Aug 25, 2009

Sony, Best Buy Debut Custom 'Altus' Electronics

Sony and Best Buy announced Tuesday that they will partner on a new line of audio products, dubbed Altus.  The Altus line will include wireless music systems, as well as speakers and home theater products, the companies said. Most of the products are currently available for pre-order on sonystyle.com and will be in Best Buy stores in September. They will include two iPod docking systems.

The $700 ALT-SA31iR will include an iPod/iPhone docking station and two high-output wireless speakers. It will also feature an AM/FM tuner, and an S-AIR remote control with LCD display. That display will show album, artist and track information.

Its smaller counterpart, the AIR-SW10Ti, will include a compact docking station with two built-in speakers and a wireless subwoofer. It has a maximum output of 60 watts RMS and includes an infrared remote control and FM tuner. It will also be able to transmit wireless audio with other Altus and S-AIR products. It will retail for $400. Both products are available for pre-order and will be in Best Buy stores in September.

On the wireless PC front, Sony is introducing two multi-room packages.  The ALT-SA32PC includes an S-AIR transmitter that connects to your computer via USB and two high-output wireless speakers. The USB connection will stream audio from your PC to the speakers wirelessly. It will retail for $500.  The ALT-A33PC also has the USB S-AIR transmitter for wireless audio, but includes a universal receiver that will connect to other audio products via RCA outputs so users can stream to other music systems. It will retail for $200.

Altus will also feature the $350 ALT-SA34R Socket Speaker package, which includes wireless speakers that plug into any power outlet and are controllable via LCD remote. (full Story)

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