Key Takeaways
- Eve Play is a new streaming interface that connects Apple's AirPlay 2 to your legacy audio system, making it easy to play audio from devices like the upcoming iPhone 15.
- The Eve Play is a high-quality puck with RCA and digital outputs, built around a Texas Instruments digital-to-analog converter for clean and detailed sound.
- With multi-room playback and integration with other smart devices, the Eve Play offers an audiophile experience for a price of $149.95 / €149.95 starting from November 14th.
Apple's AirPlay 2 is a great way to take audio from devices like the upcoming iPhone 15 and throw it to compatible speakers. Those speakers of course include Apple's own HomePod and HomePod mini, and there are plenty of third-party alternatives out there as well. But what if you need to get audio to your legacy audio system? Maybe one that you've spent a small fortune building and sounds better than having Fleetwood Mac sing in your living room? Well, you buy the new Eve Play.
Eve Play is a new puck that claims to do exactly what you're looking for because it acts as the go-between for Apple's AirPlay 2 wireless system and your Hi-Fi setup. If that sounds like magic, it kinda is. But it's also surprisingly simple.
Music to an audiophile's ears
Eve announced the Eve Play via a press release, saying that it's "a high-quality streaming interface for AirPlay 2." That sounds about right, too, with the little box of aluminum featuring RCA and digital outputs for connecting to just about anything that you might want to connect it to. It also supports Wi-Fi, as you'd expect, while an Ethernet port around the back proves that Eve isn't playing here.
Eve goes on to extoll the Eve Play's audio chops, saying that it "is built around a Texas Instruments digital-to-analog converter that processes recordings cleanly and in rich detail with a signal-to-noise ratio of 112 dB." It also supports multi-room playback while the AirPlay 2 support also means that it can integrate with other smart devices in your Apple home thanks to Shortcuts and the Home app.
As for pricing and availability, Eve says that the Eve Play will be available from 14 November, which feels like a long way away. It'll cost $149.95 / €149.95 once it does go on sale as well, which isn't cheap. Competing products like the Belkin SoundForm Connect, cost much less. But are they as good?
We'll have to reserve judgement on that front - we haven't tested this thing out - but Eve's making a big thing about the audiophile angle here, so hopefully the Eve One won't disappoint.