ZDNET's key takeaways The Valortiva Octa A1 integrated amp is available on Amazon for $399.
This integrated amp is so easy to set up that anyone can be dancing to their favorite tunes in minutes.
The Octa A1 amp only produces 35W of power. $399 at Amazon
Have you ever wanted to stream music (or a podcast) from your phone to a room filled with people, but found that most Bluetooth speakers just don't get loud enough?
What if I told you that you could connect a pair of passive speakers and a subwoofer and hear music with room-shaking volume? The Valortiva Octa A1 Integrated amp not only makes this possible but also easy.
Also: I've yet to find a Bluetooth speaker that pumps out louder bass and clearer mids than this
For those who don't know, an integrated amplifier is an audio device that combines both a preamplifier and a power amplifier into a single unit. With such an amp, you can get by with passive speakers.
There are a handful of uses for this device. Besides connecting to passive speakers, you can also connect it to a gaming console (or PC), or to high-fidelity speakers for an even more immersive experience. Imagine sounds from your favorite game pumping through your favorite speakers? Pretty cool, eh? Here's how it works.
My experience
First, you may ask, what exactly are passive speakers? These are audio speakers that don't have built-in amplifiers, instead relying on external amp or A/V receiver. This gives you more control over your sound profile.
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