Creative's D5XM self-calibrating modular wireless speaker gets previewed at IFA (video)

If you've been following our IFA coverage this morning (and shame on you if you haven't), the Creative D5XM's name ought to ring a bell or two. After all, it wasn't so long ago that we were telling you all about the Creative D5 Air. The D5XM, however, while similar in name, is a decidedly more serious deal than the AirPlay speaker bar. Creative is hyping the product as "the world's first self-calibrating modular wireless speaker" -- it's a mouthful, but its certainly a cool prospect. The rectangular speaker can be used alone or as part of a larger speaker system, communicating with other D5XM devices and the DSXM -- coincidentally, "the subwoofer for the world's first self-calibrating modular wireless speaker." What are the odds?

You can string up to three D5XMs together and two of the subwoofers, if you're really, really into low-end. No word on pricing for these guys yet, but we imagine that such a set up would get fairly costly, fairly fast. Creative's referring to the three-at-a-time deal as "party mode," in which all three devices are playing the same thing simultaneously -- you can also split them up into discrete channels, using a mobile device (iOS or Android). That communication (which occurs via Bluetooth) happens thanks to the chip in the speaker -- the same as the one we saw on the Sound BlasterAxx. Click on through for more info and a video.%Gallery-163972%

Calibration of the system is also done through a mobile device using the Creative Central Sound Blaster application, with the speakers sending out tones picked up on their microphones, allowing the system to calibrate itself to the specific size of the room it's in. The speakers themselves are connected via 5.8 GHz. When connecting, you start with the D5XM devices, followed by the DSXM and ultimately the Bluetooth pairing with your handset. Like the D5 Air, the D5XM is built as a one-piece monocoque design to help cut down on shock. No word on pricing or availability at the moment.

Sharif Sakr contributed to this report.