A new wireless technology for surround sound systems was issued just a few days ago (on May 30) by Royal Philips Electronics. It is called Ensation, a name that we suppose should only be pronounced together with the Philips brand name, as in “Philips' Ensation” — in order to enable a small but effective marketing trick.

What is Ensation

It is an alternative choice to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, infrared and analog FM (and a little beyond these). Ensation offers “high-quality audio links” — a feature that allows you to connect multiple wireless speakers to your audio player.

Philips' Ensation was designed to simplify wireless audio networking at home. Also, it is an open invitation to digital audio devices manufacturers to ad wireless capabilities to their products. In this way, any consumer that owns wireless loudspeakers or headsets will be able to enjoy high quality audio anywhere in the house without the need to lay down any cables. Not to mention — easy wireless capability is most useful for those “on the road consumers”.

Let's get technical: Philips' Ensation transmission data rate is between 150 and 500 kbits per second. The indoor transmission range is not more than 30 m (which is quite good as long as you don't live in a palace). About interference, Ensation can auto-switch to adjacent channels that meet lower levels of it.

Also, Philips proclaims its new technology has less than 20 milliseconds latency (that would be the time it takes the sound to arrive to your ears since Brad Pitt's lips have moved). Bluetooth’s latency is 40 to 50 milliseconds and Wi-Fi's is 100 ms or even more.

It seems that the news about the Philips' Ensation launch didn't quite please its wireless audio competitors, who found the opportunity to brag with their low-cost-high-volume technologies.