HIGH END 2012: NuForce's compact Air DAC wireless music solution

New at the High End 2012 show in Munich is the NuForce Air DAC, a wireless music streaming solution from the company perhaps best-known for its tiny DAC/headphone amplifier, the Icon.

Selling for €229, the DAC operates on a new wireless technology called SKAA, offering ease of set-up thanks to no need for pairing or software in order to operating.

Working on the 2.4GHz band, the system enables multiple transmitters and receivers to be used, so you could have a Air DAC in each room connected to an amp and speakers, or even active speakers, and this would then detect a device fitted with a transmitter and allow instant playback of music.

The system allows signal quality of up to 16-bit/48kHz, claims to have no latency, and avoids interference by using a spread-spectrum technology that chooses the best band for optimal reception.

The Air DAC can be used with either the uTX transmitter, for USB devices, or the iTX, which fits iOS devices via the standard dock connector.

Andrew has written about audio and video products for the past 20+ years, and been a consumer journalist for more than 30 years, starting his career on camera magazines. Andrew has contributed to titles including What Hi-Fi?, GramophoneJazzwise and Hi-Fi CriticHi-Fi News & Record Review and Hi-Fi Choice. I’ve also written for a number of non-specialist and overseas magazines.