What is the Crystal Acoustics WiDaptor? Simply put, it is a device to add multi-room functionality to your existing or any audio system, whatever its vintage may be. This is a tiny and compact box which allows it to stream music wirelessly from DLNA devices or from online services like Spotify. It will then pipe it through your stereo system with the use of its analogue output.
Got an Old Speaker System? Make it Into a Wireless Multi-Room Setup With the Crystal Acoustics WiDaptor
For its looks, the Crystal Acoustics WiDaptor is a small, thin black box with curved corners. It has a pleasant matte finish at 75-millimeters in width and 17-millimeters in thickness. Therefore, it can be discreetly placed on top of your current audio system or be neatly tucked away. However, the build quality is not as great as you would hoped it to be. The body feels very light and hollow, but this is to be expected especially when you take a look at its price tag.
At its top, there are three LEDs which glow either blue or green to indicate the unit’s power, connection status, and Wi-Fi. These LEDs are remarkably bright; so much so that you may not be able to see the icons that are above them.
There is a USB port located on its left side which is used to support music playback from USB thumb drives. There is also the WPS button found on the right for easing up the Wi-Fi connection process. At its back are two 3.5-millimeter mini-jack ports. The output will connect to the stereo system whereas the input will allow you to play your tracks from portable devices. There is also an Ethernet port as well as a micro-USB port, wherein the latter will power the system when connected to the mains with the use of a USB plug, which unfortunately is not readily included in the package.
Despite the feeling of connecting a fairly large audio system to a miniscule device, the Crystal WiDaptor presents decent sound quality. However, this is not a product made for the audiophile market. Still, casual listeners will be more than happy to be able to experience a multi-room setup, especially if it’s their first time doing so.
The Crystal Acoustics WiDaptor is a reasonably-priced alternative for more expensive multi-room speakers. For the most part, it does offer an impressive job. However, for those who want a more ear-gasmic audio experience, this may not be for you.