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Philips’s FB1 soundbar heralds the beginning of the Fidelio Wireless platform
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While Philips was busy previewing its upcoming TVs and soundbars at its annual TV and Audio event, it also announced a new wireless focused AV platform called Fidelio Wireless.
Based on DTS Play Fi multi-room platform, the Fidelio Wireless platform will seek to seamless connect compatible AV products located throughout the home, whether that’s TVs, mobile devices, soundbars and speakers.
The new series will kick of with three products: the Fidelio FB1 wireless soundbar, Fidelio FW1 wireless subwoofer and Fidelio FS1 bookshelf wireless speaker. Mixing Philips’ European design, finish and premium performance, the range of products can also work as an ‘intelligent’ eco-system where each speaker can detect when it has been connected to another and adjust their performance to ensure the “best possible acoustic performance is always delivered”.
The Fidelio FB1 is a slim-line 7.1.2 soundbar designed to accompany the latest bezel free, high-end TVs, featuring 15 drivers and 310W (RMS) of power for a room filling immersive performance. It’s divided into independent enclosures for its LCR (left, centre, right) sections to minimise crosstalk and ensure “outstanding resolution/clarity”.
Each of the LCR channels features a midrange of midrange drivers mounted either side of a tweeter in D’Appolito arrangement for better integration of mids and highs. At either end of the unit are side-firing drivers to extend sound into the room while two dedicated upfiring drivers elevate audio.
The Fidelio FW1 wireless subwoofer has a 8-inch downward-firing woofer driver supplemented by two side-mounted, large passive radiators that work ‘back-to-back’, with power provided by a 200W (RMS) amplifier for “deep, fast and detailed bass”.
The FS1 wireless speaker has three-way flexible design that allows for it to be used a single unit, stereo pair, or satellite speakers in a 7.1.4 system configuration with the FB1 and FW1. Speaker drivers include a front firing tweeted, an angled upfiring mid-range unit and down-firing woofer. Bass is further reinforced by the addition of two passive radiators with power output rated at 60W (RMS). Philips says allows the FS1 to perform well in mid to larger sized rooms.
All use high quality materials, among them the use of Muirhead leather, while the FS1 comes with Ambilight technology built, synchronising withPhilips’ TVsto spread the effect of Ambilight throughout the room.
The Fidelio Wireless platform is expected to arrive in the second half of 2022. No prices were revealed but expect more news on that as the launch date arrives.
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Kob began his career at What Hi-Fi?, starting in the dusty stockroom before rising up the ranks to join the editorial and production team as the Buyer’s Guide editor. Experienced in both magazine and …
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
