The Airpulse A200 is a powered two-way stereo pair sold under Airpulse, the hi-fi label run by Edifier, with engineering credited to bass and loudspeaker designer Phil Jones. Each box holds its own amplification and processing, so the pair needs only a source and mains power to play.
Key specs that matter
A 5.5-inch mid-woofer with an aluminium alloy cone looks after bass and midrange, while a horn-loaded ribbon tweeter handles the top. Amplifier power is 55 W plus 55 W for the woofers and 10 W plus 10 W for the tweeters. Airpulse rates the response at 46 Hz to 20 kHz and the signal-to-noise ratio at 90 dB(A) or better. Inputs are analogue AUX, a balanced input, optical, coaxial and Bluetooth with the aptX codec on a Qualcomm CSR8645 chipset, and both digital inputs take signals up to 192 kHz. Each cabinet measures 203 mm wide, 355 mm high and 295 mm deep, and net weight is 19 kg, rising to 22.7 kg packed.
Engineering and use context
Three TAS5754 Class D amplifier chips from Texas Instruments drive the drivers in a closed-loop arrangement, which Airpulse adopts to lower distortion. There is no passive crossover - a DSP-based electronic filter splits the signal and matches woofer, tweeter and enclosure to one another. The ribbon is a strip of aluminium between strong neodymium magnets with an impedance of roughly 0.2 ohm, so it works through a matching transformer, and a phase correction device in the horn mouth widens dispersion. Enclosures are built from 25 mm MDF and lined with 36 mm of acoustic absorption material to damp internal reflections. The pair is split into an active and a passive speaker joined by a supplied connecting cable, and the cabinets are finished in cherry wood veneer.
Pairing
Input sensitivity figures help with level matching - about 550 mV on AUX, 1300 mV on the balanced socket and 350 mFFs on the optical and coaxial inputs. A turntable therefore needs an external phono stage feeding the analogue input, while a CD transport, TV or streamer can go straight into the digital sockets and skip a separate DAC. The balanced connection suits a studio interface or a preamplifier with professional-level outputs. Given the weight of each speaker, sturdy stands or a solid shelf are sensible. Bass, treble and volume can be set with knobs on the back or from the included remote, and the box also contains an RCA lead, an RCA to 3.5 mm adapter and an optical cable.
Alternatives
Edifier's Airpulse A300 steps up in size, pairing a 6.5-inch woofer with 70 W of bass amplification per side.