The last time I checked on Fluance (Canadian audio equipment manufacturer) they were busy boasting a $300 turntable in 2023. Since then, they have remained relatively quiet in the Hi-Fi market, and haven’t released or made any announcements regarding their future ventures. Now, a couple of years later, the company decided to break the announcement drought and unveiled not one but two affordable speaker collections.
Dubbed the Ri71 bookshelf speaker and the Ri91 tower speaker, the two new models are part of the company’s Reference series, which includes products ranging from $150 to $1000. Both models are designed to deliver powerful sound, clear details, and a sublime listening experience to audiophiles.
As per Toms Guide, who happened to have reviewed one of the boomboxes, both the Ri71 and Ri91 speakers are built with Fluance’s Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeters, which are meant to provide crisp, detailed high frequencies. Hat tip to Digital Trends here that goes on to point Fluance has engineered custom waveguides around the tweeters to expand sound dispersion, ensuring a wider soundstage that fills the room rather than focusing sound from one point.
Connectivity is another strong point of the Ri71 and Ri91, as both models come equipped with Bluetooth aptX HD for high-quality wireless streaming, HDMI ARC for easy home theater integration, and RCA inputs for connecting additional sources like turntables and CD players. For those who crave more bass, both models offer a subwoofer output for easy connection. Included remote control allows for convenient bass and treble adjustments, as well as control over other features.
If you peek into the brand’s history, Fluance has a reputation for producing entry-level to mid-range audio products. This includes the likes of the Ai41 bookshelf speakers and the RT81 turntable, the latter of which we have specifically praised as an excellent beginner turntable. Their Reference Series caters to the same budget range, more or less.
The Ri71 bookshelf speaker is priced at $400, but the Ri91 model is where things go to the higher side. Priced at $800, the tower speaker is still within your pocket’s reach, provided you are mad enough of an audiophile to choose it over other options present in the market. Nevertheless, the high-quality audio gear still offers more aesthetic value than any of its competitors have to offer. This is possible courtesy of its flamboyant design that blends pretty well with any background and syncs with any interior style. If you ask my take, I would go for the speakers for the mere aesthetic value they add to the space rather than seeking a soundbar or any other speaker at the same price.
What separates the two models beyond their given design are little tech nuances. As evident from the name, one is a bookshelf speaker, and the other is a tower speaker, so we need not explain that aspect. However, it is worth noting that the Ri71 bookshelf speakers are powered by a 120-watt amplifier and feature 5-inch woven glass fiber drivers which deliver rich midrange and deep bass, bringing listeners closer to the artist’s original sound.
Also Read: Karim Rashid-Designed LeapSonic Turns any Window or Table Into Immersive Bluetooth Speaker
This is apparently where Ri91 tower speakers get the better of their counterparts. The $800 speakers provide even more power with a 150-watt amplifier and dual 6.5-inch woven glass fiber drivers. Not only that, the floor-standing speaker also offers room-filling sound and features advanced AMT tweeters, DSP, and a front-firing bass port for clear, balanced audio. Nevertheless, both the Ri71 and Ri91 boast an acoustically inert MDF wood cabinet, thus adding to the aesthetics.
Kudos to Tech Radar for pointing out that the MDF wood cabinets are also designed to minimize unwanted resonance, while a front-firing port reduces any remaining resonance. For the time being, both models are available in black ash, white ash, and walnut finishes and can be purchased directly from the Fluance website.
Follow Homecrux on Google News!
