Master & Dynamic has revealed its entry into the highly competitive multiroom speaker market, the MA770.
Unlike its competitors – such as Sonos and Bose – New York-based Master & Dynamic has moved away from a predominately plastic design and created a unique construction that truly sets it apart.
The MA770 multiroom speaker has been crafted from a proprietary concrete composite, which Master & Dynamic says "provides a number of acoustic benefits", including a reduction in resonance and better durability.
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The concrete casing also provides improved sound dampening, says Wired, meaning it is "five times better than wood and ten times better than plastic". The reduction in frequency vibrations also allows the MA770 to be placed near a turntable and played at full volume "without causing the record to skip".
Inside its concrete enclosure, the MA770 houses "dual 4in (102mm) woven Kevlar long-throw woofers and a 1.5in (38mm) titanium tweeter". An "etched" stainless-steel grille covers the cluster of speakers, which are controlled through "diamond-cut anodised aluminium" dials.
With a width of 20in (510mm) and a height of 16in (410mm), and weighing in at 35lb (16kg) due to its concrete overcoat, it's "a beast of a wireless speaker", according to Engadget.
While its design "immediately grabs your attention", Endgadget says the MA770 isn't as "overly imposing" as its size and weight might suggest. The speaker's "combination of shape and materials" is what really sets it apart from its rivals.
Connectivity options include Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi, reports Digital Trends, which allows "a second MA770 to be paired for a larger stereo image".
The MA770 produces a "deep, warm-bodied" sound and crisp vocals, says TechCrunch. Its "100W Class D" amplifier is also enough to transmit music across the entire floor of a building.
Most major streaming services can be accessed through the MA770's built-in Google Chromecast tech, the site says, although Apple Music is not currently supported. Users will still be able to stream music from Tidal, Spotify, SoundCloud and Deezer, providing they have subscriptions to those services.
Audiophiles can pre-order the MA770 now for £1,600, with deliveries expected to be shipped by the middle of May. That makes it about £1,100 more expensive than its plastic-build rival, the Sonos PLAY: 5, but its premium hardware configuration is expected to produce a better sound.
