There are a lot of wireless multi-room speakers out there. Sonos has been cranking out solutions (including this and this) for years, while Bose recently introduced the SoundTouch, Samsung debuted Shape, and Bluesound outed well... the Bluesound system. Now, Denon Electronics is hoping to take on the entire lot, by announcing HEOS by Denon.
Like all of the music options mentioned above, the HEOS by Denon lineup features speakers that can deliver audio in almost any room, all without wires. It uses your home's existing Wi-Fi network and the DenonController app to stream music to any (or all!) rooms in the house. The free app is available for both iOS and Android devices.
Denon says that the speakers will be able to stream from "the world's leading online music services including top cloud sources, 'legacy' sources, and any smart device." However, there's no word on exactly which services users can expect.
What we do know is that the HEOS by Denon system uses dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi, in order to deliver a better range and to avoid interference with other network devices. Once the speakers are hooked up, the app allows users to songs and which rooms will get them. In other words, you can send everything to all of the speakers connected or just choose a few. Denon also promises new technologies for these speakers, including embedded MaxxAudio by Waves digital signal processing (DSP).
"HEOS by Denon represents the next evolution in products from Denon, a company that for over 100 years is still leading in sound quality, new technologies and innovative products that not only appeal, but anticipate what consumers are looking for," said Brendon Stead, Denon's vice president of product development. "The great-looking HEOS Multi-Room Wireless Speaker plays music contained on your smartphone. If you have more than one speaker, they can work as a multi-room system for your entire home. It's the ideal audio setup transferring Denon's music experience to today's busy consumer, allowing them to enjoy their favorite cloud music services to the fullest."
At launch, the HEOS by Denon line will include three multi-zone music players: the HEOS 3, the HEOS 5, and the HEOS 7. Prices on the speakers will range from $200 to $599. An optional access point range extender will also be available (and sold separately) to help improve or expand on the reach of any existing home network. Denon expects the speakers to launch sometime later this month, with pre-amp/amp expansion products to follow.
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