ESSENCE
the world's best computer speaker system
and the world's smallest high-end monitor
Unmistakably high-end. Plug-and-play simplicity.
Listening to your favorite music on a pair of incredible speakers is a transformative experience. That's why we created the ESSENCE, to bring that amazing feeling to as many people as possible. It's the world's best desktop speaker system, the only truly high-end computer speaker system, and the smallest high-end speaker system in the world.
If you love quality audio and use your computer to listen to music, watch films, or play games, your search for the ultimate sound system is over! The ESSENCE is the perfect choice if you use the desktop apps of Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, or other popular music streaming services, or have a large music collection on your harddrive. Best of all, it's plug-and-play, so even if you've never used a high-end audio product before, you'll be up and running in minutes.
The ESSENCE is a cost-no-object design, without compromises. The sophisticated engineering is all encompassing, with every component part of a greater whole. It's easy to see why we say that it's more like a precision instrument than a traditional speaker.
The Essence is a tour-de-force of engineering,
with many industry-first innovations
As Seen On
The ESSENCE is being hailed by the audio press as the world's best computer speaker system and a standout product heralding the future of audio. It's a beautiful product for audiophiles, music lovers, film buffs, gamers, or anyone who loves high quality audio.
The ESSENCE represents the best of the best in loudspeaker engineering and design, leveraging sophisticated methods and techniques, a coaxial driver, resonance-free die-cast aluminium cabinet, and the finest components to drastically miniaturize the high-end experience.
It's almost hard to believe how many advanced features have been packed into such a compact form, making the ESSENCE the ideal sound system for computers, televisions, turntables, and for use in small recording studios.
An obsessive attention to detail and an innovative modular assembly system ensure that craftsmanship is second to none. With the exception of a few screws, every component is custom designed and manufactured exclusively for the ESSENCE or not available off-the-shelf.
Features
• auto standby/wake function so once you choose an input, you almost never have to press a button again
• top-mounted volume wheel with Teflon washer for buttery-smooth operation
• in-house developed 4.5" coaxial driver for point-source stereo imaging and incredible time coherence
• integrated 24-bit/96kHz DAC custom designed for the ESSENCE, based around the ESS Sabre ES9018 DAC chip
• three-panel die-cast aluminium cabinet held together internally under immense pressure with stainless steel bolts to eliminate resonances, an industry-first concept (US Pat. Pending)
• durable powder-coated finish
• 50W/channel RMS (100W total) ICEpower® amplification
• USB, Toslink, and analog inputs
• audiophile-quality amplified headphone stage
• designed and assembled by hand in Switzerland
Versatility
With USB, Toslink, and analog inputs, the ESSENCE is far from being just a computer speaker system, even though that's what we set out to design. It's an incredibly versatile system ideal for a wide range of devices.
• asynchronous USB for amazing quality and plug-and-play operation on any Windows or Mac computer
• can also use with an Apple USB Camera Adapter (iPhone/iPad) or OTG adapter (Android 5.0+) to play music from your phone
• the system automatically enters and wakes from standby when you turn off your computer or put it to sleep
• can also use with an Apple USB Camera Adapter (iPhone/iPad) or OTG adapter (Android 5.0+) to play music from your phone
• the system automatically enters and wakes from standby when you turn off your computer or put it to sleep
• Televisions which have an Optical audio out
• Bluetooth receivers which have an Optical audio out
• many other digital devices such as CD players
• the system automatically enters and wakes from standby when you turn your digital device on or off
• Bluetooth receivers which have an Optical audio out
• many other digital devices such as CD players
• the system automatically enters and wakes from standby when you turn your digital device on or off
• 3.5mm stereo mini jack for phones/tablets
• RCA inputs for phono stages (not included) for an awesome compact turntable system
It is always preferable to minimize the amount of times an audio signal is converted from analog to digital, or digital to analog, because each conversion degrades the signal quality. In the ESSENCE, the analog and digital signals run in parallel, meaning the analog signal is never digitized for a pure analog experience when listening to vinyl records. Compare the analog signal path of a competing product with the ESSENCE below.
• RCA inputs for phono stages (not included) for an awesome compact turntable system
It is always preferable to minimize the amount of times an audio signal is converted from analog to digital, or digital to analog, because each conversion degrades the signal quality. In the ESSENCE, the analog and digital signals run in parallel, meaning the analog signal is never digitized for a pure analog experience when listening to vinyl records. Compare the analog signal path of a competing product with the ESSENCE below.
Specifications
Colors
The ESSENCE is available in 8 powder-coated color combinations to suit any setup or room design.
Front panel: fine textured matte finish in black or white
Side panel: glossy finish in black, white, red, or blue
Front panel: fine textured matte finish in black or white
Side panel: glossy finish in black, white, red, or blue
What's the secret?
The ESSENCE is 3x smaller than any other high-end speaker system on the market. State-of-the-art electronics play their part, but the real secret is preservation of energy. Here's how.The cabinet: Most speakers have an MDF cabinet. MDF is an inexpensive, relatively soft material which acts like a sponge. It eats energy, softening and deadening the sound. The ESSENCE, in contrast, has a thick die-cast aluminium cabinet, far more expensive than MDF, but it doesn't swallow energy. Like all metals, however, aluminium has a tendency to ring, which is why most aluminium cabinets from other manufacturers are not successful. To counteract this trait, in the ESSENCE the panels are locked together with a complex series of grooves, then tightened under immense forces with stainless steel bolts that run the length of the cabinet, essentially turning the cabinet into one solid, inert block free of resonances. This preserves all the positives of an aluminium cabinet, with none of the negatives. Combined, these two unique attributes are very difficult and expensive to make, but result in the exceptional clarity the ESSENCE is becoming known for.
The driver: The custom-designed coaxial driver also plays its part. Besides the superior stereo imaging inherent to a coaxial driver, it has an extremely light moving mass of just 4.5 grams, which is less than half the weight typical for a 4.5" driver. You can't beat physics, and just like a small, light car can change direction quicker than a heavier car, a light moving mass results in sound that is far quicker, livelier, and more engaging. Combine that with the inert cabinet, and you start to understand why the ESSENCE is so special and why it sounds so powerful despite its small size.
A coaxial driver is the ideal choice for a nearfield speaker system as it guarantees a point-source sound, meaning superior stereo imaging. A coaxial driver is also less sensitive to proper placement because you don't need to match the alignment of multiple drivers.
- 115mm (4.5") mid-woofer and 20mm tweeter
- Rigid die-cast aluminum basket, with thin aerodynamic braces to minimize rearward reflections
- The combination of a very light cellulose membrane (moving mass of only 4.5g) and powerful neodymium magnets ensures high efficiency and awesome dynamic range
- High power handling due to large 32mm voice coil and Kapton™ voice coil former
- Integrated high quality passive crossover, made exclusively with audiophile grade components such as air core inductors and PP caps
- Pro-grade gold plated connector terminals
Technical Details
The ESSENCE is packed with industry-first innovations aimed at making the best sounding speaker possible, and it's not value engineered to reach a target price: this is a superbly engineered cost-no-object precision machine with every visible surface made from metal.
Each speaker cabinet consists of just three thick aluminium precision die-cast panels made of a special low resonance alloy, with reinforcement ribs where necessary to further strengthen the entire cabinet. The thick panels also work as heatsinks for the electronics inside.
A total of five molds are required, with most pieces requiring their own mold (the side panels share a mold). Each mold weighs between 800kg and 1.5 tons. The raw panels must be finished by hand before they are ready for powder-coating.
FMAS: In the ESSENCE, each component serves as part of a whole, all being bolted one after another to the front panel, which in turn is sandwiched between the driver basket and external grill ring, forming a 14mm thick front panel. We call the modular nature of this system the Feniks Modular Assembly System, or FMAS.
FAQ
Does the system have wireless?With the ESSENCE, we set out to make a timeless classic, focusing heavily on making bulletproof build quality so that they will bring you many years of enjoyment. Wireless standards are constantly changing, so we didn't want such a high quality product to have an aspect which could become obsolete in a short period of time. Even the best current Bluetooth standard, aptX, is limited to only 352kbps, not enough for a lossless FLAC file such as TIDAL provides, let alone 24-bit.
For customers who value the convenience of a wireless system, we recommend using a relatively inexpensive Bluetooth receiver with a Toslink Optical audio out (so that you still take advantage of the excellent DAC inside the ESSENCE). This way when wireless technologies improve down the road, you only need to replace the inexpensive receiver, not the whole system.
However, you'll get the best quality from your phone by using an Apple USB Camera Adapter (iPhone/iPad) or OTG adapter (Android), which allows your phone to be plugged into the USB input.
Why is there no remote?
An incredible desktop experience was our primary aim in developing the ESSENCE, so it was a priority for the top-mounted volume wheel to be buttery smooth and a delight to use.
For the best sound quality, we chose to use an analog preamp (a preamp prepares the signal for the amplifier). With an analog preamp, we would have had to use a motorized potentiometer for remote functionality, which would greatly increase the resistance of the wheel.
Compromises are always a part of a design, especially with an advanced product like the ESSENCE. This is one of those compromises we felt was the right one, and part of what makes the ESSENCE the ultimate desktop sound system.
Is the user guide multi-language?
Yes! The user guide is in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese.
We believe that everyone deserves to experience the highest fidelity in the comfort of their own home. If you want the best desktop listening experience in the world, and appreciate the beautiful design, superb stereo imaging, and bulletproof construction, look no further than the ESSENCE.
