Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fi Speaker: Lossless audio that can fly
With a design that looks like something that would not find itself out of place on the sets of Avatar, the Honeywell Aviator is certainly a conversation starter in your living room. The Manta Ray-shaped speaker has some theatrics too, with an LED ring up front that lights up when you are connecting or powering on the device and even when playing music afterwards.
The control panel is on top with connectivity options as well as volume controls. I found some aspects of this a bit confusing, like when you have to press the pause button to pair and not the power button — something I have not seen in speakers I have reviewed recently. But I like the LED array on top that shows the volume levels. You have the option to connect to the speaker via Bluetooth, Lossless, and Aux.
The really differentiating feature of this 240W speaker is its ability to play lossless audio. But this does not happen over Bluetooth. There is the lossless mode for which you have to use the USB-C or Lightning dongle that comes in the box. But this had me dumbfounded for days as it would not connect even after I did as the manual asked. That is when I realised — reading another review — that the phone cover was preventing the dongle from connecting fully to the source. Once you jump this design hurdle, you unleash the speaker to attain some audio greatness.
It is when you play songs you are used to listening to on other devices that you realise the difference the Lossless mode makes. It is as if it opens up a few channels you did not know existed. I loved how even some vocal-heavy songs, like Mulchedi, felt so rich on this speaker. The Aviator also has a room-filling audio presence that is rare in Bluetooth speakers.
Listening to Re Mann from Coke Studio India, I could feel the eternal sharpness of Shreya Ghoshal's voice, as well as the soulful depth of the bass guitar in the background, underlining the versatility of these speakers.
This speaker is perfect for either an early morning session soaking in Telisi Rama or a Tagore playlist, while also having the ability to step up for a Friday evening party. However, when not in the lossless mode, I felt the peak volume was a bit low for my liking, especially in the summer when the AC was whirring away in the room with the fan. An app that gives you a better understanding of the device and control over the modes would have been a good addition, especially given the price point. Also, you will need to be careful not to lose the dongle that gives this speaker its superpowers.
At Rs 39,999, the Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fi Speaker is one that is good enough to impress even the audiophiles given its ability to play tracks with no distortion or quality loss. But there are some rough edges, maybe because it comes from a company that does not make consumer audio at scale. Still, this is a product you can consider for your home given its sheer versatility.
Nandagopal Rajan writes on technology, gadgets and everything related. He has worked with the India Today Group and Hindustan Times. He is an alumnus of Calicut University and Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal. ... Read More
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