We’ll be honest. We’ve never been fans of the boxy form factor of T+A’s all-in-one system. Then again, those boxes have, pretty much, remained the standard for many audio equipment, so it’s not exactly a field teeming with other options. Regardless, if you’ve been waiting for a new version of that much-loved cult favorite, you’ll be glad to know they just announced the newest iteration of the T+A Caruso.
If you thought they’d put in some effort to round out some edges, soften the corners, or change the form factor entirely, you were wrong. Instead, this thing looks boxier than ever, with a seemingly more even cubic shape compared to its two predecessors from years before. Inside, though, this is a completely modern audio system that the contemporary generation of audiophiles are likely to appreciate.
The T+A Caruso has a seven-component speaker system, comprised of two mid-range drivers, a 170mm-long throw woofer, two passive radiators, and two dome tweeters. According to the outfit, these speakers have a very linear response that reproduces the entire vocal and treble range from 200Hz to over 30kHz, all while achieving an exceptionally wide dispersion angle. Three amplifiers provide power separately to each of the speaker sets in a direct-coupled setup, allowing it to maintain a high damping factor while optimizing the system’s peak handling characteristics.
The baseplate of the system contains a custom bass driver, made up of a very large magnet with a deep-drawn pole plate and a rigid aluminum cone, which allows it to make large excursions you won’t normally hear on equipment this size. This driver, along with a pair of bass-tuned passive radiators on the left and right sides, enables it to generate a very deep bass response at high levels of volume, without suffering any form of distortion.
The T+A Caruso has several different sound characteristics on top, with the real-time adjustments handled by the onboard digital signal processors, ensuring the system can deliver excellent sound quality, regardless of its orientation in the room. It can play from CDs, DAB+, and VHF sources like traditional audio systems, while streaming seamlessly from Spotify Connect, Airplay, and other online streaming services, while a bidirectional Bluetooth module allows streaming from your phone. There are also inputs for various other analog and digital sources, you can hook up nearly anything on your media center to this thing.
It has a 7-inch touchscreen display with HD resolution that you can use to access menus, fiddle with settings, and check whatever’s currently playing, although there’s also the option to use the included remote control handset or the MusicNavigator app (iOS and Android). You can even control it from Amazon Alexa, if you prefer talking to your virtual assistant than tapping on buttons. It runs the outfit’s NavigatorOS platform, a proprietary system that’s unique to T+A’s audio rigs. The whole thing comes in a sturdy aluminum chassis that measures 11.4 x 11.4 x 10.6 inches, with a classic styling that doesn’t depart from traditional audio equipment design.
The T+A Caruso comes out in February, priced at $3,990.