[CES 2013] Wireless compact speakers streaming music from smartphones and delivering big sound are trendy, and we like popular products such as the Jambox on the tiny side and the B&O BeoPlay 8 on the expensive side. So, we were pleased to discover another high quality and elegant device in that category, namely the ClarityHD Katana Wireless Digital Music System designed by Monster. The Katana, as nicknamed by the Monster team, features a stylish design with a form factor reminiscent of the samurai’s weapon of choice, which offers a sleek and slightly curved chassis.Monster paid also a lot of attention to the audio quality, according to the company, the Katana has an “uncanny ability to play louder and lower than anything in its class” thanks to the Monster’s Dynamic Presence Enhancement technology “which perfects the listening experience at every level”. And, thanks to its “innovative 3-way, tri-amped speaker design, Katana delivers effortless dynamics for every genre of music”. We cannot really check this information, however we can say that the Katana delivers a powerful and clear sound, even when the volume is ultra loud. We were impressed by the audio quality when we listened to a broad variety of music, from opera, to classical guitar or hip hop.
We like the fact that there is no dock, so users do not have to worry about new connector compatibility, the Katana simply streams music over Bluetooth from any mobile devices such as tablets, phones, laptops or MP3 players. It supports AAC and apt-X as well. On the connectivity side, there is a 3.5 mm audio jack and a Toslink (digital optical) input for connecting TV or other audio-capable device that has optical digital output.
The Monster ClarityHD Katana Wireless Speaker will retail for $699.95, and, in case you need to stream different music to multiple rooms in your house, you can buy the StreamCast HD Transmitter and Receiver Kit to enjoy up to four streams of wireless music in up to 12 different zones in the home.
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