Arcam Adds Hi-Res Streaming To Any Audio System
Since the bizarre decision by Logitech to discontinue the hugely popular Squeezebox, enthusiasts have struggled to find a solution that just works for streaming audio to existing systems. Arcam's rPlay now looks set to fill that void.
A compact device housed in a die-cast aluminium case, rPlay offers a WiFi (802.11 b/g/n) and Ethernet connection to your home network and can stream audio and internet radio using DTS PlayFi, Apple Airplay or UPnP enabled music sources. It also features an SPDIF digital output that can be connected to an external DAC or directly to an AV Receiver.
The four-layer PCB allows our designers to maximise the quality of the ground plane in order to further reduce interference between components. The use of multiple low noise individually regulated power supplies ensures the rPlay delivers the cleanest signal to the audiophile quality output stage.
With a fixed level analog output for existing audio systems, there's also a variable analog output allowing connection to a simple set of active loudspeakers. An affordable and flexible product that could also be used as a basis to built a multi-zone audio system throughout a home.
DTS PlayFi supports high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/192kHz from a wired network and enables lossless multi-room wireless audio streaming from services such as Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Pandora and Amazon Prime.
Other news coming out of last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is that Amazon's Alexa voice solution, already gaining in popularity around the globe (despite only officially being available in Us, UK and Germany), is that DTS PlayFi will soon be compatible with Alexa. As we enter a new era for how we interact with our home and devices, rPlay will be able to be controlled via a Amazon Dot, Echo or other Alexa compatible devices coming to market this year.
The Arcam rPlay will be available from February this year. Local pricing has not been confirmed yet however it will sell in the U.K for £399.
Arcam is distributed in Australia by Advance Audio.
Marc Rushton
StereoNET’s Founder and Publisher was born in England and raised on British Hi-Fi before moving to Australia. He developed an early love of music and playing bass guitar before discovering the studio and the other side of the mixing desk. After writing for print magazines, Marc saw the future in digital publishing and founded the first version of StereoNET in 1999.
Posted in: Hi-Fi | Integration
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