Add-on Modules for Surround and Multi-Room Audio Wireless Speakers System Reviews

Wireless Speakers let you eliminate unsightly home theater speaker wires across your living room to the rear speakers in a surround sound setup. They may also serve a purpose in a multi-room audio installation.

In this article, we look at some of the available wireless audio systems for use as part of a home entertainment solution.

Wireless systems offer greater flexibility and convenience to home entertainment owners especially when in-wall wiring is not an option.

This short article reviews some of the available add-on wireless speaker modules that will enable you to transform a wired system into a wireless setup, in no time at all.

Choice is still very much limited in that there are only a few affordable options to choice from.

System prices vary from less than hundred dollars, to several hundred dollars. This mainly depends on the power and quality of the built-in audio amplifiers in the receiver-end of the wireless unit. Including the speakers as part of the wireless kit do have a considerable impact on the price as well.

Wireless kits intended for home theater use do not normally incorporate speakers. Instead, these make use of the same rear surround speakers that come with your home theater system. There is a twofold benefit to this approach:

	You will be able to make use of higher-quality surround speakers typical of conventional home theater systems.
	Using your system's rear speakers helps ensure a more balanced tonal response among the different speakers associated with the respective audio channels in a surround sound setup.

As stated, you may spend up to a couple of hundred dollars on a wireless speaker system, but in general, anything between $100 and $200 should yield a good performance system suitable for home theater use.

Reviewed Products:

• Rocketfish RF-WHTIB Wireless Rear Speaker Kit

• Kenwood RFU-6100 Wireless Solution

• Advent AW-871 Wireless Powered Speakers

• JBL On Air 2.4G Wireless Stereo Speaker System

• Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W Wireless 5.1 Speaker System

Featured Wireless Speakers Solutions

Kenwood RFU-6100 Wireless Speakers Solution

An interesting wireless speaker kit suitable for use in a surround sound setup is the Kenwood RFU-6100 Wireless Module for Surround Speakers This is a relatively robust unit that is available at amazon for around $200 - a fair price considering that it is capable of delivering up to 50W (RMS) per channel.

The Kenwood RFU-6100 unit has an operating range of up to 100 feet (30m). It comes with the relevant AC power adapters to power the transmitter and the receiver units. The kit includes also the speaker wire to connect the sender unit with the rear speaker outputs on the AV receiver.

An interesting feature of the RFU-6100 wireless speaker unit is the use of both active noise reduction circuitry as well as 4 user-selectable RF transmission channels within the 900MHz band. This should help reduce possible radio frequency interference from other RF sources.

It is worth taking note that although the Kenwood wireless speaker system is mainly being marketed as a solution for wireless surround sound, yet it can very well serve to extend high quality stereo sound in multi-room audio.

The affordable Kenwood RFU-6100 is a favorite option among those looking for a serious wireless speaker kit for the rear-channel in a surround sound system. Its primary key feature is the 50W (RMS) per channel stereo amplifier at the receiver end. Its wireless link is not as robust as that of the Rocketfish wireless rear speaker kit, but it is still capable of doing a good job.

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Advent AW-871 Wireless Powered Stereo Speakers

The Acoustic Research AW-871 Wireless Stereo Speakers solution comes in the form of wireless powered 2-way speakers incorporating a 4" woofer/mid-range speaker and a 1" dome tweeter. With a price tag of around $100, this is one of the cheapest units presently available online.

Rated at 10W RMS per channel, this system is more suitable to extend stereo sound in a multi-room setup rather than for home theater use. However, it may still serve a purpose in a small home theater system.

The Advent incorporates the necessary features to allow for flexible placement of the speakers. It also allows for the use of both speakers in monaural mode; this will help cut down on transmission related noise.

The independent wireless speakers come with integrated power switch, volume and tuning controls along the front faces. However, there is no tone control on the speaker units; this would surely come in handy when using the speakers in a multi-room audio setup.

The Advent AW-871 wireless speakers incorporate independent wireless receivers and audio amplifiers, thus eliminating the need for a central wireless receiver that would still need a wired connection to the two speakers. Unfortunately, there is a price to pay for this added wireless flexibility. This solution implies that there is no master volume control - these wireless speakers come with a separate volume control - one on each speaker unit; this may render volume adjustment a bit tricky.

At about 10.0" x 6" x 7¾" (H x W x D), these speakers may prove a bit bulky for use as rear speakers in a surround sound setup. This is especially true when considering the limited power rating of this system, which at 10W (RMS) per channel, would render the Advent AW-871 suitable only for use with entry-level HTIBs.

Connectivity of the sender unit is through the line-level audio out rather than the speaker output. This means that to use this system as part of a surround sound setup, you need an audio source that offers line level out for each channel in addition to speaker out. Some newer receivers have this feature. In the absence of a line-level output, you will need an adapter to convert speaker level to line level.

Sound quality is acceptable for a wireless setup but at 55dB S/N, do not expect miracles - you would surely be able to perceive the difference in sound quality when compared with a wired setup.

The key advantage of the Advent wireless speakers is their extended operating range of around 300 feet (approximately 100m) - using FM transmission in the 900Mhz band. Coupled with the battery powered option (quantity 8 'C' type batteries per remote speaker), this makes the AW-871 ideal for some patio audio.

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JBL Control 2.4G On Air Wireless Speaker System

The JBL On Air Control 2.4G wireless speaker system comes in the form of a wireless sender unit and powered wall-mountable wireless speakers. The speaker kit comes completed with a remote control for added ease of use. Together with the RocketFish wireless rear speaker kit featured on our site, the JBL On Air Control kit is one of the latest released products in this category.

With a range of around 70 feet, this system can serve for various wireless audio applications, not just as wireless rear speakers in a surround sound setup. Possible other applications include use as part of a second room audio installation, and as a high-quality wireless speaker system for computers, digital music players, and any other application where a wireless audio link would be more feasible to setup.

The On Air Control utilizes the 2.4GHz frequency range; the transmitter module can be used with up to two pairs of JBL On Air speakers. One of the speakers feature 15W (RMS) per channel stereo amplifier, while the other is a passive speaker that connects with the active side. The built-in stereo amplifier covers the full audio range up to 20kHz, while a subwoofer output is included, thus enabling the speakers to be used as part of a 2.1-channel audio system.

The JBL wireless speakers system utilizes 2-way speakers consisting of a 4-inch woofer and a ½-inch tweeter. Included with the system are the wall brackets for the speakers and all relevant connections.

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Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W Wireless 5.1 Speaker System

This Creative G550W is a THX Certified 5.1 speaker solution, but with the added convenience of integrated wireless rear speakers. This wireless setup uses a single wireless receiver placed at the back of the room, which is then wired to the rear speakers.

It also comes with a wireless remote that can even control key functions on popular Creative MP3 players!

Overall, sound quality is very good. All satellites are rated at 36W RMS per channel, featuring 3" full audio-frequency response drivers, while the subwoofer comes with a dual ported design for aggressive bass response. Satellites and subwoofer are finished in black, with metal grilles for a distinctive look. The design includes a headphone output for private listening.

The subwoofer is rated at 130W RMS, and uses an 8" front-firing driver. This brings the total power rating of the G550W to 310W RMS.

Wireless transmission for the rear speakers uses the 2.4GHz range. It supports a recommended maximum range of approximately 25 feet between the sender unit and the wireless receiver. This is rather limited compared with most wireless speaker solutions. At the same time, one has to keep in mind that the Creative G550W wireless speakers system is designed to work as part of a 5.1 setup. This 25 feet range should more than suffice for a typical small to medium-size room installation.

Furthermore, being THX certified is a guarantee in itself that the G550W is capable of delivering the best home entertainment experience for its size. Should you like to know more on the different THX certifications and their implications, we suggest reading our article: THX Home Cinema - An Overview.

Connectivity comes in the form of auxiliary line-in, while a headphone jack is provided for personal listening. The included Remote Control features CMSS Up-mix stereo source to 5.1, Bass, Treble, Center and Rear adjustments, and Volume control. Additional convenience is also available on the subwoofer rear panel s well.

Setup is a snap thanks to the use of a robust wireless link that is capable of identifying the best frequency to use to avoid interference with other devices operating in the same 2.4GHz band.

The Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W Wireless System is available from major online stores - including amazon - for around $330. It is not one of the cheapest but if you need a full 5.1 speaker kit, then it is worth considering. As stated, audio quality is very good - with its full frequency response and 85dB S/N ratio. In addition, thanks to its wireless rear speakers, you have the possibility to do away with the hassle of wiring the rear speakers front to back.

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Related Reviews @ Practical-Home-Theater-Guide:

Wireless Home Theater in-a-box Solutions

Wireless Digital Media Players

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