Home network Bang & Olufsen Playmaker receiver streams music with AirPlay or DLNA

Bang & Olufsen is taking its integration with mobile devices further. The home network Bang & Olufsen Playmaker receiver streams music with AirPlay or DLNA. The home network Bang & Olufsen Playmaker is a wireless audio receiver that allows you to play music using their choice of AirPlay or DLNA. The Playmaker receives either protocol via Wi-Fi or ethernet (usually used by mobile devices) alternatively a line in jack can be used for feeding music into it.

According to the company's press release -

It can stream music from practically any smart phone, tablet, MAC, PC or media server. Additionally, Playmaker possesses a second-to-none sound performance as it features a high performance Digital Audio converter that is specified for even the most powerful B&O speakers. Therefore, Playmaker gives music lovers the best of both worlds: outstanding audio quality from Bang & Olufsen's extensive range of premium active speakers and one-touch access to digital music collections, without the wires.

Playmaker has extreme ease-of-use and intuitive operation. You simply add Playmaker to any set of Bang & Olufsen active loudspeakers and within seconds you'll discover just how good a smartphone can sound. Whether you want to share a playlist or explore a new online station, Playmaker lifts digital music into rich aural panoramas that reveal even more of your favorite tunes on Bang & Olufsen speakers. Playmaker also creates new wireless music scenarios, as one can easily set various music zones in the house and/or music can be moved around from room to room, or played in sync using iTunes.

Additionally, an extra amplifier is not needed for set up. All Bang & Olufsen speakers are active with specially tuned amplifiers, built into every cabinet, to power all speaker drivers separately. Just connect two BeoLab speakers to the new Playmaker and start listening to music from your phone or tablet. Outstanding sound systems have never been this simple.

"We believe Playmaker will resonate with our customers as it offers a one-step wireless solution for enjoying digital music from any smart phone to the powerful B&O loudspeaker portfolio," states Zean Nielsen, President of Bang & Olufsen America, Inc. "Furthermore, we believe that most new B&O owners will want to include Playmaker when purchasing any new pair of B&O speakers. Therefore, we have strong expectations for its sales performance, especially among an entirely new customer segment that may have aspired to own world-class B&O loudspeakers but chose not to invest in an audio or video system to drive the B&O speakers for one reason or another. The Playmaker now allows these customers to use their own device and still experience the high-quality sound experience of Bang & Olufsen."

Set up is quite easy and can be done via an iOS app or via a browser. The home network Bang & Olufsen Playmaker receiver can be used much like Sonos in that it can be used in different rooms but with the downside of only being used with Bang & Olufsen's own speaker systems.

Playmaker is ideal for homes where people enjoy different kinds of music in different ways. Everyone in the family can stream from their own phone or other device. Volume and mute can be controlled either by the handheld device, by the Bang & Olufsen remote, or on Playmaker itself. Guests can easily link up and share a song and by adding more Playmakers to more rooms with Bang & Olufsen speakers, you can sync sound throughout the house or listen to opera in one room and hip-hop in another – and create as many music zones as you like.

With its easy set up and user application, Playmaker also connects to a wireless network in just seconds. The Bang & Olufsen BeoSetup App helps you do this in a few steps, or you can push a button on the bottom of Playmaker to connect to a wireless router. Everything you need to stream is packed inside the discrete white design, which is small enough to tuck away on a bookshelf.

The home network Bang & Olufsen Playmaker receiver streams music with AirPlay or DLNA and is pricey at $425. However if you are already using products from the company it probably would make sense to acquire the Playmaker. The Playmaker receiver will be available in the US, Canada and Mexico by the end of the month.

via Posterize