Paradigm Looking Past Play-Fi for Controllable Wireless Multiroom Audio

Paradigm is selling through its inventory of Play-Fi products while “looking for other options” for a multiroom wireless audio technology, Joey Perfito, central regional sales manager, told us at the ProSource spring conference in San Antonio. The company's product development team is studying options, he said. On the change of strategy, “Play-Fi sounds great when it works,” but the product “wasn’t as reliable as we hoped,” Perfito said, saying Play-Fi didn’t address issues including connectivity, control and stability that industry demanded. With Sonos remaining the industry leader in wireless multiroom audio, “it doesn’t matter how good your product sounds,” he said. Dealers report they like Sonos because they “don’t have to go back and fix it, because it works,” he said. On the possibility Paradigm would partner with a competitor for a wireless multiroom audio solution, Perfito mentioned Heos, Bluesound and Sonos, saying: “I’m sure that there’s opportunities somewhere.” On what dealers are asking for, he said, they want something that works with control systems, "so that’s what we’re trying to give them.” Once next-generation HDMI chips are available for Anthem’s AV receivers, Play-Fi will no longer be an offered feature, he said. Paradigm is still supporting the platform, he said. Play-fi parent Xperi didn’t comment Thursday.