System Audio SA air 1 and System Audio SA air 9 – New powerful Bluetooth speakers

System Audio S/A is convinced that the new System Audio SA air Series sets new standards in the field of Bluetooth speakers, namely with the System Audio SA air 1 and System Audio SA air 9 solutions.

System Audio SA air 1 and System Audio SA air 9, two new Bluetooth speakers, are presented by System Audio A/S, which is convinced that they will define new standards in this product class. And this in terms of sound quality as well as connectivity.

The solutions of the new System Audio SA air Series are designed as one would expect from a speaker specialist.

System Audio A/S – The specialist for active loudspeaker systems

The company System Audio A/S can boast of having always been convincing with extraordinary approaches. In the field of classic loudspeaker systems, for example, the company has relied for years on particularly slim, almost graceful solutions that can be perfectly integrated into any living space and convince with their fine sound.

In recent years, the focus has been increasingly on active loudspeaker systems, whereby the aforementioned slim design was also the basis for being able to address as many users as possible with the System Audio SA Silverback Series.

The real speciality of the active loudspeaker systems from System Audio A/S, however, is that on the one hand they are powerful DSP-based solutions that allow very flexible adaptation, but on the other hand they also rely on WiSA, an industry standard that was developed especially for latency-free, reliable signal transmission via radio for loudspeaker systems.

The expertise gathered here is now to be transferred to Bluetooth speakers, the first that System Audio A/S is presenting, by the way, but for which they are setting equally high standards.

System Audio air Series – Designed for music lovers

The company states that the solutions of the new System Audio air Series were designed according to the same principles that are applied to the development and production of conventional loudspeaker systems for hi-fi and home cinema.

“We’ve set our sights high with our new family of high-performance Bluetooth speakers, which we call air. They are made for music lovers and we have paid special attention to the sound experience. The sound sets new standards, and the speakers have plenty of connectivity options. They are durable and consume very little power. System Audio SA air Series offers up the best we have to achieve a level of quality that you don’t see every day.” Ole Witthhøft, Founder System Audio A/S

Designed like classic speaker systems

As already mentioned, the fact that the solutions of the new System Audio SA air Series have been designed like classic loudspeaker systems stands out above all. This starts with the design, because at first glance you don’t realise that these are actually Bluetooth speakers, but rather that the solutions resemble normal speaker systems.

For example, the housings are all made of wood, specifically of MDF, of course, to give them a high degree of stability. System Audio A/S also orientates itself on the previously available product range when it comes to the lacquering or design of the surfaces and relies on finishes such as black satin, white satin and walnut.

If desired, the baffle can be covered with a loudspeaker grill to protect the integrated loudspeaker drivers. This cover is held in position by magnets and, depending on the version, is covered with white or black textile fabric.

It is interesting to take a look at the back, because here the user is presented with a panel that is richly equipped with connections and is made of aluminium, thus encompassing the “active” part of the speakers.

Signal processing based on a 32-bit floating point processor

At the heart of the signal processing of all System Audio SA air Series solutions are four powerful digital amplifiers with a 32-bit floating point processor. According to System Audio S/A, this type of signal processing is of course unusual in the Bluetooth speaker sector, but it is ultimately the decisive basis for actually achieving the desired high level of sound quality.

In addition, this offers the decisive advantage that the systems can be brought up to date or equipped with further functions in the future by means of updates or upgrades. System Audio S/A has already provided many such updates and upgrades for the active speaker systems of the System Audio SA Silverback Series mentioned above.

Bluetooth 5.0

The new solutions of the System Audio SA air Series are equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and can thus establish a very reliable signal transmission with source devices such as smartphones, tablets, notebooks, but also portable hi-res audio players.

Of course, the complete range of content is available via mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; after all, only the installed app determines whether you use TIDAL, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, Apple Music or whatever service you use.

Numerous other interfaces

A special feature of the new System Audio SA air Series is, as already mentioned, the variety of connections that these solutions are supposed to offer. For example, analogue as well as digital inputs are available for other sources, even a phono preamplifier can be found here, although this is reserved for drives equipped with MM cartridge systems. In addition, there is an HDMI input with ARC, i.e. an audio return channel, which makes the solutions of the System Audio SA air Series a particularly flexible all-in-one solution.

It also fits that you can bring a subwoofer into play via a corresponding output, which is mentioned here for the sake of completeness.

Currently, there are two models that form the basis of the new System Audio SA air Series, namely the System Audio SA air 1 and System Audio SA air 9 solutions.

System Audio SA air 1

The System Audio SA air 1 is a very compact Bluetooth speaker with dimensions of 29.5 cm in width, 16.3 cm in depth and 17 cm in height.

It is designed as a two-way system with a power output of 90 watts twice. It is remarkable that the Audio SA air 1 system can reproduce a frequency range between 45 Hz and 25 kHz, which means that it is actually on a par with a conventional speaker system.

This is especially true if you combine the System Audio SA air 1 with a second speaker, which System Audio S/A has already announced in the form of the System Audio SA air 1 Speaker passive. This is then connected via an analogue output in the form of cinch sockets, whereby, as already mentioned, an optional subwoofer can also be integrated via this route.

The Audio SA air 1 system features Bluetooth 5.0, is equipped with two optical S/PDIF interfaces, has a line in as a pair of cinch sockets as well as a phono input as a second pair of cinch sockets, and also offers an AUX in the form of a 3.5 mm stereo mini jack. A TV can be connected via an HDMI interface with ARC (Audio Return Channel), and a USB port is available for charging a smartphone, for example.

System Audio SA air 9

The System Audio SA air 9 is designed a little differently, because this system actually resembles a classic stereo pair of speakers, although it is ultimately a complete, compact all-in-one active system.

Here you will find two speakers, each measuring 28.5 cm in height, 16 cm in width and 23.2 cm in depth.

In addition, the System Audio SA air 9 is an active two-way bass reflex system that uses DSP-based signal processing and four amplifier modules. Each chassis is therefore also driven here with 90 watts.

First and foremost, Bluetooth 5.0 is used as the central interface to source devices such as smartphones and tablets, but there are also other connections for integrating various solutions. In addition to an HDMI input with ARC for connecting a TV set, there are two optical S/PDIF interfaces, an integrated phono preamplifier for record players equipped with MM cartridge systems, a line in designed as a pair of cinch sockets and an AUX in as a 3.5 mm stereo mini jack, as well as a sub out for a subwoofer and a cinch connection for an additional System Audio SA air speaker.

However, the connection between the two speaker systems of the System Audio SA air 9 is made via a separate cable, namely an interconnect cable with a length of 5.5 metres. This means that the two speaker systems can be flexibly placed in the right place in the room without being restricted by a cable that is too short.

Remote control for easy operation

Although the speakers of the new System Audio SA air series have a rotary encoder on the back that allows input selection by pressing and volume control by turning, the remote control that comes with both the System Audio SA air 1 and System Audio SA air 9 is of course more convenient.

Price and availability

According to the information currently available, you will probably have to be patient for a while for the new System Audio SA air 1 and System Audio SA air 9 solutions. It will probably not be until the beginning of 2022 that you will find them in specialist shops.

As already mentioned, you can choose between three design variants for both solutions, namely a lacquer finish in black or white, as well as a walnut finish.

The manufacturer states an expected price of € 630 for the System Audio SA air 1, the System Audio SA air 9 will probably cost € 1,050.

Getting to the point

The new System Audio SA air Series solutions build on the success of the System Audio SA Silverback Series, but are designed as Bluetooth speakers. According to Systeme Audio A/S, this is intended to address a particularly broad range of customers, whereby the solutions of the System Audio SA air Series are particularly flexible solutions that even take on the task of a complete audio system. Starting with Bluetooth via digital and analogue audio inputs up to an HDMI interface for the connection of a TV, everything is available that a compact, versatile audio system needs. The solutions System Audio SA air 1 and System Audio SA air 9, which are now presented and form the basis of this product series, are to distinguish themselves first and foremost by a sound quality that one does not expect from Bluetooth speakers, but rather appears worthy of a classic active speaker system.