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Smart speakers from Sonos and Amazon are all the rage for home audio these days, but the Fluance Ai61 could be perfect for someone who wants a better listening experience without all the smart home fluff. The home audio market has changed a lot since the first Amazon Echo and Google Home came out in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
Almost every new speaker on the market today has some kind of “smart” feature. Whether it’s the way Sonos speakers connect to each other or how Amazon Echo speakers bring Alexa into people’s homes, all of the big names in speakers are working hard to make their products as smart as possible. It’s great that these speakers can connect to each other. All of them can talk to each other, control other smart home devices, check the calendar for upcoming appointments, and do a lot more.
Fluance Ai61 Comparison Table
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Speaker type | 2-way bookshelf |
| Tweeter | 1-inch silk dome |
| Woofer | 6.5-inch glass fiber |
| Amplifier power | 50 watts RMS per channel |
| Frequency response | 35 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Inputs | Bluetooth, RCA, Optical, AUX |
Fluance Ai61 review: Design
The Ai61 speaker cabinets are 13.1 by 7.8 by 9.2 inches, which is a bit bigger than the average bookshelf speaker (HxWxD). This is because the 6.5-inch woven composite woofers inside the cabinets are heavy for their class. We had to adjust the Ai61’s EQ a bit (by turning up the bass) to suit my tastes, but once we did, the woofers had no trouble keeping up. Keep in mind that the butyl rubber outer ring of the woofer needs 10 to 12 hours to break in, so don’t crank them right out of the box. You can buy this speaker from its official website.
Fluance Ai61 review: Performance and sound quality
Even though the Fluance did well, there was a big difference in the middle. I’d say its sound is busier than that of the Yamaha and more like that of the JBL, though it’s less harsh and tiring to listen to
The overall verdict was split evenly between two listeners. My roommate liked the Fluance, but it was a close call. We think that setting the EQ on the Ai61 to maximum treble and maximum bass had a big effect on her opinion. With the default bass and treble settings.
Fluance Ai61 review: Connectivity
There are several ways to connect your audio devices to the Ai41s. Bluetooth 5.0 can be used to connect to the speaker, which is probably how most people will connect most of the time. The Bluetooth connection works well, and pairing is easy: just turn on Bluetooth mode on the speakers, and they’ll go into pairing mode on their own.
There are both analog and digital ways to connect other audio devices. On the right speaker, there are two RCA jacks for connecting analog audio, and an optical input lets you connect your computer or other digital audio devices.
Final Words
My final decision is always based on how much we enjoy just sitting back and listening and how well we can pick out instruments when we use them to mix a recording. In the first category, I’d give the Ai61 an A, and in the second, a B. Compared to my Yamaha monitors, which I’d give an A+/A, that’s a big difference. In short, the Ai61 speakers are very nice and will look great on your bookshelf.
Fluance Ai61 Ratings
Fluance Ai61 review: The good and Bad
The Good
- There are many ways to connect, such as Bluetooth, RCA, and Aux.
- The style is sleek and modern, and it looks good in any room.
- Simple to put together and use.
The Bad
- Since they are bigger and heavier than some other bookshelf speakers, they are less easy to move around.
- There aren’t many ways to change the sound without an equalizer or other settings.
FAQS
Where do you put Fluance Ai61?
Put the active speaker on the right side of the speakers, and put the passive speaker on the left side of the speakers.
Does Fluance make good speakers?
Fluance said that it was the best speaker for any event, which is true. We own the original Ai60 and keep it at our cottage so that we can have great sound there. The shape of our cottage is weird, and there isn’t a great place to set up a two-channel setup. But the Ai60 is a good fit for our space.
What is the size of Ai61?
Power for classic stereo, wired and wireless connections. The Ai61 speakers are each 13.1 by 7.8 by 9.2 inches (HWD) and come in black ash, dark brown walnut, white and brown (walnut), or white and tan finishes (bamboo).