Daniel J SaitThe FS-252 system are the first of an exciting new range of high-performance wireless products from Atlantic Technology that feature SKAA wireless technology for receiving and transmitting high quality audio.
Derived from the pro music industry, SKAA is a standard designed for audio creating a dedicated ecosystem that far surpasses Wi-Fi in terms of sound quality, distance, ease-of-use and reliability, says the maker. Following the FS-252 system, Atlantic will roll-out several SKAA products in 2019 including an integrated amp, a sound bar and headphones.
Well received by dealers during CEDIA 2018 and CES 2019 demos, the FS-252 system is now shipping internationally.
The maker says the FS-252 offers a pair of elegant, compact, powered two-way stereo bookshelf speakers that produce a full and deep sound, ideal for music in one room or as multi-room sets around the home.
For home theater use, they are acoustically matched to work in systems with Atlantic Technology Sound Bars and LCR speakers.
The FS-252 can be connected to a wide variety of analogue media sources (CD players, TVs, etc) via various wired connections and wireless digital media sources equipped with Bluetooth or SKAA transmitters. A SKAA media source may be any product equipped with SKAA such as another FS-252 or any audio product with a SKAA transmitter/adapter added.
Small, low-cost SKAA digital transmitters, adapt any analogue or digital audio device to affordably, quickly and easily add SKAA wireless capability. This includes PC, MAC and NAS – and portable iOS, Android or Blackberry devices can be turned into a SKAA transmitter with adapters for USB-A, micro-USB, USB-C (coming soon), or iOS Lightning. Digital TOSLINK and coax S/PDIF plus stereo analog to SKAA transmitters are also available.
“Eleven Engineering is pleased to be a part of Atlantic Technology’s exciting new range of SKAA wireless multi-room audio products,” says Rex Whitehead, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing of Eleven Engineering, inventor, manufacturer and licensor of SKAA technology. “These are fantastic looking, sounding and performing products that set a new higher standard for wireless audio in the home.”
The Benefits of SKAA
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth were originally developed for data networking and phone use then later adapted to entertainment audio. Music streaming is very demanding on Wi-Fi network bandwidth revealing many weaknesses including sound quality, interference, dropouts, variable latency or signal delay and limited signal range argues Atlantic Technology.
Also, continuously variable high latency, creates AV lip-sync issues making wireless speakers vulnerable when it comes to TV, film and video games. Plus, Wi-Fi network set-up and connection processes include passwords and special router configurations that can make setting up and operating multiple home Wi-Fi audio devices a chore.
While Bluetooth is easier to connect it has a more limited range than Wi-Fi, is also subject to interference and is incapable of multi-room operation argue the backers of SKAA.
Those promoting this system argue SKAA eliminates all issues of other wireless audio systems being wireless standard purpose built from the ground up to work seamlessly in all Hi-Fi applications; whole house, home theater, portable, pro-audio and automotive.
SKAA is a cousin of PAW or Pro Audio Wireless, already proven for years in demanding live concert performances by pro musicians.
Atlantic insists SKAA audio is always clear, full-frequency and with high dynamic range delivering sound quality comparable to wired systems. It is a strong choice for movie and games eliminating lip-sync issues, with an un-perceivable 36 millisecond fixed low-latency signal that’s 4 to 5 times lower than Bluetooth’s variable 120-200ms latency, and 50 to 80 times lower than Wi-Fi’s variable 2,000 to 3,000ms latency.
The variable latency creates a perceptible, out-of-sync audio shifting between multi-room Wi-Fi speakers while SKAA’s low 36ms fixed latency is designed to deliver clear, unified multi-room audio with 0.04 ms precision between speakers.
SKAA delivers a robust signal up to a 150 foot range using the worldwide open 2.4 GHz band. It’s reliable because of its patented Walking Frequency Diversity (or WFD) channel-hopping technology with error correction eliminating interference, clicks, pops or dropouts even in the noisiest RF environments common in tech-laden homes, apartments, businesses or even busy trade shows.
No special app, network, Wi-Fi set-up, passwords or pairing is needed to connect SKAA devices; just press one button to connect any SKAA speaker, receiver or headphone to whichever audio source is needed.
“Atlantic Technology has started an Audio Revolution with this incredible new series of SKAA wireless products for 2019. Each gives consumers and installers the most versatile, reliable, and highest quality multi-room audio that’s the easiest to set-up and use,” argues Paul Fredrickson, Business Development Director at Muto Communications, Atlantic Technology’s PR agency-of-record. “The FS-252 is shipping now, with additional Atlantic Technology SKAA products coming soon and throughout 2019.”