Contrary to popular opinion not everyone has taken a drink from the Kool-Aid being served at the Fountain of Cupertino. It is one thing to marvel at the marketing savvy of a company that only a decade ago couldn't sell a desktop computer but now controls a sizable percentage of the media business and sells tens of millions of computers, tablets, and smartphones on a quarterly basis. It is quite another to feel that Chris Matthews "twinkle up your leg" everytime somebody at Apple lifts a new product up into the lights for the drooling media to fawn over.
One can understand the excitement from a teenager when they get their first smartphone and it happens to be an iPhone, but it has become sickening to read column after column from colleagues pretending to be objective who seem to only care about a ride aboard the mothership rather than covering those "other" products being used by hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe. Android-based products are starting to outsell Apple in many markets and that must be music to the ears for the people at Phorus who just launched their Play-Fi technology and PS1 Speaker and PR1 Receiver.
Play-Fi? We don't need no stinkin Play-Fi...
If you run around with an Android-based smartphone or tablet, you just might. Especially if wireless audio throughout your home or office is important to you and you don't want to drop between $500-$1,000 on a large wireless capable tabletop docking station. The Apple fanboys are already screaming "It's a knock-off of AirPlay."
Not only can Play-Fi deliver everything that AirPlay can, but it can stream to multiple loudpspeakers from the same device at the same time (AirPlay can play to multiple zones only from your iTunes collection based on your PC). Play-Fi doesn't require a brand new AVR that is AirPlay enabled; you can add the RS1 receiver to any existing system that you may have for under $150.
Play-Fi can also stream lossless music from your device, including the Kindle Fire and Nook (coming soon).
At a recent Pepcom event in New York City, I had the opportunity to meet the principals behind Phorus and came away convinced that not only do they have a solid product but that they genuinely care about sound quality above all else; the cast and crew are all former Harman International folks (Harman Kardon, JBL, Mark Levinson, AKG, Lexicon, Infinity) and GM Dannie Lau is a card-carrying audiophile. We spoke at length about the decision to implement the Wolfson 24/96 DAC inside both the RS1 and PS1 which explains a lot about the quality of the finished product.
It's like an inverted snow cone...
Multi-room audio/video used to be a very expensive venture but thanks to the advances in wireless technology, it no longer has to be. Products like the PS1 do require you to plug them in and place them on a shelf or flat surface, but the installation hassle ends there. Does it look like a lot of other products? Sure. We are an industry stuck in little black boxes made of ticky tacky for the most part. If you want something in your home that really stands out, you need to open up the checkbook and spend.
That being said, the PS1 blends well in any decor and doesn't require hours of tweaking to sound great.
The Play-Fi app which you need to download takes only a few minutes to set-up and once it is done, you don't need to do it again. It worked flawlessly throughout the review period (I upgraded the software twice) and is very simple to use.
If there is one feature that requires some tinkering, it is the volume control slider which really requires a greater number of adjustments. The PS1 can really fill a room with sound, but it would be nice to be able to dial the volume down with greater precision.
The PS1 speaker (8.3"W x 6"D x 5.5"H) uses 2 neodymium transducers, Wolfson 24/96 DAC and has dual Class 'D' digital amplifiers. Specifically, the transducers are neodymium-magnetic drivers and the dual Class 'D' amps are 7.5W.
The rear panel of the PS1 is where all the action is; there is a USB port for charging devices (the speaker has a mini-shelf on the front where you can position a phone or tablet), a power connection, and two expansion ports.
Not only did the music begin simultaenously but it stopped on a dime when I pressed pause. The Play-Fi user interface lacks the glitz of iTunes, but it also doesn't direct you to the store should you press the wrong button. For now you are limited to the music on the device, Pandora, or a DLNA-connected server. The PS1 also works via Bluetooth so iOS and Windows devices can also stream to the loudspeaker.
The "Pandora" only thing right now might deter some people (and it's an important issue) but Phorus promised that many more streaming services will be available soon making it a moot point. MOG? iHeart Radio? Spotify? I couldn't get confirmation of which services, but it would be a major deal breaker if you couldn't access those services and play them back via Play-Fi.
Another potential issue involves Google Play and playback issues when using an Android smartphone or tablet. Phorus provided me with a fully loaded Kindle Fire tablet which worked fine, but when I tried to play music I purchased online via the Nexus 7 tablet from Google, it wouldn't allow me to do so.
Phorus confirmed to me that the issue is a "Google" limitation which restricts playback to the device itself. Yes, it is stupid beyond.
However, if you go into your Google Play account online (on your desktop computer or laptop) and download the music via the supplied USB cable to your device, it will play. I tried this with 10 tracks and it worked perfectly. A major inconvenience to say the least, but at least there is a workaround.
Why is the toaster making music?
When I first set up the PS1, I placed it on my kitchen counter next to my red Dualit toaster because I wanted to see if anyone would notice it. After creating a name for the PS1 in the Play-Fi app and synching (worked flawlessly), I walked out of the room with my Nexus 7 and selected Pandora.
My children looked up from the kitchen table (it's a recent discovery for them...they are used to having the butler arise at 6 am and feed them breakfast in bed while they absorb Urkel and the Olsen twins) and couldn't figure out where that annoying electronica music was coming from.
The PS1 can play loud enough to fill a 20 x 13 x 9 room without even flinching, but that doesn't mean that it is capable of delivering potent, visceral bass response that you'll feel across the room. Its drivers are too small to do that and that isn't the point behind the product at all. Even with proper placement in a corner or on a bookshelf with some solid boundary reinforcement, this loudspeaker is not about to become the Beats by Dr. Dre docking station to rule them all.
Placing the PS1 would seem like a no-brainer (tabletop, desk, bookshelf), but this ported design requires a little more thought as the design hints at being an omni-polar loudspeaker which means that you don't want to box it in and listen to its soundstage collapse.
The PS1's ability to play loudly is impressive, but don't confuse that with the ability to reproduce complex material such as a symphony (I threw Dvorak, Haydn, and Mozart at it) with the authority that it requires. The PS1 does a commendable job with soundstaging, tonal balance, and pace, but it can't reproduce those dynamic swings or stay focused when Angus Young is tearing up the stage with "Thunderstruck".
Electronic music such as Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, or Django Django feels more at home via the PS1; even at lower listening levels where the omni-polar design recreates the illusion that you are listening to a much larger pair of loudspeakers. The bass can get a tad wooly if you push the volume too hard, but a house filled with PS1s while listening to Daft Punk's soundtrack to Tron Legacy was really engaging. Multiple PS1s on the same floor but in different corners of the house created a party atmosphere that impressed numerous guests.
Vocals were clear; male vocals resisted the urge to sound chesty as long as one kept the volume at a sane level, but I would not call the PS1 overly warm sounding as it's overall tonal balance was fairly neutral. It's top end extension is remarkably clear for such a small driver but it can't reproduce that level of airiness that the best tweeters are capable of. The harder you push, the harder the sound, but at moderate to above average levels, the PS1 is worth every penny and more.
Turn-Ons:
Manufacturer Contact Information:
Phorus
16255 Ventura Blvd.
Suite 310
Encino, CA 91436
Phone: 1-877-666-4335
Email: pr@phorus.com
Website: www.phorus.com
Where to Buy:
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