The new Valet Amp multizone audio system from Origin Acoustics was a show-stopper at CEDIA 2017. Literally, people stopped and stared and and wondered what the heck that thing was. It's a clever in-ceiling mounting system for Echo Dot that makes the little voice-control puck look like any other speaker in the wall.
Truly, the mounting system is a marvel. It can suspend other devices in the ceiling, like wireless access points, Google Minis, super-sensitive eavesdropping mics or whatever else you want to make a holster for. Today, though, it's made for the Dot.
The Dots serve as voice controllers and music streamers — not awful speakers — for Origin's new amp, a custom built machine that powers the Dots over a Cat 5 cable. That same cable is used to stream music from the Dots to the Amp and then out to whatever high-quality speakers the user wants.
Many integrators at CEDIA wanted to get their hands on this novelty, but most would never have access because they weren't Origin authorized dealers. Now they'll get their chance to buy the product through Portal, a marketplace and proposal platform for home-technology integrators. The Valet will be available through Portal Select, a new subset of Portal open to any contractor who does business with at least three industry-related vendors. Portal membership is free.
Portal Select products ship for free, and arrive within three business days.
All other Origin products remain on the “authorized dealers only” section of Portal. Only direct dealers can purchase the other 200ish products available from Origin and its partner iRoom.
READ: Cheap Echo Dot Meets Premium Multiroom Audio: The Genius of Origin's Valet Amp
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