Entered CNET Catalog: 03/12/2002
SKU: 48575700100
Manufacturer: Motorola Corp.
Manufacturer description
The Motorola simplefi allows you to stream audio from your PC or the Internet (through your broadband connection) directly to your home stereo. Installation is simple: just attach the supplied adapter to your computer's USB port, connect the great-looking simplefi unit to your existing stereo and install our software on your PC. That's it! You're ready to stream digital music files wirelessly from the computer to your stereo, up to 150 feet through most walls and floors. An integrated remote and user-friendly display makes it easy to zoom through channels and playlists to locate what you're looking for. The remote also allows you to play, pause, skip and stop your customized playlists and audio channels. Use the "Tag it!" feature to follow up later for artist bios, concert information, and buying CDs. The Motorola simplefi wireless digital audio receiver simply allows you to experience all your favorite music where it belongs... on your stereo.Product summary
The good: Wireless connection without compressing audio; easy to set up and use; upgradable firmware; nice price; solid documentation; plays streaming and downloaded music.
The bad: Requires live connection with computer; lacks built-in controls; small display; no WMA or Mac support; lacks hard drive; doesn't amplify audio.
The bottom line: This digital audio receiver makes it simple to play computer-based MP3 files and Internet radio over your home stereo.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 08/16/2002
Design
The Simplefi is about the size of a typical hardcover book at 2 by 11 by 6 inches and sports a sparse design. On the front panel, there's a three-line screen that measures 3.75 by 1.0 inches and displays white text against an attractive, bluish-purple backlight. Unfortunately, song titles are hard to read at a distance of more than four feet--a drawback since you'll probably set up the Simplefi in your home-entertainment rack.
Oddly, there are no built-in front-panel controls. Instead, the small, slightly flimsy, 12-button remote control snaps onto the front of the Simplefi, where it functions as the device's control panel. While this helps keep the cost of the product low, a corner-cutting decision such as this has one main drawback: if you misplace the remote, you can't operate the unit.
Connectivity
Motorola took a basic approach to connectivity, including only the following rear-panel connections: a DC-power jack, a headphone minijack, and a stereo analog RCA output. We'd prefer to have a digital-audio output option as well, but luckily, the analog output sounds clean. Also, a TV output would have helped immensely with display readability since, as mentioned above, the LCD on the unit is too small to read at a distance.
In terms of setup, this unit is easier to attach to your computer than most DARs. First, we connected the supplied USB RF (radio frequency) transmitter for wireless connectivity to our PC--sorry, Mac users--and plugged the Simplefi into our stereo system. Then, we used the included SimpleServe Console software to set up a few Internet radio stations and add MP3s to the PC-based Media Manager library.
Features
Navigating channels, playlists, and tracks with the remote is no problem, provided you've configured the SimpleServe software and the song library properly. Media Manager organizes songs into playlists and playlists into channels, which is great for setting up longer listening programs. Online Guide offers Internet radio options--currently, MP3.com and Shoutcast stations. My Tags lets you flag songs as you listen (more on that below). Finally, Add Device manages the PC/Simplefi connection. All software features are exceptionally well designed and almost fun to use. But if you want to sort music by genre or album, you'll have to set up your own playlists since the Simplefi doesn't generate those tags automatically.
Avid music enthusiasts will thoroughly enjoy the Simplefi's clever TagIt feature, which enables users to tag a song whenever it's playing by pressing a button on the remote. Back at the PC, selecting the Media Manager's My Tags option takes you to a listing of all tagged songs, with deep links to Yahoo's Launch service, where you can view release dates, tour dates, reviews, and discographies, as well as purchase CDs--the most seamless implementation of this concept that we've seen to date.
Performance
Motorola says that the Simplefi's range from the transmitter is about 150 feet through walls, but we were somewhat skeptical about the RF network's ability to sound as hiccup-free as a wired Ethernet connection. Luckily, the wireless transmission doesn't degrade audio quality, even through walls. MP3s don't have to be additionally compressed or converted to analog for transmission. Since all previous wireless DARs have used FM or other analog signals that lower audio quality significantly, the Simplefi's use of the digital HomeRF network represents a major step forward for this category of products.
For audio testing, we fired up a 256Kbps MP3 of Dire Straits' "So Far Away." Notably, the snare retained all its crispness, while the sturdy midrange maintained its placement above the sonically tight bass line. To the Simplefi's credit, we played the same song through our Roland digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and the track didn't sound any better than it did with the Simplefi's RF transmission through its high-end, 24-bit Cirrus DAC, which helps preserve sound quality after the wireless transmission.
Occasionally, this Motorola couldn't find the PC, but the problems were easily remedied. Total connection stability was achieved by assigning a static IP address to the unit using Windows networking, though in some networks, the AutoIP configuration will surely perform adequately. Kudos to Motorola for the thorough instructions that made dealing with connection issues relatively painless.
The Simplefi incorporates the simplicity that must be achieved before DARs can really take off. And while it's not exactly cheap at $379, it's still considerably less expensive than its direct competitors. This is one of the few DARs to earn our enthusiastic recommendation for its wireless connectivity, easy operation, and solid sound quality. However, if you're looking for an affordable standalone DAR with a built-in hard drive, check out Perception Digital's PDHercules .
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19out of 19 user reviews
Does not work if you have Windows XP
Pros: Inexpensive on ebay. ($35)
Cons: Only works with old software
out of 19 user reviews
Nice but no cigar...not reliable
Pros: Can play MP3's from computer without wires.
Cons: Computer shuts down when using the simplefi after about three hours since Motorola does not test any of their USB/transmitter drivers (or update them enough) with microsoft. LCD screen is small. Customer service/Product attention is lacking.
out of 19 user reviews
Please Help me!
Pros: Great Idea
Cons: I can not seem to get this thing to work!. The simplefy will not connect with the wirelless adapter. I have done everything possible I just cant get it to work. My email is oscar.manrique@citigroup.com
out of 19 user reviews
Software has major problems
Pros: Very sleek. I have always wanted a piece like this. It runs smooth once you go past the installation. Its usually trouble-free. Play-list at your palm and internet radio are its high point.
Cons: Quite a few actually. I doubt if anyone was able to install it without the cust. support (which is usually very nice). It deals with static IP and this additional network configuration. Worst part: Software has problem. If I delete an MP3 file from my dir
out of 19 user reviews
Avoid this first generation DAR
Pros: Allows streaming of MP3s
Cons: Interface is horrendous; screen too small to see which track is playing from more than 3 feet away, changing between tracks is S-L-O-W; no ability to randomize playlist; dead end Home RF technology.
out of 19 user reviews
Does a lot for a little
Pros: I also got mine on e-bay for only $120. At that price, it is really worth it. Sound quality playing my MP3s is excellent.
Cons: Setup was a bit of a hassle. Only lets you listen to certain internet radio stations and not others.
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Does exactly what it's suppose to
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Good at what it does but limited flexibility.
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works like a dream, no complaints
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SimpleFi...I like it!
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Not enough for the money
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A great device for what it is intended for; limited otherwise.
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Very nice use of wireless technology.
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Great piece of equipment!!!!
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Horrid range; poor design; too expensive.
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What I've been looking for!
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The Simplefi has liberated my MP3s from my PC and for that I am grateful.
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Way Expensive!
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If I have to be online for this to work, why buy anything if I can listen to it at the computer
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