The Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fis seem like a work-in-progress. That isn’t to say they aren’t good—they are excellent. Certain small things—a lack of a remote, an underbaked app, and crackling at higher volumes—are holding me back from giving this speaker an instant recommendation
A brand you wouldn’t think of is trying to conquer a large share of the audio market. Honeywell is more known for its air purifiers and home automation products. Its entry into the audio market got me excited. It’s going straight for the premium segment.
The Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fi speaker isn’t a Bluetooth speaker, nor is it portable. It’s a tabletop speaker that’s as classy and elegant as the sound output.
Tabletop speakers (not to be mistaken with bookshelf speakers) are making a comeback. Once the rage in the 90s (because Bluetooth speakers were nonexistent), brands are bringing them back with a vengeance. Marshall is leading this space, but now Honeywell wants to sell you its Aviator Hi-Fi speaker for a sum total of Rs 39,999. It’s in direct competition with Sonos and Marshall, so you don't have to read on further if you aren’t in the market for a premium speaker.
You'll fall in love when you lay your eyes on the Aviator Hi-Fi’s. Forget the sound quality. Just put this in your room and let it be the centre of attention. It’s not tiny, so find a table and keep it somewhere sturdy.
You first notice that the Aviator Hi-Fi has a sturdy tripod-like stand. Its speakers don’t wobble when kept on a flat surface. The stand has a slight curvature and a chrome ring lining on the front (which doubles as LED lights), making it premium.
It’s covered in a leather-like material, and the speaker is concealed behind a fabric mesh. There’s not much else to say here. Find a table large enough to support it and a plug point, and you’ll be ready to go.
With the Aviator Hi-Fi, you get both wired and wireless streaming options. There’s also a proprietary lossless audio (which is routed through a dongle, which then connects to your Android or iOS device directly). The dongle makes the whole process seamless. You just plug it into your phone and get a seamless connection. If that’s not your fancy, the AUX port (wired) or Bluetooth mode (wireless) is available. Take your pick, as they all work fairly well.
Just a note of caution. Be sure not to lose the dongle. It’s small and can easily be misplaced. Honeywell hasn’t confirmed how much a replacement dongle will cost, but looking at the MRP of the product, I’m assuming it won’t be cheap.
The speaker's top has a semicircular touch panel with - easy play/pause, volume, and track selection - controls. However, the product does not include a remote.
The speaker is available in dark grey and grey colourways and looks fantastic.
With the Aviator Hi-Fi, you get a bold and rich sound output that doesn’t unnecessarily amp up the bass. The speakers have 240W of total output, and you can feel it. Even in a large-ish room, the sound comes with a thump and boom.
It has a balanced sound signature that doesn’t strive to suit just one genre of music. This speaker can satisfy listeners of various genres. The vocals are clear, there is a good amount of separation, and the details of the songs are well-preserved. Multiple woofers and tweeters are included in the speaker, justifying the price tag.
The preferred option is to use the dongle for lossless audio, as it adds just that extra bit of oomph compared to Bluetooth mode.
There are two minor downsides here. First, I wouldn’t use these speakers to listen to heavy metal. A slight crackle comes through, and there is some distortion in the sound. It’s nowhere near a dealbreaker but worth a mention. Second, at loud volumes, the speaker can’t hold its own. The sound goes off in a way that you’d always want to keep the volume at a minimal level. I found that the 40-60 percent volume range was ideal, and everyone in the room could clearly understand the lyrics belted out by Mick Jagger in Rolling Stones’ Angie.
There is no built-in battery, so you can’t use the Aviator Hi-Fi without plugging it in—that’s standard procedure for tabletop speakers.
The Honeywell Connect app allows you to customise your audio experience. However, it isn’t as robust as some competitors’ apps, which is a shame. Honeywell needs to release a revamped app as soon as possible to make it more versatile and attractive to consumers.
The Honeywell Aviator Hi-Fis is a work-in-progress. That isn’t to say they aren’t good—they are very good. Certain small things—a lack of a remote, an underbaked app, and crackling at higher volumes—are holding me back from giving this speaker an instant recommendation.
We eagerly anticipated Honeywell’s debut in the audio market and are glad it did. Its standout design, excellent audio quality, and rich features make it well-positioned to compete with Sonos, Marshall, and Bose.
This is a good stepping stone into the audio market, and we sincerely hope Honeywell is already working on the successor. That might be a product I’d be buying.
If you're sold on the product, wait for a discount and buy the Honeywell. Rs 39,999 might be steep for a non-established brand, but at Rs 30,000, the game changes.