Creative has unveiled the Sound BlasterAxx AXX 200 wireless Bluetooth speaker, a Sound Blaster – PC computer sound card – and an NFC wireless speaker in one.
The AXX 200 sports a vertical tower design and uses a patent-pending stacked stereo speaker system. Creative claims the speaker can also intelligently enhance audio in real-time using proprietary SBX Pro Studio technology.
For example, dialogue levels in movies can be enhanced and a night mode means sudden volume changes are minimised.
Users can connect wirelessly to the speaker from a Bluetooth enabled device, and for those that support it, NFC is onboard too. It is also able to support aptX and AAC codecs for higher quality Bluetooth audio.
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The Creative AXX 200 can also be used as a teleconferencing speaker thanks to the quad-microphone array which works in tandem with the SBX Pro Studio audio technology to produce clear 360-degree sound.
An Integrated Voice Recorder allows users to record audio from a variety of sources: calls; external voices and music directly to a mircoSD card.
The microSD card slot also means users are able to play stored music through the speaker, instead of having to rely on streaming from a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device.
Alternatively, users can connect the Sound BlasterAxx AXX 200 to their computer via USB and use it as a Sound Blaster sound card. The SB-Axx1 processor has Creative's SBX Pro Studio and CrystalVoice technologies.
As with other Creative Sound Blaster sound cards, the AXX 200 benefits from a dedicated auxiliary/mic input and headphone/line output.
A built-in rechargeable 5200mAh battery claims up to 15 hours of playback time and the AXX 200 can double as a mobile phone charger, too.
Lastly, a Sound Blaster Central app for iOS and Android allows users to customise audio settings from their smartphone or tablet.
The Creative Sound BlasterAxx AXX 200 is available now from creative.com for £130. A separate, optional docking base is available for £50.
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