Wireless Hifi

Alice · 25 March 2006, 21:21

I was checking out the new wireless hifi stuff available. I like the idea of it. Which of you techno boffs can tell me which is the one to get and where to get it? Thanks

Andy Moore · 26 March 2006, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice

I was checking out the new wireless hifi stuff available. I like the idea of it. Which of you techno boffs can tell me which is the one to get and where to get it? Thanks

You are not using an Apple Mac by any chance, are you?

Nos4r2 · 26 March 2006, 08:57

In comparison with PROPER audio gear (cambridge. Quad, AudioLabs etc) you'll get a lot less sound quality per £. I wouldn't bother.

Alex Brown · 26 March 2006, 09:14

What about a wireless receiver that plays MP3s that are stored on your computer then? - I remember Netgear used to do them, but they seem to have vanished from their website now

They used to have two products - one which was audio only for about £80 and there was a video one too for about twice the price. I was going to order the audio one the other day to take my music from the server downstairs straight to my Denon receiver.

I'm sure the quality probably won't be as good as the computer out (this computer outputs optical with dolby digital live to the receiver at 7.1) but as a general means of listening to music it would be ideal.

What bits of kit were you looking at Alice?

-Alex

Andy Moore · 26 March 2006, 09:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Brown

What about a wireless receiver that plays MP3s that are stored on your computer then?

If you want to do this, you could do a lot worse than look at an Apple Airport Express (yes, it works with Windows XP). This way, you can stream wirelessly from iTunes to your stereo, provided you have a WiFi card installed on your PC.

I set one up -admittedly on a Mac- and it was literally plug-n-play. Hey Presto! Music from any stereo in the house.

Alice · 26 March 2006, 11:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

In comparison with PROPER audio gear (cambridge. Quad, AudioLabs etc) you'll get a lot less sound quality per £. I wouldn't bother.

Andy, No Windows XP.

Nosser, I was looking at the Mission Cyrus stuff. They do a Cyruslink range which appears to be serious gear wth the benfit of being wireless.

Dino · 26 March 2006, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice

I was checking out the new wireless hifi stuff available. I like the idea of it. Which of you techno boffs can tell me which is the one to get and where to get it? Thanks

Lidl

codprawn · 26 March 2006, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice

Andy, No Windows XP.

Nosser, I was looking at the Mission Cyrus stuff. They do a Cyruslink range which appears to be serious gear wth the benfit of being wireless.

Mission stuff is great!!!

Nos4r2 · 26 March 2006, 20:46

YEah, mission stuff is good-but no matter how much they say it's great you'll never get as good a sound from wireless as you will from hardwired. The more crap that you put the audio signal through after it's extracted from the recording medium the more the signal will degrade.

codprawn · 26 March 2006, 20:55

So true but digital loses quite a bit anyway!!!

Alice · 27 March 2006, 07:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

YEah, mission stuff is good-but no matter how much they say it's great you'll never get as good a sound from wireless as you will from hardwired. The more crap that you put the audio signal through after it's extracted from the recording medium the more the signal will degrade.

Umm, Looking into rebuilding a semi-derelict farmhouse at the mo. So would you say hardwire it for hifi during the rewire?

Shaggy · 27 March 2006, 07:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice

I was checking out the new wireless hifi stuff available. I like the idea of it. Which of you techno boffs can tell me which is the one to get and where to get it? Thanks

Alice do you neam wireless as in WiFi?

If yes this media center from Linksys is pretty cool, I would wait until they add a HDMI for HD TV though...

Shaggy

Alice · 27 March 2006, 07:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaggy

Alice do you neam wireless as in WiFi?

If yes this media center from Linksys is pretty cool, I would wait until they add a HDMI for HD TV though...

Shaggy

No Shaggy, We've got the wireless networked PC thing. I thought the idea of a central hifi with wireless speakers around the house sounded good, but the guys on here are saying that it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Nos4r2 · 27 March 2006, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice

Umm, Looking into rebuilding a semi-derelict farmhouse at the mo. So would you say hardwire it for hifi during the rewire?

If you can do it underfloor then why not?!

If you're not really into higher end audio then I'd go with the wireless gear to be honest-it'll be less hassle in the long run. It won't sound as good-but if you're not used to it you probably won't notice it. (no insult intended!)