SONICblue's Rio Digital Audio Center

If you're a fan of listening to music without hauling around tapes or CDs, here's a new gadget that lets you handle your MP3 and other electronic music formats pretty much without a computer while shooting tunes to receivers around your house. SONICblue just unveiled its Rio Advanced Digital Audio Center, a home stereo component that lets you store, organize, and access your personal CD and other digital music collections. The component works with existing stereo systems and acts as a player as well as a music distribution center for downloading music to portable players or playing music on companion Rio Receivers spread throughout the home. Features include a 40GB hard disk drive and the ability to stream music using an integrated 10mbps Home PNA connector (existing wires) or via a USB Ethernet adapter to support eight Rio Receivers at a time with the ability to play different music on different receivers simultaneously. It also includes a 24-bit 96kHz Burr Brown DAC; 115dB channel separation; 101.5dB S/N ratio; 0.002% THD+N; +0, -0.227dB frequency response (20Hz-20kHz); an integrated CD-RW drive that writes stored music onto standard audio CDs or MP3 data CDs (CD-R or CD-RW); a remote control; MP3 encoding that records music at up to 320kbps; MP3 and WMA playback; three USB ports (front and back); an auto-record function that digitally stores CDs as you listen at up to 10x normal speed; a 56 kbps modem; and RCA and optical outputs. MSRP for the Rio Advanced Digital Audio Center is $1,499.95. The Rio Audio Center is currently available for pre-order via SONICblue's website and, for a limited time, every Rio Audio Center sold will ship with a free Rio Receiver companion product (a $199.95 value). Initial shipments for all pre-orders will not begin until late January 2002.