For example, after rebooting my phone, the Fidelio app tends to forget the settings changes I've made (such as the app theme, EQ settings, weather location). Philips' Fidelio app is another sometimes inconvenient convenience. Powering off the display manually seemed to prevent this issue, which was apparently limited to Amazon MP3. Additionally, if I started playing a track in Amazon MP3 with the phone docked and let the display time out, sometimes the app would just stop playing music. I often found that after pausing music in apps like Amazon MP3 where the app was running in the background or with the display turned off, I couldn't resume playback. The IR remote also has issue playing nice with other music apps. Philips could have won me over even further by, instead of making it a Songbird button, using it as a programmable button to launch an app of your choice (Pandora, for example), or even as a programmable shortcut to a specific radio station in the Fidelio app. It's a minor concern.īut for sound, the AS851 will be a difficult feat to top, even from the likes of Bose. One analog feature the AS851 does lack is a volume level indicator, so you're never quite sure how loud it'll be the next time you power it up. Of course, if you're a die-hard about wired sound, the included 3.5mm jack will ensure you get your 100% good old fashioned copper-transmitted audio fix without any new-fangled wireless witchcraft getting in the way. I haven't experienced any interference or connection issues, either. I've never been able to hear the difference between 192kbps and 320 or lossless, so for me, Bluetooth A2DP doesn't disappoint. Bluetooth A2DP basically emulates the quality of a 192kbps MP3 (at least), depending on the driver stack. Wireless is kind of sacrilege for the sound-faithful. If you're an audiophile, you probably share some of my concerns about the merits of Bluetooth A2DP as a medium to transmit audio. Philips claims the curved design of the AS851 provides superior acoustics. I can hear with surprising clarity all of the little details in my favorite songs without having to crank the volume to the moon, and in my book, that's one of the marks of a great speaker. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to use a speaker that I don't have to "tweak" to get music sounding the way I want it. Philips claims its DSP (digital sound processing) has been configured to preserve, rather than "enhance," the quality of audio when it's played back. The Philips AS851 is balanced, and that's probably the most important characteristic of any audio device if you're using it for music listening. Most docking speakers give themselves away with tinny highs, buzzing bass, or an unnaturally punchy mid-range. While the AS851 can't get as loud, at normal to slightly above normal listening volumes, I honestly forgot that I was listening to the dock at times. As I said previously, the AS851 provides truly outstanding audio - but how outstanding is outstanding? Well, for my daily listening, I use a pair of Klipsch bookshelf speakers that have an output of 100 watts RMS apiece (that's a lot).
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