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Last Updated: 24th Mar. 2009

 

Home Page - Wireless Speakers - System Reviews


Wireless Speakers System Reviews

Add-on Modules for Surround and Multiroom Audio


Wireless Audio Systems help 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 multiroom audio installation.

In this article, we review some of the best yet affordable wireless audio systems for use as part of a home entertainment solution.


 

A Complete Guide to

Home Automation, Networking & Wireless Audio/Video distribution in the home.

Home Theater Design e-book

by Duncan McClelland
More information HERE.

 

 

 
 

Bose SL2 Wireless Surround Link

Bose SL2 Wireless Link
for Bose Lifestyle® and Acoustimass® home entertainment systems

 

Audio Wireless Systems

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

We review some of the available add-on wireless modules that will enable you to transform a wired speaker system into a wireless setup in no time at all.

Choice is still very much limited with only a few options worth considering. Furthermore, most wireless speakers systems are mainly designed to deliver just a few watts of audio power - typically less than 25W rms per channel. Is this enough? It all depends what are your exact requirements.

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 overall 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:

Blue bullet

You will be able to make use of the higher-quality surround speakers typical of conventional home theater systems.

Blue bullet

Using the same rear speakers that come with your system helps ensure a more balanced tonal response with respect to the rest of the speakers associated with the different 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 give you a good enough system for home entertainment use.

Reviewed Products:

Blue bullet

Rocketfish RF-WHTIB Wireless Rear Speaker Kit: Originally reviewed in May 2007, this inexpensive Rocketfish wireless kit is still among the best systems we have ever come across - delivering 25W rms per channel of clean audio up to 100 feet away.

For more information, please check our detailed review here.

Blue bullet

Kenwood RFU-6100 Wireless Solution

Blue bullet

Acoustic Research AW877 Wireless Powered Speakers

Blue bullet

Bose SL2 Wireless Link for Rear Speakers

Blue bullet

Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W Wireless 5.1 Speaker System

Blue bullet

Griffin Evolve Wireless Sound system for iPod

 


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 $250 - a fair price considering that it can deliver up to 50W (RMS) per channel.

Kenwood RFU-6100 wireless speaker kit

Kenwood RFU-6100

The Kenwood RFU-6100 has an operating range of up to 100 feet (30m). It comes with AC power adapters to power the transmitter and the receiver units. The kit includes 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 and 4 user-selectable RF transmission channels within the 900MHz band. This should help reduce possible radio frequency interference from other RF sources while making it possible to use a second system in case you want to connect all four back/rear speakers in a 7.1  setup via a wireless link. For more information on a 7.1 wireless setup, please refer to our wireless speakers installation tips.

It is worth taking note here that although the Kenwood wireless speaker system is being marketed as a solution for wireless surround sound, it can also serve to extend high quality stereo sound in a multiroom audio setup.

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 setup. Its primary key feature is the 50W (RMS) per channel stereo amplifier at the receiver end. Most wireless systems come with 25W per channel or less - so having 50W per channel gives this Kenwood unit an edge over most of the competition. Overall, it is a good system and though its wireless link is not as robust as that of the Rocketfish wireless rear speaker kit, yet it is still capable of doing a good job.

...back to Review Index



Acoustic Research AW877 900MHz Wireless Powered Stereo Speakers

The popular Acoustic Research AW877 wireless stereo speaker system is a follow-up to the equally popular but discontinued AW871 released a few years ago.

It comes in the form of wireless powered 2-way speakers incorporating a 5" woofer/mid-range speaker and a 2" dome tweeter. Connectivity is via stereo minijack plug and RCA connections.

Available online at around $120, the AW877 is one of the cheapest units presently available on the market.

Acoustic Research AW877 Wireless Speakers

Acoustic Research AW877

But with a 7.5W RMS per channel, this wireless speaker unit is more suitable to extend stereo sound in a multiroom setup rather than for home theater use. However, it may still serve a purpose in a small home theater environment as part of an entry-level HTiB solution.

This Acoustic Research unit incorporates the necessary features to allow for flexible placement of the speakers. In particular, it allows for the use of both speakers in monaural mode - which will help cut down on transmission related noise. Furthermore, each speaker comes with an integrated power switch, volume control, and an auto-lock tuning button placed along the front. However, there is no tone control on these speakers; this would surely have come in handy when using the speakers in a multiroom audio setup.

The AW877 wireless speakers incorporate an independent wireless receiver and audio amplifier for each speaker unit, 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. There is no master volume control. Instead, these wireless speakers come with a separate volume control - one on each speaker; this renders balancing the volume between the two speakers a tricky issue.

At 10.0" x 6.5" x 7" (H x W x D), these speakers may prove a bit bulky for use as rear speakers in a surround sound setup  - especially when considering the rather low rated output of the AW877.

Connectivity of the sender unit is through line-level audio 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 supports a line level out for each channel besides the speaker outputs. In the absence of a line-level output, you will need an adapter to convert speaker level voltages to line level.

Sound quality is acceptable for a wireless setup but do not expect miracles; you would surely be able to perceive the difference in sound quality when compared with a wired setup. It also lacks that much desired bass. But other than this, it works perfectly as advertised.

The key advantage of the Acoustic Research wireless speakers is their extended operating range of around 250 feet (approximately 80m) - using FM transmission in the 900Mhz band; most other systems support a maximum of 100 feet. Coupled with the battery powered option (quantity 8 'C' type batteries per remote speaker), this makes the AW877 the ideal wireless solution for some patio music.

...back to Review Index



Bose SL2 Wireless Link for Rear Speakers
Bose SL2 wireless surround link

Bose SL2 Wireless Link for rear speakers

While the other wireless speaker systems featured here can operate with most audio systems irrespective of brand, the Bose SL2 Wireless Link is designed specifically to provide a wireless connection for surround speakers on Bose 5.1-channel Lifestyle® and Acoustimass® home entertainment systems.

It can support Bose systems having a maximum rated output of 200W per channel.

The Bose SL2 wireless link sells for around $220 online. It makes use of 5.8GHz wireless technology - meaning that it is significantly less prone to interference from mobile phones, microwave ovens, wireless home networks, and other household appliances operating in the more congested 2.4GHz and 900MHz bands. But using 5.8GHz transmission also explains the limited 30ft range supported by the Bose SL2. Still, 30ft should be more than adequate for a single room installation. And using RF instead of say infra-red means that you can also hide away the transmitter and receiver ends since line of site is not required. At the same time, this limited range means that you cannot use the SL2 as part of a multiroom audio setup.

The Bose SL2 wireless link can produce high quality sound that will soon make you forget there are no wires between the rear speakers and your Bose home entertainment system.

Setting up is quick and easy thanks to the use of color-coded connections. Simply connect the transmitter to your Acoustimass module, and the receiver to your rear surround speakers. Just be sure to set the select switch on the bottom of the SL2 transmitter to 'Lifestyle' or 'Other' depending on your system configuration. Then plug both units into a wall outlet. Once you position your surround speakers, make it a point to run the ADAPTiQ® audio calibration system provided with your LIFESTYLE® system; this will ensure you get the most accurate sound from your new setup.

This is all it takes to install your new Bose SL2 Wireless Link. All that remains is... to enjoy your Bose system!

...back to Review Index



Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W Wireless 5.1 Speaker System
Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W Wireless 5.1 speaker system

Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W

The Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W Wireless 5.1 Speaker System is more than just a set of wireless speakers.

It is mainly designed for use with a PC, with the main target being gaming applications.

Yet this system is good enough for use as part of a home theater setup when combined with a good quality audio source such as a CD or DVD player.

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 convenient 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 wireless technology. It supports a recommended maximum range of approximately 25 feet between the sender unit and the wireless receiver. Rather limited compared with most wireless speaker solutions but 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 be enough for a typical small to medium-size room installation.

Furthermore, being THX certified is a guarantee 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, please refer to 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; there is also 1 x S/PDIF input. The included remote control features CMSS up-mix stereo source to 5.1, Bass, Treble, Center and Rear settings, and Volume control. Additional conveniences are also provided on the subwoofer rear panel.

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 for under $350. It is not one of the cheapest but audio quality is very good with full frequency response and 85dB S/N ratio. If you need a full 5.1 speaker kit with wireless rear speakers, then the G550W is worth considering.

...back to Review Index



Griffin Evolve Wireless Sound System for iPod

The Griffin Evolve is not the traditional wireless speaker system many are accustomed to in that it is mainly designed to provide you with a wireless audio system for your IPod or MP3.

It comes with two full-range speakers having 4-inch aluminum drivers. Each speaker has its own built-in Class D amplifier and takes the shape of a 5.5" cube.

The Evolve speakers are magnetically shielded and can deliver up to 20W of total power anywhere within 150 feet from the wireless base.

Griffin Evolve Wireless Sound System for IPod

 

Griffin Evolve Wireless Sound System
for IPod and most MP3 players

The speakers are not uniquely paired meaning that you can get a second set and synchronize all four speakers to the same docking station - making it an ideal setup for multiroom music listening.

Each speaker incorporates a lithium ion rechargeable battery - meaning there is no need for a socket outlet nearby; the built-in batteries will give you up to 10hrs of use before recharging.

The base unit includes a docking station for your iPod or compatible MP3 player. Besides transmitting digital stereo sound to the speakers, it will also recharge the batteries used in the Evolve wireless speaker units as well your iPod or MP3 while streaming music.

It is relatively easy to use and includes play and volume controls via the included remote. Connectivity comes in the form of an auxiliary stereo audio input, right/left audio out, composite video and S-video out.

The wireless speakers battery life may prove to be an issue for some especially when running the system at high volume levels for extended periods. And at almost $300, it is not cheap. But other than this, the Griffin Evolve Wireless Sound System is an easy-to-use product that adds a great sound to your IPod or compatible MP3 with the convenience of a true wireless audio solution.

...back to Review Index


 

 

Wireless Speakers Systems Guides and Reviews:

Wireless Speaker related articles appearing under this section 

Guides:

Basic Guide to Wireless Audio Systems

Installation Tips for Wireless add-on Speaker Systems

Introduction to Wireless Home Entertainment Systems

Wireless Security Basics in Home Entertainment

Home theater wireless systems: an HTiB or a component-based solution?

Reviews:

Rocketfish RF-WHTIB Wireless Rear speaker Kit

Wireless HTiB Reviews

Wireless Digital Media Players

 Home Theater Guides:

Recommended Technical Guides 

PC - Home Entertainment Integration through Wireless Media Players
Are you ready to expand your wireless networking from a simple home-office to a fully integrated wireless home entertainment system? Today’s wireless media players make all this easily achievable.

A Practical Guide to Wireless Headphones and Dolby Headphone technology
Ever told to turn it down? Wireless headphones may be a solution. However, you need to combine the flexibility of a wireless headset with Dolby Headphone technology to enjoy a great sound experience.

Surround Sound Formats
The never ending list of terms and brand names - Dolby, DTS, THX - associated with surround systems is starting to get a bit too complicated...

Speaker Placement in Multi-channel Audio
Correct home theater speaker placement plays a critical role towards achieving that seamless ‘enveloping’ sound so important in the overall home theater experience.

Time Delay Settings in Surround Systems
Directly related with your home theater speaker placement is a correctly set surround sound field in multi-channel audio playback systems.

Home Theater Equipment Placement
Just as important as which equipment to buy, is deciding where to place your home theater gear. Correct placement of system components is a major contributor towards...

Selecting and Installing Speaker Wire
A correct home theater wiring approach is important for your home theater sound. Poor workmanship and low quality speaker wire will surely impact...

Home Theater Design:
A series of articles covering all aspects of home theater - from design to implementation.

Set-up Discs and Video Calibration Solutions
Home theater setup DVDs and video calibration kits can help you squeeze a lot more out of your system.

Equipment Racks:
There is more to equipment racks than a storage space for your system components. More in this informative home theater guide.

The HDMI Cable Guide
To many, HDMI is still an unfamiliar term. This easy-to follow home theater guide explains all you need to know about HDMI.

Quick Guide to DVI
DVI Cable Guide - explaining the different flavors of DVI interconnects.

HDCP and HDTV:
What is HDCP, and why it impacts HDTV viewing? What about HDCP strippers as a solution to non-compliant devices?

TV Viewing Distance
Buying a big screen TV? Care should be taken as you may easily fall into the trap of buying a too large TV for your room.

Should You Opt for a 1080p HDTV?
Discover the strengths and weaknesses of the different HD formats - 720p, 1080i, and 1080p - in this HDTV Guide.

 

 

 

 

 

Best BuyWireless Speaker  Systems @

Featured wireless speaker kits 

 

Rocketfish  Universal Wireless Rear Speaker Kit

Rocketfish Universal Wireless Rear Speakers Kit

Providing uncompressed CD-quality audio to rear speakers via wireless within a 100'.

For our detailed review,
click here.

Bose Wireless Surround Link

Bose Wireless Surround Link

Using 5.8Ghz wireless technology to connect your  Bose 5.1-channel Lifestyle® and Acoustimass® home entertainment systems with the surround speakers. 

Rocketfish digital wireless speaker pair - 8W RMS 

Rocketfish™ - Wireless Digital Speakers (Pair)

Delivering 8W RMS of clear quality audio over 4" woofers and 1.5" tweeters.

Griffin Evolve Wireless Sound System for Apple iPod and Most MP3 Players - High-Gloss Black

Griffin Evolve 20W Wireless Sound System for Apple iPod and Most MP3 Players

Play your iPod through this rechargeable wireless speaker system anywhere within 150'.

You can also recharge your

iPod while streaming music to amplified speakers.

Rocketfish digital wireless speaker 20W rms

Rocketfish™ - Digital Wireless Speaker (Each)

20W RMS of clear sound via a 5" driver and 2" tweeters. Can be paired with a second unit for stereo, in which case control of both speakers is possible via one of the units.

 

 

 

 

 

Wireless HTiB  Systems @ amazon.com

Featured wireless home theater in a box systems 

Sony Bravia DAV HDX576WF HTiB with wireless surround speakers

Sony BRAVIA Theater System (DAVHDX576WF) - Black

The 576WF comes with 1000W total power, 5 disc DVD/CD changer with full 1080p upscaling capabilities, integrated universal iPod doc, and wireless surround using Sony's S-AIR technology. Included, there is also an S-AIR based receiver/speaker for easy multi-room audio listening.

Panasonic SC-PT960 HTiB with wireless rear speakers

Panasonic SC-PT960 Deluxe 5 DVD Home Theater System

A 1250W, six-speaker wireless HTiB complete with 5 DVD/CD changer, 1080p upscaling capabilities, built-in iPod docking station, and wireless rear speakers with multi-room audio support using Panasonic Viera link technology.

For the full range of wireless home theater in a box system available at amazon, please

Click HERE


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A Quick Guide to Home Theater Design

Discover how to research, design, and build your Home Theater.

Home Theater Design e-book

by Duncan McClelland
More information HERE.

 
 



 


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