Jordan O'BrienNAD Electronics has revealed two of its upcoming multi-zone streaming products designed for performance distributed audio systems for the custom installation market.
Augmenting the company’s Custom Integrator (CI Series) the CI 580 (£999 SRP) will be a four-zone streamer featuring BluOS. The CI 720 Network Stereo Zone Amp (£599 SRP), will also include BluOS and is being marketed as a single, stereo zone network streamer featuring NAD’s hybrid digital amplification.
As part of the company’s renewed commitment to the CI market, NAD digital innovation will soon be available to select Custom Integrators to create advanced distributed High Res Audio systems.
Both of these new network music players feature BluOS, the operating system developed by Bluesound, as the first High Resolution Multi-room Wireless audio solution.
BluOS, developed by Bluesound, was created as the first high resolution multi-room wireless audio solution and features a deep integration with several control systems, including Control4, Crestron, RTI and URC. BluOS also has a published API allowing developers to extend functionality.
The CI 580 packs four stereo zones into a 1U rack space. Zones can be synchronised (up to 36) or can play individual streams, all in full 24-bit resolution with sample rates up to 192kHz. A system interrupt is also included, lowering volume so you can hear when the doorbell or alarm sounds.
NAD says with its latest products, the focus is squarely on performance with DACs, OPAmps and passive circuit components selected for musical sound quality. Multiple CI 580s can be used to provide as many zones as required, CI and setup is supposedly simple using the BluOS App. Multiple Zone Groups are fully supported.
The CI 580 is being touted as the ideal solution for both new and retrofit installations that feature wired speaker home runs. While the NAD CI 980 Amplifier is the designed for the CI 580 it can be easily interfaced to any quality amplifier.
The ‘blade’ form factor allows up to six Network Zone streamers to occupy a single 3U rack space. The slim form factor means it can also reside locally in the zone – behind a flat screen TV for example – where the analogue and digital inputs can accommodate the local source in addition to the network stream.
To facilitate mounting the CI 720 in a rack, NAD will offer the RM 720 Rack Mount Accessory for CI 720 €329 / $299 MSRP. This accessory allows six CI 720s to occupy a 3U rack space in a distributed audio system.
For additional convenience, the RM 720 includes network switching and provision for power management so only one Ethernet cable and one AC cable needs to be run to the rack, greatly simplifying installation and providing a neat and tidy result.
CI 720 also features five analogue and digital inputs, which can support cable boxes and other non-network sources and makes them available and selectable in every zone. Additional features include USB input, Ethernet In/Out, standard network protocols and universal voltage (100-240).
“As the custom market continues to grow, NAD believes that innovative performance solutions will differentiate the true custom integrators from the less skilled tradesmen and DIY solutions coming to market” explains Greg Stidsen, director of technology and product planning for NAD Electronics.
“NAD has deep roots in the custom market and our new CI multi-zone BluOS streamers showcase our proprietary technologies in ways that deliver valuable benefits to both the quality-oriented custom integrator and their clients.”
At High End 2016, NAD will be exhibiting in the Dynaudio booth in the Atrium 3.1 Hall, stand C112. NAD personnel will be on hand to present the CI 720 and CI 580 as well as many other models and answer any questions you might have. The CI 720 is expected to ship in June 2016 with CI 580 available in August.
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