Each speaker manufacturers with self-esteem seems these days offer a wireless system to connect the sound of the home’s various rooms. 99mac have previously written about both Sonos and Raumfeld, but also Japanese Panasonic offers a similar system that they call for ALL. It is about a whole series of speakers in different sizes, which are tied together and managed using a mobile app.
To see what Panasonic has to offer sounds 99mac a set of three devices do entrance in the test lab. ALL8 and ALL3 are speakers in two sizes, both of which can be wall mounted or placed on a flat surface. Ustickaren is the small ALL1C that does not contain its own speakers, but instead can be connected to an existing speaker system, either via TOSLINK optical cable or an RCA connection.
Design-wise, the three products in ALL-series is not provocative in any way, but hardly memorable. Sharp edges are missing and giving place to the rounded corners and a rather understated decor. It’s mostly good, then speaker of this type usually blend into the room and did not interfere. However, I think personally that the speakers are a little identity solve, especially compared to competitor Sonos who managed to get to a design that has its own personality without arousing too much commotion.
None that big, but a little bland perhaps?
software
to set its new music system is relatively simple. Like most other systems of this type use the mobile app to find and set up the speaker. The cell phone must first connect to the speaker’s own wireless network, before it can be incorporated in the building’s wifi system. It is not difficult but requires some hopping from Panasonic updates to the phone’s WiFi settings. Then, just to drive. A disadvantage is that the process must be performed for each speaker who will participate in the system, instead of a new speaker almost automatically be found and added to an existing ALL-systems. Also here is the Sonos before.
Overall, I do not like the associated app. There are things to like, such that it is very easy to create and dissolve various groups of speakers just by dragging them over each other. It makes it too easy to play music, for example, in the kitchen and the living room, but skip the bedroom. But on the whole the app is ugly, cluttered and difficult to navigate. Interface task should be to make it obvious when the user, for example, want to play a song or just add it to the queue, but time after time I press the wrong button to queue up a song, and instead jumps before sex and played directly . It is not a cognitive design.
Updates
Another example of unnecessary hassle in terms of maintenance are updates to the speaker’s firmware. Without being familiar with the technical challenges of completing a speaker with new software, I think the process is troublesome and circumstance of the Panasonic compared to competing solutions.
When an update is for the speaker it pops up a notice in the app, and from there it then goes to wait or to update at once. Each speaker must be updated, and the lack of an option to automatically do it for all time. The reason for this is probably because each speaker requires a certain amount of attention and care planning to install the software.
To begin with, it is not enough just to select a speaker and press update. The app also I must confirm the model of speakers terms, which for most users probably require a cursory look at the box or in the manual. Then I am asked in the app to keep track of the speaker so that it stops blinking and turns blue. Okay, I’m looking at the speaker, and indeed after a few seconds it shines blue. Then, the app tells me that the update will take about four minutes, and ask me now instead ensure that the light has started blinking orange. It has it, and when it stops blinking, I unplug the power cord, and after one minute reinsert it. The app warns me to unplug the power cord too soon, and inform at the same time that if things should happen to take longer than five minutes, I press the button to the right (which is an extremely discreet white box).
Note that this must I do to each speaker. It is not a very fun process, and if there still is such that it is technically not possible to do in a simpler and more automatic way so I do not understand why Panasonic did not put a little more work to do to understand the instructions. As it is now guiding the user through a series of white boxes with text, without any illustrations or otherwise. I can imagine that many would rather choose to let someone else handle the update or not to update at all. 2016 I feel that this kind of process should be more or less fully automated.
The final review
Aside from the hassle, I feel that Panasonic speakers sound good. Especially the larger ALL8 has a rich and beautiful sound with good bass, although I may lack a little more joy in the treble. The smaller ALL3 exhibit however a good treble, but lets contrary, a little thin in the base. When I test both speakers in the same room will be a very pleasant sound image, but most likely they will usually stay at different places in the house.
Physically, Panasonic speakers agile for its size. Even the relatively large ALL8 fit on most tables or benches, and the smaller ALL3 goes easily into a bookshelf or on a bedside table. Those who prefer can also wall mount the speakers using the supplied screws.
Panasonic ALL3 is smooth, and fits almost anywhere.
ALL1C is even smaller in size, which is not surprising since it is in principle only a relay to connect to their regular speakers. In that perspective is actually ALL1C a surprisingly large piece, significantly larger (and more expensive) than Apple’s small router Airport Express or Google Chromecast Audio. Both offer similar functionality, which is to capture and wireless audio cable to send it to a pair of conventional speakers. Panasonic’s solution can stream 24 bit audio at 192kHz, which also Chromecast Audio pass but not the Airport Express. Something that Panasonic highlights as an advantage is also “gold plated contacts,” which makes my alarm bells ringing. Obviously ALL1C is also the only solution that is compatible with Panasonic’s ALL-systems, so it already has more speakers in the series will probably want to build on it in order to control all the speakers via Panasonic’s app. ALL-system is not compatible with either AirPlay or Chromecast.
The is however difficult to find some really good reasons to choose Panasonic ALL right in front of the competitor Sonos, or for that matter Airplay speaker or a Chromecast Audio. My biggest problem is that the number of supported services are comparatively few. You can play local music from an iPhone or other device, or from a connected CD player. Panasonic also has built-in support for Spotify, as well as some other services like Qualcomm Allplay, Aupeo and Napster. Besides Spotify is hardly any major players in terms of streaming music, and the lack of alternatives that do Apple Music, Deezer, Google Play, and Tidal. Here is Panasonic sharply to leeward compared with Sonos, which offers these and more services.
Sonos also has an ace up its sleeve with the operation True Play, where the speaker sound can be optimized depending on the surroundings out and the room is furnished. Panasonic has no similar function, and overall is the ability to set the sound extremely limited. The main advantage of Panasonic is precisely the ability to stream music in 24-bit, but it feels honest as an unnecessary feature for speakers of this size and price range. Especially when most likely to use music services with compressed music formats.
In conclusion, let Panasonic system good, but the rating pulled down by the errant app and the bad choice of music services supported. About Panasonic seriously want to compete with the market leader Sonos they have a lot of work to do, especially on the software part.
Advantages:
+ Good sound
+ Support for Spotify Connect
Cons:
+ Associated app intricacies
+ Support for getting other services
the Facts: Panasonic ALL
- What?
- Wireless speaker system.
- Features
- receives music wirelessly. Several speakers can be connected together to create a multirumsystem. Support for Spotify Connect, Napster, Qualcomm Allplay, Aupeo.
- Price ALL1C
- Price ALL3
- Price ALL8
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