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While it is likely you have never heard of AirPulse, the company was founded in 2004 and has strong links to Edifier – a speaker manufacturer that has won several awards here at KitGuru. With the A200, AirPulse is offering a reference class 2.0 speaker system for £799. It’s a lot of money, but if you’re into your audio and have some cash to spare, is the A200 worth a look?
With its cherry wood veneer, exposed tweeter and striking aluminium cone mid-woofer, the AirPulse A200 is a seriously good-looking 2.0 speaker system. It allows for up to four wired inputs, while there is also support for Bluetooth 4.0 (with aptX) connections as well. For a full overview and discussion of the overall sound, be sure to watch our video.
With the inputs and cabinet construction thoroughly detailed in the video, the key thing to pass on here is the overall sound signature of the A200. There are bass and treble adjustment knobs on the back of the right-hand speaker unit, but in my experience these can only tweak the sound to a certain degree, rather than being able to completely overhaul the A200’s sound signature.
Cutting right to the chase, the A200 is definitely a darker, more ‘fun’ sounding 2.0 speaker system, with plenty of emphasis on the bass and mid-range. This type of sound (think Sennheiser HD 650, Audeze LCD-2) isn’t usually my preference, but I was quite amazed at the mid-range presentation offered by the A200. Listening to the likes of Adele and Celine Dion was a highly rewarding experience, with the power and and emotion of Adele’s voice in ‘Hello’ coming through like she was in the room with me.
My biggest issue with the sound is the slightly veiled treble. It’s not terrible – you can still pick out the gentle ‘tick’ of a hi-hat and the upper register of a violin – but the speaker definitely isn’t as resolving as I’d like. One the whole, I felt like I was just missing that extra bit of clarity and detail which would’ve helped tracks like ‘Immigrant Song’ by Led Zeppelin really come alive.
Still, for those looking for a fun speaker system to simply enjoy music with – instead of listening analytically – the A200 is very proficient. At £799 it’s certainly not cheap, so it’s not going to have wide-spread appeal, but for those with a bit of cash to splash on an enjoyable speaker system, the AirPulse A200 comes recommended.
Pros
- Very good-looking.
- Well-built cabinets.
- Plenty of input options.
- Excellent mid-range.
- Bluetooth connection works well.
- Can get very loud.
- The sound signature make it great for rock, EDM and hip-hop.
Cons
- Very expensive.
- Not the most resolving.
- Speaker inter-connect cable is very long and could be tricky to hide.
KitGuru says: The AirPulse A200 speaker system is well-built, with a ‘fun’ sound signature. It’s very expensive, and the darker sound may not be for everyone, but the powerful mid-range makes it great for enjoying your favourite singers.
