# Oppo Introduces A New Portable Speaker: Sonica



## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

If there’s one thing we’ve established over the last decade, it’s that the majority of consumers want convenience when it comes to audio (even if it means sacrificing some quality). The good news is that electronics manufacturers have shifted significant attention toward appeasing convenience, while keeping an eye on improving the overall listening experience. One area that’s seen tremendous growth is the portable wireless speaker segment, which largely has grown from fertile grounds cultivated by Sonos. Recently, our great friends at Oppo decided to join the party by announcing a brand-new Wi-Fi Speaker called Sonica. 

Say the name Oppo and those “in the know” immediately think one thing: superior quality. For Sonica, the company assigned design and tuning responsibilities to Igor Levitsky, the same designer behind the company’s ridiculously good Oppo PM series of planar magnetic headphones. Levitsky’s team was tasked with expertly tuning the speaker’s drivers, amplifiers, and chassis for what Oppo says is a “deep, pure, and engaging sound.” The cherry on top is additional optimization controls that allow users to tap presets that accommodate different room sizes, speaker locations, and listening preferences using the accompanying Sonica app (iOS and Android).

Sonica’s driver array consists of one 3.5-inch bass driver, two 3-in balanced bass radiators, and two 2.5-in wideband drivers with Neodymium magnets. These are driven by four amplifiers setup in a 2.1 stereo configuration (two amps are bridged to drive the 3.5-in woofer). Oppo touts the uniqueness of the side-firing bass radiators in this product category, pointing out their dual role of bass enhancers and enclosure vibration cancelers; Sonica is made to play loud without rattling and shaking. 










Users can tap Sonica with WiFi, Airplay, and Bluetooth, with easy management of multiple speakers using the companion Sonica app. It can decode a wide variety of audio files including 24-bit / 192 kHz formats of FLAC, WAV, and Apple Lossless sourced from USB Drives, DLNA servers, and NAS drives. In addition, owners will enjoy a free 90-day trial of lossless audio from Tidal Streaming Service.

Sonica weighs a mere 5.3-pounds and measures roughly 12-in long x 5.5-in wide x 5.5-in tall. It’s molded from glass-filled ABS polymer compounds for durability, with internal reinforcement ribs for added stability. The exterior is black and features sleek looking rounded surfaces.

Sonica has not only been announced, it’s ready to ship. You can buy it directly from OPPO for the extraordinarily reasonable price of $299. Click here for more information.

_Image Credits: Oppo Digital_


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

HTS has a Sonica in possession for review.

Any questions? Ask away!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I must say, this is a tempting speaker system. I'm just not sure I can justify the $400CAD price. Maybe a Christmas present


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## Tonto (Jun 30, 2007)

You guys get to play with all the coolest stuff! So how much spl are they claiming (while not distorting). I'm sure you will report all of this in the review. Interested in seeing some REW plots as well.


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## Todd Anderson (Jul 24, 2009)

I'll try to get all of that for you! So far, only have taken it out of the box. Has a great feel and build quality (that bodes well ;-))


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