The Soundform Connect Audio Adapter with AirPlay 2 was specifically engineered by Belkin to give a new life to traditional home stereo speakers and sound systems (receiver/amplifiers, active/powered speakers, and soundbar/home-theater systems), with the advantage that AirPlay 2 allows users to seamlessly stream audio without the hassle of pairing devices. Once the Soundform Connect is connected to any powered speaker or sound system with an optical or 3.5mm input, a user can simply tap the AirPlay icon on their compatible Apple device to start playing music or other audio.
With AirPlay 2–enabled speakers, users can also use voice control and ask Siri via their iPhone to play their favorite music or podcasts throughout the house, ask what's playing in each room, control the volume, and more. The adapter is seen as an AirPlay receiver, and also enables the speakers to be compatible with HomeKit, making it easy to assign them to different rooms and create scenes and automations in the Home app on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
The adapter supports any audio system using optical or 3.5mm inputs, which is a practical solution for integration with all kinds of installations. It is simply powered by USB-C. The only consideration is knowing that this adapter only supports up to 16-bit/44,1kHz (CD-quality) audio streaming. This is clearly targeted at multiroom and background music options with non-wireless audio equipment - anyone wishing to take advantage of Apple Music’s hi-res audio streaming (which is supported through AirPlay 2), will need to look elsewhere. But the concept clearly shows the way for further designs incorporating an Ethernet port (AirPlay also works over Ethernet), a hi-res compatible version with a USB port to connect to an external high-quality DAC, or even a complete AirPlay 2 receiver and high-quality DAC adapter. The demand is clearly there.
The Soundform Connect is the latest in a series of product launches from Belkin as the company dives deeper into the audio space. Off the heels of its Soundform Elite, a robust speaker in partnership with Devialet and its first foray into wireless sound with its Soundform True Wireless Earbuds, Belkin also recently announced the Soundform Freedom True Wireless Earbuds, one of the first third-party accessories to work with Apple's Find My Network. The Soundform Elite Hi-Fi Smart Speaker and Wireless Charger was unveiled at CES 2020 and it would have made a much bigger impression in the market if it wasn’t because of the global pandemic.
The Soundform Connect is available for purchase on Belkin.com with availability in select retailers coming soon and is competitively priced at $99.99.
www.belkin.com
