The Aurora 200 P is an active edition of the compact two-way shelf speaker in the Aurora line from HECO of Germany. It is sold as a pair in which the right-hand cabinet holds the electronics and drives the passive left-hand speaker through a supplied cable. HECO pitches it as a system that can work as a hi-fi pair, a companion for a television or a desktop monitor. The German list price is EUR 749, and the black cabinets carry a high-gloss front panel.
Key specs that matter
Built-in Class D amplification is rated at 2 x 35 W continuous, with 2 x 70 W peak. Each speaker is a 2-way bass reflex design with a 125 mm woofer-midrange whose cone is made of kraft paper and a 28 mm Fluktus tweeter with a fabric dome. The crossover point is 3,400 Hz, and HECO quotes a frequency range of 38 Hz to 40,000 Hz. The active speaker measures 170 x 308 x 258 mm and weighs 5.8 kg, while the passive one is 170 x 308 x 245 mm and 5.2 kg. Inputs cover HDMI with ARC and CEC, an optical digital socket accepting 24-bit/192kHz, an RCA pair switchable between line and a phono stage for moving magnet cartridges, and a 3.5 mm AUX jack. Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX handles wireless playback, and an RCA SUB OUT feeds an active subwoofer. Mains supply can be anything from 100 to 240 V.
Engineering and use context
HECO specifies a crossover optimised for both phase and amplitude. The MDF housing vents through a flow-optimised reflex tube at the rear. HDMI ARC carries the soundtrack from a TV, while CEC allows the television handset to control volume and power. The built-in phono preamplifier means a turntable can be connected with no separate stage. A supplied remote selects the source and adjusts bass and treble, and LEDs indicate which input is selected and whether a link is established. An auto standby function switches the system off after about 60 minutes without an audio signal. Rubber spikes are included, and a cloth cover attaches with magnets.
Pairing
A record player fitted with a moving magnet pickup, a television, a streamer with optical output and a phone over aptX can all stay connected at once, so the pair can replace a small separate system. For deeper bass, an active subwoofer such as one from HECO's own range connects to the SUB OUT.
Alternatives
In HECO's bookshelf range the passive Aurora 300 is the step up in size, with a 170 mm woofer-midrange and a cabinet of 195 x 357 x 315 mm.