(August 21, 2022) Earlier this month, an upstart brand called OEPlay launched a new Indiegogo campaign for an interesting spherical Bluetooth speaker. Promising playback from 33Hz to a lofty 55kHz, the OEPLAY MusicStar5 Hi-Fi Bluetooth Speaker leverages a 2.3” AMT Tweeter to deliver what it calls “high-quality” sound. Intriguing, right?
Just one look at the speaker sparks interest, as its spherical aluminum cabinet and 5.25” woofer impart a visual impact similar to Devialet’s stunning Phantom design. And while OEPLAY’s version doesn’t deploy lateral woofers, the company claims the speaker’s shape lends to deep bass extension. However, much like the Phantom, two MusicStar5s can be linked to create wireless stereo playback, which is a nice feature for media room applications.
Internally, the MusicStar5 houses 2X50 Watts of power. It also boasts the brains to decode a variety of codecs, including FLAC, APE, WAV, WMA, AAC, and MP3, with connectivity split between Bluetooth 5.0 (up to 98 feet), lossless USB-A, and built-in presets accessed via remote control.
“Our Mission is to design and develop unique solutions that would make your listening experience a true marvel. By comparing several high-quality wireless Bluetooth speakers on the market, I found that almost none of the current speaker systems that use ball-top trebles would perform the key details of the music. This inspired me to create the OEPLAY Hi-Fi speaker with a powerful AMT tweeter to ensure high-quality acoustic performance," said Ansion Wong, the founder of OEPLAY.
The speaker weighs 14.3 lbs. and can be used with an optional tripod floor stand (adds an additional 6.6 lbs.) or a smaller tripod desk stand. Buyers have a choice of four different exterior colors: red, orange, white, or black.
OEPLAY’s Indiegogo campaign launched with a goal of $10,000 and has since eclipsed that amount thanks to 115 backers pledging over $78,000. Current pricing finds the MusicStar5 listed at $449, which is 50% off OEPLAY’s planned $899 retail price. For more information, visit the campaign here.
