DISCLAIMER* My company Precision Audio is an Outline Dealer. But if this were not a product that I didn’t believe in, I would not be writing about it.
With the introduction Kanguro 1215, by the Italian based speaker manufacturer Outline has raised the bar on the speaker on a stick market. Unequalled sound plus an innovative design for portability puts this in a category all it’s own.
Having demoed a pair of these the best way I can describe them is big concert sound… on a stick! But first let’s talk tech. Here are the specs from Outline.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE (-10 dB) 37Hz – 17kHz
(±3 dB) 47Hz – 16kHz
AVERAGE DISPERSION >5 kHz 91° x 47° (HxV)
INPUT SENSITIVITY 1,12 V (3,2dBu)
BUILT-IN PWM AMP POWER (WRMS) 2x500W EIAJ 2x1200W Peak
MAX DB SPL (peak @ 1 m) 131 dB
A Kanguro is a bi-amp three way- self powered system, and comes with one top box that has a 12 inch woofer and a 1.75 inch compression driver. The sub is a 15 with a 3 inch voice coil. And at 130 dB 35 HZ to 18kHZ they can really throw the sound!
The design is very slick in that the top box fits inside the sub cabinet for easy portability! Throw on the optional caster board and moving around is a snap!
I really love the design of this system. It’s very high quality and well thought out, even down to the pole which is threaded instead of just sitting in a cup. The cabinets are made from 15mm baltic birch, not plastic. Another nice addition is the amplifier has on board DSP, allowing you to set EQ, limiting, etc. inside the amp further eliminating the need for out board equipment.
Now to the fun part, how this baby sounds! I have to be honest, I was expecting it to sound great, but after I fired it up…my expectations were exceeded! Think of the best sounding concert system you have heard, that’s these…on a stick!
The best thing that stuck out to me was the definition of the sound. Just playing back tracks, These things were clear, crisp and articulate. The sound felt “real” as if the musicians were there in front of you playing. The sub was full, and filled out nicely but didn’t really move a lot of air. So if you need chest thumping sub, you may want to supplement the system with an additional sub or two.
The Kanguro could get plenty loud (specs at around 130 dB) but it never got harsh or “bitey” in the high end when pushed hard as some speakers tend to do. The horizontal coverage was nice and wide but what I liked was when you stand behind the cabinets you can hardly tell it was on.
The amplifier comes with a set of presets accessed by push button on the back panel. But if you want to get tweaky, you need to hook up a laptop and run the included software. There are also level controls that allow you to adjust the balance between the top and sub boxes. The DSP is nice, and eliminates the need for a system drive rack. A plus if you’re also on a digital console then you’ve already eliminated most of your outboard gear, this just helps even more. Some could just carry a digital console and these speakers and have everything you need!
Now, this high quality sound and innovative design does com at a price. How much would you pay for a Ferrari? They’re not cheap, costing around three times more than other speaker on a stick offerings, but they are well worth it. Keep in mind the Kanguro is not a plastic molded box made in China. It’s an Italian work of art, that also has the amplifier and DSP included. To me the sound alone is worth the price of admission couple that with the connivance and ease of use Outline has a winner. If you are a small band or a portable church and want sound that stands above the rest I encourage you to check these out!
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