Hi-fi Corner: This is no carafe, but a futuristic speaker that shoots sound in all directions

By Ryan Waniata November 16, 2014

hi fi corner futuristic speaker shoots sound directions replace archt one center manual

Don’t go reaching for your mug — you won’t be getting any coffee out of this futuristic pod. But what you might get is spacious 360 – degree sound. The device above isn’t a lunar rocket, it’s a new wireless speaker called the Archt One that has so far more than doubled its pledge goal on Kickstarter to pull in around $150,000. Brandishing a specially-crafted driver system designed to disperse sound throughout the room in all directions, the Archt One aims to replace your hi-fi with minimalist style.

Related: Bang & Olufsen’s new wireless speaker begs audiophiles to believe in Bluetooth

Related Videos

Inside the space age capsule, the Archt One faces a full range driver and a subwoofer head to head above and below the open chamber, sending the sound directly through the specialized array module in an effort to replicate the sonic signature of acoustic instruments like guitars, allowing it to evenly distribute audio playback. A passive radiator at the base of the system also helps to amplify the low frequencies to create a fuller sound, helping the speaker achieve a claimed frequency response of 52Hz-20kHz.

But the speaker also adds some impressive smart technology to go with its patented hardware, including DSP for sound optimization designed to “restore streaming audio quality,” as well as a custom audio app that uses the microphone in your smartphone to optimize the sound for your environment. The system is also multi-zone capable, allowing users to add more speakers ala Sonos, Bose, and other multi-room sound systems. Users can control the speaker through the app, or via touch sensors on the Sound Array.

Related: Hal 9000 meets premium sound in the new OD-11 cloud speaker

Designed for audiophile sound reproduction, the Archt One is claimed to achieve high resolution playback of up to 24bit/192kHz over a Wi-Fi connection. The speaker also supports Airplay for Mac and iOS devices, and for those times when a Wi-Fi connection isn’t available, the speaker also sports Bluetooth connection, as well as Aux and USB connections.

The speaker is expected to retail for $599. However, at time of publication, there were still several available for a reasonable $349, expected to ship as early as February 2015. If you’d like to check out an Archt One for yourself, you can pledge at its Kickstarter page now.

This piece first appeared at our brother site, Digital Trends.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

The Manual | The Essential Guide for Men

Culture

Save $50 on the Bose QuietComfort 45 Headphones for Cyber Monday

Young man wearing headphones listening to music.

We’ve been keeping an eye on this Bose QuietComfort 45 Cyber Monday Deal, and we think it’s finally time to buy. This is the lowest price we’ve seen yet. Right now, pick up a pair of these fantastic headphones for just $279 at Staples, a savings of $50 off the usual price. This is one of the best Cyber Monday deals so far, and these headphones are noise-canceling and amazingly light. Jump on this Bose QuietComfort 45 Cyber Monday Deal before these incredible headphones sell out.

If you’re still not sold, keep reading to get the specifics on the Bose QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones and find out why we think this Cyber Monday Deal is a literal steal.

Culture

12 Amazon Black Friday Deals You Can (and Should) Shop Today

best amazon black friday deals 2021 box

Amazon Black Friday deals are going strong, and we've picked out the deals you should pay attention to. That's where we come in -- we've rounded up all the best Amazon Black Friday deals happening today, right here, in one place.
Best Amazon Black Friday Deals 2021

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K --
Instant Vortex air fryer --
Keurig K-Mini coffee maker --
Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 12 robot vacuum --
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 11 Chromebook --
Garmin Instinct smartwatch --
Apple AirPods Pro --
Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones --
Apple Watch Series 6 (GPS, 40mm) --
Hisense 55A6G 4K TV --
2020 Apple iPad Air (Wi-Fi, 64GB) --
Toshiba 75C350KU 4K TV --

Culture

Best Sleep Earbuds and Headphones to Reduce Noise at Night

Woman sleeping soundly on her bed with earbuds on.

Falling and staying asleep can be more difficult than you’d like. Between the stress of the day, the to-do lists mounting in your mind, and the sirens or street traffic outside, there are all sorts of sounds and mind chatter that can pollute the quiet calm you need. Wearing earplugs can help, but some people find listening to music, audio stories, podcasts, or even white noise or specialized sleep sounds is the best way to block out the distracting soundtrack of life and create the relaxing haven you need for sleep.
Wearing conventional headphones in bed can be uncomfortable. If you are a side sleeper, the pressure of lying atop something sticking in or over your ear can be extremely uncomfortable -- if not dangerous. Even if you sleep on your back or stomach, regular headphones or earbuds can get tangled up in bedsheets or fall out, especially types with cords or poorly-fitting designs. However, there are earbuds and headphones designed especially for sleep, as well as some regular models that do tend to work well in bed.
Sleep headphones are typically one of two designs -- a traditional earbud style that goes in your ear canal or a headband style that wraps around your head and ears, encircling them with fabric and positioning embedded speakers near the ear canal. The former can be advantageous for those who need additional noise blocking or who want to use the earbuds outside the bedroom, whereas headband styles tend to be most comfortable for sleeping on your side and they tend to stay in place better than earbuds if you toss and turn at night.
We sourced dozens of the most popular sleep earbuds and sleep headphones, as well as traditional earbuds that work well for sleeping, and evaluated them based on comfort, function, value, features, noise-blocking effectiveness, versatility, sound quality, and durability. After weighing the pros and cons of each, we selected the eight best sleep earbuds and sleep headband headphones below.

Best Overall: Bose QuietComfort Noise-Canceling Earbuds