Would a band perform half its song? Would an orchestra sound right without its string section? Just like the music we play, we’re not interested in making compromises.
Whatever genre or artist you prefer, our new Fidelio docking speakers for iPhone/iPod are designed to let you hear every note of your music, note-perfect. For a sound experience that’s as authentic as it gets.
It’s not just sound technology that excites us, it’s the passion that goes into the music. Watch the story of someone who shares our obsession - Steve the man behind U2’s punk rock sound.
A better sound experienceRecord producer Steve and Philips sound expert Jeremie describe how they both create crystal clear sound with plenty of warmth and soul.
Would you like to know more about the Fidelio docking speaker’s smart sound architecture for hassle-free music enjoyment?
I see sound as three dimensional, so I like to make my records to have a rich three dimensional quality…
Steve Lillywhite, record producer
Worked with world-famous bands
like U2 and The Pogues.
It should always sound the same - no matter what audio device it comes from. That’s our obsession. So you’ll see the same approach applied to our audiophile set-ups and docking speakers alike.
Putting together a quality listening experience.
Bringing out the best quality of sound.
Smart sound architecture for added realism.
Ensuring there’s no interference with your listening pleasure.
Nothing stands in the way of your musical enjoyment.
The outstanding performance of our new range of Fidelio docking speakers for your iPhone or iPod is all down to the care that goes into them. The precise selection of quality components, sound technologies and sound architecture guarantees that what you hear is refined, detailed sound with no distortion at any volume. The end result is 100% listening pleasure.
The curved wall of the back cabinet isn’t just there to look fabulous. It plays a key role in acoustic reproduction too, allowing sound waves to spread out in random directions just as they would in a live performance. That’s a real improvement on conventional, box speakers.
The curve also stiffens and strengthens the speaker cabinet, dramatically reducing internal resonance to give you precise, clear sound. The final result is music that sounds completely natural, with no added colouration. It’s as though the speakers weren’t even there.
For the best possible bass reproduction, you need really smart sound design. We make sure that the acoustic volume allocated to each midrange driver is a perfect match for its acoustic requirements. Put simply, that means that low tones come out deep and tight, delivering strong and rich bass for a realistic and completely involving sound experience.
The new Fidelio docking speakers are compatible with any iPod model but they also work with any generation of iPhone. And, thanks to the advanced shielding technology - utilizing a combination of special components with precise PCB positioning and layout - there’s no need to worry about mobile phone interference.
You just want to enjoy the music and that’s where the simplicity, elegance and functionality of the Fidelio docking speakers come into their own. The neatly designed, spring-loaded docking port means you don’t have to use any special adaptors when docking your iPhone or iPod. Not only that, it also works with most protective cases in place. So, no fuss and no fiddling with cases. This really is pure, hassle-free, musical enjoyment.
Jeremie works at the Philips Advanced Technology Laboratory in the Belgian city of Louvain. There are other Philips research facilities in the Dutch city of Eindhoven, as well as in Singapore and South China.
So how did your obsession with sound develop?
I went to a jazz music school as a kid. That’s where I started on the drums. From there
my enthusiasm for instruments just grew and grew.
As I got older, I thought about how I could combine my love for music with my talent
for physics. Going into audio and acoustics seemed a natural progression.
How did you pursue a career in sound?
I eventually found a job working for a small hi-fi manufacturer. It was a brilliant experience and I relished every day there – I was doing what Ioved, finally!
However, a few months later, I got the call from Philips. It totally changed my life.
That was 2007. I’ve been here ever since and I don’t intend to go anywhere else any time soon…
What is your role at Philips?
When people ask me what I do for a living. I simply say: “I make products that play sound”.
I don’t say I’m an acoustic engineer. I try to avoid the technical speak because I genuinely believe anyone can be an engineer if they have that raw passion for sound.
How do I come up with an idea for a new product?
You can’t be too technically-obsessed to work with Philips. I think it’s far more important to be sound-obsessed; to be curious, to learn about different features
and phenomena, and to know about the different facets of sound.
It’s also important to be able to communicate your idea: both to the people you
work with – we’re a big global family and have a lot of talent across different
continents and cultures.
But we also need to explain to the consumer why a Philips product will give them the kind of sound they have been searching for.
What are the challenges of creating a quality docking station?
The major challenge, of course, is to get real stereo reproduction from a compact device. With most home audio systems, you simply place the two speaker boxes at a certain distance from each other. You can’t do that with an integrated docking station although, with our current system, we have certainly come close to a stereo set-up.
I was personally involved in the very first stages of the Fidelio Prima(DS9000) development, working on the product definition and setting the technical parameters that would deliver the desired performance.
What have you learnt at Philips?
Philips has taught me how to have strong ideas and then bring them to life using groundbreaking technology – rather than the other way round.
I need an insight into what you the listener want to hear so that I can deliver the sound to you.
What do you see as the future in sound?
I do think that in future, people won’t need physical formats or support for music at all.
But real music purists genuinely enjoy something physical in their hands. I know I do. That nostalgia and that emotional link still deserve a place in the world of sound.
I would personally love to see the comeback of LPs in some way! I’ll keep working on that…
See more of Jeremie at our Obsessed with sound site
Visit our site nowYou don’t want to be wading through instructions to find out how to operate your docking speaker. You simply want to sit down and listen. Download the free Fidelio app from the Apple App store and you’ll have one simple application with a whole range of cool, new features. And meanwhile the Fidelio speakers can focus on the business of delivering sound that’s authentic and precise.
The speaker’s sound settings can completely change your experience of the music. With the Fidelio application, you can choose between pre-sets like Pop, Rock, Jazz or Classics while you’re listening. If your tastes are more demanding, you can further fine-tune the speaker performance, with the 5-Band equalizer* and boost or cut specific frequencies (up to 12 dB).
*Only activated for selected Fidelio docking speakers.
Turn your iPhone or iPod Touch into a clock with an analogue or digital display. Start your day with multiple alarms, customizable songs or nature sounds. Add a personal look with a picture from your photo library that pops up with the alarm. A smoothly-changing colour background makes sure your ‘clock’ doesn’t nod off. And when it’s time for bed, you can set the timer and drift off to music or the sounds of nature.
Find out more on our docking speakersSometimes you want to take your music with you, into another room, out in the garden or even further. That’s why you need to make sure that the speaker’s built-in rechargeable battery is always fully charged. All it takes is one glance at the graphic battery health monitor* and you’ll know if you’re powered up for hours of musical enjoyment.
*Only activated for Fidelio docking speakers with a built-in rechargeable battery
This dedicated Fidelio application works with Philips Fidelio docking speakers, iPhone and iPod Touch. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
The Apple iPhone and iPod are the most popular portable music devices currently, with millions of units sold worldwide. As portable music players go, the music experience is best enjoyed on the move. What happens when these millions of iPhone/iPod users return home and they want to continue enjoying their rich collection of digital music – out loud and preferably in outstanding sound quality? At Philips, we have come up with the ideal and innovative solution.
