US startup company introduces "new audio file format"

Lliquid Llama Soft has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $60,000 by 13th September, which will go towards the construction of a "community-driven website" to "help spread the word" about its new format – Random Order Audio (.ROA).

MORE: 10 of the best AV Kickstarter projects

According to the company, the format will give "artists and listeners an unprecedented freedom in the way they store and use audio files". And in addition to the new audio format, Lliquid Llama Soft has also created its own audio player as well.

The Random Order Audio Player will be free to download and can be used with PC and Mac desktops/laptops, while more platforms are also planned. The company says some of the crowdfunding proceeds will also be used for that platform expansion.

Lliquid Llama Soft co-founder Ryan Ries said: "As a listener, you have many more options to enjoy your favorite songs. As an artist, you no longer have to worry about what makes it to final cut because there is room for variations."

We've seen a huge number of Kickstarter successes this year, with PonoMusic – the high-res audio player from Neil Young – perhaps the most similar in its ambitions; PonoMusic is billed as an "end-to-end ecosystem for music lovers".

However, the brand-new file format is no doubt unique to what we've seen on Kickstarter this year. So, do we need another file format to add to the list of those already available? Let us know what you think and check out the ROA Kickstarter for more info.

MORE: Kickstarter launch for Neil Young's PonoMusic high-res service

Pete was content editor on What Hi-Fi?, overseeing production and publication of digital content. In creating and curating feature articles for web and print consumption, he provided digital and editorial expertise and support to help reposition What Hi-Fi? as a ‘digital-first’ title; reflecting the contemporary media trends. He is now a senior content strategist.