Introducing Helix
Helix £279 - the world's only Sonos compatible CD player - with features that you wouldn't expect on a CD player.
Helix connects to your Wifi network.
- Helix can find and display cover art and track names as it plays - unlike a conventional CD player
- Helix can play music to Sonos wireless loudspeakers - play music throughout your home
- You can control Helix remotely from a browser or mobile app
Helix has two kinds of audio output - Optical and Electrical
The optical output can be connected to an Amplifier or DAC with an optical input using an inexpensive Toslink cable.
It is worth noting that the optical output from the £249 Helix delivers a data stream that is identical to - and therefore as high a quality as - any high end CD player, regardless of price.
The 3.5mm stereo electrical output is for connection to traditional analogue amplifiers and can also be used to play through headphones.
Jukebox - store 320 CDs
Helix has a slot on the front for a micro SD card and can copy CDs to the SD card as you play them.
Each track is stored losslessly as a WAV file on the card. You can store up to 320 CDs on a 256G micro SD card.
You can browse previously copied CDs from the front panel, app or web browser and play them. Helix is like a CD Jukebox.
*Helix accepts micro SD cards and has been tested with cards up to 256G. We recommend that you buy premium branded SD cards - like SanDisk or Samsung.
Web UI and App
You can control Helix from the front panel - like a traditional CD player - and you can also control Helix from a browser or a mobile phone.
You get to see what is playing and traditional transport controls like play/pause, next and volume. But you can also browse the music on the SD card and control the Sonos zone - so you can listen to music in different rooms.
Helix v Conventional CD Player
Helix is unique so it's hard to make comparisons but this chart shows how it compares to a good quality CD player
| Helix |
High End CD Player Eg. Marantz CD6007 NAD C538, Denon DCD-1700NE |
|
| Price | £279 | £349-£999 |
| Display | 320x170 Colour TFT | Monochrome |
| Storage Capacity | 320 CD lossless uses SD card | None |
| Metadata display (Artist, album & track) |
Yes | No |
| Cover art display | Yes | No |
| Sonos multiroom playback | Yes | No |
| Optical Output | Yes | Yes |
| Electrical Audio Output | Yes | Yes |
| Resolution | 16 bit 44kHz (CD standard) | 16 bit 44kHz up to 24 bit 192kHz |
| Remote Control | Mobile App & Web UI | Yes IR |
| Construction | Steel and Aluminium | Steel and Aluminium |