Last year, I reviewed NetStreams' DigiLinX, an advanced IP-based audio system that captured our Editor's Choice Award for multiroom product of the year. So my curiosity was piqued when I heard about the Colorado vNet Vibe audio distribution system. Not only did the company claim to offer similarly cutting-edge IP audio distribution and sound quality, but also an affordable touchpanel interface. Plus, Vibe promised ultrasimple installation and virtually no programming. This I had to see.
Components communicate via a network router or switch, and Colorado vNet recommends creating a separate Vibe network (independent from your computer network) to maintain reliability. Depending on the number of Vibe components, Colorado vNet offers three switches: 8-port ($270), 16-port ($200), and 24-port ($860).
Vibe components connect to the network switch via Cat-5, and the speakers attach directly to the Vibe Color Touchscreen Amplifiers (the in-wall CA1-70, $1,300, or the desktop CA1-70D, $1,450) with standard speaker cable. Each touchscreen also includes line-level audio outputs configurable for either fixed or variable output — perfect for large rooms requiring an external amp to drive multiple speakers or for adding extra bada-boom via a subwoofer.
The touchscreens receive power from AC adapters that can be wired in one of two ways. Ideally, running an additional two-conductor cable along with the Cat-5 ensures that each panel delivers its full 70-watt output. But if only one Cat-5 is available — say, in a retrofit — Colorado vNet offers the PC1-1 power coupler ($30) to allow both power and control signals to travel over a single Cat-5.
The rear panel of the Vibe Audio Server (available as the 500-GB, three-stream AS1-800/3, $3,150, or the 800-GB, six-stream AS1-1250/6, $4,750) looks like no audio component you've ever seen before, with nary a single RCA jack to be found! Besides power, the only connections are two Ethernet jacks: one for the Colorado vNet network and the other for broadband Internet through your home network. All audio signals — as many as 16 of them — travel over a single Cat-5 wire.
Either server can be outfitted with up to 10 TR1-1B Vibe AM/FM Tuner Blades ($390 each). These cards plug into the chassis in about 10 seconds. (Colorado vNet plans to add Sirius, XM, and HD Radio modules shortly). Vibe also supports the world's favorite portable music player, the iPod, with the ID1-1 Vibe Dock for iPod ($390). Since the dock connects via a single Cat-5, it can be installed anywhere in the home.
Finally, existing audio gear (such as cable boxes or CD players) is supported by the AE1-1 Vibe Audio Encoder ($390). The AE1-1 accepts analog and coaxial or optical digital signals and transforms them into IP for streaming over the network.
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The Short Form |
| Price $8,790 (AS TESTED), Base System Price $1,690 / coloradovnet.com / 970-203-3700 |
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Snapshot
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| With its superb "pick up and play" interface, the only thing easier than installing a Vibe system is using one. |
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Plus
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| •Incredibly simple to connect and program •The most user-friendly system we've seen •Attractive touchscreen interface |
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Minus
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| •Audio delay with Audio Encoder •No system control over the network |
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Key Features
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| Tested System •(2) CA1-70 touchscreen amps ($1,300 each) •AS1-1250/6 800-GB Audio Server ($4,750) •ID1-1 Dock for iPod ($390) •TR1-1B Tuner Blade ($390) •AE1-1 Audio Encoder ($390) •ES1-8G 8-port switch ($270) ••System scalable from 1-source/1-zone to 20-source/40-zone ••Supports legacy audio components ••iPod, AM/FM tuner options |
PERFORMANCE Right out of the gate, I was impressed by how much this system offers in such a tiny footprint. A single Vibe server can send out up to 16 independent streams (six from the server and as many as 10 AM/FM). An entire house can be driven from this one box, which installs in 5 minutes and connects with just one wire. To an installer who has spent many a full day in a cramped audio closet connecting gear, this is truly awe-inspiring.
Ultimately, a multiroom system's success lies with its control interface. A system must be easy enough for everyone to use, or it doesn't matter how great it looks or sounds. Here, the Vibe scores an A+. Not only does the 7-inch ultra-widescreen LCD (480 x 234) look great; its buttons are well spaced for easy operation, and its interface is phenomenally intuitive and easy to use. I handed the touchscreen to both my wife and brother with the only instruction, "Here. See if you can make this work." Within seconds, both navigated to the iPod and started browsing for music. The Vibe system might be the reigning ease-of-use champion.
Modern distribution systems must also display metadata — the album, artist, and track information embedded in digital audio files and some broadcasts. Fortunately, all of the Vibe components provide this, including the Audio Server, the iPod dock, and even the AM/FM blades, which deliver track info from Radio Data System signals (when available). Additionally, the touchscreens display album art from the server. The only time you're on your own is when you're streaming over the audio encoders.
Like many hard disk-based A/V components, the Vibe Audio Server includes a loud fan and should be located away from listening areas. Beyond loading discs via the server's 40X CD drive, music can be transferred from your existing PCs to the server through the vNet network using Colorado vNet's Director software, which is also used to create playlists. The server's broadband network connection lets it look up album information that's not recognized by the onboard AMG database.
Interestingly, the Audio Server supports only uncompressed WAV files. While this may be great for sound quality if you're ripping straight to the server, it's not so great for all of those compressed songs already on your hard drive. Fortunately, the Audio Server converts MP3, WMA, AAC, and AIFF files to WAV upon transfer to make them compatible for playback. Although this takes up more storage space on the server and won't raise sound quality back to that of the uncompressed original, it won't degrade sound quality, either.
Given that this is a system built around network distribution, I was surprised — and disappointed — that you can't control any components from Web-enabled devices. Once you've tried controlling a system from a remote room with a laptop, wireless PDA, or cellphone, it's hard to go back.
Audible delay (sound arriving at different rooms at slightly different times) is a hurdle that IP-based systems have had to overcome. If you're playing the same tunes in different zones simultaneously — during a party, for example — the ear can detect even small differences. Although there wasn't any noticeable delay between zones when using Vibe components, there was about a half-second delay from "live" programming when using the Vibe Audio Encoder. That was enough to make it unusable when trying to sync my cable box output to the picture in a remote room. This could also be a problem if you're trying to play an audio source — such as a CD — on a sound system and running the same source through an Encoder for playback in remote rooms.
Each touchscreen's stereo digital amplifier is rated 35 watts per channel and handles 4-ohm or greater loads, allowing a single touchscreen to drive two pairs of speakers if needed. Though the amps produced moderate to fairly loud listening levels, as I approached the upper range of the volume scale, audio started sounding strained and harsh, forcing me to back down. Additionally, the volume ramps up so slowly that the first third of the scale produces almost no output; the "sweet spot" for listening ended up being in the 50-60% range with my speakers. I did love that each touchscreen features a five-band equalizer to tailor the sound for each room. Each also includes a built-in IR receiver and comes with a handheld remote for operating the system away from the screen.
BOTTOM LINE For less than $1,700 you could pick up a single Vibe Touchscreen Amplifier and iPod dock and enjoy your Pod-tunes like never before. Even better, these components serve as the building blocks of a powerful audio distribution system expandable to 40 touchscreens with 20 simultaneous streams.
Further, the Colorado vNet Vibe audio distribution system easily integrates with Colorado vNet's lighting-control products. So, it not only fills your house with sound via one of the easiest interfaces around, it can also light up your world. As an installer and consumer, that leaves me with a really good vibe!
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