Speaker company PMC used the 2009 CEDIA UK Expo, which opened today in London, to announce two distribution deals enabling it to offer a complete range of wireless audio options.
The US-made Airfonix range, which comprises wireless transmitters and receivers, can be used to send audio around the room – or indeed the home – without cables, while the Free loudspeakers, co-developed by PMC and using the company's Advanced Transmission Line reflex loading technology, offer a choice of active, wireless or passive operation. See separate story for more on the Free speakers.
The Airfonix range, which includes transmitters for stereo and 5.1-channel systems, allows a stereo system to be set up from around £800. The system uses 24-bit transmission, along with smart channel selection to avoid interference, and has a 100m line-of-sight range.
Initial models include a stereo transmitter, with XLR, RCA phono and electrical digital input, and an alternative version without the XLRs but with high-level inputs allowing it to be used with speaker level outputs from a conventional amplifier. Both units sell for £425.
There will also be a USB key transmitter for use with computers, and an innovative 5.1-channel active transmitter, complete with surround processing, amplification for the front three channels in a surround system, and wireless transmission for the rear speakers.
Receiver options include a £375 passive stereo model, which needs to be used with external amplification, and an active version for £100 more, with a choice of 25Wpc operation or 50W mono.