Wireless playing of immersive movie soundtracks across a 7.1.4 speaker setup was the key improvement that Xperi demonstrated at IFA. A Philips TV that was Play-Fi compliant served as the demonstration's source and streamed audio to a Philips Fidelio FB1 7.1.2 soundbar. Along with the FB1, that company's F1 wireless speakers and W1 wireless subwoofer were used for height and surround effects, respectively.
I was unaware that Play-Fi could support two subwoofer installations until now. But for Xperi's 7.1.4 demo, which needed to be loud enough to compete sonically with loud construction machinery being utilised to set up a nearby booth, we made do with a single sub. The dangers of IFA press day, ah.
The Play-Fi demo's simple Home Theater Setup menu on the TV was what I found to be most impressive. With this, viewers can enter an onscreen menu to add soundbars and speakers and customise settings like speaker channels, volumes, and delays much like they would in an AV receiver's menu if their TV is Play-Fi-enabled, which is currently only available on Philips TVs.
To configure your 7.1.4 surround system, however, you don't necessarily need a Play-Fi-enabled TV because the Play-Fi app also provides you access to those same options. But if you do have a Play-Fi TV, you can designate it as a "speaker" in a multiroom setup, giving you yet another location to play music throughout your entire home.
Gapless music playback is the second Play-Fi feature that Xperi unveiled at IFA. This is important mostly for classical music since listeners may not want to hear audible pauses in a symphony's sections. Play-Fi going gapless will also be advantageous for extended DJ mixes.
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An easy way for viewers to add multichannel wireless speaker outputs to their TV is through the new DTS Play-Fi Home Theater Setup menu. (Future image credit)
400 items from 30 brands are now supported by the DTS Play-Fi product ecosystem, and the number of licensees for the business is expanding. Play-Fi first served as a method for streaming stereo music to wireless all-in-one speakers, but with the inclusion of multichannel audio support—first at 5.1 channels and now at 7.1.4—the Play-Fi platform is beginning to resemble a competitive alternative to gear like AV receivers.
For viewers looking to upgrade to better, more immersive sound, using a TV as the source for wireless playback to a Dolby Atmos soundbar together with surround speakers and a subwoofer is quick and inexpensive. And as DTS demonstrated at IFA, even novice users won't find the setup intimidating thanks to the procedure' simplicity. Simply turn on the TV, choose the wireless speakers from an onscreen menu, and you're ready to go.
Along with the upgrades, Xperi also disclosed a new collaboration at IFA with Vestal, the manufacturer of TVs under the Toshiba and JVC brands, to integrate Play-Fi wireless music streaming technology into its products. TCL and Hisense also announced partnerships for soundbars made by those companies. In the future, if Play-Fi is integrated into either of those two rapidly expanding TV brands, it might spell the end of the A/V receiver and usher in a new era in which immersive audio is made simpler, more accessible, and more affordable.
TechRadar is in Berlin for IFA 2022, Europe's largest tech expo, to bring you all the latest news and announcements as well as our firsthand experiences with the new TVs, wearables, audio equipment, and other gadgets on display.
