Lawrence, Kan. – High-end speaker supplier MartinLogan launched its first active tabletop speaker, the Crescendo, in high-gloss black at a suggested $899.
A version with real wood walnut veneer is expected to ship in early April, also at $899.
The speaker features Wi-Fi, Ethernet port, AirPlay, DLNA networking, and Bluetooth with AptX and AAC streaming over Bluetooth. It also features a Made for iPod/iPhone/iPad USB, built-in DAC and 3.5mm optical digital input.
The one-piece Crescendo is shaped like a half circle with a flat top facing up. The speaker features solid-MDF enclosure, aluminum stand, Class D 100-watt RMS (140-watt peak) amplifier, preamplifier with 24-bit/48hKz digital signal processor, and 5- by 7-inch mid/bass woofer flanked by two Folded Motion tweeters. The tweeters squeeze out air, requiring a lot less excursion than a traditional tweeter to minimize distortion and deliver quick response, the company said.
The speaker also comes with subwoofer output and black-anodized extruded-aluminum remote.
Via DLNA, Crescendo plays back music stored on a DLNA-equipped PCs and NAS drives and DLNA-equipped Android smartphone. The computer or phone is the control source that selects songs for playback. The Crescendo itself does not select content from DLNA or AirPlay sources, the company noted.
