Airpulse A80 Active Speakers Now Available In Stunning Electric Blue

The active A80 bookshelf speakers have just been launched with a new electric blue finish.

I am always on the lookout for new active bookshelf speakers to showcase. These speakers with built-in amplifiers are increasingly popular because they save space and produce great sound. The latest pair of active speakers to pique my interest are the Airpulse A80, now available in electric blue finish, according to a press release that Airpulse published today.

The Airpulse brand is owned by Platinum Audio Systems and was founded in 2004 by renowned speaker designer and audio engineer Phil Jones and Edifier Technology Co Ltd, which manufactures speakers and headphones.

Phil Jones has spent his entire career in pursuit of the perfect loudspeaker. The A80 was initially launched with a traditional walnut finish and blended conventional loudspeaker and digital XMOS system. Airpulse claims its A80 offers superb sound quality in a stylish bookshelf format that can fit into even the tiniest living space.

The A80 speakers were originally launched with a walnut finish. The controls and inputs are all at ... [+] the rear of the right hand speaker.

The A80 is Airpulse’s entry-level plug-and-play speaker and incorporates the brand’s signature horn-loaded aluminum ribbon tweeter and proprietary 4.5-inch magnet ferrite mid-woofer drivers. The thin aluminum ribbon diaphragm is highly sensitive and has an extended frequency range that Airpulse says produces incredible resolution.

The tweeters’ horn shape produces directional and optimized high frequencies aimed directly at the listener, minimizing unwanted inflections and producing a more three-dimensional and high-resolution sound.

The mid-woofer has a 4.5-inch, hard-anodized, aluminum-alloy cone suspended in a cast magnesium alloy frame. Featuring a 30mm diameter voice coil, the mid-woofer is unusually large compared to most active bookshelf speakers of a similar size. Larger voice coils have lower power compression because they run at lower operating temperatures. Airpulse claims this produces a sound that’s a more realistic and dynamic representation of the music.

Active speakers save space because there's no need for a separate amplifier. The A80 are shown here ... [+] in their new electric blue finish.

The interior of the A80 is padded using professional pyramid soundproofing foam that reduces unwanted resonances. Meanwhile, an oval vent tube minimizes wind noise while in use. The cabinet is made from 18-mm thick MDF and finished with a new Electric Blue paint job.

Various audio sources can be connected to the A80 via AUX, RCA, optical, coaxial, USB, professional balanced input, and Bluetooth. The Bluetooth is version 5.0 of the wireless protocol. The internal wiring inside the A80 uses TRANSPARENT-brand cables for minimum signal loss.

Bass, treble and volume controls are on the speaker’s back panel. Each pair of speakers includes a wireless remote control that enables the user to switch between inputs, adjust the volume and mute the speakers from the comfort of an armchair.

Pricing and Availability: The Airpulse A80 active speakers are available from Amazon and cost £629.

More info: airpulsepro.com

Tech Specs: