German tech firm Raumfeld has announced a new wireless audio streaming system for the UK and it’s claiming it’s a ‘Sonos killer’.
Like Sonos’s much-lauded system, it’s designed to deliver audio from a home computer or other source to rooms around the home, with a minimum of set-up and usage hassles.
Raumfeld Multi-Room Audio System
Unlike Sonos however, it uses a standard Wi-Fi connection and has its own built-in 120GB hard drive so you don’t need to switch your computer on to access your music library. It also has access to internet radio as well as streaming services like Napster (with a year’s free subscription) and Last.fm.
It compatible with MP3, AAC and WMA formats, but also high-quality Apple Lossless, FLAC and Ogg Vorbis too.
The uPnP system consists of the Raumfeld Base which connects to your network via Ethernet cable, and a pair of specially adapted powered speakers made by Adam Audio which have Wi-Fi receivers built-in. Two speaker models are available – the smaller bookshelf S, and the larger M, which includes a ribbon tweeter. There’s also a separate Wi-Fi receiver which can be attached to an existing hi-fi system or other pair of powered speakers.
The jewel in the crown however is the touch-screen controller, which sports a hi-fi style control knob as well as fully configurable menu system. It can be used anywhere within network range and slots into a charger when it’s not use.
Available now from www.raumfeld.co.uk, a basic system including base, controller and two connectors costs £1,000, while a pair of S speakers is around £350, and a pair of M speakers £700. Raumfeld’s also offering a 30-day money-back guarantee too.