Around this time last year, Russound launched a new audio platform and dubbed it XStream.
The company that was so well known for its many hardwired solutions was going wireless! If you want to get technical, the solution could go either way, making it an option for both hardwired and wireless applications.
Now, Russound is introducing a slew of new products into the XStream line. First up is the XStream X5, a custom installed system that features a Wi-Fi-enabled controller, a streamer, and an amp — all in one device. It can be controlled via an app or a keypad, and tap into streaming services such as Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, Radio and vTuner. Additional services are expected to follow later this year.
Also important to note is that the X5 can integrate and control other audio video products. It has a built-in infrared library, which can turn a keypad or smart device into a universal remote.
Next in the new lineup is a trio of products known as the X1 Professional Wireless Audio Expansion Platform. That mouthful comprises three products: the X1-TX8 4-Zone Multi-channel Wireless Transmitter, the X1-RX2 Wireless Line-level Audio Receiver, and the X1-RX220 Wireless Audio Receiver Amplifier.
The X1-TX8 is a four-zone wireless audio expansion transmitter with four stereo inputs and plenty of wireless options. That lineup includes 2.4-, 5.2-, and 5.8GHz operation, as well as both channel-hopping and fixed-channel capabilities. Russound points out that this is not a Wi-Fi product. Instead, it relies on a proprietary digital wireless signal, which promises “a more reliable, lower latency connection between the transmitter and receivers.”
Speaking of which, you will also need a receiver, which is where the X1-RX2 and X1-RX220 come in. The RX2 is simple and can communicate directly with the TX8, up to 100 feet. It also outputs a signal in line-level or optical digital form, so you can pair it with an external amp. The RX220 has its own 2×20 WRMS amplifier inside, so it can deliver audio directly to a pair of connected speakers. It has the same 100-foot range, but doesn’t need additional cables or components.
All three of the new X1 products weigh in under a pound and are compact enough to integrate into any setup.
Russound expects all of the above units to be available by the end of the current quarter. The X5 will carry an MSRP of $849. The X1-TX8 will be priced at $319, with the X1-RX2 and X1-RX220 coming in at $249 and $399, respectively.
The X1-TX8 4-Zone Multi-channel Wireless Transmitter.
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