US-based pro cinema company Audyssey has announced its first consumer hardware product with South of Market, an iPod dock speaker system.
Audyssey South of Market Audyssey South of Market
It includes iPod/iPhone dock, speakers, wireless music streaming, speakerphone functions – and of course Audyssey technology for bass control and equalisation gleaned from the company’s years of experience in auto-calibration and sound processing for cinemas.
The name comes from the trendy part of San Francisco south of Market Street, or SoMa, and as well as its charging iPod dock, it can be hooked up to a computer to play music and to sync with iTunes. Its built-in microphones also mean it can be used for messaging services such as Skype. Bluetooth allows it to stream music wirelessly from a mobile phone.
Speakers include two 10cm mid/bass drivers and 19mm tweeters (one for each channel), there are separate amplifiers for each driver and the unit uses active crossovers.
Audyssey sound processing technologies include BassXT to extend low-frequency response, EQ for system optimisation and Dynamic EQ to help beef up the sound at low volumes.
Dynamic Voice improves communication when using the microphones by reducing background noise and cancelling echoes, Dynamic Volume is available to equalise the level of content, and there’s a choice of tone control technologies.
The Audyssey Tilt system allows bass and treble controls to work together, so turning up the bass reduces the treble (and vice versa), and Fast Slope Tone allows the treble or bass to be adjusted without affecting other frequencies.
There’s also a free iPhone/iPod Touch app available for download which allows users to create new EQ curves on the screen, then apply them to the system.
The Audyssey South of Market should be available in the UK in time for Christmas and while the price hasn’t been confirmed, it will be available in the US for $399.