Premium Loudspeaker specialist Focal has developed a new concept to allow iPod and hard drive juke box users, plus WiFi and PC/server music fans, an easy way to convert their products into the heart of a true 2.1 hi-fi system – the iCub integrated sub woofer.
The world of audio has enjoyed tremendous change. The Internet, home networks and MP3 portable hard drives - with ever increasing storage capacities - have sparked a huge increase in the popularity for music, especially within younger generations, but not for traditional hi-fi .
This new audience considers conventional hi-fi to be too complicated, too cumbersome, too expensive and not much fun. Their experience of what they consider “hi-fi ” is usually a pair of simple computer speakers connected to a PC, capable of delivering a reasonable performance “near fi eld” but unable to reproduce a “big” room fi lling sound to professional levels of detail, depth and dynamics.
iCub presents a unique opportunity to allow this new audience to really access true high-fi delity, via a modern product in tune with their life style. Based on the specifi cation of the recently introduced Cub 2 subwoofer, iCub integrates three BASH® amplifi ers, with a maximum capacity of 400 Watts, a high precision 20bit D/A convertor (ST TDA7535) and multiple inputs, including optical digital, all with automatic detection so there’s no need to manually turn iCub on or off.
The iCub system is incredibly simple to confi gure and use. A pair of speakers can be connected directly to the outputs on the iCub’s stereo amplifi er. A special adjustment switch allows the output to then be“customised” to the size of the speakers being used (large or small). Sources can be connected either via analogue RCA or digitally via the optical input and the system volume can be controlled by the ncluded infra-red remote control.
iCub accepts all the standard audio formats, such as DVD and CD, via either the analogue or digital input. But it is also the ideal system for connecting to a standard walkman MP3 or integrated hard drive product like the iPod. And with 60Gb of data storage it is possible to record audio titles in their native format – uncompressed - to give the added the benefi t of optimal audio quality. iCub extends the personal listening experience of an MP3 walkman from the car, or while out-and-about, into the house thereby maintaining the simple operation but adding back the full sound dimension with high power performance and low distortion.
Thanks to the optical input, and other unique functionality, iCub also offers new prospects for greatly improving music quality when streaming using a Wifi connection and a computer: it also becomes very easy to create a sophisticated Multiroom system by using several iCubs distributed throughout the house, with each then controlled by the PC or Mac (within the limits of a network router, such as Apple® Airport Express™).
The iCub is further example of Focals’ “the Spirit of Sound” philosophy: helping the users of the new generation of music formats to discover true high fidelity.
Available : February 2005