Roth's pair of CHARLiEs here to liberate computer held tunes
February 2010
Roth's new CHARLiE desktop speaker systems take tunes held on small things –Macs, PCs, laptops, iPhones and iPods – and make them sound (very) big
The runaway success of online music services, such as iTunes and Spotify, means more and more music is 'trapped' on flash drives and hard drives. This all makes fine sense… until you listen to tunes via the speaker systems generally found built into the sexy-looking, but increasingly compact Mac, PCs and laptops.
The resulting sonics from these built-in speakers tend to come ladled with ASBO-deserving treble, search in vain for convincing midrange, and are utter strangers to the valley town known as Bass. In a word… bad.
The new wireless-capable Roth CHARLiE desktop speaker systems aim to put an end to this sorry state of audio affairs. Available in two strains – a 2.0 set-up and a 2.1 system – the packages bring power and polish to proceedings.
The 2.0 is a two speaker set-up, while the 2.1 adds a subwoofer. Both systems come complete with the RothDock meaning – thanks to the wireless receiver built into the base of the CHARLiE speaker – a wire-free connection between your docked iPhone or iPod. The RothDock is also officially both a 'Made for iPod' and 'Works with iPhone' certified product, so there is no need to adjust your iPhone's settings to 'airplane mode'.
The CHARLiE 2.0 employs an active monitor design, with a speaker cabinet-enclosed amplifier capable of 15 watts per channel. Its big brother, the CHARLiE 2.1 houses the electronics within the chassis of it curvaceous subwoofer, resulting in 25 watts to drive each speaker – plus a further 25 watts to power the sub itself.
Connectivity perfectly suits today's audio libraries. Each system includes a 3.5mm auxiliary input, while the USB socket enables connection to a wide range of computer products and includes iTunes synchronisation ability.
Roth AV has already received many commendations for its range's visual appeal and the two CHARLiEs maintain the family's good looks. Available in black or white the curved speaker design pitches perfectly on desk and table tops, while the cylindrical subwoofer is a rare thing in the world of bass engines, in that it looks pretty so doesn't require hiding behind a sofa.
Roth AV founder James Roth says, “Roth prides itself in recognising the trends and wishes of the modern music fan, and the mushroom in the numbers of people listening to music through computer systems – as well as iPhones and iPods – makes the CHARLiE 2.0 and 2.1 essential. Essential, yes, but beautiful looking and superb sounding, too.”
The Roth Audio CHARLiE 2.0 and CHARLiE 2.1 launch in April 2010 and have approximate suggested retail prices (inc. VAT) of £199 and £299 respectively.
Click on image(s) above for high resolution version(s)
