Yamaha’s CD-N500 network CD player comes to the States, priced at $800

Yamaha CD-N500 Network CD Player Provides Seamless Access to MP3s, Internet Radio and Streamed Content

Yamaha Corporation of America, AV Division, today introduced the CD-N500 network CD player that offers music fans a flexible portal to their favorite content from practically any source-CDs, downloaded files such as iTunes(R) and streamed music from PCs, NAS systems, smartphones, tablets and Internet radio. The free Yamaha NETWORK PLAYER CONTROLLER app for smartphones and tablets enables the user to quickly select entertainment choices and easily stream content to the player. Gapless playback enhances streaming audio experiences by eliminating the annoying pauses often heard when music is transmitted from a network source.

“While most consumers have moved to accessing music via iTunes, music streaming and Internet radio, there are still many passionate digital music fans who also have large CD libraries that remain an important part of their entertainment experience,” said Tom Sumner, senior vice president, Yamaha Corporation of America. “The CD-N500 is a perfect transition piece for this audience, since it enables them to better integrate all desired music sources. They can listen to what they want when they want, as our network CD player eliminates the barriers to identifying and enjoying their favorite artists and songs.”

The free downloadable Yamaha NETWORK PLAYER CONTROLLER app for iOS, Android[TM] and Kindle Fire[TM] devices turn these portable devices into remote controls for choosing music sources and viewing song information and album art. In addition, the app’s Music Play function enables quick and seamless wireless streaming of music stored on these portable devices.

The CD-N500 offers a front panel USB digital connection for iPod(R), iPhone(R), iPad(R) and USB devices that enable music stored on them to be heard with the highest possible sound quality. Featuring support for the vTuner radio station database, users are able to playback Internet radio broadcasts from anywhere in the world.

The CD-N500 reproduces music from all sources with Yamaha’s signature Hi-Fi concept and “Natural Sound” approach. The result is that listeners hear the music as it was meant to be heard, according to the exacting standards of the recording artists and engineers. Yamaha designed the model with left-right symmetrical audio circuitry to provide the shortest circuit path for audio signal travel without loss of audio signal purity. In addition, all components of the CD-N500 were carefully selected, including the highly regarded 192 kHz/32-bit Burr-Brown high precision DAC, to deliver superior audio quality.

The CD-N500 is compatible with the FLAC 192 kHz/24-bit and Apple Lossless formats and ensures optimum performance with high-resolution audio sources. Pure Direct mode can also be selected for higher quality audio output.

The CD-N500 network audio player is currently available for $799.95 MSRP.