Tiny speaker promises virtual surround sound with novel audio trickery
Something to look forward to: A true stereo experience is all about separating the speakers. The farther apart the left and right channels, the wider the soundstage. This has always posed a challenge for portable speakers, as cramming multiple drivers into a compact enclosure leaves little room for proper spacing. However, Japanese audio company Cear believes it has cracked the code with its innovative Pavé wireless speaker.
The Pavé was launched earlier this year following a successful crowdfunding campaign on Green Funding. At first glance, it resembles other premium wireless speakers, featuring a compact cube shape measuring just over 3.5 inches on each side. However, what sets the Pavé apart lies within. Using unique audio technology, it virtually recreates the experience of a larger 2.1-channel stereo setup – even though it only houses a pair of 15W drivers.
The secret lies in a built-in gyroscope that tracks the speaker’s orientation. This sensor data is fed into a Qualcomm S5 Gen 2 chip, which applies digital sound processing. Essentially, the chip calculates how a stereo recording would sound if it were being played from a much larger speaker setup. It then reconstructs that “virtual” wide soundstage through the Pavé’s dual 15W drivers.
According to the company’s patent filings, the “sound processing device includes an equalizer that tunes the frequency characteristic so that a frequency characteristic of the sound wave listened in a second environment replicates the frequency characteristic of a sound wave listened in a first environment.”
But that’s not all – the Pavé has plenty of other fancy tech baked in, too. It’s one of the first portable speakers rocking Bluetooth 5.4 with Qualcomm’s low-latency Snapdragon Sound certification. You’ll get a stutter-free wireless stream with less than a 50ms delay. The audio codec support is also robust, covering SBC, AAC, aptX, and 24-bit/96kHz aptX Adaptive.
Additionally, the speaker supports Bluetooth LE for Auracast audio sharing and the higher-quality LC3 codec.
If you prefer a hardwired connection, USB-C and aux inputs have you covered. The 8.5-hour battery life and IPX7 waterproof rating make it outdoor-ready, too. Setting it up should be a piece of cake as well since the speaker can be connected via both the app and the unit.
If you’re interested in purchasing this little powerhouse, you might need to wait in line. The Pavé has proven to be a hot commodity, requiring registration on a waiting list. Units are priced at 39,800 yen (or around $250) and are available in black or white.
