Audio Video News

Enclave Audio has announced plans to deliver in time for the 2019 holiday season two new versions of the Top Pick-designated CineHome HD wireless 5.1-channel home theater speaker system we reviewed last year.

Hailed as “next generation Home Theater in a Box” systems when they were unveiled at CES 2019, the CineHome II ($999) and CineHome PRO ($1,499) six-speaker systems are based on the audio-centric WiSA (Wireless Speaker & Audio) protocol that makes possible wireless transmission of uncompressed 24-bit, 96-KHz audio with low latency and less than 1 microsecond of synchronization between speakers. The speakers in the PRO system occupy a larger footprint and sport an “enhanced industrial design and piano paint finish with aluminum accents.”

The heart of both systems is Enclave’s CineHub, which supports Dolby and DTS surround-sound decoding, HDMI 2.0, HDCP 2.2, and enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC). Setup is said to take only a few minutes and involves connecting a WiSA-certified USB transmitter to a TV via HDMI, which allows the hub to host sources through its HDMI, optical digital audio, Bluetooth, and 3.5mm analog minijack connections.

A free Enclave Audio app (Android) facilitates system updates and serves as a remote control when streaming from a phone, tablet, or laptop in addition to providing access to TuneIn, Spotify, Soundcloud, Tidal and other streaming services.

“Soundbars, while convenient to setup, simply don’t pass the test when it comes to delivering that true, immersive surround sound experience that consumers crave,” said Rob Jones, Enclave Audio co-founder and chief technology officer. “These new products fulfill that craving through ease of setup, affordability, and performance that only a separates-based home theater can deliver.”