PRICE $3,295 as reviewed
AT A GLANCE
Plus
Stellar audio high quality
Modern-looking
elements
Minus
Android app is fairly primary
iOS app very restricted
Doesn’t at the moment assist true high-res listening
THE VERDICT
The audio system sound wonderful and the W Studio soundbar is a house run even with out its multiroom capabilities, however the restricted Play-Fi app for streaming leaves Def Tech’s W system lagging behind the perfect multiroom methods.
For some time, audio producers appeared resigned to offer it the ol’ “lie again and consider England” routine when it got here to accepting Sonos because the dominant power within the wi-fi audio world. Positive, they won’t have appreciated it, however they weren’t providing any compelling alternate options of their very own. And whereas there had been some challengers prior to now, most fell nicely in need of the Sonos benchmark and shortly light.
This tide has modified currently, nevertheless, and the battle for wi-fi audio is heating up. A number of methods are actually providing their spin on wi-fi music distribution and hoping to take a chunk out of the Wi-Fi audio pie. And in contrast to previous makes an attempt, a number of of those new options should not solely good, they’re nice. Darryl Wilkinson not too long ago reviewed two high rivals for Sonos’ throne, Bluesound (S&V, June 2014) and Denon’s HEOS (S&V, January 2015). Now, well-regarded speaker producer Definitive Know-how is throwing its hat into the ring by embracing Play-Fi in its new Wi-fi Assortment.
