Creative Announces Creative Xdock Wireless & X-Fi Wireless Receiver
Creative has premiered the Creative Xdock Wireless at CES. The new system docks an iPod and plays music in Xtreme Fidelity – music “beyond CD quality” – via Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers in any room in the home. The Creative Xdock Wireless also connects directly to a powered speaker system or home theater system to play video, photos and music in DTS surround-sound. The Creative Xdock Wireless is designed to work seamlessly with the iPod and has been certified by Apple under the Made for iPod program.
“We’re thrilled that Creative is joining the iPod ecosystem with the launch of the Creative Xdock Wireless,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Just place your iPod in the Xdock and easily play music wirelessly in any room with the great sound quality of Xtreme Fidelity.” So does this mean that Creative and Apple are back to their lovemaking?? –Ed.)
Creative’s X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity is produced with X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D technology. The X-Fi Crystalizer makes MP3s allegedly sound better than CDs by analyzing and identifying which parts of the audio stream have been truncated or damaged during compression. It then intelligently and selectively restores the highs and lows from instruments and vocals that are damaged during the compression of MP3s. X-Fi CMSS-3D creates virtual surround sound through speakers or headphones. It upconverts audio for superior headphone listening so music completely surrounds the listener. Hmmmm… this could be pretty cool, if it works…
Features:
• Plays music through multiple Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers, which are sold separately, in different rooms of the home connected to powered speakers or a home theater system.
• Xtreme Fidelity
• A line-out for connection to powered speakers, which also functions as an optical-out to your home theater for DTS surround-sound
• S-video and composite video-out connections, so digital photos and videos stored on an iPod can be displayed on a TV screen.
• A wireless remote to navigate the iPod menu, adjust volume levels, and activate X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D.
• It docks and charges an iPod and includes line-in for connection of other audio devices.
• The Creative Xdock Wireless plays music up to 100 feet away without requiring a wireless network, via Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers
There are 2 different modes for music playback: broadcast and individual zones. The broadcast and zone modes allow the user to have complete control of whether music is played through every Creative X-Fi Wireless Receiver in the home, or specific Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers. In broadcast mode, multiple Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers can receive music in different rooms of the home. In zone mode, a user can turn on or off up to 4 different Creative X-Fi Wireless Receivers independently, to listen to music only in desired rooms. Each Creative X-Fi Wireless Receiver can be controlled with its own remote, to activate X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D, adjust volume, and control music playback.
The Creative Xdock Wireless will be available for $299 and the X-Fi Wireless Receiver will be available for $149 in March 2007. More information on the Creative Xdock Wireless.
