San Diego — Soundcast Systems, the supplier of high-end wireless speakers, is entering a new audio market with the launch of its first Bluetooth speaker, an outdoor model priced at a suggested $449.
The company is “receiving broad response” from custom installers, CE dealers and retailers of outdoor-living products, a spokesperson said. Shipments start the first week of July but will be on allocation until August, the spokesperson added.
The launch follows the June shipment of a $79-suggested BlueCast Bluetooth receiver adapter as an option for the company’s battery-operated outdoor speakers, which use proprietary 2.4GHz wireless technology to stream music from a PC or from a tabletop iPod/iPhone dock up to 300 feet away.
The new Bluetooth speaker, called Melody, is an all-weather splash-proof speaker that streams the AAC and AptX codecs over Bluetooth to improve Bluetooth sound quality. The weather-resistant, UV-resistant cylindrical speaker features built-in carrying handle and four 3-inch full-range drivers and four passive bass radiators in a 360-degree array. It also features 20-hour built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery and Bluetooth AVRCP, which enables the speaker’s keypad controls to remotely control the play/pause and track up/down functions of a Bluetooth-connected tablet or smartphone whether the device is playing stored music or music from Internet music apps.
The speaker also comes with AC adapter for playback and charging, 12-volt car adapter, MicroUSB for charging, and aux input. The 9-pound speaker measures 9 inches in diameter and 9.5 inches high.
Soundcast currently offers battery-operated outdoor speakers that wirelessly stream music from a PC or from a tabletop iPod/iPhone dock up to 300 feet away. The single-chassis cylindrical stereo speakers, which disperse sound in a 360-degree pattern, retail for $899 and $599.
The company also offers wireless transmitters and receivers for use with subwoofers and surround speakers.
