Rating: 8/10
Tabletop speakers – a term that was popular in the 90s and has once again started gaining momentum with new offerings coming from multiple brands like Bose, Sonos, JBL, and Marshall. The latest one to enter this space is a name we often relate to air purifiers – Honeywell – with its Aviator Hi-Fi speaker.
If you are not aware, a tabletop speaker is a sweet spot between floor-standing speakers and bookshelf speakers. It offers high-fidelity sound with ample bass and loudness while adding a nice aesthetic touch to the interior.
Coming back to Honeywell’s Aviator Hi-Fi speaker, its Rs 39,999 price tag somewhat puts it directly in competition to some other premium offerings from popular brands like Marshall and Sonos.
The question is: has Honeywell managed to deliver enough to justify that hefty price tag or this is another lacklustre entrant in this segment? Let’s find out.
Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fi speaker design
If you are into something futuristic and more upmarket, then Aviator Hi-Fi’s design will appeal to you. It has got this unique modern design that somewhat resembles a ‘spaceship’ maybe. But, the oblong shape and sleek and curvy angles make this speaker feel different from others – the regular boring rectangular – design.
Talking about the presence, the form factor is big and it has a tripod-like stand to support it. While the stand looks pretty and works well with the design, it is pretty complicated to place. For me, I need to have a table that big to support it properly and also to prevent it from toppling. That’s one thing you should keep in mind.
The speaker's top surface is upholstered in a sophisticated leather-like material. This material not only adds a touch of luxury but also serves a practical purpose by dampening unwanted vibrations and resonances. The speaker setup itself is concealed behind a fabric mesh that colour-coordinates with the leather covering.
The showstopper design element is the centrepiece – a large circular speaker grille with a metallic ring with an LED light surrounding it. The lights work fine but aren’t customisable. So, if you are looking to change the colours for a more personalised experience, you are out of luck here.
The speaker features a rear air vent and a small cavity housing an AUX port, power port, and a USB Type-C service port. Touch-sensitive buttons for volume, play/pause, power, and Forward/Rewind are located in a semi-circular cavity on top. LED lights indicate volume level, and a holder for a lossless booster dongle is also provided. Connectivity options include Bluetooth v5.3, as well as Type-C and Lightning dongles.
Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fi Speaker performance
Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fi packs a total of five drivers – a woofer, two speakers and two tweeters. All combined is rated to deliver a total 240W audio system. It supports 1Mbps+ codec for high-definition audio support. The speaker comes with Bluetooth which users can pair with their phone, PC or any other device with Bluetooth. However, there’s a lossless dongle that enables high-fidelity playback.
There are some notable differences when playing with Bluetooth and dongle. In my experience, the Bluetooth mode was a bit louder compared to the dongle mode. However, there’s some loss in terms of overall details and quality.
However, when playing via dongle and Apple Music’s lossless quality, the loudness was reduced by around 10%, but the quality and clarity moved to another level. The vocals became more clear with rich bass and instrumental separation was noticeable too.
But, do keep in mind, in either case, the speaker performs pretty well and it won’t disappoint no matter how you are playing the audio.
Also, it is a tabletop speaker, it is not supposed to break the glass in your living room. Instead, the softness and clarity of the speaker make it a perfect choice for a background listening experience.
What I liked the most is that the speaker has a consistent volume. It remains clear even at the lowest possible volume.
I tried several tracks like Kygo, Ready to Change, some bass-heavy tracks, and rock music and everything mostly sounded pretty good. What I liked the most is that it keeps the bass, mids and highs separate even in the toughest situations and that’s something many tabletop speakers fail to deliver.
Verdict
The Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fi speaker, with a price tag of Rs 39,999, delivers a premium audio experience, combining stylish aesthetics, powerful sound, and versatile connectivity options. While its performance may fluctuate slightly at higher volumes, its robust build and refined acoustics ensure minimal distortion. Overall, the Aviator Hi-Fi speaker is an excellent option for audiophiles who demand high-fidelity sound and an immersive listening experience.
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