Systemline Airway in-ceiling speakers are AirPlay enabled with Airport Express

Sonos has had a pretty decent hold on the multi-room speaker market for a while now, so it is always nice to see some tough competition, as it tends to improve the overall market. With their Airway in-ceiling speakers, Systemline is making a valid effort, if only they had gone fully Airplay integration.

The Systemline Airway solution looks simple enough for DIY implementation, and it does not take up much space since you can integrate it in ceiling etc. But since the system does not have an integrated AirPlay chip at this stage, you have to rely on using it combined with an Airport Express adapter.

The set up includes two speakers (stereo set up) that can be integrated into wall or ceiling, connected by Cat5 cables running to a wall plate, which again connects with the Airport Express using a optical digital cable, and the power supply.

Wouldn't it be great if a system that can be integrated into wall/ceiling came with the necessary set up to avoid having to have too many additional adapters to open up for wireless audio streaming? Perhaps Systemline, or someone else, will bring fully integrated Airplay next.

If you are interested in the Systemline Airway in-ceiling solution you can find out more on their website. Price and availability to be confirmed.

[source: Slashgear]

Wooden limited edition Philips Fidelio Soundsphere - for a stylish home

I have to admit that i'm a bit of a fan of the Philips Fidelio Soundsphere design, so when i saw the new limited edition wooden Philips DS9860W, made using seventy pieces of natural wood, it definitely made me add them to my home decor and must have gadget wall on Pinterest.

The original Philips Fidelio DS9800W Soundsphere was amongst the first AirPlay speakers to be announced, and since then Philips have extended the Soundsphere AirPlay range with a smaller, and more affordable model, in the Soundsphere DS6800W, and now of course the top model DS9860W limited edition.

Back to the DS9860W Soundsphere. From what i have been able to find, this one has got pretty much the same specifications as the DS9800W, including Philips SoundCurve and FullSound Technology, providing 100W of total power output through some beautifully designed speakers with free floating tweeters.

Getting your hands on a pair of the Philips DS9860W Soundsphere Airplay speakers might prove tricky however, as there are only 500 of them worldwide, and they will cost you about $1,100 (likely around £900).

I place these in the same category as some of the other beautiful AirPlay speakers, like the Libratone Live and Lounge, and they would go very well with my dream living room.

[source: Slashgear]

Russound DMS3.1 brings multiple AirPlay streams for advanced multiroomaudio

With their latest streamer Russound has worked closely with Apple on the implementation of not just one, but three independent airplay streams in the same player.

The Russound DMS3.1 streamer is the first of its kind, delivering up to three separate AirPlay streams at the same time to AirPlay enabled devices, including their own outdoor Russound AirGo AirPlay speaker.

With the three independent AirPlay streams you can mix and match sources and where to send them. The streamer is also DLNA compatible and can play back supported content from any connected home network device. You can also plug in an external hard drive through USB connection, and use the built in AM/FM tuner.

[source: CEPro]

Numark iDJ Pro gets AirPlay support

For those not familiar with Numark (most DJ's will be familiar with the brand), they are amongst the premier manufacturers of DJ equipment, and now they have announced the Numark iDJ Pro with AirPlay support as well as fully integrated iPad docking.

DJ technogeeks are likely to love the new iDJ Pro, as it is the first of the devices that comes with fully integrated iPad docking with the device, as you can see from the above photo. There is also support for wireless streaming to a wide range of compatible speakers through the built in AirPlay streaming technology, allowing you full control over which speakers to stream to direct from the control unit.

No official price or release date has been announced yet for the Numark iDJ Pro, but you can check out the Numark product page for more details.

[source: Numark via Airplayspeakers.com]

Teac NS-X1 AirPlay speaker dock arrives on UK market

Quite a few months have passed since i first heard word about the Teac NS-X1 slimline Airplay speaker dock, but it has taken until now for the system to make a proper entry into the UK market, getting presence with well known electronics retail chain Dixons.

The Teac NS-X1 features 2 x 10W speakers, has a slimline shape, with a physical docking station sitting at the top of the unit as an alternative for those that does not have an Apple device with AirPlay capabilities. The system can also be mounted on the wall as it has support for that at the back of the unit.

Overall the Teac NS-X1 is targeting the lower end of the Airplay speaker market, with a price point at £199.99, making it amongst the more affordable AirPlay solutions on the UK market at the moment. Based on reports through other review sites and tech blogs the strength of the system is AirPlay at that price point, but at the same time they report that audio and build quality does not quite live up to the price point. As soon as i have had a chance to review one myself i will let you know what my verdict is.

[source: TrustedReviews]

iTeufel Air - a bookshelf AirPlay speaker from Teufel

Teufel is a leading audio solution manufacturer out of Germany selling direct to market, including their latest solution; the iTeufel Air AirPlay speaker.

iTeufel Air is a bookshelf style wireless speaker that allows streaming over Apple AirPlay technology. It does not feature a physical docking station, but for those wanting to connect other devices, there is the Aux-in connection.

Design wise the iTeufel Air looks quite stylish with the black finished housing sitting on a metal stand. Inside Teufel has packed two independent 20w two-way speakers and a 30cm 40w subwoofer, creating what should be a fairly powerful bookshelf AirPlay speaker with Panorama DSP for a more room-filling audio experience.

The iTeufel Air is available direct from Teufel online at £429.99.

Philips Fidelio SoundAvia and Primo AirPlay speakers announced

Philips is extending their already strong Fidelio range of speakers with two new AirPlay speakers in the Philips Fidelio AD7050W SoundAvia and Philips Fidelio DS9100W Primo at CES.

There is not a lot of details around the two new systems yet, but it is believe that the AD7050w will feature a similar design and features as the already launched Philips AD7000W.

As far as the DS9100W Primo goes, it comes with a wooden finish and backfiring passive radiators, not unlike the Fidelio DS9/10 and Fidelio DS9000W speaker docks. It also features the Philips Soundcurve technology for clearer sound.

Both systems are expected out around April time this year. I will be back with more details and price for each system when available.

[source: Techradar]

Griffin Twenty - a new and amplified AirPlay solution

Griffin is present at CES in Las Vegas armed with amongst other an AirPlay amplifier that can turn any speaker into an airplay speaker, the Griffin Twenty.

So what exactly is the Griffin Twenty you ask? In short it is an AirPlay enabled amplifier that allows you to connect any non-powered speaker for wireless sound. It uses a docked Airport Express to support the AirPlay streaming, but unlike using only an Airport Express, which requires powered speakers set up, the Griffin Twenty does the 'powering' for you.

The Griffin Twenty comes with a Toslink for connecting to the Airports optical port, and a power pass through to ensure the Airport Express has the necessary power input as well.

Griffin is yet to confirm price of the Twenty and a release date, but I will update with information as soon as available. It is also worth noting that you have to buy the Airport Express adapter separately, unless Griffin decides to bundle it with the Twenty.

Acoustic Research ARAP50 AirPlay speaker announced

The Acoustic Research ARAP50 AirPlay speaker is a new entrant in the AirPlay market from Voxx International (former Audiovoxx), announced at CES this week.

Not much is known about the ARAP50 other than its ability to stream over Apple AirPlay technology, and that it will retail at around $200 (likely around £150 or so for the UK) when it is released, likely sometime this spring. Design wise it is reminiscent of the iHome iW1 and the more classic box-style iPod speaker docks of past.

We welcome Acoustic Research and their ARAP50 AirPlay speaker to the AirPlay family.

SOUL Party in a Box AirPlay speaker dock

SOUL Electronics is at CES to promote their Soul by Ludacris range of headphones, but this year they have also thrown a speaker dock into the midst, and not just any speaker dock. Meet the SOUL Party in a Box AirPlay speaker.

In fact, the SOUL Party in a Box does not only support streaming over AirPlay. There is also built in Bluetooth as well as a 5.8GHz two-way transceiver that offers CD quality lossless streaming and multi-speaker set up.

Inside the SOUL AirPlay speaker there is a party going on for sure, as this omni-directional hybrid system features dual 6.5-inch subwoofers, 3-inch midrange drivers, and four 1-inch tweeters. The central docking station is reported to support all iOS devices, including the iPad.

There is no word on pricing and availability of the SOUL Party in a Box speaker dock as of yet, but I will keep you posted.

[source: slashgear]