It all started in 1948 when CBS introduced the first LP records, sparking the public’s interest in quality music reproduction. One of those who was swept along was music lover, freelance graphic artist and amateur musician: Saul Bernard Marantz, a native New Yorker born in 1911. While he loved his LPs, he was deeply unhappy with the playback equipment available at the time, so he spent many hours in his basement designing, constructing and reconstructing his own amplifiers to play his cherished LPs. Four years later he had perfected a revolutionary pre-amplifier – equipped with every equalizer curve he could find to handle the then unstable recording characteristics. He called it the ‘Audio Consolette’ and it made such a powerful impression on anyone who heard it that he decided to make and sell 100 sets. Less than 12 months later, more than 400 had been sold and the Marantz company had been established.

The Audio Consolette was designed to reproduce the best sound possible for mono LPs, a newly designed music format at that time. The new Consolette does exactly the same for today’s formats, that’s why it is named after the original. It uses the finest of components and the very latest of audio technologies, while the outwardly retro-style design reflects the prestige and heritage of Marantz’s outstanding 60-year audio pedigree. The new Consolette certainly has superior visual aesthetics, but when it plays, it doesn’t just reproduce high-quality audio, it floods the senses with energy, emotion, and passion. It effortlessly creates a panoramic stereo image that’s founded on a rich and deep bass performance. And because the “reference quality” tuning is designed by the legendary Ken Ishiwata, every detail is reflected with pin-point accuracy. Once heard, never forgotten.

Form following function

The Consolette’s sculpted, eye-catching design also offers inherent acoustic advantages. The form allows a wider stereo image to be delivered and eliminates internal standing waves. Even the luxurious materials used in construction offer audio benefits. As a true 360° design, which looks sensational from every angle, one of the most striking visual elements of the Consolette is its solid wooden back finished in walnut. Inside is dedicated enclosures for each drive unit making it a true 2-way active speaker system.

Hear the difference

And just as striking as the external industrial design is the audio engineering on the inside. The BMR drivers specifically developed for the Consolette are a great example. Most docks lack a true stereo imaging as their speakers are placed so close to each other. The Consolette’s Balanced Mode Radiators help deliver a wide stereo image with 180° sound dispersion, which can’t be achieved using standard speaker cones. The BMRs also eliminates the sweet spot effect and provides high fidelity stereo imaging across the room. These are accompanied by two large 11cm woofers. An amplifier section developed by Marantz audio guru Ken Ishiwata underpins these speakers. No less than six amplifiers were used: two (in BTL mode) to drive each woofer and one for each BMR. This is encased in shielded, anodised aluminum to stop electrical interference, while its solidity and rigidity eliminates vibrations that can harm the sensitive audio signals being processed inside. The result is a sound that offers exceptional performance across the whole frequency range and the kind of soundstage only normally experienced with separate stereo speakers placed several meters apart. It is an absolutely new experience from a single chassis product.

Full system control

Aside from the stunning design and class-defining performance, there is one more crucial feature of the Consolette: user friendliness. This luxury docking station can be controlled by any Apple iOS or Android device using the Marantz Consolette app, currently available on the Apple Apps Store and Google Play Store. Using the app gives wireless access to the main features of the Consolette, allowing you to change the music source, switching between a docked device, USB storage, a Music Server or a device connected via the line-in connection.

The App also opens the world to thousands of free internet radio stations and the ability to play these stations back on the Consolette. Six of the favourite stations can even be stored directly on the dock so it is possible to listen to them even if the Smartphone is not around. Further features like NetLink make it easy to connect the Consolette to the home network and makes music accessible from any room in the home. Not only is this outstanding dock perfect for iPhone, iPad and the latest iPods with 30-pin dock connector. The Consolette supports Apple AirPlay for wireless music streaming but users can also stream any kind of network stored music, be it on a PC, NAS or Android device.

Retro styled future

The clean, symmetrical front panel of the Consolette is made from a single piece of anodised aluminum, while solid knobs and a highly polished one-piece walnut back all add to the Consolette’s luxurious feel. The base unit stands on three solid feet for the best stability, something Marantz users might already be familiar with, as it is used on the TT-15S1 Premium turntable. Other historic Marantz innovations, like the Gyro Touch Wheel, first introduced in the 1970s, are enhanced and employed on the Consolette. Originally used to tune the FM stations of the company’s first tuners, the multi-purpose wheel lets you access thousands of free internet radio stations across the globe. It also lets you to scroll through the set up menu, to skip forward and backward and to control volume – intuitive control as its best. Completing the package is a bright, high contrast OLED Display, is ideal for reading from distance.