[Mark Hodgkinson]

Built for music lovers not network engineers

If you’re one of the millions who store and play music from a desktop, laptop or smartphone, Monitor Audio has designed the WS100 wireless audio system with you in mind. It comprises a pair of neat looking cube speakers with amps and wireless receiver on-board, and a transmitter dongle.

The matching compact monitors, just 5” in dimension, are engineered to deliver wideband uncompressed audio from any computer in seconds - position the speakers, plug-in the USB transmitter and you’re ready to go.

The WS100 speakers are built for listeners not network engineer, says Monitor, a wire-free connection to any computer - desktop or laptop, Mac or PC - is performed via the USB dongle transmitter supplied, which configures automatically without the need for further software.

The WS100 monitors employ custom-designed tweeters and mid-bass drivers based on the C-CAM transducers used by Monitor Audio’s flagship hi-fi speakers. C-CAM is their proprietary driver material, derived from the aerospace industry for its light yet rigid properties.

A further ‘crucial’ element in the WS100 chemistry is Monitor Audio’s use of SKAA wireless transmission. Integrated with each DAC is a specialised wireless receiver, employing a high quality digital audio protocol to transport audio from source to destination without compression. Operating in the 2.4GHz band, it protects the lossless signal from other networks with a patented Walking Frequency Diversity™ (WFD) technology, which uses channel-hopping to eliminate clicks, pops and dropouts.

The 3.5mm mini-jack input on the back of the WS100 will accept a wired connection from Apple iPhone, iPod, iPad and other sound sources. System volume may also be controlled from a touch panel on the side of the WS100 AND a unique magnetic pivot system allows each speaker to be tilted backwards if required.

The Monitor Audio WS100 will be available from late October 2012 with an approximate retail price of £250.