Since 2008, French manufacturer La Boîte Concept has been developing innovative connected speakers, turntables and hi-fi furniture. Following the success of its PR / 01 connected speaker, La Boîte Concept has unveiled a new iteration called PR Link. It uses the same formula, while improving the audio design and extending its wireless compatibility.
PR Link: a perfected audio design
From its release in 2018, the La Boîte Concept PR / 01 connected speaker stands out from the competition thanks to an original acoustic design. Indeed, this living-room speaker adopts two 5″ drivers mounted in isobaric enclosure. In other words, the woofer is acoustically coupled to the midrange driver on the same axis. So, for the same volume, the La Boîte Concept PR / 01 is far more powerful than any other sealed or bass-reflex speaker.
Six years later, the PR Link further enhances this Active Pression Reflex system. To achieve this, La Boîte Concept has integrated a cast aluminum ring with heat dissipators. These dissipate the heat produced by the piston-like movements of the two drivers’ cones, ensuring better power handling of the midbass and bass drivers, which are sealed to the front and rear of the ring.
Extensive wireless connectivity
The PR Link connected speaker from La Boîte Concept also stands out from the first generation thanks to the integration of new wireless protocols. Where the PR / 01 speaker made do with Bluetooth aptX, the PR Link adds the multi-room protocols AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, thanks to the Escape M1 AIR dongle included with the speaker. So, once connected to the local network, the La Boîte Concept PR Link speaker can integrate a multi-brand multi-room system. Another new feature reserved for the La Boîte Concept PR Link speaker is the integration of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.
The same advantages
Despite the revamped design, La Boîte Concept’s PR Link connected speaker also retains the advantages of the PR / 01. These include the use of wood, which gives the PR Link an elegant, timeless design. Indeed, the front panel features slim walnut slats that protect the two 4.5″ drivers and the two 1.9″ tweeters. A meticulous finish is one of La Boîte Concept’s trademarks, and the aluminum potentiometer used on the PR / 01 and the cover system concealing the connectors are also featured.
The PR / 01’s digital and analog inputs are another strong point of La Boîte Concept’s PR Link connected speakers. With a 3.5mm mini-jack auxiliary input, an RCA stereo input, an optical input and two powered USB-A and C ports (5V – 2A), the PR Link is extremely versatile. The icing on the cake is that this new model even includes an HDMI ARC input.
PR Link vs PR / 01: key features
| PR Link | PR / 01 | |
| Drivers | 1 x 4.5″ midrange driver 1 x 4.5″ woofer 2 x 1.9″ tweeters | 1 x 5″ midrange driver 1 x 5″ woofer 2 x silk dome tweeters |
| Amplification power | 240 watts | 240 watts |
| Connectors | 1x mini-jack auxiliary input 1x optical input (Wolfson 24-bit DAC) 1x RCA stereo line input 1x USB-A (5V – 2A) 1x USB-C audio (5V – 2A) 1x HDMI ARC input | 1x mini-jack auxiliary input 1x Toslink optical digital input 1x RCA stereo line input 2x USB-A (2.4A) 1x USB-C (3A) |
| Wireless connectivity | Bluetooth aptX AirPlay 2 Chromecast Roon Ready Spotify Connect | Bluetooth aptX |
| Voice commands | Amazon Alexa Google Assistant | ❌ |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 360 x 160 x 250mm | 410 x 237 x 256mm |
| Weight | 6kg | 12kg |
| Price | €1,450 | €1,049 |
The La Boîte Concept PR Link connected speaker builds on the success of the first generation, and enhances its performance with an advanced audio design and extended wireless connectivity. It is now available on Son-Vidéo.com!
