Audio Video News

Definitive Technology has taken a minimalist approach in the design of its new W Studio Micro soundbar/wireless streaming system, which squeezes seven drivers into an enclosure that’s 43 inches wide and only 1.75 inches tall.

Designed to slip under any large flat-panel TV, the soundbar has four 3 x 1-inch oval woofers and three 1-inch aluminum dome tweeters arranged in a “3.1 spatial array” powered by seven discrete channels of amplification. Dolby Digital 5.1 signals are remapped to the 3.1 layout in a way said to deliver room-filling sound.

The system includes a wireless subwoofer with an 8-inch down-firing driver and supports DTS Play-Fi, an app-based wireless protocol that streams uncompressed audio over a Wi-Fi network. A free app facilitates streaming from personal libraries and provides access to popular services like Pandora, Spotify Connect, Sirius XM, and thousands of Internet radio stations.

Music and movie modes tailor the sound field to the source with the former offering a wider frequency response and the latter adding height and depth for a more immersive experience, according to Definitive Technology. The soundbar has two optical inputs and comes with a remote control.

The W Studio Micro is available for pre-order at $899 on definitivetech.com, Magnolia/Best Buy, Amazon.com, and Crutchfield.com.