Multi-Room Audio Solution

[mtrogdor]

I have an STR-DN1080 for my HT setup that supports airplay and chromecast audio. I'd like to get a couple of wifi speakers that can be grouped with that.

I'm looking most closely at the Riva Wand Series since it supports both of those protocols out of the box. I'd love to hear that my A/V receiver and these speakers are going to get updated to support airplay 2, but barring that, chromecast audio should provide me with some level of multiroom capability.

Anyone have experience using chromecast audio (specifically using iOS devices) for multiroom, or with the riva wand speakers specifically?

I'm aware of Sonos and HEOS, but I'm not clear on how well they'll support multiroom, seems like I'd have to give up linking in my existing audio equipment.

Thanks

 

[BMXTRIX]

I haven't played with multi-room much outside of wired solutions and Sonos, but Chromecast with iOS devices is a very slim-pickings deal. iOS is Airplay. That's what they build and design around, so if you are going to go for some wireless solution, in a iOS home, then you want to talk Airplay the entire way through the conversation.

Sony's support of Airplay looks like it is non-existent. Chromecast shows some support, but their main connection type is Bluetooth, which is not wi-fi based, and is often range limited for in-home use.

I would be looking towards a more comprehensive wi-fi solution for the home that comes from a company that actually focuses on whole-house audio. Sonos has been a class leader for a while, and there is a reason for that.

I can't even figure out what Sony is trying to deliver with their connected devices as they seem to be all over the place as to how it can be used with zero simplicity or direct focus in any area that they can explain.

 

[mtrogdor]

Update for anyone who finds this thread later:

I purchased one Riva Festival and one Riva Arena. I used the google home app on an iPhone to connect them to my home network and group them with my A/V receiver into a house group. This worked for apps like Pandora that support Chromecast Audio.

I also found a free, open-source application called air connect that ports chromecast receivers over to airplay. It runs on windows or linux, so when I run it on my windows pc, I can use airplay to stream music from my phone with any app that only supports airplay to the chromecast group.

Sound Quality Vs Sonos is very comparable. I don't own Sonos so I can't do a side-by-side, but I was able to listen to the same song on a few Sonos Play 3 and then go home and listen to the Riva speakers. I don't feel qualified to rule one or the other better. I will say that my HT setup with a 50W 10" subwoofer and some lower end floor speakers still sounds better, so I'm very pleased to be able to integrate that in.

I am also impressed with how well both Riva speakers spread sound throughout the room, so that the sound continues to be clear as you move around the room and has stereo definition despite the small source.

My next plan is to add a bluetooth transmitter to the Zone 2 Outs on the A/V receiver so that I can send from the receiver to a portable bluetooth speaker on the deck.