We recently had the chance to meet up with experts from DTS Play-Fi. At our meeting, we were treated to a few demos of new soundbars that will have DTS Play-Fi technology. As expected with DTS Play-Fi, the sound was immersive and thunderous in a good way. The DTS Play-Fi app was also updated to a friendlier UI for a better user experience. Read the press release below to see the brands and products coming out this year with DTS Play-Fi technology.
For clarity, with DTS Play-Fi, you can create a multi-room hi-fi system over a wifi connection. The technology has been around for about a decade and the app is available on major operating systems. With it, you can pair certain soundbars, subwoofers, and televisions for hi-fi music and movie streaming. With the new update, you can add up to two subwoofers to a Play-Fi setup. Adding compatible Play-Fi-enabled TVs into the mix allows you to use the TV speakers as part of the theater system. Affordable TV brands like TCL and Hisense will be joining the lineup.
DTS Play-Fi Expands Their Technology and Lineup
DTS, a global leader in developing extraordinary next-generation audio, imaging, and sensing technology and a wholly owned subsidiary of Xperi Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: XPER) (“Xperi”), revealed to select press at an event in New York City that DTS Play-Fi continues to expand its “Hi-Fi over Wi-Fi” technology to wirelessly support the latest immersive surround formats in soundbars and speakers and bring new speaker layout flexibility to 2022 TVs.
Introducing Play-Fi Home Theater for Soundbars
Play-Fi Home Theater for Soundbars brings flexible wireless immersive surround sound to the latest generation of Play-Fi soundbars, speakers, and subwoofers. Based on the award-winning technology introduced in TVs, consumers can create their own home theater using any number of Play-Fi products as building blocks. Up to two subwoofers can be added to Play-Fi home theater compatible soundbars for extra bass, and optional rear satellites or amplifiers can be added for a complete surround sound supporting configurations up to 7.2.4. All wireless connections are made over industry-standard Wi-Fi, a market first for a 7.2.4 surround sound system. Play-Fi Home Theater supports the latest immersive audio formats including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and IMAX Enhanced and all compatible products feature Hi-Res 24-bit/192kHz playback, multi-room music and TV audio, and private listening through the Play-Fi Headphones App for iOS and Android.
The new Philips Fidelio FB1 Soundbar, FW1 Subwoofer, and FS1 Speaker, launching later this year, will be the first products supporting this new family of features.
Play-Fi Home Theater for TVs Enhancements
Available beginning with 2022 TV models, Play-Fi Home Theater for TVs will include exciting new features allowing Play-Fi speakers or amplifiers to be used either as stereo pairs with the TV, or alternatively to be used as left and right speakers with the TV serving as the center channel for a surround sound system. This functionality augments existing home theater functionality enabled in 2021 TVs including:
- Using the TV’s built-in speakers as the front channels of a surround system or upgrading them with a Play-Fi-enabled soundbar to improve audio quality without wiring between TVs and external speakers or electronics
- Adding Play-Fi enabled speakers as surround speakers to fully immerse the listener in sound
- Adding up to two Play-Fi-enabled subwoofers to bring deep, room-shaking bass to your TV
- Utilizing Play-Fi’s complementary functionality, like multi-room grouping of the TV with Play-Fi enabled speakers for music and TV audio, and app-based headphone listening
These enhancements are launching with the latest 2022 Philips Ambilight TVs running on Android TV including “The One” (PUS8807), Philips MiniLED PML9507 and the full Philips OLED TV line up. 2021 Philips TVs supporting Play-Fi Home Theater will receive an OTA upgrade supporting the latest features.
New and Recently Launched Play-Fi Products
New products continue to launch featuring DTS Play-Fi in 2022 and more products are on the way. Products that have launched or are launching soon include:
- Audiolab Omnia Streaming Amplifier
- Hisense AX2106GW 2.1 Soundbar
- Hisense U5120GW 5.1.2 Soundbar
- Integra DRX-2.4, DRX-3.4, DRX-5.4 AVRs
- Loewe klang bar5 mr 5.1.2 Soundbar
- Loewe klang mr1, mr3, and mr5 Speakers
- Onkyo TX-NR5100, TX-NR6050, TX-NR6100, TX-NR7100, and TX-RZ50 AVRs
- Full 2022 range Philips Ambilight TVs running on Android TV
- Philips Fidelio FB1 7.1.2 Soundbar
- Philips Fidelio FW1 Subwoofer
- Philips Fidelio FS1 Speaker
- Philips B8907 Soundbar
- Philips B8507 Soundbar
- Pioneer VSX-LX105, VSX-LX305, VSX-LX505 AVRs
- SVS Prime Wireless Pro Powered Speakers
- SVS Prime Wireless Pro Streaming Amplifier
The DTS Play-Fi ecosystem features the largest collection of products in the whole-home wireless audio space, with hundreds of interoperable speakers, televisions, sound bars, set-top boxes and A/V receivers available from the top names in premium audio including Aerix, Anthem, Arcam, Audiolab, Definitive Technology, DISH TV, Elite, Hisense, Integra, Klipsch, Loewe, MartinLogan, McIntosh, Onkyo, Paradigm, Philips, Phorus, Pioneer, Polk Audio, Porsche Design, Quad, Rotel, Sonus faber, SVS Sound, TCL, Wharfedale and Wren Sound.
