Basic advice on wireless speakers

[crossatlantic]

Folks - I'd love to get some basic advice on wireless speakers. I'd figure this out myself but I have a newborn and my brain isn't working and time is at a premium.

My wife has been setting up our living room. We have receivers / speakers in other rooms, but without going into details, the living room would look a lot better if I didn't have to run speaker wire. I'd just like to get two decent speakers, and maybe a subwoofer too. I know Sonos Play 5 is an option. But I was wondering if there are any other good options out there. I don't need multi-room support - I'm not trying to keep the music going as I walk around the house. I thought maybe I could get AudioEngines - I used to have a pair of monitors from them years ago, and I liked them - but only one of the speakers is wireless, and then you need to run wire from one to the other.

So, are there any other good options for a stereo pair beyond Sonos? What do you recommend?

Thanks!

 

[TLS Guy]

If you must have wireless then Sonos is probably the way to go. Wireless is a really poor way of doing audio. Get creative and hide the cables, in wall, under the floor, or moldings round the room. You don't have to see the wires.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Folks - I'd love to get some basic advice on wireless speakers. I'd figure this out myself but I have a newborn and my brain isn't working and time is at a premium.

My wife has been setting up our living room. We have receivers / speakers in other rooms, but without going into details, the living room would look a lot better if I didn't have to run speaker wire. I'd just like to get two decent speakers, and maybe a subwoofer too. I know Sonos Play 5 is an option. But I was wondering if there are any other good options out there. I don't need multi-room support - I'm not trying to keep the music going as I walk around the house. I thought maybe I could get AudioEngines - I used to have a pair of monitors from them years ago, and I liked them - but only one of the speakers is wireless, and then you need to run wire from one to the other.

So, are there any other good options for a stereo pair beyond Sonos? What do you recommend?

Thanks!

Any of the many multiroom wireless systems are your best best. However, connecting them to a tv can be tricky. The sounbars are typically the only models capable of being connected to a TV simply. Denon HEOS, BlueSound, RIVA, and SONOS are all great. You will likely find, after using these systems, that even just a single speaker is worth the price of entry. They offer excellent sound for the size along with very intuitive apps to control everything.

The subwoofers for these systems are just ok and quite expensive. One nice thing about Bluesound is that they offer a wireless subwoofer adapter that lets you use any subwoofer with their system. It won't be cheap, but at least the money nets you a better quality subwoofer. Of all the systems, I like their app the best as well. Their speakers are designed by Paul Barton of PSB, and...they have recently expanded compatibility to add Dali speakers. Those allow a higher end option.

 

[crossatlantic]

Any of the many multiroom wireless systems are your best best. However, connecting them to a tv can be tricky. The sounbars are typically the only models capable of being connected to a TV simply...

The subwoofers for these systems are just ok and quite expensive. One nice thing about Bluesound is that they offer a wireless subwoofer adapter that lets you use any subwoofer with their system. I

Thanks for the advice! I'm actually not looking to hook this up to a TV, so I wasn't planning on getting a soundbar. I think the Dali's are more than I want to spend. Given that I'm not connecting it to a TV, just using it for music, any other recommendations?

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Thanks for the advice! I'm actually not looking to hook this up to a TV, so I wasn't planning on getting a soundbar. I think the Dali's are more than I want to spend. Given that I'm not connecting it to a TV, just using it for music, any other recommendations?

I was just going through the range of options. Sonos, Denon HEOS, Bluesound, and Yamaha Multicast are all good. Of the options, I happen to like Bluesound best (they have their own more affordable speaker line). After that would be Sonos. I think the Sonos is a better value, but I don’t like their app as much.

I’m currently reviewing the Yamaha Multicast and I have a Sonos One that was sent to me as part of another review (smart home controller). Of those two, the Sonos both sounds better and works more reliably.

Just make sure you size your speakers appropriately. The Sonos one sounds great for its size but it’s very small. Don’t expect miracles from this thing. It plays surprisingly deep bass, is very neutral, and plays surprisingly loud....for a speaker with a tiny 4” woofer in an equally tiny enclosure. In practice a pair of these will net an extra 3dB of output at best. If you like to listen loud or want more room filling sound, get one of the larger models. I have a review over on the site I primarily write for of a larger Bluesound speaker. It could easily fill a moderately large living room with room filling sound. The only thing it didn’t do was create a stereo image.

 

[crossatlantic]

Thanks again. I'd love to just get a pair of bookshelf speakers that can operate wirelessly. From that standpoint, the closest I've seen (for less than $1,500 total) is that Sonos Play 5. But maybe I'm missing something.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Thanks again. I'd love to just get a pair of bookshelf speakers that can operate wirelessly. From that standpoint, the closest I've seen (for less than $1,500 total) is that Sonos Play 5. But maybe I'm missing something.

Yeah that works.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_813PLSE2IB/Bluesound-Pulse-2i-Black.html
The Pulse 2 is what I reviewed. It’s similar. You might check that out. I’m fairly sure you can use those in pairs if you so desire. I would check with Bluesound to be sure.

I really like both brands, so either is good.