Affordable Audio Bliss
Sound & Vision|April - May 2023
AS A recording engineer, I've often pondered how soundbars could have become so popular, even though they typically sacrifice the sound quality and true stereo imaging attained by fullrange speakers.
By Leslie Shapiro
Affordable Audio Bliss

I know the answer is because they're so convenient, usually self-powered, and easy to connect to a TV. But is there a solution with a more realistic soundstage that also provides the same features and connectivity? Enter the Fluance Ai81 floorstanding, powered speakers with a multitude of input options.

The Ai81 speakers, priced at $499 MSRP, offer an affordable option for bringing full stereo sound and convenience to any budget home theater or listening room. Each speaker, measuring 37.8" in height, 8.5" in width and 10.24" in depth, boasts two 6.5" woven fiber-glass drivers with butyl rubber surrounds and a 1" silk neodymium dome tweeter. Additionally, there is a down-firing bass port, and each speaker sits on four feet that raise it off the ground by about an inch. The speakers are powered by an internal 150-watt Class D amplifier with passive crossovers set at 2200 Hz that Fluance claims to be enhanced by DSP. The frequency response, also claimed to be DSP enhanced, ranges from 30 Hz to 20 kHz. Furthermore, there is a subwoofer output with a fixed low-pass 80 Hz crossover.

The speakers' MDF cabinets are internally braced and possess a subtle woodgrain appearance. The cabinets' top edge is rounded on two sides to enhance their appearance, and the speakers are sold without a speaker grille. They are offered in four finishes, namely Black Ash, Natural Walnut with a black front panel, Lucky Bamboo (with a white front panel), and White Walnut (also with a white front panel). It's worth noting that the drivers are black in all four color options.

Denne historien er fra April - May 2023-utgaven av Sound & Vision.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra April - May 2023-utgaven av Sound & Vision.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA SOUND & VISIONSe alt
The Big Clean
Sound & Vision

The Big Clean

Chances are you probably do not think about the state of your electronic devices too often. Oh, you might think about all the upgrades you would like to make; where you would put those new tower speakers, or how a second or third subwoofer would really tame those bass modes in your room, or how much more cinematic a larger screen would be. Sure, you think about that part of your system. But how often do you think about the well-being of your system?

time-read
5 mins  |
August - September 2024
Planar-Magnetic Attraction
Sound & Vision

Planar-Magnetic Attraction

THE DIPTYQUE DP 115 speakers are a new model 2-way, ribbon, and planar magnetic driver dipole \"isodynamic\" speaker system designed and built in France.

time-read
10 mins  |
August - September 2024
Full-Featured 4K
Sound & Vision

Full-Featured 4K

THE QN95D is one of two televisions we went hands-on with on a recent trip to Samsung's New Jersey QA Lab, the other being the S95D quantum-dot OLED.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024
Party Animal
Sound & Vision

Party Animal

FOR ANY party, the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus Outdoor Bass Bluetooth Speaker is an essential invite.

time-read
7 mins  |
August - September 2024
It's the End of the World. How About Popcorn and a Movie?
Sound & Vision

It's the End of the World. How About Popcorn and a Movie?

Attention all preppers! Today's column is right up your alley-or, more precisely-your tunnel to your underground bunker.

time-read
3 mins  |
August - September 2024
Bridging the Analog-Digital Gap on a Recliner
Sound & Vision

Bridging the Analog-Digital Gap on a Recliner

When I shopped for a motorized recliner, I rejected models with their own Internet Protocol address and built-in speakers. No need. I had already placed a smart speaker on an étagère beside the space where I had planned to put the chair. I'd have a smartphone in my hand and the room would be bathed in Wi-Fi.

time-read
4 mins  |
August - September 2024
BACK TO THE GARDEN
Sound & Vision

BACK TO THE GARDEN

AN AQUARIAN EXPOSITION in WHITE LAKE, N.Y.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024
Big Sound, Small Price
Sound & Vision

Big Sound, Small Price

DOLBY ATMOS, once a costly premium, is enjoying a surge of popularity across a range of new audio gear.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024
Classic Sound with Streaming Smarts
Sound & Vision

Classic Sound with Streaming Smarts

THE TWENTIETH century had its Roaring Twenties; welcome to the twenty-first's Streaming Twenties.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024
Stand and Deliver
Sound & Vision

Stand and Deliver

IT DOESN'T seem all that long ago that SVS first entered the audio scene.

time-read
9 mins  |
August - September 2024