Multi-room audio distribution systems have made great strides over the years, and much to the delight of consumers, prices have come down as well. What used to be a product for only the rich and famous has become far more affordable for the average consumer thanks to advancements in wireless technology. But now, our friends at AudioControl are kicking things up another notch for the wireless crowd with debut of their Rialto 400 amplifier/DAC.
One of the most common complaints about affordable multi-room systems is that, while they do deliver on the promise of distribution, their sound quality is usually not much more impressive than what you hear in your dentist’s office. Music lacks any form of dynamics and you really have to crank the volume to break free of that sensation that it’s all just background noise.
With the Rialto 400, AudioControl has a new product that should appeal to both consumers and custom integrator because this little box has power – a lot more power than your in-wall or in-ceiling loudspeakers are accustomed to, to be sure.
The Rialto 400 is a compact, high-powered amplifier with a built-in Wolfson 24/96 audiophile-grade DAC (digital to analog converter) designed specifically to provide greater performance and higher sound quality for all analog and digital systems, including Sonos audio systems.
The Rialto 400’s amplifier delivers over 100 watts of power per channel into 8 ohms and 200 watts per channel into 4 ohm loads. The newly designed digital amplifier offers consumers the opportunity to drive much more demanding loudspeakers; an option that was really only available to users who could afford mega-buck multi-channel amplifiers in the past. This choice of the Wolfson DAC allows connected digital audio sources such as Apple TV, Pandora, and Spotify to provide higher quality sound with clearer, more accurate analog signals during playback.
The Rialto 400 also offers a sufficient number of digital and analog inputs, including PCM to connect with digital audio outputs from televisions and a 12V trigger for use with control and automation systems. Toslink, coaxial, line level RCA, 1/8″ audio and speaker level inputs for interfacing with source units without line-level outputs are included in the specification.
The Rialto 400 also features an integrated headphone jack for use in other applications such as gaming systems or with personal audio products such as headphones.
If you own something like a Sonos Connect, the Rialto 400 could be a viable way to take your wireless home audio system to the next level.
The Rialto 400 is available through AudioControl authorized dealers a suggested retail price of $800.