Ask Engadget: what's the best wireless rear surround speaker solution?
By Darren Murph 
posted Sep 3rd 2009 9:03PM
posted Sep 3rd 2009 9:03PM
"What is the best wireless surround sound speaker solution? I have a home theater where running wires is just not feasible. I have my own speakers, so I don't want a system that has speakers with integrated wireless. I've done a far amount of research and have only come across a few companies that even offer a reasonable solution: KEF, Kenwood and Rocketfish. Is there anything else out there? What do you recommend? Thank you!"We know from experience that Dan's not alone here. Have any of you folks already married to a surround system found a good way to hook those existing rears up without wires? How about a way to do it cheaply and without any audio delay? Drop some knowledge in comments below, cool?
bose - better sound quality than anyone else, and im the biggest audiophile! go bose!
Sorry, the correct answer is "wired."
epic fail
Audiophile and wireless are opposites.
What is so difficult with a proper wire installation? You and your wife won't ever see the cables if done by a pro. Cost will be on par with what you have to pay for a solution with jitter and lag.
Tell the wife it is bad karma wasting energy on wireless just for the sake of appearance.
If you like Bose, you're not an audiophile.
There is so much contradiction in this post.
bose is best
/nubs
Audiophile and bose should never be in the same sentence. Bose is at best over priced mid-range. If you have no idea what you're doing and have a bunch of money to blow, you get a bose system.
after a hearty meal at the local taco bell i can go home, sit on my couch and listen to some major bass coming out from the rear...no wires either
Also, m_kai_larsen audiophile and wireless aren't necessarily the opposite, usually that's true but I helped to design a RF wireless audio snake system for professional use that was completely uncompressed, non-packet based, encrypted, 24bit 48KHz encoded using very high quality ADC's and DAC's from front to rear. It sounded amazing, I know because it was my job to test and solve any audio quality issues in the development phase.
what's the best wireless rear surround speaker solution?
Any audiophile knows that Bose blows.
To all of you who thought that the OP was serious:
--=====> sarcasm
O
@jake
what would encryption do to help the sound? if anything i would think it would get in the way by adding excess processing and latency.
Minimise interfearence?
@andres he said professional, so encryption would help against thieves, imagine a recording studio that broadcasted all the tracks while they are being created, that would be fun for pirates.
Mind you on the subject of jake: if jake makes something and jake tests it then jake will think it's great, but will others?
I can say I'm a great artist because I made a painting once and I really liked it and judged it to be good... But that's not how it works
@Jake
Yeah? Where can I buy one?
Sony WIreless Rear Speaker does well.
I'm having the exact same problem right now. I've been looking into Rocketfish.. but am hoping there is a little less expensive option.
i used rocketfish for a little while.
my plan was to leave the 'receiver' side always powered on and the 'transmitter' side plugged into the power jack on my receiver (thus it would turn on and off with the receiver).
i think that the wireless used by rocketfish was interfering with my wireless internet. after adding it, my wireless quality degraded severely.
There was also constant pops & cracks coming from the now wireless rear speakers - even when no audio was being input to the transmitter.
it works...but i dont think its all that great...
I got my parents rocketfish 2 years ago and they've never had a problem with it.
I've been using the Rocketfish one for a few weeks now, and I think it sounds fine. I honestly couldn't tell the difference (in the surround speakers) between this and wired.
Why can't there ever be a total wireless solution? Not just the rear?
Because wireless speakers sound like a horde of monkeys after eating at taco bell.
I LOL'ed so much at that one. +1 for sure
i have had the panasonic sa-ht830v for probably 4 years with the wireless additional add-on. it works great behind the couch. its not the best sound quality as the rear speakers sometimes seem to have problems catching up to the sound. however, this rarely happens. overall it is great for average tv and movie watching, but probably not the best for an audiophile.
That pretty much sums it up. A wireless system that doesn't sound like crap is going to be way too expensive, and much, much more expensive than just running speaker wires. It's also still going to have to be powered.
Just run the wires, unless it's impossible. If just not feasible, run the wires, and make it feasible. Usually when someone says that putting wired speakers is not feasible, it's still very doable, it's just that he hasn't gotten creative.
Cheap and wireless is apparently very hard to do correctly. I was in a similar boat as you and ended up doing a 2.1 for the time being. The only thing I could find that allows you to use your own speakers, and connect them to a receiver wirelessly is the THX Roomcaster . http://www.thx.com/technologies/roomcaster/index.html
It was available as a "early adopter kit" and cost roughly $1,100. I'd say if your dead set on having a 5.1/7.1 go wired and get some light runners to maintain the wiring. If not don't be surprised to pay a lot or get crappy sound quality
Jim
Well, from what I hear, "good" and "wireless" are often hard to do, too. Kind of a shame, actually.
trust me, they don't work and the sound is awful. I have a Panasonic "5.1" system with wireless rear speakers, and they screw with my cordless phones, wifi, and everything else. the sound awful and are not worth the trouble. go with a sound bar, or a nice 3.1 solution.
Why do you even want the rear speakers hooked up? They just play ambient noise. Get a set of good towers for the front L and R (maybe Def Tech 7002's - they each have a powered sub built-in) and a big center, just make sure you have a receiver putting out enough RMS juice to power them all.
You'll never look back and not care that the rear aren't hooked up!
What he said. Wireless solutions aren't very good. Put together a good 3.1 system and you won't miss the rears.
A good 3.1 setup beats a bad 5.1 setup.
Put together a good 5.1 system and you'll regret the time you spent with your 3.1 system.
Also, confirmed that the Rocketfish will interfere with certain WIFI signals. Cannot tell you which brands, but a BIG difference with the wireless speakers on vs off and the WIFI on vs off. They defiantly interfere with eachother in some setups.
Logitech made a great solution with 3.1 wired and two rear wireless speakers (Logitech Z-5450 5 Wireless Speakers). It works great and doesn't interfere with my phones or wireless network. I have seen them on Ebay for around $400.
Gonna have to go with the hive mind here: wireless satellite speakers are generally overpriced and awful--kinda like most of what Bose puts out. Only Bose product I've ever liked was the Triport headphones, and those cost about 2x as much as they should have, for the SQ they delivered. Same amount of $ would net you a pair of Sennheisers that would blow the Triports away.
Do yourself a favor, look into flat wiring (can paint over it) or have a pro install the wiring to the rear. The result will be much more aurally pleasing, and probably will cost less than the wireless stuff to boot.
Sony is great! They make some of the best selling, highest quality stuff! (AIBO, LocationFree, Memory Stick, MP3 players, etc.)
All kidding aside, they really are a great company, and they have some pretty nifty solutions, some of which allow you to hook up a good variety of rear speakers to your front. Sony S-AIR is their current unit, and it looks like it would work.
I use RocketFish and the sound has been great. The receiver only provides 15W to each speaker so don't expect anything superb but it gets the job done and I have had no interference with my WiFi... (Linksys router sits right next to the transmitter)
I have the Rocketfish system. Works great. I have wireless internet and cordless phones (obviously). It doesn't interfere with either (as some have noted). No cracks/pops, etc. I have Pioneer Elite receiver that has the Auto MCACC surround setup. My surround speakers are 5 feet frm the listening position but the reciever thinks they are 30 feet (due to lag) and adjusts properly. I am using with an Energy 5.1 speaker system.
wireless speakers are no good. I haven't heard any that actually sound good. anyone who says 3.1 is just has good has obviously never heard a good 5.1/7.1 system. 3.1 is Lame.
i am interested in both the LG 979 that was supposed to be out in may 09 but still isnt out, and the new samsung BD3252 which just came out. Both come with wireless rears and are new tech, so might be the best things out yet. But no reivews are out yet, so only time will tell.
Everyone wants wireless surround speakers, but few understand that it's not possible as a long-term solution. Power is required in the form of an outlet or battery even if the signal is being sent wireless from the audio source. Some units that are to be set on a table and powered by an outlet may work. More professional on-wall or in-ceiling installations require a sufficient gauge of speaker cable.
If running wires in your walls is not for you, find a certified professional installation company at www.cedia.net
the KEF's are actually very good, a bit expensive though, but very good, IMHO much better than the rocketfish (used to own one)
How did they get that slick looking black dock that they have on the snow leopard review videos? If anybody know I would appreciate a response. Thank you.
Bose is for people with out ears. Wireless is for lazy homeowners who won't spend time running wire.
Unless you are renter and not a homeowner.
Maybe like me the OP is renting has ANY sort of remodeling, no matter how minor, explicitly forbidden. Technically we aren't even allowed to touch up paint with the cans that are in the apartment without prior written consent from the landlord.
Installing cables? Not even going to happen.
We currently have wire running across the living room floor. Makes it a pain to vacuum but at least we have reat channels.
KEF is probably the best; though as noted above, wireless speakers still need power.
Figure out a way to run wires (throw rugs, molding...) you will get a much better result for far less $.
Kef's wireless system here: http://www2.kef.com/us/SurroundSound/Wireless/Wireless can be hooked up to any speaker yet still needs power cords. I think you'll find for the money you could get some inwall or inceiling speakers at a much better price. The task of running wires in your walls isn't as hard as you would think.
There are other options like flat speaker wire I used some great stuff by the well respected Wireworld for sometime no compromise in sound reproduction here: http://www.wireworldcable.com/products/32.html.
what about the Phillipe Stark desinged Parrot speakers
Bose stands for Buy Other Stereo Equipment in case you did not know. However, i just hooked up my father in laws surround sound. Not top notch but was a total of about 4k for everything. He bought a small converter box that made the rear speakers wireless. It works very well. I believe it was in fact made by rocketfish as well.