than before. It also, crucially, sounds even better. Tighter, more solid, and better organised both spatially and rhythmically, it’s altogether more engaging, exciting and enjoyable to listen to. 

The Sonos Era 300’s superior sonic capability deserves to win over those who are willing to spend extra for the privilege of class-leading sound, stereo and spatial. And the HomePod 2 is still not a sensible choice unless you’re already an avid Apple user and preferably an Apple Music subscriber. Still, if you are one, the new HomePod is arguably the best speaker of this type you can buy.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Features 4
• Build 5

Read our review of the Apple HomePod Mini

Check out our feature on the making of the original HomePod

Also consider the Sonos Era 100 or spatial audio Era 300

See how they compare: Sonos Era 300 vs Apple HomePod 2

Set your songs free: these are the best wireless speakers

Apple HomePod (2nd Gen): Price Comparison

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What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world’s leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

Read more about how we test

Directional sound systems • RIWA

Why does sound become directional?

There are four different technologies that provide sound directionality.

• The first technology is the so-called “plane wave”, when sound is created by vibrations of an EMFi film in an air cavity between air-conducting stators made of porous plastic or fiber. The EMFi oscillates in an electric field in this air cavity, with an additional bias voltage applied between the electrodes, providing sound pressure levels of the order of 80-90 dB
• The second technology is ultrasonic radiation. The emitted sound lies in the range from 40 to 80 kHz (an ordinary person perceives only frequencies up to 20 kHz). But as it propagates in the air, due to non-linear effects, there is a manifestation of audible frequencies embedded in ultrasonic pulses. The sound is generated directly in the air, and not by the speaker itself.
• The third directional sound technology is sound reflection. It is a combination of a speaker and a dome of a certain shape, made of special plastic. The speaker is directed inside the dome, due to the shape of which sound waves are directed to the area over which the dome hangs.
• The fourth technology is the sound delay technology. Combining a large number of compact speakers into a single, linear array. The sound waves of the speakers, due to the millisecond playback delays, are combined into one wave and concentrated at one point. These are the heaviest speakers of all (up to 16 kg).

What is the difference between directional sound systems?

Because they use different technology, they have a different frequency range, in other words, the sound range, as well as shape, size, thickness and weight. The fundamental similarity is in one thing – they all have an emitter and an amplifier.

What is directional sound for? Where is it used?

There are three main uses for directional sound:

• for advertising goods and services
• sound accompaniment of exhibits in the museum space
• to attract attention to the booth at the exhibition

Due to the peculiarities of perception, a person involuntarily pays attention if the sound is directed at him. This feature is used to advertise a product on a shelf, or display window, to attract a customer to the entrance to the store. The visitor of the exhibition will pay attention to the stand equipped with directional sound speakers.

In a museum, directional sound systems provide sound audibility directly next to the exhibit, where it is installed. Thus, you can sound dozens of exhibits installed in one room. At the same time, a calm, museum-like atmosphere will be preserved indoors. In addition, the museum saves on audio guides and involves the visitor in self-study of the exposition.

Is directional sound harmful to health?

No, directional sound itself is harmless to health. The propagation of ultrasound obeys all the laws common to acoustic waves of any frequency range.

Hearing damage or adverse effects can only be achieved by prolonged use of the speaker at maximum volume and at a distance of less than one meter from the person. Also, for example, hearing is damaged when listening to music for a long time in ordinary headphones at high volume.

Research has been done in this area. The UK-based independent advisory group AGNIR has delivered a 180-page report on the effects of ultrasound and infrasound on human health. It contains some recommendations.

Can directional speakers damage the wall or glass? Is the sound from the speaker able to “break through” the wall?

No, they cannot damage any surface. The directional sound from the speaker cannot “pierce” surfaces, it cannot be aimed at neighbors through the wall.

Directional sound, like any other, can pass through acoustically transparent fabrics.

Need special content or a media player?

No special audio content needed. You can play any popular audio formats (mp3, ogg, wma, etc.). However, clips containing more mids and highs will sound better. For the same reason, a female voice in a recording is preferable to a male one. You can use absolutely any player, the speakers are connected via the most common 3.5 mm TRS (Jack) connector.

Are there any restrictions on the length of the cable from the player to the speaker?

Recommended length no more than 10 meters. When using high-quality cables, it is possible to increase the distance up to 30 meters.

Amplifier required?

Yes, an amplifier is required. If the speaker is active, the amplifier is already built into it, and for a passive speaker, it is purchased separately. Each system has its own unique amplifier. Manufacturers prohibit the use of third-party equipment.

Why can’t I hear the bass?

The directional sound system does not reproduce low frequencies due to its technology.

It is important to understand the purpose of directional speakers. This is not Hi-End acoustics. Due to the directivity of the sound, there are ample opportunities for targeted advertising of products and services in crowded places.

How to hang?

Directional speakers are suspended from brackets, a metal cable, or a VESA 100 mount. They are either offered by the manufacturer for a fee, or are selected by the buyer of the speaker based on the requirements of the project.

Can the speaker be mounted directly on the ceiling?

You can, but the sound from the speakers needs space for both (front and rear) planes. The manufacturer recommends leaving an air gap in the back of the speaker – at least 5 centimeters between the speaker and the ceiling surface.

Can directional sound be used at home?

Directional sound systems can be used at home, but you will most likely be disappointed. A rather high price will not meet your expectations in terms of sound, since they have a different purpose. At home, it is best to use full-fledged acoustics or headphones.

Is there a certificate for the equipment?

Yes, all equipment has manufacturer’s certificates. As a rule, certificates are issued in the country where the speaker is manufactured. They do not require certification on the territory of the Russian Federation. However, EAEU conformity certificates are available for some systems.

How much do directional speakers cost?

The price of directional speakers consists of the cost of the speaker itself, amplifier, additional mounts, motion sensors, switching kit and other equipment. All the nuances and volume of discounts, check with the manager by phone or mail.

Are there dealers in other cities and countries?

We have partners in St. Petersburg, Volgograd, Novosibirsk, Kirov, Yekaterinburg. Check their contacts with managers.

The easiest way to buy directional sound systems from us, directly. We work throughout Russia.

Can I deliver to another city or country?

Yes, you can within the CIS. We order any, convenient for you, transport company.

Still have questions?

Directional sound systems installed in many locations. About how, why, where and why they are put in great detail at our webinar.

AA-160E amplifier for Panphonics

directional speakers

Bridge amplifier, mono (internal stereo to mono conversion). Designed to control all Panphonics directional speakers. Provides higher quality directional sound. Built-in bass optimization EQ, automatic volume control function and the possibility of remote control over the network.

Code: US-160E

Price: on request

Commercial offer

Issue an invoice for payment

• Description
• Specifications
• Documentation

The AA-160E is designed to drive all Panphonics directional speakers. AA-160E unlike AA-160 Basic has much more functionality. Thanks to the built-in bass optimization equalizer, the sound is fuller and richer. The amplifier is equipped with an RJ-45 network port for remote control of directional speakers using the Telnet protocol. An external microphone can be connected to the AA-160E, which will automatically adjust the sound according to the ambient noise level.

works

How	built-in stereo to mono conversion
Audio inputs	2xRCA, 1xXLR
Input impedance	10 kΩ (XLR), 200 kΩ (RCA)
Input sensitivity	200 mV
Frequency range	250-16000 Hz
Amplifier power supply	24 VDC
External Noise Measurement Channel Calibration
Basic amplifier control via TCP/IP protocol
2 RJ 45 sockets for serial connection of several amplifiers in a computer network
Amplifier dimensions (L x W x H)	16.