What is the expression? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? Something about the new OEPLAY MusicStar 5 Bluetooth Loudspeaker stands out almost immediately to us; could it be the tripod legs that are part of the Devialet Phantom Wireless Loudspeakers? The driver arrangement is certainly interesting in regard to the tweeter but the price demands better than average performance for a wireless speaker.
The OEPLAY MusicStar 5 Bluetooth Speaker
If you are looking for a bluetooth speaker designed to be used at home, a new offering has been introduced by OEPLAY: The MusicStar 5.
Tip: OEPLAY refers to this speaker both as the OEPLAY Hi-Fi speaker and MusicStar 5 Bluetooth speaker. We will use the MusicStar 5 model designation.
For those familiar with high-end Bluetooth speakers, the first thing that comes to mind is “Hey, this looks like something from Bang & Olufsen” (such as the Beoplay A9 or Beosound Edge). However, after a casual look at both the speaker and the much lower price tag (see the end of the article) you realize it isn’t. However, that doesn’t mean that this speaker doesn’t have some high-end features.
Core Features
Spherical Design and Tripod Stand: The MusicStar 5 features an exterior spherical enclosure and attractive wood tripod stand than can complement just about home interior decor.
Cabinet Construction: All-aluminum body covered with Piano lacquer.
AMT tweeter: For the high frequencies the MusicStar 5 houses an AMT (Air Motion Transformer) Tweeter. An AMT Tweeter is a thin, flat diaphragm folded into a bellows, like an organ. The area of the diaphragm is larger than what is visible. The diaphragm forces air out with higher efficiency than other tweeter designs resulting in higher sound pressure.
Powerful Bass: The woofer, in combination with a rear-mounted port, is designed to deliver clear room-filling bass.
Advanced Dissipation System: This supports optimal audio performance and longevity moving the diaphragm further linearly and avoiding voice coil overheating. The enclosure’s spherical shape contributes to its heat-dissipation capability.
Bluetooth 5.0 Connectivity: Support for the FLA, APE, WAV, WMA, MP3, and AAC audio codecs.
USB: USB connectivity is also provided for playing music downloaded or transferred to USB flash drives.
Tip: The OEPLAY MusicStar 5 does not have any physical analog or digital audio inputs.
Control: Wireless remote control provided.
True Wireless Stereo: You can pair two OEPLAY MusicStar 5 speakers for a wireless Bluetooth stereo setup.
Technical Specifications
- Woofer: 5.25-inches
- Tweeter: 2.3-inches
- Impedance: 4 Ohms
- Frequency Response (-3dB): 33Hz – 55kHz
- Maximum SPL@1 meter: 102dB
- Amplifier Power Output: 2x50W rated power, 2×80 watts peak power
- Crossover Frequency: 2,680 Hz (2.68 kHz)
- Dimensions:
- 38 x 38 cm / 15 x 15 in (without tripod)
- 38 x 81 cm / 15x 32 in (with tripod)
- Weight:
- 6.5 kg /14.3 lb (without a tripod)
- 9.5 kg /20.9 lb (with tripod)
- Colors: White, Red, Orange, Black
Availability and Pricing
The OEPLAY MusicStar 5 is available through Indegogo at a regular price of $899 (promotional pricing may be as low as $449).
Who is OEPLAY?
OEPLAY is an affiliated company of OE Audio, a well-established audio company in China. OE Audio is primarily an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) that has developed, designed and produced speakers and audio systems for many European and American audio brands. It has R&D, production, and sales experience in 360° full-range speaker and plane diaphragm speaker earphone systems.
Related Reading:
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Bang & Olufsen And Balenciaga Speaker Bag Unveiled: Bluetooth Couture?
Video Review: Is The DALI Katch G2 The Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker Available?
ORT
August 23, 2022 at 9:05 pm
Hmmmmm…If they had made a Duck Dodgers in the 24½ Century version of the Weltron 8-Track AM/FM unit (for the 21st Century of course!), I could easily go for one.
Still, ’tis a pretty speaker.
ORT
Ian White
August 24, 2022 at 3:13 pm
ORT,
It’s not an ugly speaker but I hate when brands steal ideas like the tripod legs from another brand.
Best,
Ian White
ORT
August 24, 2022 at 7:20 pm
Agreed, Ian. One need only look at the Faux Harleys made by the Japanese marques to know that if one’s own history and/or ideas do not sell, then simply steal those originated by some one else that do sell.
In what is supposed to be music, this is called “sampling”. I hate gnu music.
ORT