Belkin Launches Soundform Connect Audio Adapter to Add AirPlay 2 to Standard Speakers

Apple should have added this into the HomePod mini. Would have been an instant buy for me.

AirPort Express without the WiFi advantages (and USB port)?

I’m assuming the answer to this is no, but does this have an Ethernet port or does it rely on Wi-Fi?

Edit: confirmed that it does not have Ethernet ? so this is not the holy grail AirportExpress replacement I’ve been waiting for.

https://www.belkin.com/us/adapters/audio-video/soundform-connect-audio-adapter-with-airplay-2/p/p-auz002/

Belkin can have my money, I've been waiting for something like this. Right now I have ATV4K → TV → HDMI return → Stereo which means if I want to listen to music from my iTunes library, or stream anything via AirPlay, I have to have the TV on. I can use the optical connector on this device and go straight into the stereo and then tell my desktop Mac to AirPlay to it and get music without the TV on. The other solution would be a lot more expensive, and that would be to update the stereo to support 4K HDMI (with all the bells and whistles) passthru, and have all my inputs feed into the stereo.

I can also use one to feed into the outside deck sound system, which currently is based on an ancient Airport Express that I can't even reconfigure any more.

A question that comes to mind: if I tell Homekit it's in the Living Room, but the ATV is in the Living Room, will Siri lose her mind if I say to adjust the volume in the Living Room? Will I have to refer by device instead of room?

At $99 not very compelling, now if it was closer to $50 then that would put it closer to what an airport express is going for currently. Let’s see it might have some specs that make it a better option.

Do yourself a favour and just buy a receiver with ethernet and Airplay support. That way there is there is less wireless traffic and only 1 volume knob that you control directly from your phone.

Some people have vintage equipment they like. This will be great for them.