Hunter Intros Concert Breeze Fan & Sound System

By Staff -- TWICE, January 8, 2009

LAS VEGAS — Hunter, known for its ceiling fans, is at International CES debuting the Concert Breeze Fan & Sound System at booth A-129 outside the North Hall.

The Hunter Concert Breeze Fan & Sound System with Soundolier Integrated Wireless Technologies is said to be "the world's first and only ceiling fan sound system, blending the cool comfort of moving air with the beauty of rich audio."

"This is a historic product introduction — there's no other way to put it," said Brendan Byrne, ceiling fans senior VP for Hunter. "Until recently, listening to your music and movies in any given room involved large speakers cluttering your lifestyle or expensive installations cutting into your walls. And it was still very difficult to position them for great sound."

This typical-looking ceiling fan has, hidden inside the fan's light, a high-quality audio component that quickly turns this quiet home-comfort product into an exploration of sound, the company said.

Echoing the sentiment that the Concert Breeze is a unique, one-of-a-kind solution to the common problems faced in home audio is Paul Schleipfer, marketing manager for Soundolier, which is the wireless audio division of the Mitek Electronics and Communications Group.

"When distributing sound, audio coming from overhead has an all-encompassing effect that fills a room more naturally," said Schleipfer.

To accomplish this, the Concert Breeze utilizes a proprietary 2.4GHz wireless audio system. Without the hassle and expense of running wires, the Concert Breeze receives full-range digital-quality audio from any source, up to 300 feet away. The Soundolier Maestro wireless transmitter can be connected at any audio source — TV, MP3 player, etc. — through speaker level or 3.5mm input jack and send stereo summed DSP audio to the Concert Breeze. Four selectable stereo signal channels virtually eliminate interference, and one transmitter can send the signal to an unlimited number of receiver devices within the signal range.

The Hunter Concert Breeze System will be available in retail locations early this year. Check with Hunter at the show for pricing.