What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
28 AUG 2009
Sony AIR-S20PK
As long as you don’t expect the world sonically, this system delivers multiroom in simple style on a budget
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This isn’t the first time Sony has tried its hand at wireless music systems. Its Gigajuke range didn’t quite hit the mark, so now it’s over to the Sony AIR-SA20PK to take up the multiroom music baton.
There are three boxes in all, each of which needs mains power. A slimline iPod dock and wireless transmitter box is the most crucial component, which is joined by two wireless receiver music systems.
The main dock unit has a headphone connection, stereo output for connecting straight to an amplifier – giving three rooms of music alongside the receiver systems – and a composite video output for watching iPod video content on a TV.
Strictly iPod for your music
There’s no hard disk or CD drive, so we’re talking strictly iPod for your music. Plug in the receiver systems and instantly they sniff out our iPod’s tunes.
Each also boasts FM/AM tuners, though no DAB, allowing you to listen to the radio on one unit while listening to your iPod on the other.
There’s a remote for each box giving you full functionality on the main dock, or volume and skip track/station on the wireless systems.
Sound is good but not perfect
The receiver systems’ sound is satisfactory-to-good in sub-£100 iPod dock category, but not much better than that. Bass is a little boomy, detail could be better and there’s a lack of overall finesse.
But there is scale and solidity, as well as a fairly even tonal balance.
The Sony AIR-SA20PK remains a fine-value product, representing a simple and versatile wireless multiroom system available online for just over £200.
If only sound quality was a little stronger, this would have taken all five stars.
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