This Tech Squib has some bad news for the legions of Bluetooth speakers on the market. Geneva Sound Systems is changing the game.
There are seemingly countless Bluetooth speakers and speaker docks on the market — so many that they tend to blend together. I commented during coverage of CES 2014 last month that I don’t know how so many speaker manufacturers stay in business. The products sound similar, have similar range and work with similar products. Their makers sometimes have to look for a gimmick to make their products stand out. They’re waterproof, or rubberized, or illuminated, or…Etc.
The engineers at Geneva Sound Systems are breaking free of that pack by focusing entirely on the elite sound their speakers make and aiming for high end buyers. The Geneva “all-in-one” line produces units that receive radio, play CDs and transmit MP3s via Bluetooth connection. They run from $199 to $3,499, including (in order of cost) Model XS, S, M, L and XL.
We tried out the L, putting it through all of its functions, and were amazed by its eerie surround sound effects. Putting out 180 W, it’s the kind of single, stationary sound system that sends you into the corners or under cushions to find where the smaller speakers are hiding.
They’re not overly fancy in exterior styling. Essentially high-tech boxes, they do come in a selected list of colors and finishes. It’s as if Geneva put all of their work into producing the finest sound possible and didn’t worry whether the end result could fit in an art museum.
Obviously, there’s a price to pay for all of this as there are countless brands that come in cheaper, depending on size and function. And, I’m sure there’s some insane audiophile cruising Harrod’s in London to find a Bluetooth dock worth £65,000 that would tell me these aren’t really high end. But, the Geneva line come in pricey for general consumers.
If they do fall in your price range, you cannot buy a better household Bluetooth system.
