We have been following the iFi Aurora since we went to its launch at High End Munich and are very excited that we will have one arriving at Hifi Pig Towers soon.

Clad in bamboo with a distinctive aluminium frame, Aurora’s design aesthetic was created by French product designer Julien Haziza, inspired by the architecture in Tokyo’s Omotesandō and Harajuku districts.

OLED Display

Six drive units nestle behind the bamboo fins that curve around the Aurora’s sides, with a further two bass radiators underneath. The system’s control panel sits front and centre, with touch-sensitive controls and an OLED display inlaid with bamboo.

Hi Res Enabled

The Aurora connects to a home Wi-Fi network, enabling users to stream music via their favourite apps, or play audio files stored on networked devices such as computers and NAS drives. Bluetooth is also included, so that users may stream directly from any smart device.

The Aurora is hi-res audio enabled, supporting data up to 32-bit/192kHz without conversion or down sampling via Wi-Fi, USB or Ethernet cable. Bluetooth streaming also delivers much better sound quality than is typically the case, engineered by iFi to be less ‘lossy’ than off-the-shelf Bluetooth solutions. All the latest 24-bit Bluetooth codecs are supported, including aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, LDAC and HWA. AirPlay and Spotify Connect are also supported.

Linked Auroras

Several Auroras may be linked together on a Wi-Fi network to make a seamless multi-room system, playing in sync or controlled individually.

The decision to build the Aurora’s cabinet from bamboo was not simply based on its aesthetic properties and environmental sustainability, although these are important considerations. It is also a natural sound absorber, which brings significant acoustic benefits. The hand-built cabinet is stiff and well-braced, with strategically placed damping material to ensure the speaker drivers operate without vibrations and other forms of distortion sullying the sound.

Eight Drive Units

There are eight custom-made drive units in total. Four main drivers with 130mm cones are deployed in a wide-bandwidth role to cover the vast majority of the audible frequency spectrum, rolling off towards very low and very high frequencies. These four main drivers are joined by two 28mm silk-dome tweeters to handle very high frequencies, and two passive bass drivers that fire downwards from the underside of the cabinet.

Pricing And Availability

The iFi Aurora all-in-one wireless music system is available now at an RRP of £1,399 including VAT, from selected retailers including Harrods.

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