Bought the antara yesterday. It's a lovely speaker. The sound reproduction is wonderful. It gives a good bass cover even though it's so small and the power is very superior for its size. It's form factor is good. Small and portable. Though it does have some weight so it feels like a serious speaker. One spot for improvement is the volume buttons which also function as the skip button. Volume is long press and skip is short press. This can be confusing when you want to reduce or increase the volume just a little. Although these functionalities are there in the streaming device as well so it's not something that you can't get around. Overall top class.

Extremely pleased with our new Sonodyne Antara! After multiple disappointing experiences with fairly pricey Chinese speakers, over the past 3-4 years, this time my Dad and I decided to research well before buying. Our requirement was stereo sound, as most portable speakers offer only a mono sound - which we dislike. Furthermore many brands like JBL & Sony felt too bass-heavy (tuned for EDM music I feel). Then we came across Sonodyne’s Antara. My Dad’s had fond memories with the brand, plus our desire to try an Indian brand made us take the plunge for the Antara. And boy! Was that a good decision! The highs are clear, and elements like hi-hats, female vocals don’t feel shrill at all. The bass is punchy and works well in both Rock, Blues as well as Bollywood music. Classical music sounds divine on them. Might not be the best for EDM/Techno music, but still does the job well for playing music loud enough in our dining area with a room full of people. 10/10 would recommend. Value for money, solid build and excellent sound!

“Made in India” long before it became a buzz phrase, Sonodyne has long served the serious audiophile and pro-studio markets. The brand has forayed into Bluetooth wireless speakers, and the Antara is the entry-level in the lineup. Upon first glance, Antara sports a fairly safe, inoffensive design, with a black metal grille across the front of the speaker and an ABS body – in black or white finishes - with IP65 splash resistance for poolside use. It’s small enough to be thrown into a backpack, if the 1.5kg weight isn’t a deterrent. Playback controls are ensconced within a black rubberized panel on the top, an aesthetic I couldn’t really get behind – unless this speaker is placed in a brightly lit area, you really have to look closely as the controls lack any backlighting whatsoever. While most would use Bluetooth 5,4 to connect with the speaker, you do get connectivity ports around the rear – a USB-A for plugging into a thumb drive to play MP3s (if you still have them around), a 3.5mm aux-in for wired playback and a Type-C port for charging…although a set of LEDs would have been nice to indicate current charge levels. Interestingly, there’s a pre-out port to connect an external subwoofer, a nod to the brand’s legacy in home audio equipment, but most would consider it excessive for a Bluetooth speaker. Handier is the ability to connect two Antaras in ‘Duet Mode’ for a more immersive audio experience. Peel back the layers and you’ll find two 2.5-inch drivers that work along with two 2.5-inch passive radiators and two 0.5-inch tweeters for a total rated power of 40W and a respectable soundstage for something this size. Used at moderate volumes, the 3,350mAh battery inside is rated for up to 12 hours of use, and charging via the bundled charging adapter takes a little under five hours to juice up the device completely. Music played off the Antara is clear and rich, if a little hamstrung on bass response. Not having a companion app means there is no way to customize the equalization to suit the music you’re playing, but there is inbuilt digital signal processing (DSP) equalization to cut out distortion even at high levels. This is a speaker best suited for personal listening to vocals, classical music or jazz, less so for hip hop or rock, unless of course, you have that sub-woofer handy.

I admit I’m partial towards Indian brands that can hold their own against global ones and stand tall in the face of intense competition. Sonodyne is one such brand and has built up a solid reputation in Hi-Fi systems and home audio. It has now ventured into Bluetooth speakers as well, with its portfolio including models that get their monikers from Indian classical music — Antara, Alaap, Bandish, and Malhar. The Antara is the entry-level model in the lineup and is currently listed at Rs 13,499. I gave it a listen over a few days to figure out how it fares. The Antara features a blocky, minimalist design, and comes in back or white colourways. My review unit is white, and looks nice with its glossy finish. The fit and finish are good, though there are some areas of improvement visible on close inspection — nothing that raises any red flags though. A black metal grille occupies most of the front, with a Sonodyne logo placed in the centre. The top has a strip of rubber that bears the controls for music playback, power, Bluetooth, volume and inputs. There’s no backlight for the controls though, and the rubber is prone to collecting dust particles, especially between the raised portion of the buttons. The sides have a pair of passive radiators. The design is IP65 rated for resistance against dust and water, so using it at the poolside shouldn’t be an issue. Measuring 250 x 86 x 98mm, the Antara isn’t too big and can be shoved inside a backpack, though the 1.5kg weight could make you think twice about doing that. At the back, a bunch of ports are hidden under a rubber flap. There’s a USB Type-A port for connecting a flash drive loaded with MP3 songs, a 3.5mm aux-in, and a Type-C port for charging. There’s also a pre-out for connecting an external subwoofer, if you so want. A charging indicator LED is also located on the back. It’s worth mentioning that Sonodyne includes a Type-A to Type-C cable and a charging adapter in the box, which is a nice touch. Not only does the speaker allow you to connect an external subwoofer, a pair of Antara speakers can be connected together in duet mode for a more immersive listening experience. Inside, the Antara has a couple of 2.5-inch drivers that work along with two 2.5-inch passive radiators and two tweeters to give you a stereo soundstage, with the total power rated at 40W. Wirelessly, the Antara works over Bluetooth 5.4, which is the latest BT standard and promises improved battery life and range. There’s no companion app though, and no way to customise EQ. There is, however, inbuilt DSP equalisation that ensures zero distortion. The 3,350mAh battery inside is rated for up to 12 hours of use, and needs about 4.5 hours via the bundled charging adapter. Straight off the bat, the Sonodyne surprises pleasantly with its clarity and richness. Pump up the volume to the max and it’s clear that the bass doesn’t have the punch some folks might prefer, especially with genres like EDM and rock. That said, the option to connect an external subwoofer via the pre-out port should be helpful in this case. Genres like classical and jazz shine with clear, rich sound that doesn’t distort even at max volumes. Priced at Rs 14,999 and currently listed online at Rs 13,499, the Sonodyne Antara seems better suited for personal listening than powering a party, and for specific genres / use cases… which isn’t a bad thing at all. As a wireless Bluetooth speaker, the Sonodyne Antara’s strengths lie in producing clear, distortion-free audio, along with providing ample connectivity options like a dedicated subwoofer pre-out and the ability to pair two speakers together. The solid build and IP65 rating help too. Editor’s rating: 7.5 / 10 Clean, rich sound Ample connectivity options IP65 rated

My favourite audio products

One of the best speakers I reviewed in recent times came from an Indian company – Sonodyne. Now, the company, launched by IITan Ashoke Mukherjee, has come up with a portable Bluetooth speaker that tries to bring its distinct audio profile to a larger audience. The Sonodyne Antara is compact and has a design that promises European sensibilities in a minimalist kind of way. Its enclosure is made of what seems like fibreglass with two radiators on both sides and a flap that opens to reveal the port options in the rear. The controls are on the top in what is a soft touch panel with LEDs to guide you about Bluetooth pairing and the like. The speaker has USB and USB-C ports along with AUX-in. Though compact, inside the Antara packs two subwoofers and dome tweeters, but all you see is the front grill in black. Also, this is a heavy speaker, not one you will put into your backpack for a sleepover with friends.

SONODYNE ANTARA 40W WIRELESS MUSIC SYSTEM:ULTIMATE REVIEW // [with SOUND TEST

Sonodyne Antara Unboxing and Review in Telugu | Best Made in India Wireless Speaker 2024 in Telugu

Bluetooth speakers have become an indispensable gadget segment. Everybody's got one somewhere by now. Whether you use your speaker around the house, or in the shower, or bring it to the park, or maybe you're one of those folks who keeps it on the balcony and shares music with everyone nearby. The thing about Bluetooth speakers is that once you buy one, there is no need to update for years, especially when the sound quality is good. No wonder, Sonodyne continues to invest heavily in the sound department. Everybody growing up in ’80s and ’90s India has heard of this brand, which has delivered in the era of big-box home loudspeakers with their full-bodied sound as much as it is offering now through portable speakers. After coming up with the excellent Malhar system a few years ago, the company, started in 1970 by IIT engineer Ashoke Mukherjee, has come up with Antara, a portable wireless music system that can be defined with two words — sound sorcery. Sound is constant Unlike the Apple HomePod or Bose SoundLink Max, Sonodyne is focussing on what matters — sound and sound alone. Innovation is restless but sound is constant.  The small, portable Sonodyne Antara sounds phenomenal, delivering true stereo sound. The company hasn’t crimped on the technology driving the 25cm x 8.6cm x 9.8cm sturdy wireless device: It comes with two 2.5-inch LF transducers (woofers) with 2.5-inch passive radiator and two HF drivers (tweeters). So a total of four drivers and two passive radiators create a rich soundstage. Antara delivers expansive sound with a surprising amount of bass and crucially, that low end isn't muddy or boomy, instead, everything about this speaker is rich, clear, and detailed. All this is very important: Recently we reviewed Sony ULT Field 1, which too is a good speaker but make no mistake, its bass output can overpower and kill a song like Queen’s Another One Bites The Dust or even something fresh out of recording studios — Sabrina Carpenter’s Please Please Please.   Whether you lay the speaker flat or carry it around, the sound is warm and surrounds the listener, which is quite unlike most of the offerings from a market that’s becoming stagnant. Consistency matters One may point out there’s no built-in microphone so you can't use it as a speaker phone. The point is: Who wants to take calls on a speaker? Even the Bose SoundLink Max speaker doesn’t have a microphone. But there is one feature that the Sonodyne speaker offers: You can connect two Antaras in “duet mode” for a more immersive sonic experience. Sonodyne has gone with Bluetooth 5.4, which is the latest version. One of the main improvements in Bluetooth 5.4 is the bi-directional communication with thousands of end nodes from a single access point. It also translates into energy efficiency, reliability with connection and better security. Range? It remains as good as before but there is better connectivity. Another feature you will find highlighted on the box if you choose to explore the product is DSP or digital signal processing technology. It’s integral to audio engineering that makes use of specialised mathematical algorithms to measure and modify digitised audio signals. Using DSP, the device can precisely manipulate digitised audio signals, besides using it to monitor and control audio signals presented to input and amplifier circuits. Like a race car is optimised for a certain type of racing, the audio DSP is optimised to process audio data efficiently and accurately. The hardware translates into rich sound quality, which is ultimately what makes this speaker special. The passive radiator enhances bass performance and, at the same time, there is some fancy digital processing to reduce distortion, even at high volumes. The speaker holds up together quite well. Sonodyne has done a good job creating a wider sound stage than you'd expect with the max giving sound more depth and openness. It offers more of a stereo experience than many Bluetooth speakers that claim to be stereo speakers. Sonodyne Malhar, the bigger brother, has a more booming sound but Antara doesn’t fall far behind, both in terms of volume and bass performance. It certainly ticks all the boxes to become a companion for a pool party, besides filling a small- to medium-sized room, taking up very little space. Should you buy it? Despite the size, the sound is big. Personally, I don’t care for a Bluetooth speaker to have a companion app as long as the soundstage is accommodating. This one can be moved from room to room or carried outside. The choice of ports is also worth noticing: Aux In, Pre Out, USB and USB-C charging. The 3,350mAh battery can offer up to 12 hours of playtime and there is IP65 rating, ensuring you can use the speaker outside. The only thing I find missing is a handle, which can be useful to carry the 1.5kg speaker around. Overall, Sonodyne Antara definitely helps the listener escape the boundaries inherent in streaming audio over Bluetooth to a small speaker.This is affordable sonic sorcery. At a glance Device: Sonodyne Antara Price: Rs 14,999 High notes ** Sounds excellent for its compact size ** Battery life is very good ** Comes with Bluetooth 5.4 ** Sturdy and has IP65 rating Muffled note ** A handle on the speaker would have made it easier for those on the move By Mathures Paul Published:29 Jun 2024, 8:39PM

Long before vocal for local became part of the political discourse, Kolkata-based audio brand Sonodyne has been making its presence felt in professional studios, concert venues, and the living rooms of audio connoisseurs across the country for over 50 years. The brand has a loyal following among listeners who prefer their music just 'as the artist intended' with no added flavouring

Sonodyne is an Indian brand many of us (and some of our parents) grew up with, and my earliest memories of the brand date back to the late ’80s/ early ’90s, when I used to regularly visit an uncle in Kolkata who was a big fan of the brand and its single-minded focus on recreating music “as the artist intended”. Fast forward to 2024, and while the brand continues to serve the serious audiophile and pro-studio markets, it’s their Bluetooth wireless speaker range that caught my eye, specifically the most powerful in their range, the aptly named Malhar (after the raga, Malhar which, as the myth goes, has the power to induce thunder and rain). Not one for slimline aesthetics, the Malhar resembles a cajón (or a clapbox as many may know it), an immediate throwback to when audio equipment was engineered for producing clean sound, first and foremost. With its wooden cabinet, classic aesthetics and all, the 8-kilogram Malhar is pleasing on the eye, but it demands pride of place — it’s not one to disappear into the décor. Around the front are two 5” glass-fiber cone drivers accompanied by two 1” tweeters, and the sides have two 5” passive radiators. Inputs are all clustered towards the rear, with optical, aux, USB ports along with a handy 5V DC USB port to charge a phone while it’s connected to the speaker. Controls to switch between these inputs and change tracks/volume are all on the top and are mirrored on the supplied remote. No buttons to fiddle around with bass/treble settings (intentionally so to retain the original feel of the track), and I would have preferred the indicator LEDs to be more visible, so you know the speaker is on or which input is selected. No app or Wi-Fi connectivity, which one starts expecting at this price point. Any reservations you may have had subside the moment you start playing music on the Malhar. Irrespective of genre, the speaker stands up and delivers, with a balanced sonic signature that accurately renders the highs, mids and lows without colouring the audio, so to speak. Streaming tracks as varied as Simon and Garfunkel to the Beach Boys to some of AR Rahman’s classics, Malhar reproduces the tracks damn near flawlessly across its wide 40Hz – 20kHz frequency range. Throw in some punchier tracks and bump up the volume, and you really have to wake up the neighbours before the speaker starts showing the slightest hint of distortion at the top end. Worth noting as well is the expansive soundstage and the open quality to the playback. At its price, Malhar is likely to appeal to audio purists, and despite its name, this truly is a speaker for all seasons. The ‘Made in India since 1970’ is bonus appeal. Rating: 8/10 Price: INR 37,500

Have grown up always envying of owning a Sonodyne.Bose was not so widely available in the 70/80's and used to be frightfully expensive. But now after so many years I had the opportunity to own one ....a dream fulfilled. Like an excited teenager I listened to it till 12.30 pm yesterday forcing some of my neighbours to sleepless night... marvelous experience , just what I was wanting. Thanks

For audiophiles, Sonodyne has been a legendary Make in India brand, & the Bandish offers 120W of pure grade sound!

Since its inception in the early 70s, Sonodyne is a company that has been at the forefront of the innovative Indian professional audio market