Monitor Audio AirStream 10

Monitor Audio’s new AirStream 10 digital music station features a bizarre design and some impressive features. Is is another case of design over performance, or a living room addition that every tech-friendly household needs?

Monitor Audio are a forced to be reckoned with in the high-end Hi-Fi industry. The English audio firm have been providing high quality speakers, amplifiers, and all-in-one music systems since the early 1970s. In their latest range of AirStream amplifier and speaker sets, those near-40 years of speaker and stereo design are put to use, creating one of the most impressive all-in-one digital music units we’ve come across.

The Airstream 10′s design is unusual – a blend of futuristic design and classic styling that’s sure to put off more than a few classic-focussed audiophiles. Boasting AM/FM radio, internet radio, and the ability to link with your entire digital music collection, the AirStream 10 is very much a wolf in bizarre, classic-cut sheep’s clothing.

To begin with, the unit’s two loudspeakers are arranged on a strange two-level plane, one folding out from the construction of the other. It’s a difficult design to describe, in fact, Monitor Audio have taken to displaying it visually with a Flash demonstration on their website. Despite the unusual design, controlling the AirStream is very simple thanks to the panelling and simple digital display.

Audio quality is, as is to be expected, superb. Monitor Audio have a reputation for producing high quality gear, and the amount of time invested in the AirStream 10 is clearly visible. Everything from control placement to speaker design is perfect, resulting in one of the most aurally and visually impressive home audio units on the market.

When it comes to function, the AirStream 10 certainly doesn’t fall apart. With a wi-fi connection, internet radio streaming and digital music playback is simple and stress-free. The AirStream 10 includes its own radio unit, allowing listeners to tune into FM and AM streams for old-school favourites and standard programming.

However, the AirStream 10 comes into its own when used as a digital music playback station. Streaming data to the Airstream 10 requires minimal set-up, and when paired with a selection of high quality mp3s or FLAC lossless files, the system truly shines as an example of digital engineering. Analogue-only audiophiles might be in for a surprise when they switch on the AirStream 10′s digital playback – the device is every bit as crisp as an old LP stereo.

With the AirStream’s unusual design and quirky styling, it’s likely to be compared to Tivoli’s recent radio and digital audio releases. While the sound quality is slightly less impressive, the AirStream 10 stands out as an example of exactly what can happen when design and sheer quality meet halfway. Not only does the AirStream 10 succeed as an innovative piece of design, but as a highly impressive, powerful, and dynamic digital audio station.

The Monitor Audio AirStream 10 is available from just £200 at UK-based retailers and online stores.

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