With their student heads, you’d think they’d come tone the idea of a future innovation disruptive as a final thesis. However, these two music lovers are at the head of Octavio, a startup from Lille that wants to make a name for itself in the world of audio.
Therefore, they have given themselves a mission: “to democratize the world of hi-fi”, they insist. “We want to bring the best sound to as many people as possible when using streaming services on audio systems, even ClassicIts new product presented at CES in Las Vegas, which is held this week in Nevada (United States), is the best expression of this.
Adaptation of old audio devices
After launching Stream, a box that modernized old audio systems by transforming them into music streaming media, then Amp, a compact, connected amplifier released in spring 2022, here’s Octavio Maestro, a mix of both worlds.
“When we look at the audio universe, we have on one side Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen, Cabasse, who offer very high quality speakers, but very expensive. On the other hand, we find Sonos or Bose with easy-to-use speakers. install connected audio systems”, explains David Minard, one of the two co-founders of Octavio. “We want to make the link between these two worlds with a high-fidelity product at an affordable price.”
For Maestro, its designers have set themselves two goals: to meet the requirements of audiophiles and to develop a consumer product that is easy to handle. The enclosure is even made in France Featuring a minimalist design designed in collaboration with Davis Acoustics, Trojan’s specialists in loudspeaker and soundboard design. Then the set is assembled in Octavio, with the possibility of choosing the color of the fabric and the wood of the enclosure.
The result of this alliance is a cube made of wood and aluminum, equipped with two passive Kevlar speakers on the sides for powerful and balanced sound reproduction (70 W), and a woofer. Octavio integrates its sound technology, accompanied by an application (iOS and Android) that will systematically search for the best audio quality available in streaming.
Small hifi speaker, big ambitions
But listening to David and Victor, who started their business in 2018, the most important thing was the assurance that Octavio was compatible with any audio equipment (vinyl turntable, CD player, hi-fi system, tuner, etc.). To do this, they gathered in the loudspeaker the years of work that gave rise to the streaming box and the amplifier.
The wireless speaker connects to your home Wi-Fi to avoid any sound compression, and is AirPlay 2 compatible for streaming music from iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Maestro also supports sound without losses (lossless) and shows compatibility with HD streaming services from Deezer, Qobuz (with three months offered to try), Apple Music or Tidal. Spotify and Amazon Music are also available.
“We hope our product will be seen as a competitor to KEF or Devialet, with the same concern for quality and hi-fi design that satisfies audiophiles. But at a more affordable price,” says Victor Guignon, the other man behind of Octavio. Pre-orders for the Octavio Maestro start this week with a planned release in mid-February 2023. The speaker is advertised at €599 a unit and can be paired with a second wirelessly.
Source: BFM TV
