Denon S-Series

Denon today rolled out a last-minute gift option through two new compact stereos designed to pull content from non-traditional sources. The S-52 and its smaller S-32 counterpart both bring Ethernet and 802.11g WiFi that lets each system take music from any Mac, PC, or other networked storage and play it from the device using a relatively complex LCD menu system. It can not only play AAC, MP3, and WMA songs but also Internet radio and lossless formats like FLAC and WAV, Denon says. Those with a subscription or a free trial for Real's Rhapsody service can also stream content directly from the Internet, including both their own libraries and preset channels. Even the time is calibrated online, Denon says.

Both units make an iPod dock standard and feature a smart clock radio with dual alarms that can independently cue their own audio sources to wake up the user. The S-52 also adds standard HD Radio, the option of an XM satellite radio mini-tuner, a USB port for playing non-iPod devices directly, and a slot-load CD drive for conventional music. The S-32 and S-52 should be ready today at prices of $499 and $699 respectively.

by MacNN Staff