Yamaha Announces 4-Zone Streaming Music Amplifier for Custom Channel

Yamaha unveiled the XDA-QS5400RK multiroom streaming amplifier for the custom channel as part of its MusicCast line. The rack-mountable amps deliver four zones of streaming audio into eight channels, and can send audio to AV receivers, sound bars and hi-fi gear, said the company. The amps can be daisy-chained for up to 32 zones, it said. Supported streaming services are Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM Internet Radio, SiriusXM Music for Business, Tidal, Deezer and Napster. Devices such as TVs and turntables connected to MusicCast receivers and sound bars can be linked to QS zones for simultaneous playback, Yamaha said, and analog sources can connect directly to the Aux input on the QS for access in any zone. A “cut-in” input is able to automatically sense an input signal and temporarily override a selected source to enable integration of media players, CD changers and paging systems into a multi-zone audio system, it said. Release date for the QS is November at $2,699, Yamaha said.