LIVING ROOM LIFESTYLE
LIVING ROOM LIFESTYLE HOME AUDIO PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT IFA Audio Entertainment ADVERTORIAL VINYL FOR THE WIRELESS AGE With the introduction of MusicCast Vinyl 500, Yamaha claims to have combined “its long tradition of legendary hi-fi products with the pioneering spirit for developing groundbreaking technologies.” The first fully connected and multiroom compatible record player is aimed at vinyl lovers and novices alike. Yamaha promises “unmatched, vivid sound” coming from a portable MusicCast VINYL 500 device that also allows favourite vinyl records to be streamed wirelessly through MusicCast multiroom speakers. KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Streaming via MusicCast wireless network 2 Compatible with Alexa voice control 3 Integrates Apple Airplay and Bluetooth for digital music sources Integrating popular streaming services as well as Apple Airplay and Bluetooth, it broadcasts digital music sources as well as it spins vinyl. It is also compatible with Alexa voice control via an Amazon Echo speaker, meaning the device truly liberates the user from messy wires and cables. Helping move vinyl records into the wireless age, the MusicCast VINYL 500 is also highly portable and can easily be positioned wherever it looks best. » HALL 1.2 / 101 HIGH PERFORMANCE SOUND FOR RETRO LOVERS Neon’s MCB820D music system is easy to use and fits in anywhere but will still fill a room with high-performance sound. The system is aimed at retro-lovers but includes the best technology which means it can cater for any modern requirement, whether users are streaming music, listening to the radio or playing CDs. The two woofers and two tweeters bring 15W x 2 (RMS) to the home. Connectivity starts with Bluetooth 2.1.+EDR and CD, CD-R with the readable formats of MP3 and WMA. The USB port is for charging but as well to playback any MP3 or WMA. Radio transmissions can be received by DAB+ and FM. And any other audio equipment can be connected via AUX IN. The MCB820D Micro HiFi System also comes with a remote control and a power supply. The wood case with veneer matt finishing emphasises the retro design. » HALL 1.2 / Hall 120 KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Retro design, wood case with veneer matt finishing 2 Compact size but high-performance sound 3 Handles various audio requirements including streaming, radio and CD CROSLEY CASHES IN ON VINYL REVIVAL When vinyl records began their renaissance a few years back, US analogue audio manufacturer Crosley was waiting with turntables that it had already been producing for a couple of decades. Now the company is at the forefront of the vinyl revolution and is offering a suite of retro-inspired, high fidelity turntables – and indeed cassette players – that combine 21st century connectivity. Among a broad range of products on show at Crosley’s IFA stand is the Gig 2-speed turntable with speakers that features sleek, modular 70s styling and powerful solid-state sound at €159. A built-in Bluetooth receiver enables users to stream music wirelessly to the Gig's matching KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Retro 70s styling 2 Built-in Bluetooth 3 Pitch control; auxiliary input speakers, while RCA outputs on the back allow easy integration into existing hifi systems. “It’s about the music but it’s also about the style,” Crosley’s vicepresident of marketing James Sass, told IFA International. “We find that a lot of our products become part of the furniture.” » HALL 1.2 / 124 IFI’S BREATHTAKING ALL-IN-ONE HIFI With a stated mission to create “high-octane audio that takes your breath away,” UK firm iFi audio is an award-winning audio tech company that is at IFA to showcase its leading edge sound innovation. The company’s IFA booth is crowned with a stylish wireless hifi system - a prototype codenamed Project Glastonbury - that combines allanalogue circuits and amplifiers with full wifi and Bluetooth connectivity to broadcast audio from mobile devices or TVs. While robust and powerful, the all-in-one is portable enough to be moved around the home using the metal frame, and features a highdesign veneer using polished - and sustainable - bamboo. Boasting eight speakers, a bass frequency as low as 27Hz and 320 watts of peak power, the music player will equally appeal to audiophiles and modern music lovers. “It’s a very purist hifi system, however at the same time it’s packaged as something really lifestyle,” said head of R&D at iFi, Thorsten Loesch, at the IFA booth. » HALL 1.2 / 206 KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Pure analogue sound processing under computer control 2 Analogue Room correction using ultrasound distance measurement 3 JAS High Res Audio logo certified 48
LIVING ROOM LIFESTYLE MULTI-ROOM SYSTEMS PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT IFA Audio Entertainment IFA Home & Entertaiment Electronics REIMAGINING SOUND Bang & Olufsen are presenting a new powerful wireless speaker here at IFA that they claim “completely reimagines how we live with sound.” Created in collaboration with globally acclaimed designer Michael Anastassiades, Beosound Edge uses proximity sensors to detect when you get close to the speaker, discreetly illuminating the aluminium touch interface. To adjust the sound, you gently roll Beosound Edge forwards and backwards to increase and decrease the volume. Softly to change the volume moderately, while a stronger touch will change KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Unique stylish design 2 Ground Breaking active bass port for greater sound reproduction 3 Rolling volume control DALI CELEBRATES EISA WIN FOR SPEAKER SYSTEM it more dramatically. Let go, and it gently rolls back to its original position. Beosound Edge debuts a groundbreaking acoustical technology named the Active Bass Port1. When playing at lower volumes, it is using the closed cabinet principle for the most accurate sound reproduction, and as you turn up the volume the Active Bass Port opens to output more energized bass. » HALL 1.2 / 218 KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Built-in support for streaming from Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz 2 Chromecast for casting music, podcasts etc to the speaker 3 24 bit/192kHz HD audio streaming higher than CD quality EASY STREAM WIRELESS MUSIC THROUGHOUT THE HOME The Harman Kardon Omni 10+ speaker allows users to simply set up a wireless HD music system that seamlessly streams music all over the home, and different music in any room. Users can stream songs and playlists wirelessly around the home with Spotify Connect via the Spotify app, and with Chromecast built-in they can cast their favourite music, radio stations, podcasts from their mobile device to the speaker. Boasting 24 bit/192kHz HD audio streaming with digital and analog connectivity, the device promises a superior audio experience above CD quality. The Omni 10+ is also easy to control with the Harman Kardon Controller app, and supports the latest 802.11ac wireless home networking technology for a faster, more robust connection. » Outdoor exhibition space /100 Audio firm, Dali has scooped the EISA award for best wireless speaker system with its floorstanding Callisto 6 C and the Dali Sound Hub. Judges were impressed how the firm had overcome one of the major downsides of having a decent hi-fi system in the home: the tangle of cables that inevitably results. And they praised the way the system seamlessly played from external sources such as a CD player, or streaming via Bluetooth aptX HD. Dali said every part of the speaker system was created at its factory in Denmark. “This has allowed us to design and develop woofers and tweeters alongside the amplifier to create the perfect match. By controlling the entire signal path, we have managed to design the drivers in a way that is just not possible in traditional passive speakers.” it explained. » HALL 1.2 / Stand 104 KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Patented SMC Technology creates a woofer with a significant reduction in distortion 2 Dual band (2.4GHz or 5.8 GHz) wireless connection 3 Patented Class D amplifier optimises every component for a perfect match PANASONIC SHOWCASES INTERCONNECTED HOME ENTERTAINMENT KEY SELLING POINTS 1 Voice command SC-GA10 wireless speaker system 2 HDR10+ technology certification 3 Compatible with HD605 noise cancelling headphones Panasonic is at IFA to demonstrate voice command operation for TVs as well as the latest audio and video products using the premium SC-GA10 wireless speaker system with built-in Chromecast. The company’s Home AV area includes a sound demo experience featuring HTB sound bars and UA series micro systems, alongside a relaxation area to experience the highly rated HD605 noise cancelling headphones. Most of these devices pair with Panasonic’s latest FZ series TVs, part of an expanding OLED TV range boasting HDR10+ technology certification that optimises picture quality for the next generation of displays and confirms to Hollywood standards. Panasonic’s ongoing cooperation with 20th Century Fox has inspired the pioneering TV manufacturer to develop what they claim is the best OLED picture accuracy on the market. » HALL 5.2 / Stand 101 www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday 3 rd September 2018 49
