YAMAHA EXPANDS MUSICCAST

Yamaha has expanded its award-winning MusicCast multi-room audio system with two new models, the WXC-50 and WXA-50, which enable users to either connect their existing audio equipment to the MusicCast system (using the WXC-50) or power their existing loudspeakers with an amplifier (WXA-50) that is able to link to other MusicCast equipment. Both models support Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, AirPlay and DNLA and can handle MP3, WMA, MPEG4 AAC, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC, and DSD file types.

Yamaha’s Expand WXC-50 ($479) preamplifier brings multi-room functionality to existing amplifiers and AV receivers, even if they don’t have network connectivity, enabling owners to unlock a wide variety of audio content including music streaming services. Also, because the Expand WXC-50 also shares content with other MusicCast components (via an intuitive app interface), multi-room connectivity becomes possible.

The Yamaha Expand Amplifier (WXA-50) is a 2.1-channel amplifier capable of converting any pair of loudspeakers—and subwoofer, if necessary— into a MusicCast-enabled audio solution. Simply connect the Expand WXA-50 to any pair of existing loudspeakers and you’ll be able to send music to them wirelessly from any other MusicCast component anywhere in your home. Yamaha rates its power output at 70-watts per channel into 6 . The Expand WXA-50 sells for $699 (RRP).