Skip to main content

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

hi fi corner futuristic speaker shoots sound directions replace archt one center manual
Image used with permission by copyright holder
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

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.

Ryan Waniata
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Waniata is an audio engineer, musician, composer, and all-around lover of all things tech, audio, and cinema. Hailing…
Everything points to Apple TV+ making a change you’re not going to like
Is an ad-supported tier coming to Apple TV+?
The Apple TV Plus Logo

It turns out that TV worked pretty well under its old model. According to a new report from Business Insider, Apple TV+ may be the latest streaming service that's set to introduce an ad-supported tier and charge those who don't stream with ads a premium fee to access their great shows and movies.

At this point, the report is still speculation, but Apple has made several recent hires in the advertising space that seem to suggest the direction they're planning to take. The company recently hired former NBCUniversal ad executive Joseph Cady to serve as executive vice president of advanced advertising and partnerships, a move that comes following the company's hiring of another former NBCUniversal executive, Jason Frum, who joined Apple's video ad sales team.

Read more
From Gilda Radner to Ali Wong, these are the best female comedians of all time
These women from all generations will make you laugh out loud
Ai Wong comedian 2017 Moontower comedy festival

Hot take: I don’t care for straight male comedians. It’s not that they’re not funny, they’re just … I don’t know, boring? Maybe that’s reductive of me, but I never seem to leave a straight male comedian’s set feeling particularly inspired. And though some may argue that it’s not important for a set to "inspire" its audience, I’d actually argue that the opposite is true. For me, I want to see a comedian use humor to address real issues and say real things about the world, even if they do it in a completely goofy way.

Therefore, I tend to prefer female and female-identified comedians. They’re sharp, tough, and have often seen shit that makes their comedy feel raw and true. Undoubtedly there are male comedians who do this, too, but to a much lesser degree, in my very humble and very personal opinion.

Read more
12 classic sci-fi books everyone should read
If you love science fiction and reading, these classic sci-fi novels are a must
Man reading a book and drinking coffee

It may feel like we were recently living in a science-fiction dystopia life -- and in some ways, we were -- but that doesn't mean that we should simply avoid an entire genre of writing. Hardly. In fact, this is probably the perfect time to explore classic sci-fi books, to see what the masters have written, and maybe even see if someone predicted anything like this. Many, though, simply ignore sci-fi wholly and completely because of an association with robots, aliens, and the like.

Long story short, if you think you don't like sci-fi, you have never read great books from the genre. But indeed, many such books abound, including a number that has delighted generations of readers going back well over 150 years. In fact, one of the best things about so many sci-fi books is their very timelessness. As by definition, this type of fiction breaks away from the norms of the everyday world -- whether slightly twisting things or taking place on entire other worlds -- the stories often feel as fresh and relevant today as when they were published decades ago.

Read more