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Qualifi the Melbourne based distributor who missed out on distributing the new Bluesound wireless audio system could still end up with Bluesound enabled Hi Fi systems after NAD announced a new Master series that comes with Bluesound 24Bit Wireless Audio technology capability.
Qualifi who are already distributor of NAD and PSB products
which are owned by the same Company that makes the Bluesound gear will have the
NAD systems on sale in Australia by October.
Lenbrook Industries who own both Bluesound and NAD is adding
the Bluesound wireless-network multiroom-audio technology to select NAD Master-series
audio components.
The new series is designed to appeal to consumers 30+ who
are looking for quality Hi Fi, 24Bit sound output and the latest in wireless
technology, the new features are the second round in a series of major upgrade
for the Hi Fi range.
Last year, the brand
launched a network receiver, DAC /amplifier, USB DAC, and headphones to target
a younger generation of music enthusiasts who connect to PCs, smartphones and but
have shunned full-size audio components.
The new Master series is intended to appeal to a slightly older
group who has “started to amass money to buy better things,” John Banks,
Lenbrook’s chief brand officer told TWICE Magazine.
These consumers, are “practical, no-nonsense” people who
aren’t interested in exclusive luxury goods but are interested in getting “the
most sound for their dollar,” which has been NAD’s core value since its
inception, he said.
These emerging component-audio customers, and others, have
gravitated in recent years to products that offer “high functionality” but not
high performance, Banks said.
The new functionality also resonates with “traditional
audiophiles,” he added. With the launch, NAD is offering a more full-featured
and high-resolution wireless multiroom solution compared with its previous
wireless AirPlay and DLNA offerings, said Greg Stidsen, Lenbrook’s technology
and product planning director. “AirPlay
and DLNA are limited multiroom,” he said.
“To get synchronization and gapless playback features, you
have to add custom software.” NAD’s adoption of Bluesound’s BluOS “addresses
all those issues as a fat client with everything streaming asynchronously for
best sound quality. We can have eight wireless rooms, or 36 wired rooms, all
play in sync.”
Bluesound shipped its first high-performance audio products
in 2013, but none took the shape of a traditional hi-fi component, the range
will be launched in Australia by Convoy in the last quarter via specialist
dealers.
NAD will incorporate Bluesound’s BluOS into a Modular Design
Construction (MDC) module that can be dealer- or user-installed into the back
of select NAD components to turn them into wireless Bluesound-system streamers.
The DD BluOS module plugs into the currently available C
390DD integrated stereo amp in the Classic Series and into the new
Master-series M12 two-channel digital preamp/DAC, available in October without the
module.
Additional stereo components will be developed to accept the
module. NAD is also developing a separate Bluesound MDC module for A/V
receivers and A/V preamp processors.
That module that could also ship in October, will be
compatible with all MDC-capable AVRs and A/V preamp/processors offered since
2006 and with the new Master-series M17 A/V preamp processor.
The MDC modules will enable the NAD components to stream
music, including high-resolution audio, via Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet from a PC,
NAS drive or Bluesound Vault.
The module, which comes with included Wi-Fi adapter, also
incorporates Bluetooth with AptX, enabling a Bluetooth stream to be redirected
home-wide to other Bluesound streamers. Music stored on hard drives and USB
sticks plugged into the NAD components can also be redirected to Bluesound streamers.
