Price: $1,080
Ratings: 4/5
Back Panel
Most major input points and cables have to
be connected at the back of the product. This includes On/Standby, Wireless LAN
(WPS and Netlink) buttons, USB port, Network Line in and Audio Line in (Left
and Right) slots.
Marantz
Consolette
First impressions
Marantz Consolette purely on looks is an
extremely wonderful looking gadget. It surely is bulky as it easily weighs
around 5 Kgs. But what caught our attention was the amazing blend of materials
and shapes that have been used to create the product. Most major plug points
and input units are at the back of the consolette. Only the iPod/iPhone/iPad
dock is the in front - that too has a stylish pop out feature. One has to
install a couple of apps on their iOS/Android devices to enable airplay and
then you are good to go!
Marantz
Consolette purely on looks is an extremely wonderful looking gadget.
Review
Apps installed, power chords plugged in,
Wi-Fi on and Ethernet plugged into the Consolette and we were all set. The
device is a blend of modern and contemporary design which is good. The display
sits neatly in between the trio of buttons and the gyro control wheel. This is
truly the pure Marantz style of appearance.
The
device is a blend of modern and contemporary design which is good.
We truly wished the Marantz Consolette
offered Bluetooth connectivity as connecting it over Wi-Fi can be a bit of a
hassle for non iOS users. As far as the docking feature for iOS devices are
concerned, it works like a charm. The output offered by the device in terms of
volume is excellent and we could easily get the 2 floors of our office
grooving.
Now coming to the performance side of it,
the sound from the device is divine. The music is good and loud enough to host
a house party. The music quality is amazing but it still lacks the required
punch. The lack of bass is what stops it from being an excellent device. The
Wi-Fi airplay on iOS is an excellent option as we could change songs, control
the volume and carry out various other functions of the device from anywhere in
the office. Your phone is as good as a remote control. AMOLED is always
enjoyable!
Verdict
Marantz Consolette is a great device for
anyone who loves to enjoy his/ her music. It is a great product to own for
somebody who has a lavish budget. Apart from the lack of bass, the product
offers exceptional music and the amazing sound quality. It is loud enough to
host a party, classy enough to create an impression but at the same time it has
minor drawbacks when it comes to connectivity.
Specifications
·
Two 4 inch Woofers Class D amplifier with 150
watts of total system power
·
Apple AirPlay for wireless streaming
·
DLNA for Android smartphones and compatible PCs
·
Wi-Fi for a home network
In the same league
UMI X2Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay A8
UMI
X2Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay A8
·
Price: $1,530
·
Airplay functionality
·
5 inch bass unit
·
70 watt class D amplifier
JBL on Beat Xtreme
JBL
on Beat Xtreme
·
Price: $955
·
JBL Atlas Woofers
·
Supports Phone Calls and Bluetooth connectivity
·
AAC codec for the best quality audio streaming