Jump to content
Required Reading for any Longhorn ×

Powered wireless bookshelf speakers

ohchaucer

By ohchaucer
in Music

 Share

Recommended Posts

ohchaucer

ohchaucer 1443

Posted
Posted

Hi. Didn’t see this covered anywhere and it seems more appropriate to the Music thread than CYHMWT.

 

Anyone have recos on a pair of powered Bluetooth bookshelf speakers? I had the Dynaudio Music 3 single speaker and really want proper stereo (so not Sonos, etc). I hav Dynaudio as my hifi loudspeakers and love them. But they just don’t seem to have mastered the powered wireless space.

 

I’ve been looking at the KEF ls50 but don’t know if I can justify the price.

 

Any experiences out there good or bad. I know a lot of people did Klipsch and Audioengine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46266

Posted
Posted

Those KEFs are reputed to be one of the great bookshelf speakers in hifi.  They're passive, though, right?  Have they released an active version?

I haven't heard them, but was about to pull the trigger when I realized how expensive it is to put 3 kids thru college at the same time.  Oof.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ohchaucer

ohchaucer 1443

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Those KEFs are reputed to be one of the great bookshelf speakers in hifi.  They're passive, though, right?  Have they released an active version?
I haven't heard them, but was about to pull the trigger when I realized how expensive it is to put 3 kids thru college at the same time.  Oof.

Yeah they now have an active version that I might have to buy to hear and then decide as they don’t seem to show up anywhere. And yeah, if I do buy them it’s gonna put that much more pressure on one of my kids to get a damn scholarship (or a damn job).
  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ohchaucer

ohchaucer 1443

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Dammit! You were right, Jimmy. The powered KEF ones are $2800. It was too good to be true. They have an LSX model that is powered at $1250 but now I’m worried they aren’t in the same audio ballpark.


Also gonna look into the Klipsch “the Fives” speakers. But I’ve never been a huge fan of Klipsch sound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
VABuckeye

VABuckeye 2472

Posted
Posted
On 2/18/2022 at 11:56 AM, ohchaucer said:

Ouch. Yeah. I was looking at the LS50 powered at more like $1500. Would love to do just wireless (but now that you mention it maybe I just buy an amp. I do like buying more shit, as a general rule.)

Any intel on Audioengine - they appear to be from Austin.

I have Audioengine A5+ as my computer speakers.  They're fine but they are nowhere near the league of my (and your) Dynaudio speakers.  I have Special Forty's. and love them.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ohchaucer

ohchaucer 1443

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Mmmmm…. Special 40 Dynaudios. That’s a fine speaker!

Good to know about the Audioengines.

So, I ended up getting just a super basic component pairing - again this is for 90% Bluetooth-from-my-phone passive listening while I’m puttering around the family room. Got a NAD 328c amp and the KEF Q350s. I was about to pull the trigger on the LS50 KEFs and for some reason showed my wife and she didn’t like the look of them…. That’s what I get for even asking! (To be fair it is the room we spend a lot of time in so I guess the look is something to consider).

As soon as I can bring her around on them I’ll upgrade.

In the meantime given the amount of drum and guitar shit I buy and sneak upstairs, I’ll just keep a low profile on the speakers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deej

Deej 76972

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, ohchaucer said:

Mmmmm…. Special 40 Dynaudios. That’s a fine speaker!

Good to know about the Audioengines.

So, I ended up getting just a super basic component pairing - again this is for 90% Bluetooth-from-my-phone passive listening while I’m puttering around the family room. Got a NAD 328c amp and the KEF Q350s. I was about to pull the trigger on the LS50 KEFs and for some reason showed my wife and she didn’t like the look of them…. That’s what I get for even asking! (To be fair it is the room we spend a lot of time in so I guess the look is something to consider).

As soon as I can bring her around on them I’ll upgrade.

In the meantime given the amount of drum and guitar shit I buy and sneak upstairs, I’ll just keep a low profile on the speakers.

"Honey, I bought you some speakers."

 

ampwall.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ohchaucer

ohchaucer 1443

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Those are absolute classics.  Well done.

Yeah I love my Dynaudio and I merely rock the Excite x12s (with an REL sub). I would love to upgrade sometime but frankly they’re so damn good. I don’t know that something as nice as the 40s but I don’t know if the rest of my setup merits something so nice.

Dream of also upgrading my power source to the McIntosh ma252 hybrid.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
VABuckeye

VABuckeye 2472

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, ohchaucer said:

Dream of also upgrading my power source to the McIntosh ma252 hybrid.

Do it!

I got the NAD Masters Series M33 about a year ago and I am crazy about it.  Tons of power, streams hi-res and looks great.  I love the minimalist system I have now.  M33, Dynaudio speakers and a turntable.  Oh, and an 18" Triad subwoofer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TwiceHorn

TwiceHorn 31585

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Seriously, back to a prior comment:  is it not possible to wirelessly link link to passive loudspeakers, hooked to (perhaps mono) amp(s) via a Bluetooth dongle thing?  Modern class D amps can be tiny.

So you're thinking a small Class D for each speaker with a dongle attached for input?

That would sort of work, but your player would only pair to one of the dongles at a time.  I'm not aware of any devices that would transmit a Bluetooth "stream" of one stereo channel for each receiver/amp/speaker combo.  And, I suppose some BT dongles have their own DAC and some small Class Ds, but that would probably get spendy or sacrifice some fidelity.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ohchaucer

ohchaucer 1443

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I think I’m following and had thought about that but not the idea of two mono amps. I don’t see how those would synch across. One of the issues I was trying to solve for (and the super high end KEF powered speakers would have solved) is that I am putting these into built in shelves that are separated with no easy way to get wire between. (As an aside, what I’ve bought doesn’t actually solve for it anyway and not speakers will end up being on the same shelf… but alas, back to the original question since I was the one who posed it).

Almost all the powered speaker pairs I found have one powered and one passive slave, therefore a wire. KEF solves for that by wirelessly pairing and early versions had latency issues but apparently the new ones solve for that. And Jimmy your idea would also possible solve for the wired issue. But might introduce latency and connection issues.

For now, my solve will be to just clear out some shit on the left side of the built on shelves below and put the amp and passive speakers on there. Not ideal for sound/placement but that goddamn chimney is like crossing Siberia for wires.

f98820528330a0757b602afd32faae34.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46266

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yeah, I'm out of my element when it comes to the details of wireless connections.  It was just a thought.  Maybe if each small amp was stereo, both receiving the same wireless signal, but only hooking up one speaker lead?  It screams "Rube Goldberg", but if one cares about sound quality, maybe it's a better solution.

What it really hints at is an aftermarket solution that can broadcast a stereo signal that mono receivers can decode and use as needed.  I can't believe that doesn't exist.

Edited by jimmyjazz
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TwiceHorn

TwiceHorn 31585

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, jimmyjazz said:

Yeah, I'm out of my element when it comes to the details of wireless connections.  It was just a thought.  Maybe if each small amp was stereo, both receiving the same wireless signal, but only hooking up one speaker lead?  It screams "Rube Goldberg", but if one cares about sound quality, maybe it's a better solution.

What it really hints at is an aftermarket solution that can broadcast a stereo signal that mono receivers can decode and use as needed.  I can't believe that doesn't exist.

Yeah, that's pretty much how you'd have to do it, except you'd still have the problem that the bluetooth transmitter and receiver can only pair, you can't do two with one, as far as I am aware.

I think the problem and expense with powered wireless speakers is that you have to have a DAC, and amp, and a lousdpeaker all together, instead of having the DAC and amp "centralized" together.  So, you'll either compromise one or all three, or they'll be expensive as shit.  Whether the transmission protocol is bluetooth, wifi, or something else is a small aspect of it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ohchaucer

ohchaucer 1443

Posted
  • Author
Posted
So, you'll either compromise one or all three, or they'll be expensive as shit.


This is exactly what I’m finding. Both the KEF and the Dynaudio are >$2500. For hifi speakers that’s not a while lot. But for a couple off Bluetooth devices I’m cramming into a bookshelf it’s hard to justify. I’d rather spend big on upgrading my “main” setup.

(Or on my aforementioned guitar and drum hobbies)
  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ohchaucer

ohchaucer 1443

Posted
  • Author
Posted
So here is where I landed for now. NAD 328 plus KEF q350s and it sounds pretty dang good. I can roll with it for a while.

Now off to reverb and the Dynaudio site. Oh and maybe to listen to some music.

Visual because for us married dudes let’s not forget this is Very Important!
3fac9aaa2551dff5c37a0e5be60d809a.jpg
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...