Belkin Designing 'Soundform Connect' Adapter to Add AirPlay 2 to Speakers

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Belkin appears to be working on a new "Belkin Soundform Connect" adapter that will connect to a standard speaker to add AirPlay 2 capabilities.

belkin soundform connect
The adapter was found in FCC filings by Janko Roettgers (via 9to5Mac), and it looks like it will be powered by a USB-C cable and will feature a 3.5mm mini jack port for audio output and Optical Digital Audio.


The functionality may be similar to the AirPort Express, which is no longer available. The AirPort Express enabled ‌AirPlay‌ functionality on a standard speaker through the 3.5mm jack.

When a speaker is connected to Belkin's adapter, an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple device will be able to see it as an ‌AirPlay‌ 2 speaker.

‌AirPlay‌ 2 is a multi-room audio feature that lets you stream music to more than one ‌AirPlay‌ 2 enabled speaker. ‌AirPlay‌ 2 is available on the HomePod, HomePod mini, Apple TV, Sonos speakers, and other third-party speaker options.

The Belkin Soundform Connect will also add HomeKit support, which will allow the speakers to be assigned to a room and to be controlled with Siri voice commands or the Home app.

There's no word on when the Belkin Soundform Connect will be released, but it could be priced at around 100 euros or $120.

Tag: Belkin

Top Rated Comments

ouimetnick Avatar
ouimetnick
30 months ago
FINALLY. Praise the lord ?

I’d like to replace my aging AirPort Express (also supports AirPlay 2).
The 3rd party AirPlay receivers out there from Dayton Audio, AudioEngine, etc only support AirPlay 1. I posted in several audio forums I visit to see if anyone knew of an AirPlay 2 adapter/receiver, and came up short.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iGüey Avatar
iGüey
30 months ago

You can already do it today with a used AirPort Express (2nd gen) for cheap. That’s what I’ve been doing for the past 5 years.
Yeah, for sure that’s the finest solution. The problem is that where I live (Mexico City) the second hand market for those devices is virtually non existent, so if I happen to find a working one, it likely will be more expensive than if it was new.

Anyway I appreciate your advice, so thank you.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
throAU Avatar
throAU
30 months ago
What I really want is a device to add airplay OUT to an audio source.

i.e., line-in from some device, output to airplay.

Right now I've got a heap of airplay enabled outputs, and looking to hook up a record player.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BeatCrazy Avatar
BeatCrazy
30 months ago

At that price seems better to buy a home pod mini.
Some folks want to use AirPlay via a nicer stereo than a HomePod mini.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ouimetnick Avatar
ouimetnick
30 months ago

It'll lag.
Have to wait and see. What I like about my HomePods is when I AirPlay music from my library, I can scrub around and it’s practically instantaneous, but on the AirPort Express, the audio drops out for 5 seconds or so and they continues where it should.

It’s like the HomePod buffers the entire song into it’s 1GB of ram (or into its 16GB of storage)

The AirPort Express doesn’t have that.

EDIT: Looked at some tear downs of the 2nd gen AirPort Express and it appears to have 64MB of ram and no storage, so it obviously can’t really buffer anything sent to it from a Mac/iOS device like HomePod can. Hopefully this Belkin device can behave like the HomePod. If it acts the same as the AirPort Express, I’ll be returning it.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RumorConsumer Avatar
RumorConsumer
30 months ago

This, but with optical out.
It has it
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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