Hail the orb! High-end French audio {hardware} producer Elipson has a brand-new Death Star-esque orboid speaker worthy of worrying any self-respecting Alderaanian. It known as the W35 Xi.

At £699 ($876) it is a dear boombox however not far off from related audio system made by different premium audio corporations. (It’s even barely cheaper than Sonos’ standout soundbar.)

This factor does appear like the Death Star, or maybe Starkiller Base much more so—although discerning viewers can even acknowledge hints of an orb-of-Saruman-Palantír stylish. This darkish dome can sit immediately on a shelf or desk or be mounted on a wall. Tor a further £149 ($187), the speaker could be propped up on an identical black tripod for a extra War-of-the-Worlds-invader vibe. (And right here you thought we couldn’t slot in any extra film references.)

Inside the W35 Xi is a beefy 300-watt amplifier that is certain to rattle your rafters. The speaker boasts aptX HD Bluetooth and works with Chromecast and AirPlay 2. It has digital (S/PDIF optical) and analog wired inputs, with an RJ45 socket or 3.5-mm aux port if want be.

It’s able to high-quality audio playback out of your telephone, pill, or laptop computer, as lossless recordsdata could be accommodated as much as 24 bits/192 kHz. But like a Sonos system, you’ll want the related Elipson Connect App to regulate your playback correctly and to alternate between music companies like Spotify and Tidal.

We haven’t heard it but, however Epsilon is claiming the W35 Xi, an evolution of the corporate’s W35 multiroom stereo speaker from 2020, has super-deep bass and remarkably exact mid-high frequencies, with stereo sound because of the association of audio system and tweeters on either side. If you splurge on two W35 Xis, nevertheless, you possibly can create a extra spectacular stereo picture by dedicating one audio channel to every speaker. Perfect for listening to Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes’ Dune Sea Special, maybe reliving the final time you noticed them dwell on Tatooine in Chalmun’s Spaceport Cantina.

Interestingly, persevering with the area connection, Epsilon truly has a Planet vary of audio system, however it was in 1958 that the model launched the basic spherical BS 50. You should purchase an updated version of it right this moment for the not inconsiderable sum of €5,580 (that’s simply shy of $6,000).

The W35 Xi is accessible for buy now, although it’s only within the UK in the mean time.