There have been some recent additions from a couple of the streaming brands that we carry.
The most notable has been the introduction of Move – the portable speaker from Sonos. While Sonos may be late to the party, HEOS and BlueSound have had battery packs for their smaller speakers for years, it is a welcome addition.
The battery pack is in-built, and the charging base is simple yet ingenious. The unit is shock-proof, weather resistant and is voice controlled via Alexia and Google assistant. Connectivity includes both WiFi or Bluetooth. There are basic controls on the unit, and it has a built-in carry handle. The Move sells for $649.
Sonos have also announced a replacement for the Connect (formally ZP90) which has now been on the market for over 10 years. Called Sonos Port this streaming pre-amplifier features an updated DAC and now supports Apple AirPlay2. The Port sells for $599.
The other news is from BlueSound who have announced that they are supporting the new Amazon Music HD streaming service, making it one of the first companies to do so. Amazon state that they have millions of 24bit/192kHz tracks on their new streaming service. Due to their support of HD streaming, and their excellent interface BlueSound is becoming the go-to wireless streaming company for many customers.
BlueSound have also announced the addition of a HDMI input on their PowerNode 2i streaming amplifier. We recently mentioned that a modern quality system can be both simple to operate and more discrete than systems of the past. The PowerNode2i is a perfect case-in-point. Place it next to your TV and connect a pair of speakers. You now have a system that streams High Resolution music files and connects to your TV – outclassing all but the very best soundbars. Good quality, inobtrusive, simple to use, and surprisingly inexpensive.
