Simple Audio to stream multiroom HD Audio in 24 bit resolution

by Volker Weber

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This is an interesting Sonos competitor for audiophiles:

Simple Audio is the first affordable HD sound system that will play your music at 24 bit - the sound quality the professional recording studios intended. Our high performance amplifiers make it possible for you to hear the subtleties of sound at every resolution, but when you experience 24 bit for yourself, you'll never look back.

Unlike Sonos it's not wireless, but uses Homeplug-compatible powerline adapters. You need speakers, and depending on the roomplayer also an amp. They haven't published pricing yet, and it's all brand new. It's also not clear whether they can group roomplayers.

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Comments

I wonder if all that 24-bit snake oil is really going to help them creep into this market.

Henning Petersen, 2012-03-27

Pricing is here

Stephen Hood, 2012-03-27

Thanks. Makes it easy to compare. All prices in GBP.

270 (Sonos CONNECT) vs 499 (Roomplayer II)
399 (Sonos CONNECT:AMP) vs 599 (Roomplayer I)

Volker Weber, 2012-03-27

The design is wrong. The target group is hifi enthusiats. They have a shelf (others say altar) where they want to see devices which looks like HiFi equipment - not like a black sonos. See the devices from Linn, Naim, AVM, Yamaha, others. minimum 3mm metal front , gold plated chinch plugs etc.
And I' curious to see their management software. Sonos is a benchmark here

Helmut Weiss, 2012-03-27

Welcome.

The headphone jack is a nice feature I'd use. When I first saw it was pretty excited. Was expecting/hoping for extras like digital INPUT(s) to allow additional integrations not offered on the SONOS.

Otherwise the price premium over an established product is going to be a tough road. Headphone jack and HD isn't enough IMO. Some digital inputs would have been enough for me.

Stephen Hood, 2012-03-27

Mean to ask if Wi-fi has been an issue with the Sonos?

We use power-line adaptors to extend our ISP's setup and they work great. So I guess that could narrow the price difference depending on your setup.

Stephen Hood, 2012-03-27

Not a problem. SonosNet is a solid mesh network. Powerline is an interesting choice though.

Volker Weber, 2012-03-27

One thing I miss on both the Sonos boxes and the Simple Audio devices is an optical input.

The only way I can connect my LG Smart TV to the Sonos CONNECT:AMP is by connecting the headphones output to the line input of the Sonos - it would be nice to be able to use the TV's optical output to the Sonos box and keep the headphone output for what it was designed for.

John Keys, 2012-03-27

squeeze-every-last-bit-of-sound-out-of-their-kit audiophiles are going to poo-poo the idea of having powerline transmissions over their mains.


Andrew Magerman, 2012-03-27

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