Monitor Audio has introduced a new two-channel active soundbar called the ASB-10. The ASB-10 ($750) combines four three-inch C-CAM bass drivers (assisted by a brace of passive bass radiators) with twin one-inch Gold Dome C-CAM tweeters in a cabinet that measures just 3.5 by 3.75 by 40 inches. Optical and coaxial digital audio inputs are onboard, and Bluetooth with aptX is also built-in to wirelessly stream audio content from your sources. The company has also introduced the complementary WS-10 wireless subwoofer ($650), which features an eight-inch C-CAM driver powered by a 120-watt amplifier.
From Monitor Audio
Although TV panels deliver ever wider and more enveloping pictures, their onboard sound quality is in relative decline. Size limitations imposed by shrinking bezels mean that the speakers within them reproduce only of fraction of the bandwidth available from today's DTV boxes, games consoles and media players. Monitor Audio's new ASB-10 compact Active Soundbar system is expertly engineered to restore the power of a consensual audio and video experience by re-energizing HD and UHD pictures with the rich, detailed wideband sound they deserve.
MOVIES, MUSIC AND MAGIC
Equipped with a precision-tuned high-performance 2.0 audio design comprising proprietary driver/amp pairings, integrated Dolby Digital processing and superior Bluetooth aptX wire-free streaming, the super-slender ASB-10 will generate big, immersive audio dynamics from TV, games, discs and smartphones to become the audio hub for every home.
POWER, PRECISION, PERFORMANCE IN ONE
With a compact 3.5" x 3.75" (90 x 94mm) cross section and at just under 40" (1 metre) in length, the discreetly proportioned ASB-10 complements the look of flat screens from wall or tabletop positions. Its slim moulded polymer cabinet with black cloth grille and stylish brushed aluminium end trims houses an array of four Monitor Audio 3" C-CAM bass drivers (assisted by a brace of passive bass radiators), and twin 1" Gold Dome C-CAM tweeters. The ASB-10's proprietary drive-unit configuration is powered by as many as four integral DSP-trimmed amplifiers, individually calibrated by Monitor Audio engineers for optimum audio control and response. The system is a size-defying success, injecting music and film sound with greater scale, detail and rhythmic mid-bass definition.
EAST SETUP AND OPERATION
A single, easy optical or coaxial SPDIF link to the TV allows the ASB-10 to decode digital audio from connected sources. Activated automatically when a signal is received, the ABS-10's onboard Dolby Digital and Dolby Pro Logic II decoding ensures wide compatibility with film and games content. Dolby's Virtual Speaker processing, which is designed to replicate a three-dimensional surround sound experience, is enabled via a button located on the front panel, or remote handset.
In addition the ASB-10 will energize streams of uncompressed CD-quality audio from smartphones and tablets through its effortless Bluetooth apt-X wireless technology, and accept legacy analog sources via a 3.5mm stereo input.
EVEN BIGGER BASS IF YOU NEED IT...
In most circumstances the ASB-10 will deliver ample levels of bass, but for low-frequency enthusiasts Monitor Audio has developed the optional WS-10 active subwoofer, purpose-built to add big bass dynamics to the ASB-10 system and all space-e?cient setups.
Complete with three-position EQ and a high quality digital wireless link to the ASB-10, the WS-10 is a compact and versatile design, comprising an 8" C-CAM driver powered by a 120-watt amplifier, generously provisioned with individual volume and phase controls, and a standard array of wired LFE and 12V inputs for integration with an AVR in alternative system applications.
For ever greater system design versatility, the WS-10 can connect wire-free to other systems via Monitor Audio's new WT-1 transmitter module. Also, with its compact dimensions it can be positioned flat against a wall, in corners, under furniture etc.
Equipped with twin HiVe reflex ports, the WS-10's robust, low-profile cabinet of 18mm MDF is designed with flexibility in mind, wirelessly extending the ASB-10's full-range delivery and contributing deeper bass to any soundbar or compact satellite system through wired or wireless connections from the widest range of discreet room locations: beneath furniture, along room boundaries or in corners.
Simple to set up and integrate, flexible to use and expand, and easy to appreciate in any environment, Monitor Audio's super-slim active ASB-10 Soundbar and its optional companion WS-10 active subwoofer employ over four decades of award-winning audio precision to help all home entertainment fans enjoy what they've been missing from their TVs and smartphones.
Additional Resources
• Monitor Audio Launches All-Weather Custom Speakers at HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Monitor Audio Introduces Compact CW8 and CW10 Subwoofers at HomeTheaterReview.com.