MusicCast is Yamaha's answer to Apple Airplay and Google Cast

There's no shortage of WiFi-networked speakers for consumers, but Yamaha wants to bring its own solution and products to the market. Enter MusicCast, the audio manufacturer's version of Google Cast or Apple Airplay, which lets you use an app to wirelessly play music across multiple devices in a home (or office) -- so long as they're all connected to the same WiFi network. Of course, this isn't only designed to be a competitor to Google or Apple's technology, with Sonos being another main player in the space. But Yamaha hopes to stand out by offering MusicCast on more than just speakers. According to the company, its High-Fidelity-ready tech will also work with streaming services, internet radio apps and Bluetooth devices, as well as external sources like set-top boxes, sound bars and Blu-ray players.

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For now, Yamaha is rolling out the feature to the RX-V 79 and Aventage RX-A50 AV receivers, via firmware update. Other new products, including speakers, sound bars and HiFi receivers, are expected to be available starting next month -- prices will range from $250 to $1,700, depending on what you're looking to get. By the end of the year, Yamaha says it'll have more than 20 MusicCast-enabled devices.