Onkyo Sound Sphere: WiSA SoundSend Wireless Home Theater System
Onkyo unveils Sound Sphere wireless home theater system in Japan. This is a set of active wireless acoustics in 2.1 (triphonic), 3.1 or 5.1 configurations. The Sound Sphere system is WiSA certified and includes a WiSA SoundSend wireless audio transmitter.
The transmitter using WiSA wireless audio technology connects to the TV via HDMI. Thanks to support for ARC (Audio Return Channel) or eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel), a regular TV remote control is enough to control the power and volume of the tuned system. The WiSA SoundSend app must be downloaded to set up the system.
Onkyo Sound Sphere is compatible with the Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer surround sound format, and the MyZone function, by varying the delays for each channel, creates the right sound exactly where the listener is. The SoundSend transmitter allows you to expand the system to eight audio channels in the future. Wirelessly, it transmits a high-quality audio signal to the acoustics in a resolution of 24 bit / 96 kHz.
In addition to the WiSA SoundSend transmitter, the Sound Sphere, depending on configuration, includes a subwoofer, rear and front satellites, and a center channel system. The speaker enclosures are made of MDF with a rigid aluminum back panel. Woofers with a diameter of 7.6 cm (one in the satellites, two in the central channel) received woven composite diffusers and supplemented with a dome tweeter with a diameter of 2 cm.
The Sound Sphere 150W subwoofer is assembled in a flat case with a height of only 13.5 cm, so that it is quite possible to slide it, for example, under a sofa. The 16.5 cm speaker is directed towards the floor. Optional stands can be added to the satellites. The satellites themselves are also sold individually for future expansion of existing Sound Sphere kits.
The Sound Sphere will be Onkyo’s first WiSA certified wireless speaker. The novelty started as a crowdfunding project on the Japanese resource Green Funding, raising almost twice the amount required to start production.
At Green Funding, Sound Sphere investors were able to get the 5.1 kit to ship in Japan in August for 109,800 yen – about $1,000.
