Jeremy White selects the best audiovisual options for onboard entertainment
Very recently, I had a genuinely lifechanging experience in the audiovisual world. I have tested many, many different speaker systems over the years, at just as many different price points, but I have never sat down myself and properly tried out speakers that are truly the highest of high-end. For such matters I normally defer to reviewers who test only such rarefied items of audio technology. But sit down I did, and listened to the sublime Wilson Audio’s Chronosonic XVX loudspeakers. These things cost the same as a small house in Colorado Springs. I was reminded of two very important lessons. You have to spend a truly staggering amount of money to get audio reproduction as good as this (the law of diminishing returns is not your friend when it comes to hi-fi); and only by investing in quality kit can you truly enjoy films, television or music. We are so used to AirPods-standard sound, for example, that it is all too easy to forget a wider landscape is
available. Now, a pair of Wilsons would not perhaps be wise on a yacht, considering how much they weigh and how large they are, but the message is clear: whatever price point you gofor, if the gear is good, you’ll be transported to an even better world than wherever you may be berthed at the time. Here are the top picks for an A-grade onboard entertainment experience.
Videoworks Pop_Up speaker
Designed to be flexible, invisible and ideal for impromptu deck-based dancing, Videoworks’slender Pop_Up speakers are crafted from anodised aluminium for all the corrosion resistance and durability you could possibly need. Built-in end-strokes for precise control over fully closed and open positions, coupled with a noiseless internal IP69K actuator, mean these appearing and disappearing speakers should raise and lower seamlessly as well as being reassuringly watertight in any position. The passive K-array speakers are powered at low voltage, while the lack of exposed cables ensures any decor isn’t spoiled by obvious electronics. POA, videoworks.com.
PLH Belcanto system
PLH worked with Outline, a company specialising in sound for large events and shows, to miniaturise Outline’s patented tech so it could be used at home or on board. Despite the ultra-slim design, this high-powered woofer can hit 114dB SPL max up to 42Hz. Meanwhile, the powerful “il maestro” 2.1 channel stereo amplifier boasts analogue and digital audio inputs, audio decoding up to 24bit/192kHz with ossless formats, as well as online music services delivered through an app. POA, plhitalia.com.
Audio Technica ATH-AWKG
For when you want to enjoy your sounds in a more singular fashion, these superlative closed-backwired headphones are hand-assembled in Tokyo,
using huge 53-millimetre drivers built using German Permendur magnetic circuitry. The result is achingly precise audio with a massive soundstage. Kurogaki
wood, a prized variety of persimmon tree that is over a century old, is used for the ear covers. The timber is revered in Japan and of such high status that the trees are felled individually and only as needed, ensuring the eco credentials of these cans. £3,000, audio-technica.com
Miniot Black Wheel turntable
This small Dutch engineering brand, founded by Peter Kolkman, hand-makes this attractive reversed turntable. The tone-arm and stylus are hidden beneath the record, which means you can wall-mount the turntable, use the excellent stand, or be traditional and simply lay it flat. The advantage here is that this player should fit easily into any interior design. The outer edge hides volume and playback controls, and the unit has Bluetooth streaming too. Just remember you have to place the record side you want to listen to face down, which feels counter-intuitive, but sensors monitor its progress and show track positions on the subtle LED display. £3,293, miniot.com.
Samsung Frame TV 2024
This year’s Samsung AI-powered smart TV models are able to upscale older content as well as deliver improved picture quality. For this new ultra-thin 85-inch Frame TV, the brand worked with Pantone to validate the fidelity of the display – meaning any video and digital artworks are displayed as accurately as possible in all light conditions. From £1,080, samsung.com.
Elipson W35 Xi
This French audio pioneer has been creating uniquely shaped speakers since 1953. The latest, a sonic sphere channelling Star Wars, is a wireless speaker with two 25-millimetretweeters and two 165-millimetre drivers. The two halves are designed to be separate but together, meaning that despite the single-unit look you get impressive stereo separation. Connect to usual music services and internet radio via smartphone. €699, elipson.com B.
Something in the air
So, you’ve now got the sights and sounds down, but what about the scents? For an entirely bespoke fragrance, master perfumer Lorenzo Dante Ferro can create a fragrance that suits you and your superyacht down to a tee, including candles, room sprays and diffusers, (venetianmasterperfumer.com). Onboard favourites for after dark come from perfume house Amaffi, whose trio of aromatic candles (right) feature notes of elemi, cyperus and sage, alongside languid oud, vetiver and cardamom (amaffi.com). And if you’re keen to take your favourite scent on the road, Liaigre’s compact travel candle created by Olivia Giacobetti is the ideal size to pop into your hand luggage whether you’re headed for your boat’s suite or a ski chalet (studioliaigre.com). Belle Rice
Credits: boatinternational.com
