If multiroom is required, but it shouldn’t be that small and still inexpensive, the Auvisio ZX-1645 is worth a look: Without a doubt, you get the most cm and kg per euro here. But what about the quality, for example in terms of sound, operation or range of functions? Can the Pearl device keep up with top dogs, for example from Sonos?
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Design: large, black, angular
Not a running meter, but a loud one – the dimensions are 100 x 30.5 x 21 mm – is this multi-room loudspeaker, which the provider calls the “black obelisk”. That is significantly more than with most other devices. A good bass reproduction should also be possible without technical tricks. There are no voice assistants with the Auvisio loudspeaker.
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On off, Music Start / Stop, previous piece, next piece, Modus and PAIR as well as a real volume control are the controls at the top at the front. The loudspeaker is supplied directly with 230 V, on the back there is also a “real” power switch, which completely disconnects the device from the power supply when not in use and thus also sets the power consumption to 0. In addition to this, a bass and treble control are also built in. Analog sound sources or USB sticks with audio files can also be connected, the operational readiness and the mode change is announced on the display and announced in English. Devices with 5 V / 0.5 A can also be charged at the USB port. Everything else runs wirelessly via WLAN or Bluetooth, and DLNA servers can also be used as a music source.
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Installation and operation
The “Obelisk” with a live weight of 9.4 kg in the delivery state is also a real danger for children and pets, because it is narrower at the bottom before the supplied stand is screwed on. That is done quickly. Now all you have to do is load the app called Muzo Player (iOS and Android) and integrate the loudspeaker there.
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That turned out to be a bit bumpy at first: It neither wanted to work as described in the quick start guide provided, nor as the app recommends. In addition, the ZX-1645 can only be connected to 2.4 GHz WLANs.
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After a bit of tinkering, the loudspeaker was in the network. Then the speakers and app proved to be very versatile: Local files from the smartphone can be played via Bluetooth or WLAN. The latter offers better sound quality “thanks” to the missing apt-X codec, which one would not have expected in this price range. Internet radio is not accessible via tune-in, but via the lesser-known but equally powerful iHearts. There is also streaming from many providers, including Tidal and Qobuz, whereby the difference between Spotify and Qobuz is clearly audible in “On the Border” by Al Stewart. With its systems with 2 x 5 W tweeter, 2 x 15 W midrange and 1 x 40 W subwoofer, the loudspeaker does not offer high end, but a usable sound quality.
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The rather unknown Muzo app had a surprise up its sleeve: In addition to the Auvisio ZX-1645, it also featured the Pure Discovr (test report) from an earlier test. So you could possibly have these two inexpensive speakers, which can otherwise only be coupled with their own kind, played together in a multiroom system, for example the ZX-1645 in the living room and the Discovr on the balcony. However, a stereo pairing of the ZX-1645 and Discovr is not recommended and can be compared to a marriage between a mouse and an elephant. In practice, however, this did not work due to the version differences, but the Pure loudspeaker could also be controlled with the Auvisio app. Multiroom should only be possible with digital sources that are selected via the app, not via the analog input.
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price
The Auvisio ZX-1645 costs around 150 euros and is thus priced between the Symfonisk products.
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Conclusion
With a list price of just under 150 euros, the Auvisio ZX-1645 is really well equipped, so you don’t need a voice assistant in the loudspeaker and you have enough space. Admittedly, it would not be the right choice on the bedside table, but definitely on the floor in the party room. You can tell the difference in the app, especially when several products are to be controlled. Here, other systems, such as Denon’s Heos or Sonos, have the lead. Still, if you want a cheap speaker that streams music from many sources, you can buy it.
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