RIP BeoLink Multiroom (1982-2020)

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MM

Can someone explain what the difference is betwen NL and Airplay.

I was able to stream spotify straight to my Essence, use the wall mount remotes, pick playlists in the spotify app, add my A6 as a multi room speaker controlled by another wall mounted remote.

 

That works fairly well except they probably could improve the interplay between remotes, beo app and spotify. Using 2 aps is not practical. 

Using a standalone Ipad like somebody mentioned here is just an idea on paper. In practice you have to unlock the screen and ios stops apps and they reload upon which spotify needs a few seconds to figure out whats playing on what speaker

All in all its a disjointed experience. I dont see what NL adds to what Airplay or Airtunes do anyhow.

If they would just release consistently multiroom speaker that add a remote (not an app) and rely on the streaming app that would be it. The Balance is what I want but it looks like a step child compared to the older speaker and also current releases.

To me NL looks just like Airplay to a speaker with controls via the BO app which I dont need.

Cheers

JK

 

jk1002:

To me NL looks just like Airplay to a speaker with controls via the BO app which I dont need.

With NL Multiroom you can distribute a compatible source from a NL product to one or many NL products in your home.

The source can be AirPlay, DLNA, TuneIn, Deezer, line-in (record deck, TV, etc..) and potentially other sources I have not tested.

NL is very fast to operate compared to AirPlay or Chromecast, and is much more stable, always in perfect sync.

NL adds the “touch to join” feature so you don’t need a remote, including B&O app, to add

a product into a NL Multiroom group, you just have to press or tap on the product itself. You also have some control on the source in the master NL product from the slave product e.g. forward/backward tracks/stations.

With NL you can standby all your NL products from a single product or a remote.

AirPlay 2 can only distribute a AirPlay 2 compatible phone, tablet or computer source to one or many AirPlay 2 products, that’s it.

If you are exclusively using AirPlay, you may not see the huge benefits of NL.

Not that this is a full description of the differences, but…

Airplay is a network distribution from one device (MacOS and iOS) with the AirPlay ability to stream to an AP capable receiver - with AirPlay 2 you can stream to multiple receivers, add or remove these to play what is streamed/airplayed from the device, where the stream was started. You always need to engage the AP menu on the sending device for this.

NetworkLink is a B&O function for sending audio between different B&O/NL devices. You can start the stream on any device, add or remove devices, you can also have multiple streams to groups of devices. This is organized within the Bang & Olufsen app, on the device itself (by tapping/joining,), with a remote (the Essence Remote or a Beoremote). The source can be an integrated service on the device (e.g. TuneIN netradio or Deezer). You can also (with the right settings in the app) distribute an ongoing AP stream, add/remove….

What you described with your streaming Spotify, is using the Spotify Connect function! 
This means that you use the Spotify app for choosing the music and selecting the speaker that then gets access to the stream. Your A6 supports Spotify Connect. With NL you after this am able to distribute this stream in the NL network e.g. to another A6, a B&O Sound Center, a NL-capable BV (these have support for Spotify Connect.

This is done like described under NL above. If you had choosen to airplay the stream from Spotify instead, you would have been limited to the options of the AP menu on the sending device….like described above.

N.B. These thing are much easier to understand, if you see them in action!!!

It means that Spotify Connect is ‘halfway’ integrated in the NL and in the B&O app. 
It can for technical reasons not be done with e.g. Tidal, Qobuz… (they don’t allow for redistribution this way…..it is not a choice that B&O has made).

The only way - with the Bang & Olufsen devices - to stay within the B&O app for music choosing, is to use Deezer as your service - Deezer can be distributed over NL without problems.

 

As for your statement ‘Using a standalone Ipad like somebody mentioned here is just an idea on paper’. This is something that I and several other beoworlders have been practicing for sime years now. I prefer Spotify to Deezer.

It is really not so hard to do as you try to say. Your device needs no lock screen, just be sure that it is properly charged and that you have stripped every unnecsessary app away.

For what it is - everyone should find his own comfortable way of playing music/radio to his devices….no two setups are the same.

But it helps to know and also to have experienced the options you have with the B&O devices.

 

P.S. When it comes to the BS Balance, it is a bit different, since it does not have the NL option described. We are all expecting some updates to give us this….and maybe more.

 

MM

@mbolo01

Thanks - you used far less words to explain basicly the same as I did 🤗

MM

To summarise

Distributing different sources in different rooms using the same app - I don’t see any other companies capable of doing this

I believe the Mozart platform is not capable of this yet

Not sure if this correct - Naim devices can share (for example) line-in input sources to other Naim devices.

Linn devices do this too.

And I'm pretty sure Sonos speakers offer the same.

 

vlohjr1:

To summarise

 

Distributing different sources in different rooms using the same app - I don’t see any other companies capable of doing this

 

 

I believe the Mozart platform is not capable of this yet

 

Sandyb:

Not sure if this correct - Naim devices can share (for example) line-in input sources to other Naim devices.

Linn devices do this too.

And I'm pretty sure Sonos speakers offer the same.

 

vlohjr1:

To summarise

 

Distributing different sources in different rooms using the same app - I don’t see any other companies capable of doing this

 

 

I believe the Mozart platform is not capable of this yet

 

But they can’t share - like in my setup - to my BV’s with just a push on Join on the Beoremote 😉

MM 

vlohjr1:

Distributing different sources in different rooms using the same app - I don’t see any other companies capable of doing this

You don’t even need the app. I personally don’t use the app so often, including for Multiroom operations.

Millemissen:

It can for technical reasons not be done with e.g. Tidal, Qobuz… (they don’t allow for redistribution this way…..it is not a choice that B&O has made).

A contradiction! It can be done, but they don't (seem to) allow it.

Still with the use of Audirvana, Tidal as well as Qobuz can be NL multiroom distributed.

mbolo01:

vlohjr1:

Distributing different sources in different rooms using the same app - I don’t see any other companies capable of doing this

You don’t even need the app. I personally don’t use the app so often, including for Multiroom operations.

I have a different approach,  I use the apps all the tme (mostly the Beoliving app (or the Halo))

 

Carolpa:

Millemissen:

It can for technical reasons not be done with e.g. Tidal, Qobuz… (they don’t allow for redistribution this way…..it is not a choice that B&O has made).

A contradiction! It can be done, but they don't (seem to) allow it.

Still with the use of Audirvana, Tidal as well as Qobuz can be NL multiroom distributed.

You are right…I know.

But that is rather advanced, when one is just trying to explain the difference between AirPlay and NL.

MM

Not sure if thats correct - a Linn system used with a TV can borrow audio playing in another Linn room.

Yes, not with the Linn. remote. It requires using the app.

But generally the idea that sharing different sources to different rooms using one app is just a B&O thing is wrong.

 

 

Millemissen:

Sandyb:

Not sure if this correct - Naim devices can share (for example) line-in input sources to other Naim devices.

Linn devices do this too.

And I'm pretty sure Sonos speakers offer the same.

 

vlohjr1:

To summarise

 

Distributing different sources in different rooms using the same app - I don’t see any other companies capable of doing this

 

 

I believe the Mozart platform is not capable of this yet

 

But they can’t share - like in my setup - to my BV’s with just a push on Join on the Beoremote 😉

MM 

 

Sandyb:

Not sure if thats correct - a Linn system used with a TV can borrow audio playing in another Linn room.

I don't know the Linn system capabilities, but can it f.e. play source A in the kitchen and study and play source B in the living and garden at the same time?

Yes it can - and I believe Naim, Sonos can do similarly.

 

Carolpa:

Sandyb:

Not sure if thats correct - a Linn system used with a TV can borrow audio playing in another Linn room.

I don't know the Linn system capabilities, but can it f.e. play source A in the kitchen and study and play source B in the living and garden at the same time?

 

Carolpa:

I don't know the Linn system capabilities, but can it f.e. play source A in the kitchen and study and play source B in the living and garden at the same time?

Just to extend this I use the app to play different songs from Deezer in different rooms

Carolpa:

I use the apps all the tme (mostly the Beoliving app (or the Halo))

I can understand that, you are not using the regular App so much

So you either anticipate a move to another room or you carry your smartphone, tablet or Halo with you all the time. I don’t, wherever B&O sound room I go, I don’t carry any remote, I just use the B&O product control

Going back, I don’t feel there was any progress since the essence and the wall remotes. That to me was the last real good concept I saw coming out of BO. Maybe this is why I am so frustrated with the Balance because it doesnt support any pf that.

 

I dont want to get up to adjust the volume of my speaker. I dont want a 10 second app load delay and 3 taps on my phone to djust the volume when the phone rings.

I wish Spotify and Apple Music would cre a bit more how we consume music and let third parties implement more advanced controls.

There is so much clever stuff they could do.

 

Cheers

JK