Want to set up really simple (!) system to play iphones through stereo speakers

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GrandNagus50

Audiophyte
My wife and I put away our (old school) big stereo gear a while ago. I mostly listen through headphones now using a simple portable amp system, either iphone or laptop-based. We would like to buy a basic speaker setup for our living room to play music in stereo wirelessly from our iphones or ipads. My vision here is two powered speakers that will pick up a bluetooth (or wifi?) signal and play the music reasonably faithfully, in stereo. It doesn't need to get all that loud (I can do loud via headphones). A big plus would be non-fussiness when it comes to simply turning the music on from at least two different portable devices (not at the same time). My wife is a technophobe, so if it isn't simple she won't use it. She currently listens to classical music directly from her ipad, so anything we get will be an improvement. What would be a minimal purchase here, and what might be good bang per buck at higher quality? Thanks for any advice.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
What's the approximate budget? There are a lot of options. I think a good blend of quality vs. price might be these. Not cheap, but also not the average not-so-great speakers you often see with wireless systems:

 
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GrandNagus50

Audiophyte
Thank you for replying. I can spend about that much, i.e, $600, a little more if need be. Watching the videos it already gets complicated in my feeble mind (wi-fi vs. bluetooth, not sure which apply when), but it seems like a great product.
 
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GrandNagus50

Audiophyte
What's the approximate budget? There are a lot of options. I think a good blend of quality vs. price might be these. Not cheap, but also not the average not-so-great speakers you often see with wireless systems:

How good are the comparably priced Audioengine HD6 speakers?
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Audioengine is a solid speaker and definitely one of the earliest wireless speakers like this on the market. For a slightly lower price, you get twice the power though, (50W to all 4 drivers vs. 50 per speaker) and the SVS have the ability to stream directly, with no phone (not sure how well it works, but its a nice benefit). Most of the rest of the specs are very similar and I believe both have a generous return policy.
 
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GrandNagus50

Audiophyte
If I buy these speakers will I almost immediately want to add a subwoofer? :)
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
If I buy these speakers will I almost immediately want to add a subwoofer? :)
I wouldn't consider speakers like those without a sub :) but that's me. Another thought might be something like the JBL LSR 305/306/308 series and their matching subwoofer 310S.....but you'd have to add your wifi/bluetooth reception capabilities separately.
 
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GrandNagus50

Audiophyte
As the old saying goes, in for a penny, in for a pound. Maybe I'll get the bookshelf speakers first and then add the sub a few months down life's road.
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
Things to always consider is that if you're a technophobe, everything in life is difficult and a headache and a problem and there's a lot of "Why can't this just read my mind yet?" mentality.

That really is something I've run into continuously over the years. You have to know your phone's settings well enough to start and stop streaming music from your phone to the device. It can be setup to be automatic, but that means when you are home, and in range, then the speakers will work 100% of the time with your phone. I'm not sure if phones are bright enough to know NOT to use the speakers for phone calls... which they likely will try to do. This can be an obvious headache.

This is when an option, like Sonos, comes into play. Because it runs as an app on your phone, you can start music, like a playlist, from your phone, to the Sonos, but your phone still acts as a phone, and if you decide you want to stop using it, you go into the app and press the 'STOP' button. If someone else wants to use it, they go into the Sonos app and they start their choice of music playing. Is this easier? For some it is, for some it isn't. Once you know how to use the app, it's perfectly easy enough to use. But, if you end up never deciding to play with the app, it's just something new to complain about.

"The new system sucks!"
"Let's sit down and go over the app for it."
"I can't even get the app to download!"
"Wait... You didn't even play with the app yet?"
"Why can't it just play my music back automatically?"
*sigh*

I go through some of this with my wife. I've gone through it with tons of clients over the years. They want it to be super, super, super, super simple, and to read their minds, at the same time, while performing half a million different functions. Oh, and it should be cheap.

Bluetooth can be really easy. It's range limited though so you can't be more than about 20 or 30 feet from the speakers with your phone.
WiFi is more reliable, and can be better quality, but requires a bit more smarts to use up front. But, once you know how to use it, is not any more difficult to use than Bluetooth.
The easiest is a set of speakers which need you to plug your phone into them. Just like you would a set of wired headphones. You plug your phone in, the speakers play back whatever your phone is playing. Want the speakers to play someone else's phone? Unplug yours, plug theirs in, done. No wireless dropouts, no real learning curve.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
SVS offers 2.1 package with those speakers as well, which means a sub can be added if you buy them separate :D

I use my 30yr old Sony shelf system in one room like BMX says. I have an RCA to 3.5 and plug the tablet into it, for a super simple system.
 
Cos

Cos

Audioholic Samurai
What's the approximate budget? There are a lot of options. I think a good blend of quality vs. price might be these. Not cheap, but also not the average not-so-great speakers you often see with wireless systems:

Having owned/returned these, I would not reccomend. The DTS Play-FI app to control this device is craptastic and buggy. Ruines what is otherwise a very nice little set of speakers

Suggestions:
Kanto YU6 Powered Speakers with Bluetooth® and Phono Preamp - Audiolab (I own these)
  • Good sounding speakers, can get away w/o a sub in small/med sized room
  • Plenty of power
  • Includes Remote (buttons are small on remote)
  • Built in turntable preamp
Downside is that they only have a 2 year warranty, and remote is hard to read with small buttons.
 
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j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Having owned/returned these, I would not reccomend. The DTS Play-FI app to control this device is craptastic and buggy. Runes what is otherwise a very nice little set of speakers

Suggestions:
Kanto YU6 Powered Speakers with Bluetooth® and Phono Preamp - Audiolab (I own these)
  • Good sounding speakers, can get away w/o a sub in small/med sized room
  • Plenty of power
  • Includes Remote (buttons are small on remote)
  • Built in turntable preamp
Downside is that they only have a 2 year warranty, and remote is hard to read with small buttons.
What about the 2.1 system that does not rely on their speakers being powered? The new wireless hub/amp looks promising, but if it uses the same app then maybe not so much. Was thinking about using it for my rears so I can add atmos to my system.
 
kantoliving

kantoliving

Enthusiast
@GrandNagus50 Heads up that none of our speakers have BT5.0 so you can't have two devices connected at the same time and trade off audio streams. You'd need to click the unpair button on the remote and then find the speakers manually on the phone / tablet to quickly switch. Not super seamless, unfortunately. feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about our YU6 or other speakers.
 
S

sterling shoote

Audioholic Field Marshall
OP, here's another idea for better quality than Bluetooth. Buy a Marantz NR1200 stereo Receiver. It has Airplay which will receive Apple Lossless at 16/44.1 from your iPad/iPhone. This Receiver also has a pre-out for sub with adjustable low pass filter from 200 to 40Hz.
 

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