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How to Select the Best Wireless Speaker System

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Ellen Parker

The day has come. Goodbye to mediocre sound and disappointing home theater experiences. Necessary permissions have finally been granted, and your hands are itching to make the transaction – the time has come for the long-awaited upgrade of your home entertainment system. But before you run full speed to the nearest Best Buy or start clicking those shop-happy fingers – here are some pointers on selecting the best wireless speaker system for your soon-to-be sound paradise to make sure it’s all you had hoped and dreamed for.

HEOS System

Image Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/marksparrow/2015/05/28/you-can-have-music-wherever-you-go-with-heos-multi-room-wireless-streaming-audio-by-denon/2/#4429ef431f2b

About Wireless Speakers
If you’re already thinking wireless speakers, your mind is in the right place, and you’re about to experience sound like you never have before. In the unlikely case that you haven’t already done your research from hours over hopeful drooling over your ideal system, here’s a bit about what you’re about to take a bite out of.

The era of sound technology has never been more advanced, and wireless systems are the wave of the future with an expected market value of $54.07 billion by 2022… a 23.2% CAGR between 2016 and 2022. So let’s just say, you’re not the only one who’s taken note of the industry advancements, and everyone is jumping on board.

Having continued to develop through a network of well-established manufacturers and distributers, the race for the best speaker solution is steep, so consumers can expect to get the very best of the best with competitors vying to stay a step ahead of the technology.

Bluetooth Vs. WiFi
With wireless technology comes the choice: Bluetooth vs. WiFi. So what’s the deal and what’s going to deliver you the best bang for your buck (literally)? While WiFi tends to have a much farther reach and faster connection without breaking, the honest answer is that much of the difference depends on user’s personal preference, as well as the connection speed varying by each household.

So why compromise? As mentioned, the competition is crazy out there, so instead say yes to the best of both worlds. Some of the leading manufacturers are producing systems that support both Bluetooth and WiFi like the HEOS by Denon systems – so you can forget about choosing and have the best no matter what your preference and connection may be.

Get the speakers home, test them out, and then you tell us which is better. No need to stress.

Image Source: http://www.eventguidance.com/blog/bluetooth_vs_wifi/

Streaming Capabilities
And speaking of streaming, not all wireless speakers are created equal. Have a favorite music streaming service? You’re going to want to double check that the system you have your eyes on (and ears to) supports a variety of streaming services so even if you mix up your listening routine you won’t miss a beat.

Love Spotify, Amazon Music and so ready to try the new Napster? Check the system specifications before you buy and make sure your favorites are listed. Many systems are controlled wirelessly through a custom mobile app – check the interface and see what music goodies can be enjoyed hassle free.

Standard Vs. High-Resolution Sound
Next, you’re going to want to make sure the power and sound quality is all you’ve been hoping and dreaming of, proving at last to your buddies who has the biggest boom. It goes without saying that you’ll want to check the specs as far as output power and consider the size of your space before finalizing. Do look at the amplifier channels and other goodies like subwoofers, mid-woofers, tweeters and passive radiators.

But don’t forget to also consider this generation’s most innovative development – high-resolution sound. No, it’s not a typo – we said resolution (also known as high-def or hi-res). It’s not just important for your new large screen TV, audio has varying resolution as well, and hi-res sound is ready to rock your world.

Hi-res is basically the new “it” term for loss-less sound in the audio industry. If you want to wow your guests and well… yourself, hi-res is the way to go. Still lost? Here’s the breakdown. When music is recorded and saved, certain notes, depth and other sound quality elements are shaved off in process to reduce file size. The average MP3 file has a sample rate of 16bit while a FLAC (the most common hi-res file type) has up to 24bit/192kHz, producing up to 6X the volume of your average MP3.

Image Source: http://blog.clove.co.uk/2015/01/15/high-resolution-audio/

  • Can’t live without this feature now that you know?
  • Start downloading FLAC files instead of MP3s
  • Confirm that your new wireless speaker is hi-res compatible
  • Rock your socks off

Now that you know the basics of wireless speakers, the gate is open, go, go, GO! And start enjoying your home entertainment the way it was meant to be heard.

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Ellen Parker
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