Philips NP2900 boasts big sweet spot

Philips today launched a Wi-Fi media streamer as part of its Streamium range, the NP2900, that uses the company's LivingSound technology to "vastly expand" the stereo sweet spot.

The four-speaker, four-amplifier (30W) device uses wired or 802.11b/g wireless home networking to grab MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Flac and non-DRM AAC and WMA files from a PC or Mac.

LivingSound combines a digital signal processor with precise arrangements of multiple speaker drivers and amplifiers. The result is claimed to be a wider yet more balanced dispersion of stereo sound throughout a room, without any sound artefacts or distortion.

Clean up your compressed MP3s

The DSPs are at work again in Philips FullSound technology, which seeks to enhance the dynamics, bass, treble and stereo imaging of highly-compressed MP3 files.

A digital audio algorithm and DSP analyse the sound track "ten million times per second" to recompute the audio signal and, Philips claims, "brings MP3 tracks closer to the CD quality".

The UPnP NP2900 streamer can also connect to thousands of free internet radio stations and Real Networks' Rhapsody music service (with a 30 day free trial).

A 4-inch LCD display shows album art and allows for full alphanumeric text searching of larger music collections.

The NP2900 will be available in May for around £249.