The Mass Fidelity Relay ($299).
Mass Fidelity, a Canadian audio upstart specializing in wireless music technology, used CEDIA Expo 2016 to demonstrate a Bluetooth receiver with always-on functionality.
Called the Mass Fidelity Relay ($299 suggested retail price), the Bluetooth Hi-Fi DAC will relay streamed music to almost any legacy music system to provide music from a wide variety of digital sources.
At the same time, the company showed its compact Core wireless speaker system and Core Wireless sub. The Core speaker uses a new adaptation of Wave Field Synthesis for acoustic rendering that creates a virtual second channel speaker. The Core can also be linked with additional Core speakers, up to 8 in total, for even fuller sound.
Long-time industry veteran and Mass Fidelity chief revenue officer Bob Perry, said The Relay DAC was designed to stream music wirelessly from any Bluetooth-enabled device, such as a smartphone or tablet, to any connected audio system.
Read more on Mass Fidelity’s Relay, Core and Core Sub after the jump:
It allows users to tap into digital music libraries and streaming audio services played through existing Hi-Fi audio systems or sound bars using either an analog or optical connection without the need of a router.
The Relay uses Bluetooth protocol (including Apt-X when available) to send music encoded in almost any format in high-quality sound from almost any source, the company said.
To ensure top music fidelity, the device incorporates a 24-bit Burr-Brown 5102 digital-to-audio converter (DAC) to play high-quality source files including AptX, SBC, A2DP, AAC, FLAC, WAV while also helping to improve the sound of lower quality music files, according to Perry.
“The Relay, with its always-on functionality, offers an easy and simple way to add high-quality music to any legacy system with a rock-solid Bluetooth connection, while the Core and Core Sub offer a great sounding music system with multi-room connectivity,” said Perry.
Meanwhile, the Mass Fidelity Core wireless audio system uses Wave Field Synthesis to create a clear, wide stereo sound stage from one small speaker. To enhance bass performance, the system has added a Core Wireless Subwoofer, which connects to the audio system by a simple one-time pairing process, via a private 5.85GHz wireless network.
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The Core ($599 suggested retail price) can be paired with up to seven other Cores to deliver music. It will connect with smartphones or tablets through Bluetooth or can be hardwired via optical or analog connections.
The Core speaker offers a compact design to allow them to be easily moved around, while a built-in battery will power performance for up to 12 hours per charge.
The Core Wireless Subwoofer ($299 suggested retail) was carefully designed to match the Core audio system’s sound with the right balance of low frequencies to produce a rich and immersive listening experience, Perry said.
The Relay, Core and Core Sub are available now through the www.massfidelity.com web site and select specialty retailers.
By Greg Tarr
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