Low latency wireless audio is getting real.
After more than 1,000 people have registered for the crowd creation process, the first phase of project iWA has been successfully completed. It is time for wireless audio by CME.
Many of you took the time to provide feedback and share your ideas through the first blog post. It has already been very helpful and has sparked a lot of discussion about the next step of this project.
Now it's time to enter the next phase and make project iWA more real for you. Feel welcome to share your thoughts, invite your friends and activate your community.
Help us build the technology you want!
Wireless Speaker: First design concept!
First of all, we would like to know what you think of this look. Keep in mind that this is just a concept. It is certainly not (yet) the final product.
The speaker is designed to be super portable with power supply via AC power and a rechargeable Li-ion battery. For reference, an iPad is added to show the portable size of the speaker with dimensions in mm of 243 (L) x 172 (H) x150 (W).
How does it feel to you? Is this the right direction? Or not?
Portable wireless audio speaker with iPad
Separate transmitter/receiver (TX/RX)
Many of you have pointed out that you prefer to keep using your own speaker system for making music. There is no immediate need to replace your monitors. At the same time, that doesn't take away from your need for low-latency wireless audio.
We heard you about that.
As mentioned in the first blog, our idea is to implement an alternative wireless technology to the currently widely used Bluetooth technology.
This alternative technology is needed to deliver ultra-low latency up to 24-bit/48kHz wireless audio in stereo, without compression, with long battery life and accessible prices.
Due to your request for a TX/RX solution, we have split the project into two parts. Basically, one speaker and separate audio transmission adapters.
- CME speaker with latest Bluetooth 5 LE Audio and expandable iWA receiver
- iWA TX/RX ultra-low latency adapter
This allows you to use iWA technology when needed and easily play your favorite music from your mobile device with the convenience of Bluetooth.
iWA ultra-low latency wireless audio
As with WIDI, the goal of CME is to provide you with a new technology that is as widely applicable as possible. Following the input received from the community, the specifications can be best described as follows:
- Wireless technology: iWA ultra-low latency
- Audio latency: less than 3ms
- Audio quality: up to 24-bit / 48kHz, stereo, uncompressed
- Continuous playing time: 24+ hours
When you use the iWA adapter(s) with the CME speaker, you can run backing tracks while playing live and take advantage of low latency audio while practicing or producing.
Next goal is 3,000 registrants
Now that phase 2 of project iWA has been announced, it is also time to set the stretch target.
Feel free to share the post and participate in the project, it will be economically feasible to open for presale when there are 3,000 active registrations.
It is very important to understand that we need your support in this. As of the publishing date of this blog, there were 1,000 active supporters. If you all invite one friend, and that friend does the same, we'll be over that goal immediately.
Together we make it happen.
Congratulations for the achivement.
I think perhaps might be buying those little loudspeakers you show today provided the specifications are really , really good.
But…
But I am not very much interested as currently my systems are truly astounding and getting anything better would mean tens of thousands of dollars.
But…
As a keyboardist I am truly happy knowing you are developing the Tx/Rx dongle. In addition to my needs I will buy very many dongles as Christmas presents for my family and friends, provided they are not leaving their old systems behind after going Bluetooth. I would have done the very same with WIDI Master but MIDI is quite another thing…
Hurry; oh please !!!!
Thank you very much for your support! We will collect more suggestions and try to add the most common request into the first model, then we will keep iterate continuously.
A case that is particularly important to me: I play a Roland Aerophone, which has a 1/4-inch TRS stereo output. At the moment I am using a Boss WL-20L Bluetooth audio transmitter/receiver pair, which work beautifully–EXCEPT that it is mono only. I really, really want something that I can plug into my Aerophone without any dangling wires or other devices, and will transmit STEREO audio with latency as low as the WL-20L (which is excellent).
That is the purpose of iWA 😉
Yes, TRS on the transmitter is more flexible than individual L/R plugs
I really like the idea of the powered monitors with iwa, the obvious question for me to your crew of engineers is how to implement the protocol on studio audiophile quality headphones for music production and audio engineering and djing, performance, the whole gammut!
Hell, I’d be willing to jump on the campaign and become an affiliate marketer and sales manager! If they’re not shit, of course! 😏
To integrate it into headphones is just the same as integrating it into speakers. It requires a digital to analog conversion. This is the idea of the TX/RX solution. When the project progresses, we are always open to affiliate marketing solutions 😉
I am only interested in Tx/Rx iWA dongles, as all audio in my home studio goes through my hifi amplifier and monitor speakers, which are good enough for my 64-year-old ears. What kind of price and performance are you envisaging? Are there any comparable systems already on the market in a similar price range?
At this stage we are the only that publicly talk about iWA as a new technology. As it is a new tech, there is no reference at this stage. One of our targets is to make it accessible. This way we differentiate from other expensive solutions in the market. What the exact price point will be is too uncertain at this stage.
Hi. Low-latency lossless audio tech for in-ear monitoring would be absolutely fantastic for music production and gaming.
A battery-powered receiver-transmitter module for lossless wireless audio could be extremely helpful IF the latency is below, say, 10ms or so. It would also need to have a decent headphone amp or the ability to connect to one in a high-quality way.
I envision basically a very low-latency version of the Qudelix 5K. That product has a high quality headphone amp and DAC, plus a headset mic input and lots of DSP options. Latency would need to be below 10ms for it to be even on the table for me. But if it were, I’d instantly preorder a wireless, portable, lossless TX/RX module.
I’d happily pay more for an XLR mic input with either equally low-latency performance or at the very least with hardware no-latency monitoring functions on the device.
I think the speakers should be separate channels with the ability to pair and be placed wherever comfortable for stereo image
I would prefer 2 stereo (battery) monitors for a a good wireless keyboard/mpc setup. Something like the minirig speakers is my preferred design, though more forward facing – sitting on a desk behind my keyboard pointing at me.
Failing that, the tx/rx option is great. Would definitely buy this as I have already wasted much money on poor performing ‘solutions’.
My goal – as much wireless as possible, no cables! Apart from charging of course.
The challenge with the stereo setup with 2 speakers is that the signal needs to be splitted. Meaning it will need 1 transmitter and a double receiver. This is possible, only it will be more expensive as everything needs to be done twice in each speaker.
For the tx/rx – if you can make it stereo, something that plugs into 1/4″ jacks without dangling down too much that would be great. Would like it to fit flush just like your WIDI master that I own.
Stereo is the main purpose. How the TX/RX will exactly look is a process. I can imagine we start with one, and expand upon request to different plugs. Just like with WIDI.
I am very interested in an ultra low latency TX/RX stereo wireless audio system that can be impedance matched to an instrument level out – in particular that which would work with the stereo out of the Chapman Stick (see stick.com if not familiar with this instrument). This would be for live performance use in my case. A speaker system would require enough output level and frequency range to to be able to produce a clear and balanced sound from very low bass to high treble (think pipe organ range capable) — thanks for all the great products to date!
Are there any plans to develop an iWA equivalent to the WIDI Core? I can think of a handful of scenarios where having an incredibly stripped down solution would be very useful!
I myself dream of implementing a WIDI Core and iWA into a Nintendo Gameboy for fully wireless chiptuning!
Very good thinking!! We will announce something soon…
I think the proposed wireless speaker design looks very good. However, I already own a Roland Mobile Cube amp (www.roland.com/global/products/mobile_cube/) which is a very similar size with a similar feature set (e.g., stereo, battery-powered, etc.). Therefore, I would be more likely to purchase the TX/RX solution. If I didn’t already own a small, battery-powered amp, I would seriously consider the wireless speaker.
This is a wonderful step forward. I do, however, think that the size of the device limits your audience. The market for small, portable audio drivers/speakers is quite inundated with cheap, bass-heavy devices. Will this device stand out? Why not just spend $29 on something you could EQ with software? I think that a device that could replace home hifi speakers would be closer to what would be the best seller. High tech and lossless but lost in a sea of cheap alternatives? That would be a sad event. Something that’s got very low Hz bass yet very high fidelity kHz thruogh the audio band…and it’s something that’s bigger than a lunchbox? I’d be game for that, and pay 0.75x-1.0x final MSRP cost to be in early on the movement.
I’m on board for a stereo TX/RX BT setup that is low latency. My setup requires two 1/4″ outputs that are of the 90 degree flat type on the output side… nothing special on the input side but still needs to be dual 1/4″ inputs for insertion in to a mixer. I love the fact that you are already looking at higher resolutions (dare I ask if we looking as high as 24-bit 48khz stereo signals? That would be ideal for me!).
Congratulations on your achievements. I’m not interested in another speaker system. I have too many as it is. I am interested in the adapters for my systems to go wireless!!
agreed
Please make a 10 channel Tx and Rx dongle for Roland 13 pin umbilical connections to Roland Guitars and GR compatible equipment
Please make Dolby Atmos wireless system mode, so you can add in speakers to achieve a 5.1.2 surround sound
Exciting progress! I’m far more interested in where you will take wireless headphones. My speakers generally stay put, whereas I would love to be able to move around freely wearing headphones at super low latency.
Looking forward to seeing the next steps.
I would personally not be interested in wireless speakers (as I need to run power cables to active monitors, I don’t really mind audio cables too!) but I would certainly be interested in adapters to make other speakers wireless. I imagine most people who are interested in audio without latency already have speaker systems that they are happy with/invested in.
I am most interested in the prospect of wireless headphones; it would make almost every aspect of the recording/monitoring process easier!
I agree with you on that. That is why for a first iWA product, based upon feedback from our community, we are really looking into launching a rock solid TX/RX solution. This will also allow us to deeply test and optimise the technology before we will look into anything else.
Seems you’re on track! Personally, I would be very interested in a super-low latency transmitter for headphones. Many (semi)professional live audio mixers (such as Midas MR18 or Allen & Heath QU-SB) come as stage boxes with apps as control interface. Wireless low latency audio would allow for soloing instruments for proper mixing using mobile devices. This would be a great application.
My main concern would be quality of sound, portability and volume levels with enough power to cover an audience of maximum 200 without patching into a larger sound system. Battery power an additional plus. Wind controller friendly.
Thanks for sharing your concerns. At this stage we are not focussing on live solutions. Our first goal is to deliver a near-field solution for musicians. The TX/RX is requested by the community and moved forward to become the first iWA product. It will be built so people can keep using their preferred headphones and monitor speakers in a rehearsal and studio environment.
Extremely cool stuff, congrats to the team. Personally, I really like the design of the speaker, and would (of course) love to see a pair of headphones or even earbuds that have the same technology with similar visual language. I'm sure this is on your radar but I know getting something portable and getting headphones made that are up to the quality standard you have is difficult.
Anyway, I'm watching very intently and DONGLES! ADAPTORS! Please, this will be the biggest seller and a really significant advancement in wireless music technology.
One insanely cool integration/application would be a hub that could take signals from a bunch of these adaptors and multi-out them to a mixer, could be like a wireless Dante setup almost. Definitely ambitious, but just imagining the usefulness of that is overloading my brain.
Best of luck y'all!
Very excited about the TX/RX aspect of this but have no interest at all in the speaker. I would encourage you to prioritize the independent transmission capabilities and work on your speaker after that is done.
Doing exactly that 😉
Good to hear it’s going well and I’m still very much interested in what would come out of developing a dongle system.
Would be nice to be able to switch between stereo, left, right or even mono on the speaker… This way it will be easy to have only one speaker in stereo/mono mode, or use two in a stereo setup!
Great suggestion!