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:
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You will be able to make use of
higher-quality surround speakers typical of conventional home theater
systems. |
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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.
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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:
Featured Wireless Speakers
Solutions
Kenwood RFU-6100 Wireless Speakers Solution
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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.
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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.
...back to Review
Index
Advent AW-871 Wireless Powered
Stereo Speakers
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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.
...back to Review
Index
JBL Control 2.4G On Air Wireless Speaker System
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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. |
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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.
...back to Review
Index
Creative GigaWorks ProGamer G550W Wireless 5.1 Speaker System
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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 - as its name implies - 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.
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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.
...back to Review
Index
Related Reviews
@
Practical-Home-Theater-Guide:
Wireless Home Theater in-a-box Solutions
Wireless Digital Media
Players
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More
Wireless Speakers system
reviews will follow soon.
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