The AeroSystem One is an iPod and iPhone dock from Jarre Technologies, the company founded by electronic music pioneer Jean Michel Jarre. IE Residential talked to the man himself at the UK launch of the luxury version. Retailing at €799, the standard version of the AeroSystem One contains two 30W speakers (covering a 120º angle) mounted in a tube, above a 60W subwoofer in the base. It stands just over a metre in height. “This is a pipe,” pointed out Jarre. “So the volume of the cylinder is giving you natural bass sound, and not like in lots of iPod docks these days where you have electronic and artificial bass produced by algorithms.” There’s a 30-pin port for iPod or iPhone on top of the unit, and there are also USB and 3.5mm jack inputs. Jean Michel Jarre isn’t a great fan of MP3 files – calling them “the 78 of digital” – but realises that they are most people’s choice of digital file format. “Whether we like it or not, a lot of people are listening to MP3 files these days, but… [we also wanted] to get high definition sounds such as a turntable or a DVD or the high definition files that you can get from the internet even today.” Unlike some celebrity-endorsed products, Jarre has had a role in the creation of the AeroSystem One from the start – trying to get a sound as close as possible to the Genelec speakers in his recording studio: “I’ve been involved at the very beginning, thinking about having this real acoustic bass with the pipe, having discussions about the speakers and then I also involved my recording engineers to try to get on a technical point of view on how to convey the music we’re listening to today in the best possible way.” When we met up with Jarre, it was at the launch of the AeroSystem One by Lalique (pictured) – a luxury version of the product, created in association with the top-end glass and crystal brand, with a five-figure price tag. “The contact with Lalique was interesting also, to make the statement that crystal goes with crystal sound. It seemed quite exciting, interesting also to present also something linked with music that could be linked to rarity and something unique. In days where music is more and more considered as a kind of wallpaper for the world, to try to go back to what’s exclusive… [is] part of what I’m trying to do.” The next product in the range will be even more ambitious a product “that is for hi-fi what the concept car is for cars,” according to Jarre. Launching in March, the AeroDream is the giant version of the AeroSystem One. “It’s a 12,000W hi-fi system, 3.5m high and instead of the iPhone you can put the iPad onto it.” It’s so tall, it incorporates a ladder for the user to climb, iPad in hand. Jarre explains: “It’s quite fun, but it’s also made with the best possible elements and the best possible quality.” He adds that, as in the car world, carrying out experimental work at the top end of technology brings findings that can be used throughout the market. And, he says, Jarre Technologies will produce more affordable products than the Aero System One later on. Jarre Technologies’ products are distributed in the UK by Gem Distribution. www.gem.co.ukwww.jarre.com
