Fundamental Audio has been appointed as the exclusive Australian distributor for SofaBaton. The company is known for its universal remote control and home entertainment management solutions, with the X1S and the flagship X2 now shipping.

The partnership will see Fundamental Audio establish SofaBaton across Australia through a network of specialist retail and custom integration partners, backed by local distribution, support and channel development.

“There is a very real gap in the Australian market for a powerful, beautifully designed universal remote-control solution that sits between basic replacement remotes and very expensive professionally programmed control systems,” Fundamental Audio general manager Steve Burton says.

“SofaBaton has looked at what people actually want from a universal remote today. They want something intuitive, powerful and flexible that can bring together an increasingly complicated entertainment system without making the experience itself complicated. That is what attracted us to the brand.”

The X1S brings SofaBaton’s activity-based control approach to sophisticated multidevice entertainment systems, combining a dedicated remote and control hub with customisable Activities and macros. It is designed to turn tasks such as watching a movie, listening to music or changing sources into a far simpler experience.

At the top of the range, the X2 aims to represent the next generation of SofaBaton’s control platform. Designed for advanced home cinema and connected-home environments, X2 expands the concept beyond traditional infrared control with support for multiple control technologies, powerful customisation and integration possibilities.

The SofaBaton appointment also represents an expansion of Fundamental Audio’s portfolio beyond its established specialist audio and home entertainment brands.

“For us, this isn’t about putting another logo on the Fundamental Audio website. We see a genuine opportunity to build SofaBaton in Australia,” Steve adds.

“Our strategy will be to work with selected retailers who can demonstrate and support the products, alongside integrator partners who can incorporate SofaBaton into professionally designed systems. We want customers to be able to see these remotes, pick them up, experience them and understand just how much easier they can make an entertainment system.”