CES 2024 is the biggest consumer electronics trade show in the world, and at the 2024 event in Las Vegas one Company stood out from the thousands of global Companies pitching their products to retailers, BlueAnt, an Australian audio Company.
Now we know why, people were flocking to the BlueAnt stand, with retailers around the world keen to stock their secret new Ultra High Definition 4K Soundblade which will retail for only $299.
This product has been under wraps for some time, this week ChannelNews got the first review in the world of their new Soundblade speaker system, that we now believe is set to revolutionise the desktop speaker market.
A product that has been specifically designed to cater for the work from home market, gamers wanting high-definition sound or those who love watching movies especially on the new generation of 4K OLED high-definition monitors now hitting the market.
No kidding, this speaker when it comes to sound output is as good as a premium Sonos speaker, or even an $1,800 standalone system from a major European brand, that we tested it against.
Then there is the issue of design with users able to sit a monitor on the Soundblade without the need for ugly side speakers.
In fact, I was so impressed by the sound and the design of the Soundblade which is very slick and minimalistic that I immediately got back onto the CEO of this innovative Australian audio Company, to find out what was the secret that allowed them to deliver superior sound from product that is costing a mere $299 when in reality the sound is equal to a product that would normally cost a lot more, if not hundreds more in price.
It was this conversation that led me to discover how BlueAnt had packed premium sound into a small box that was incredibly cheap.
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The answer appears to be the work of the Companies Chief Technology Office Stuart Ralston who at 18 started a high-end audio business in Melbourne with his father.
Called SGR Audio Ralston learnt the art of building premium sound systems.
He then took on the job of creating sound output for BlueAnt products and his latest creation smacks of premium sound experience.
What he has delivered is all the principles of high-end audio into a product that instead of costing thousands is affordable to the masses who simply want impressive sound on a budget.
We got a hint of the audio expertise that this Company is able to deliver with the launch last year of their X3DMax speaker which when paired not only delivers exceptional stereo audio with both speakers costing less than a single Sonos speaker.
The secret audio sauce is the Companies development and R&D programs that necessitated the development a proprietary DSP and innovative driver design.
The Soundblade’ s exceptional 120W peak power output is attributed to its unique DSP and acoustic design, which is clearly an audio breakthrough that also represents a significant achievement in delivering high performance and clarity within a slim-line form factor casing that fits perfectly under a monitor.
In a nutshell what you get with the Soundblade is perfect timing of audio in sync with the precise unloading of a digital recording.
If you have a chance to listen to a soundtrack via the Soundblade trying playing, A Star Is Born Soundtrack with Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper.
You will be impressed.
Listen for the instruments and the audio and the background noise all being delivered in Sync.
And if you are impressed there are 34 songs which will deliver over an hour of great music.
What Bluesound did in their effort to get the sound out in perfect timing is develop a proprietary DSP and an innovative driver design, particularly with their full-range drivers which consist of a single race-track style cone but with two individual voice coils positioned side by side.
The DSP arrangement doubles power handling while maintaining lower distortion levels, which in a nutshell has led to every note and sound effect being delivered with crystal-clear precision whether you a playing Rap where the audio is clear or a piece of Miles Davis Jazz.
Another unlock key is the use of rare-earth magnet driver.
According to Ralston this allows for a more efficient and responsive audio experience.
And if that is not enough audio tech for $299 the integration of compact dual voice coils and full-range drivers as well as a low-profile subwoofer has been packed into the minimalistic design.
The use of advanced digital signal processor (DSP) technology not only ensures precise time alignment but also leverages the principle of phase coherence.
What you may say.
This technology is all about achieving a level of audio fidelity that ensures every sound wave from the Soundblade, reaches your ears in perfect synchrony, eliminating any form of audio distortion that can occur when sound waves are misaligned.
The begging question is why no one has been able to deliver quality audio of this level in a product that is sub $1,000 let alone $299.
Conclusion
I have been reviewing audio products and PC attach speakers for decades, in the early days it was the likes of Creative, Bose, and a heap of big brands who had a product in this space.
One brand that has been selling dual speakers for the desktop for many years, is Harman Kardon whose 2024 speakers were also on display at CES 2024.
None are delivering the quality of the sound output from the new BlueAnt Soundblade which I suspect is going to be a global success.
It’s cost effective, stunningly designed with a European minimalistic look.
As for the sound output you only have to hear it to, realise that this audio is a tad different. The audio is not only exceptional it has taken affordable audio to a new level.The BlueAnt Soundblade is the new benchmark.
Rating 10/10.
