Roger Fingas
Devices compatible with DTS's Play-Fi multi-room wireless audio standard are now beginning to support Apple's AirPlay 2, according to an announcement.
The first two compatible products are the $599 Arcam rPlay music streamer and the $3,000 McIntosh RS200 wireless loudspeaker, DTS said. More additions are slated for later this year.
AirPlay 2 will allow Play-Fi gear to be controlled via Siri or Apple's Home app, including integration into groups and scenes. DTS noted that Play-Fi was already compatible with Amazon's Alexa voice assistant, meaning that people will be able to switch assistants depending on their smartspeaker setup.
Some other audio makers that make Play-Fi equipment include Audiolab, Dish TV, Klipsch, Onkyo, Pioneer, and Polk.
TV makers like Samsung are meanwhile in the process of adding AirPlay 2 for video, setting the stage for services like Apple TV+ and Apple TV Channels.
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Chip Loder
4 Comments
I have an Integra (Onkyo) receiver. I reached out to them earlier this year about AirPlay 2 compatibility and the response was there were no plans. Then I realized I had referenced the incorrect and older model receiver than I have. Oops. Mine currently supports Play-Fi and AirPlay (1) so hopefully this will be good news.
What I did in the mean time was run to the Apple Store and pickup an AirPort Express (one of the last?), attached that to the receiver and use it to supply audio to my second zone. It’s nice as I we can AirPlay to it from our Apple TV that’s also in the second zone. But it would be better if I could take the AirPort Express out of the equation.
Back up. Is the gist of that rPlay thing that it simply streams to any pair of speakers or sound system like the Airport Express? That’s huge and awesome.
[edit] oh it’s $600, of course
My main impression about this article is that McIntosh, a very high-end consumer audio component manufacturer, is using AirPlay 2, implying that AP2 is of high enough audio quality for very discerning listeners (FYI: I am not that type). I didn't not know or expect this from AP2. I thought AP2 was a method of sending audio to TVs and other devices not normally considered for high audio quality. Color me impressed. I don't know if Arcam is in the same league as McIntosh.