Simple Audio rolls out Roomplayer HD audio system to UK dealers
It's been a long time coming, but Simple Audio's high-resolution, multiroom music system has finally landed at UK retailers "for preview" and goes on sale later this month. It was initially due to launch last December.
The system uses HomePlug Powerline and wired ethernet technology to transmit 24-bit, HD sound via your home's mains electricity network to different rooms, rather than relying on wireless transmission as used by the likes of AirPlay and Sonos.
This is said to give a more robust connection between different zones, and allow the transmission of 24-bit audio files.
A full-colour touchscreen controller allows you to browse your music library and create your own playlists.
Simple Audio is offering two products. The Roomplayer 1 (£599), with 2x50W built-in Class D digital amplifier, connects directly to your speakers.
If you already have an existing hi-fi or home cinema system, you can add the Roomplayer II (£499) which does without built-in amplification.
HomePlug Powerline transmission
The user then downloads the Simple Audio software to a computer, hooks the computer and Roomplayer up to a HomePlug network via ethernet and then streams music from the Mac/PC to the Roomplayer.
The system will handle MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, FLAC and Apple Lossless files, as well as internet radio.
Line input/output phono sockets, a front-mounted line in socket, USB terminal, optical and electrical digital outputs, subwoofer out and headphone socket are all included.
As well as playing back music from your iTunes library and internet music services, it will also handle music from attached devices such as an iPod or iPhone.
Simple Audio was founded by ex-Linn employees. You'll be able to see the Simple Audio Roomplayer system in action at this month's Bristol Sound & Vision Show.
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Comments
No Digital Out has been enabled at release.
This is going to be really awesome for the people who are lucky enough to get one. I think that the wried technology is useful over wireless for many things but especially this. Thanks for sharing.
Wireless technology doesn't always seem to be the best, even by using common sense, but it all really depends upon what the product is and folks trying it out to really come to the proper conclusion.
the reason we buy a NAS is so we dont need to have a PC running
<-- owner of a Sonos setup
Picked sonos over squeezebox etc due to not wanting a PC on when i want to listen to music.
Just had clarification on a couple of points mentioned here from Simple Audio:
1) Do the Roomplayers need to be connected to an 'always on' PC?
Yes, apart from when streaming music from WE7 and internet radio.
2) Can they be connected directly to a NAS drive?
Yes, as long as the computer that mapped the music library is switched on. A software upgrade is planned for end of Q1 that will enable direct connection to a Twonky-enabled NAS.
3) Are there any plans to implement wireless streaming from iPhone/iPad?
Not at the moment.
Direct connection is a bit pointless, looking at their website it's not clear whether a NAS can be used without a PC controller running at all times. Interesting that they have the same 64k track limit that Sonos has, although they do have the concept of individual users with access to separate libraries, which is good.
Reading elsewhere, it will connect to a NAS attached to a router but they are working on direct connection to a NAS! Oh, how will one get music to and from the NAS!!!
There's no complexity in a NAS, I bought one, pointed my Sonos at the share and... that's it. It can't get any simpler, why would I want to go from that to having a laptop out and running all the time? It's a step backwards.
And any decent NAS will let you upgrade the storage simply by swapping new disks in, rather than having USB disks and cables trailing all over the place.
My knee-jerk reaction was to agree with you The_Lhc, but then I thought about the relative complexity of a NAS, and well my opinion has changed - an always on cheap laptop is really no different to an always on NAS. And you can add more space via USB.
Surely not in this day and age of streaming from NAS drives?
So it requires the PC to be on and running software? Not interested, sorry...