[shnjb]

I've been looking for a home wireless speaker setup, which is on the smaller side for under $400.
The reason is I am temporarily living in a small apartment and I would like to be as mobile as possible and have the versatility to hook up the speakers to whatever source I want on the fly (typically computer, my cell phone, another person's cell phone).
 
Since I would like to have Bluetooth or Airplay, it seems that my options are either 1) buy a bluetooth receiver or Apple Airport express router for airplay and connect to speakers or 2) buy a set of speakers with built-in bluetooth/airplay capabilities.
 
Going with option 1, there are lots and lots of options, which seem to come up on the internet: Vanatoo Transparent One, Emotiva Airmotiv 4S, etc.
Going with option 2, there aren't a lot of good options that are recommended by audiophile types: Fluance fi50, a few JBLs and so on.
 
I was wondering if you guys had any fresh suggestions and whether it's preferable to go with an external bluetooth receiver (any suggestions on which one?) or a built-in setup.
Thank you!

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Dayton amplifier with Bluetooth: https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-daa-2x20w-digital-audio-amplifier-with-bluetooth--300-333

Dayton passive bookshelf speakers: https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-b652-air-6-1-2-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-with-amt-tweeter-pair--300-651

 

Total: A little over $100 (plus taxes and shipping though). You get to save money that you can spend on other audio equipment for critical listening, and not necessarily now.

 

[shnjb]

 

Dayton amplifier with Bluetooth: https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-daa-2x20w-digital-audio-amplifier-with-bluetooth--300-333

Dayton passive bookshelf speakers: https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-b652-air-6-1-2-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-with-amt-tweeter-pair--300-651

 

Total: A little over $100 (plus taxes and shipping though). You get to save money that you can spend on other audio equipment for critical listening, and not necessarily now.

 
thank you for the suggestion.
this seems like a very economical purchase, although i'm not in the US at the moment so i'm not sure if I can get this particular combo here.
usually people resell stuff from the states at a high premium.
 
how would something like this compare to an all-in package speaker like the Fluance Fi50 or something portable, like JBL Charge?

 

[Roseval]

I wonder why you limit yourself to Airplay.
UPnP/DLNA does the same but as it is an open standard, it has a very wide support

 

[shnjb]

  I wonder why you limit yourself to Airplay.
UPnP/DLNA does the same but as it is an open standard, it has a very wide support

 
Oh I wasn't aware that other options could work with iPhones other than bluetooth and AirPlay

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shnjb /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

thank you for the suggestion.

this seems like a very economical purchase, although i'm not in the US at the moment so i'm not sure if I can get this particular combo here.

usually people resell stuff from the states at a high premium.

 

What country are you in? Check if you have a cargo forwarding service that goes to your country - shipping is usually cheaper and they can receive the item at their US location. If you do and feedback on the service is good then the only thing the locally available speakers have is product support, but then again, depending on where you are, crappy product support can be worth gambling on ordering elsewhere.

 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by shnjb /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

how would something like this compare to an all-in package speaker like the Fluance Fi50 or something portable, like JBL Charge?

 

Pros:
1. Separate left and right speaker means you can put them a bit farther apart and at toe-in angles to maximize imaging. Yes, even with 320kbps over BT that can help the tonal balance, if not also the imaging (although this one depends on the recording)

2. The Dayton speakers in that link uses a ribbon tweeter - flatter and wider (but at that price and size, more to the higher notes) response than the usual dome tweeters. I'm not sure if those speakers you're looking at even have separate midwoofers and tweeters, likely fullrange midrange drivers with a tuned port or passive woofers.

3. Wood cabinets typically have less resonance and comparatively more natural sound vs plastic.

 

Cons:

1. Relatively bulkier since you'll have two speakers, an amp, and wires to connect the amp to the speakers. These are just convenient home speakers, not something you can pick up and stuff in a backpack or large messenger if you're going to grill at a friend's house (then again, they likely have their own speakers)

2. Vinyl finish, or practically anything other than the dull finish on pro monitors, aren't as rough and tumble as the plastic on the single piece speakers. You won't lug it around, but make sure they won't be anywhere near say any part of the kitchen where for example you might be searing a ribeye on a skillet and then the smoking garlic-infused olive oil wafts over to the speakers and collects as gunk on them. Our exhaust fan needs cleaning after just a couple of steaks (or a batch of fried chicken), and I use palm oil instead of olive oil just to cut down on the evaporating oil.

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by shnjb /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

Oh I wasn't aware that other options could work with iPhones other than bluetooth and AirPlay

 

You can use DLNA to go from mass storage to iPhone, then BT from iPhone to amp since that's the most common transmission that an amp can receive wirelessly. If that mass storage device is a laptop then you might as well just hook up the laptop to the USB input on the amp if you can find one that has such (or 3.5mm to 3.5mm analogue from the laptop to the amp I linked), then run a remote app so you can control the music player on the laptop using the iPhone.

 

[Roseval]

   
Oh I wasn't aware that other options could work with iPhones other than bluetooth and AirPlay

I wasn't aware that you are using a iPhone

 

[shnjb]

thanks for the suggestions.
given the cons of a two-bookshelf speaker setup, i think i will probably opt for an integrated setup, although i'm not sure which will be good...

 

[Roseval]

Today you get get powered speakers with Airplay and Bluetooth integrated
Maybe this link is of use to you: http://airplayspeakers.com/