Boston Acoustics’ Mc200air Airplay speaker sports room-suffusing audio

By Adam Poltrack November 16, 2012

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Check out our full review of the Boston Acoustics MC200Air speaker.

Yesterday, Boston Acoustics held a press event in NYC to announce its new MC200air. The AirPlay-enabled, DLNA-certified, Wi-Fi-ready MC200air is one of the latest in what has become a very long line of speaker docks, but Boston Acoustics has managed to create something that stands out. You can control the unit via an included IR remote, or an associated smartphone app, but however you choose to direct your content, this speaker sounds spectacular.

The first thing that struck us about its sound signature was that it felt deep, rich – layered if you will. Background and foreground tones are distinct, resulting in a ubiquitous sound which stands in stark contrast to the directional delivery of lower-end speakers. The goal of this sound isn’t enormity, but rather immersion. Boston Acoustics’ team says it accomplished that end – in part – via a subtle and barely noticeable design feature. Citing the fact that most people tend to place their speakers below ear level, they tilted the MC200air’s face upward, so that the sound from the two 3.5-inch full-range woofers travels upwards and outwards. This gives the music an elevated, ear-level feel, almost as if you were cozied up right next to the speaker.

The frequency response sits at 70Hz-20KHz, which stands to reason given its size. It is capable of delivering some low end, but bottom-dwelling deep-bass lows aren’t this speaker’s forte. USB, Aux, Ethernet, and AC ins line the back panel of the simple, flexible, gloss-black (or white) unit and though yesterday was the MC200air’s official coming out party, it’s on the market already in select stores. Its $400 price point isn’t an easy pill to swallow, but if you’re in the market for a high-end AirPlay option, we think it’s worth that kind of cash.

We should also note that -as an added bonus – the speaker can simultaneously play and charge all recent iOS devices via a 30-pin apple USB cable (or a lightning adapter for the iPhone 5).

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Speakers

Contributor

Adam is an A/V News Writer for Digital Trends, and is responsible for bringing you the latest advances in A/V…

Audio / Video

New $129 Moto Buds+ tap Bose for boom and Dolby for head tracking

The Moto Buds in Forest Gray.

Three new phones under the Edge 50 branding weren't enough for Motorola this week. The venerable manufacturer also dropped a pair of earbuds to go along with the new Android fare.

The main contenders for North America will be the Moto Buds+, which are available now for $129 in the U.S., and $179 in Canada. They look as you'd expect wireless earbuds to look; that's worth mentioning because Moto had some wood-clad phones in its drop this week. They're sleek and stylish and apparently available here only in Forest Gray, though press images show other colors, too. (More's the pity -- those other colors look slick.)

Audio / Video

Walmart is having a clearance sale on Vizio TVs — From $148

People watching sports on the 50-inch Vizio V-Series 4K TV.

Walmart is frequently the home of some of the best TV deals around with the retailer being particularly great right now. It’s currently hosting a clearance sale on Vizio TVs with many models on sale ranging from HDTVs up to feature-rich 4K TVs. If you’re looking to buy a new TV, you need to check out this sale. Hit the button below to check it out for yourself or keep reading while we take you through some of our favorite highlights.

What to shop for in the Walmart Vizio TV sale
Vizio is one of the best TV brands for variety and this sale shows how varied it is. One TV that we instantly gravitate towards is the It usually costs $628 but it’s currently $100 off so it costs just $528. The instant highlight is the large screen but it’s packed with features too. It has Dolby Vision Bright Mode for more lifelike accuracy, color saturation, black detail, and brightness. There’s a full array backlight to ensure LEDs are evenly distributed across the backlight, while active pixel tuning provides intelligent pixel-level adjustments that tune the contrast levels frame by frame in over 2,000 zones. An IQ Active Processor ensures excellent 4K upscaling while the V-Gaming Engine ensures you get the optimal gaming experience automatically with sub 10ms input lag, variable refresh rates, and a finely tuned picture mode. It’s sure to be the best TV for many people.

Audio / Video

Anker’s Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds are next-level sleep aids to block out noise

Anker Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds worn while sleeping on side

If you had asked me years ago what kind of earbuds I'd be wearing while I sleep, I would have called you crazy. To sleep, I need silence, and anytime someone has a TV or tablet on or makes any noise, it makes me restless. With two kids and a wife who are all loud sleepers, it's safe to say I often have trouble sleeping. Believe it or not, there are earbuds for that. Anker's Soundcore Sleep A20 TWS earbuds, for example, are the second generation of its sleep-aid product. They're specifically designed to be worn while you sleep, thanks to a sleek form factor that doesn't protrude out of your ears or create discomfort while resting your pretty little head -- they're meant for side sleepers.

They also purportedly offer much more substantial snoring reduction than the previous generation via soft ear tips and ear wings that help block out ambient noise. If you like a little background audio, they pair with a mobile device that’s using the Soundcore app and allow you to play sound effects to serenade your slumber. A 4-point noise masking system uses not just the twin-seal ear tips and wings but also masking sounds and smart volume controls to drown out distracting noises. If you snore or your partner snores, it won't wake you up anymore as long as you're wearing these.