CeraAIR Two AirPlay speaker with style and power

I have to admit this is the first I hear about Ceratec, but with the CeraAIR Two AirPlay speaker they have definitely made a good first impression.

The soundbar style design is quite versatile as the system can stand horizontally on a shelf, or you can mount it either vertically or horizontally on a wall. The color options should also help ensure a good fit for most tastes as the CeraAIR Two is available in black, silver, white, gold, or any RAL color upon request.

Although the CeraAIR Two speaker has AirPlay as a leading feature, targeting iOS market, it is packed with other great features as well. You can access Internet radio, YouTube, and other audio files wirelessly or through a RJ45 cable. You can also input tv audio or connect a cd player, in case you want to go old school. The system also supports connection to external subwoofer, as well as the ability to adjust bass output. With a total power output of max 200W (2 x 64 watts bass mid-range, 2 x 32 watts) from a Class D amp the CeraAIR Two should be powerful enough for most home set ups. The speaker set up consists of two bass-midrange speakers and two high end tweeters.



[source: Ceratec]

NOCS NS2 Air Monitor speakers with AirPlay

First of all, Scandinavian countries have brought us some great sound systems over the years, including recent AirPlay contributions from B&O and Libratone (both Danish). The latest AirPlay contribution however comes from neighbour Sweden and new audio system provider NOCS. Meet the NOCS NS2 Air Monitors.

Instead of providing the now standard all-in-one solution the NOCS NS2 Air Monitors consist of two speaker monitors with AirPlay technology. NOCS have also gone different with materials, as the cabinets are hand-built rubber coated, the woofers are Kevlar reinforced, and they are using silk dome tweeters.

The active speakers are powered by a Class D amp with 70W peak power output, which is decent for the price range of this AirPlay speaker. The woofers are 3-inch with dual magnets, and tweeters are 3/4-inch silk dome.

NOCS NS2 Air Monitors are available in a variety of colors, including red, orange, black, white, yellow, and industrial grey. In the UK they are available from Amazon listed at just over £300.

[source: NOCS]

Audyssey Audio Dock Air set for April European launch

It has been a while since Audyssey first announced their first AirPlay speaker dock in the Lower East Side Audio Dock Air, and finally it is ready for the market.

US consumers can get their hands on the new AirPlay speaker pretty much straight away, while us here in the UK and Europe will have to wait another month, with European models reported to be shipping towards end of April.

Read more from the press release here or check out earlier coverage of the Audyssey Audio Dock Air.

Apple releases iOS 5.1 with AirPlay improvements

Although yesterday was mostly about the new iPad with Retina display, Apple also released iOS 5.1 with bug fixes and improvements, including for AirPlay streaming.

There has been several reports following the launch of the iPhone 4S about AirPlay streaming issues, including reports from AirPlay speaker providers such as Libratone and B&W.

Following the iOS 5.1 announcement Libratone has posted on their facebook page that especially iPhone 4S users should update to iOS 5.1 for improved AirPlay performance.

Have you updated to iOS 5.1? If so we are interested to hear from you about AirPlay performance following the upgrade. Please leave comments below to share your experience with the rest of the AirPlay community.

GUNN Audio ready to bring some Aussie AirPlay action

I have never heard of GUNN Audio before, but today i came across the brand as this Aussie entrepreneur is getting ready to tackle the wireless speaker market, including AirPlay speakers towards the second half of the year.

Brady Gunn is the master mind behind these new speakers, as this Sydney entrepreneur is focusing on the  future of audio products, which he (and i agree with him) is all about getting rid of wires and delivering high quality wireless audio. That means that we might not be talking about small size speaker docks, but rather high-spec tower speakers that provide plenty of audio gusto.

To start with the brand is set to deliver a few solutions that include docking station and bluetooth, but AirPlay home theater systems are on the cards for later this year. And it looks like this Aussie has got his eyes set on the UK market as well.

[source: NewsMaker]

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]