Back at CES, we got a sneak peak at RIVA Audio's new multi-room wireless audio products. The company has now officially unveiled the new WAND Series, which will consist of two tabletop speakers: the Festival and the smaller, portable Arena (which can be battery-powered). Both speakers incorporate RIVA's Trillium technology to produce bigger sound from smaller cabinets, and both models support a variety of wireless streaming technologies: Wi-Fi, DDMS, Spotify Connect, AirPlay, DLNA, Bluetooth, and Google Cast. You can link up to 32 speakers together in a whole-house system and control it all via the WAND app. The Festival and Arena speakers will be available in November.
From RIVA Audio
Audio manufacturer RIVA, the lifestyle brand of Audio Design Experts, Inc. (ADX), has introduced the WAND Series, a customizable and easy-to-use multi-space audio system that delivers high-quality, patented stereophonic sound from a single speaker. The result is an unrivaled audio experience that can play to any room or outdoor location from any networked or online source, offering a new way to wirelessly play all your favorite music without restrictions. The system is easy to set up and use, thanks to the RIVA WAND app that can easily create zones, stream different music/audio content through the environment and voice control the system. The RIVA WAND Series will include the ARENA and FESTIVAL speakers and is expected to be available for purchase in late November at RIVA Audio retailers and at rivaaudio.com.
"Many talented people have worked very hard to bring such quality and flexibility at a very affordable price," noted company Chairman and Chief Creative Officer Rikki Farr. "They've created a compact, open system that consumers can play with any source. Finally, I can listen to the music of my past played back as close to LIVE as it gets in a compact system that integrates into any situation! Very rewarding."
Listen to high-resolution music, podcasts, YouTube channels, or music services through multiple connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, DDMS, Spotify Connect, AirPlay, DLNA and Bluetooth. The WAND series is even Google Cast ready. Unlike most wireless speakers, the RIVA WAND series offers multiple connectivity options, from a single direct connection to a whole-environment wireless networked audio system that can simultaneously stream to up to 32 speakers without acoustic latency. Take the speakers outdoors and they can easily create their own ad hoc network. The ARENA model is splash resistant and, with the optional connected battery pack (16+ hours), can be used anywhere. The ARENA and FESTIVAL include analog and USB inputs with charge out for phones and tablets, and the FESTIVAL will also include an optical input. These inputs are beneficial for users with an existing wired or wireless system who want to introduce RIVA's superior Trillium audio into their home. No one is excluded.
Setup is easy and intuitive and guided through the RIVA WAND app. Once connected, pull up your music library or open a favorite streaming service to start listening immediately. Use the RIVA WAND app to create zones and stream different music throughout the home or business. You also have the freedom to play directly from your favorite third party apps.
RIVA's WAND Series features the compact RIVA ARENA and full-range tabletop RIVA FESTIVAL speakers, both featuring RIVA Audio's patented Trillium audio technology. Trillium is ADX's proprietary three-channel audio technology that enlarges the audio image while allowing the power of the audio to be reproduced. What does this mean for listeners? Trillium gives listeners an audio experience as close to live as it gets by using three discrete channels to create stereophonic sound much larger than the actual speaker size. Compare this to most wireless speakers that are mono or quasi-stereo. WAND products produce truly immersive sound with deep, powerful bass just about anywhere.
The compact RIVA ARENA speaker uses three full-range custom ADX drivers with three passive radiators to create up to 101 dB of enveloping sound. The ARENA can be configured for single or stereo pair use and will have an optional 16+ hour battery pack for use as a portable speaker. The RIVA FESTIVAL drives six custom ADX woofers and tweeters coupled with four passive radiators to produce up to 106 dB without dynamic range compression, while bass plays down to 38 Hz for excellent depth and impact. The ARENA and FESTIVAL setup and control is easy through the RIVA WAND app with supported voice commands. Both speakers are high-resolution compatible, playing music files up to 24-bit/192-kHz resolutions. Audio Codecs supported include: MP3, ALAC, APE, FLAC, FLAC HD, HLS, WMA Streaming, RTSP and PCM/WAV.
THE RIVA WAND SERIES INCLUDES:
Splash-Resistant I/O Cover
Patented Trillium audio technology
Voice Assistant (future)
IOT Connectivity (future)
72" International Power Cord
Braille Raised Control Dots
Free download of the RIVA WAND App for iOS or Android
3.5mm analog connector
Optical/SPDIF connector (RIVA FESTIVAL only)
Optional Battery Pack (RIVA ARENA only)
Charge Out for Phone or Tablet - 3.5mm analog connector, USB Type-A female for playback and reverse charging, DC figure 8 plug
Support for FLAC, FLAC HD, PCM/WAV, HLS protocol (HTTP Live Streaming), HTTP/1.1 Audio Transport, WMA Streaming (both MMS and WMS), RTSP, MP3, ALAC and APE audio formats
The RIVA WAND Series will be in-store in November and range from $249 to $499. The ARENA will be available in Black/Titanium and White/Silver. The FESTIVAL will be available in Black/Titanium.
Additional Resources
• CES 2016 Show Report and Photo Slideshow at HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Riva Audio Turbo X Bluetooth Speaker Reviewed at HometheaterReview.com.
