Best Wireless Speakers Review ( Sonos Play:3 & Sonos Play:1 )
You are looking for the best wireless speakers review. That’s great to hear because than you are in the right place! We have been reviewing a whole range of speakers. Some that fit in your bag so you can take them to the beach. Others are designed to give you great sound in your living room without the need of audio cables.
The difference between wireless and traditional (wired) speakers is that wireless speakers transmit audio signals using radio frequency (RF) waves. True audiophiles are tempted to say that wireless speakers are of an inferior quality as RF waves can be interfered by other wireless devices.
That being said, the best models that are currently on the market are of such quality that they deliver high quality sound while getting rid of those annoying (and ugly) audio cables.
Wireless speakers come in many forms and shapes. To be sure you are picking the speaker that fits your needs and requirements we have done most of the research for you. The result is an overview of all the popular wireless speakers out there.
BEST WIRELESS SPEAKERS
Sonos Play:3
Following the huge success of the Play: 5 networked speakers formerly called the S5, Sonos has recently added a less expensive and smaller speaker to its lineup called the Play: 3. what is amazing about this product is that it is the most affordable Sonos manufactured-streaming audio component to date. For only $299, people can enjoy listening to music anytime and anywhere they want.
Design
The Sonos Play:3 is a very unassuming box. With dimensions of just 16 centimeters deep and 26 centimeters wide, it is small enough to fit perfectly in a cabinet next to the bed. If that design is too large for a person to like, the box can make a great start on its side as well.
Outside, very few rubber feet were found on one side and below. This helps avoid scratches. At the same time, there is a built-in accelerometer that allows the box to know when it is on its side. This enables it to alternative it’s sound processing accordingly. The front is covered with a metal speaker grille which is slightly flexible.
There are three live drivers at the bottom of the grille. It has 3 pairs of mid-range drivers and a pair that is located within this pair. Each of them is powered by its digital amplifier. A bus radiator is found in the back.
Although this bus radiator is a passive cone, it does not have its driver. However, it also helps control low-end frequencies to improve bus performance. The Sonos Play: 3 may not have the bold styling of competitors in the market, but it has a practical design.
Performance
The Sonos Play: 3 can deliver lovely, room-filling sound combined with a full resolving tonal balance. This makes the sound field very large. Unlike other products available in the market that are more than twice as big as the Sonos Play: 3, it manages to project more sound into the house.
Aside from that, the Sonos Play: 3 has other sonic parts that comprise its even-handed and neutral tonal balance. This enables easy access to Mozart from Miles Davis.
At the same time, users can control this single-streaming audio system from any iPod, iPhone, Android, or iPad smartphone using a free application. This commits all of the sounds that the speaker produces soft and highly-useable to listen to.
Sonos Play: 1
Audiophiles who are looking to add a music system that they can listen to throughout their entire home should check out the new Sonos Play: 1. The Play: 5 is an advantageous network speaker that accommodate you to listen to synced music, no matter where you are in your home.
Before spending a load of money on a new professional speaker system, take a look at this review to see if the Play: 5 is a better, and less expensive, option for your home.
The Sonos Play:5 will allow users to set up a whole network of audio devices throughout multiplex rooms. You need to access the original program through your computer and add different zones for each of your speakers.
Once you have it set up, it is ready to go and can be fully controlled via your mobile phone. Accessible free apps give you complete control over the entire system and allow you to change tracks or volumes from any room in your home.
Theoretically, it sounds great but Sonos has a little trick that is a bit confusing. While it does include these great features and has Wi-Fi for convenience, the Play: 5 will only work directly with other Sonos products. You can buy a Sonos Network Bridge to work with other brands, But it will cost you more money.
While it’s a bit frustrating to pay more for a set in your speaker system, the reason why they do it is understandable. By getting their specific Sonos net (it runs the wireless system) you will get better sounding audio and limit the inconsistency of the sound you can do if you have many devices running on the same wireless network.
So whether you decide to buy an all-new Sonos product or just a network bridge, the sound quality is appropriate.With the above information in mind, the overall cost you can pay for multiple Sonos products is less than the cost of coming out of a professional and installing a system throughout your home.
Also, once all your things are in sync and working together, it’s relatively easy to set up even for the less tech-savvy. So if you are going to spend the money anyway, it may be the best allocation through the whole Sonos system.
Play: 5 gives you every outlet you need when you can play audio options through this system. You are able to flow music from your computer or from online music services. Sonos allows you to play music from Napster, Sirius, Rhapsody, and Spotify, which are truly the most common online services.
We need to keep an eye on whether they are adding other music services, but in combination with using your computer library, this seems to be more than enough at the moment.
Sonos Play: 1’s sound quality is quite good. The system has five speakers and a single wafer. Our tests show that it played different types of music with the same quality. The bass worked really well during heavy-hit house music, but the trouble was great during classical. Play: 5 Regular impressive listening time, can handle all music genres.
If you already have Sonos products in your home, Play: 1 would be a great addition. However, for those who do not, it can be hard to imagine investing in a new Sonos product where you will have to buy other instant bridge accessories to work properly.
That said, if you choose to do it, you’ll be happy with your overall setup and it will still be significantly less than full home stereo options.
Should I choose Airplay or Bluetooth wireless speakers?
Let’s start by illustrate the difference between the two. Bluetooth is transmitted over low-frequency which means that audio needs to be compressed before it can be streamed via a speaker. This can lead to a lower sound quality.
Next to that, it is only possible to stream to one device at once making Bluetooth less suitable to set-up a complete home audio system. Bluetooth speakers do offer you greater flexibility as you don’t need to be close to a WiFi network.
Airplay is using a WiFi network to connect to an Apple device and stream audio (or video). Sound quality remains high when transmitted using a WiFi signal as it is using large bandwidth and streaming audio will not be compressed.
There are devices out there that use their own proprietary wireless connection. For instance, Sonos has created their own audio network that connects speakers via a bridge to your WiFi network. I have set this up myself multiple times and it is very convenient and easy to do.
Airplay is often used as the overarching term for wireless speakers that are connected via a WiFi network. I will categorize these speakers that are using a WiFi network to connect to an audio source as Airplay speakers.
Finding the wireless speaker that meets your needs
The first question you have to ask yourself is where you want to use it for. As mentioned above, if you’re looking for a speaker you can take everywhere, a wireless Bluetooth speaker is your best option. As long as the device you’re trying to connect is equipped with Bluetooth you can link it to your speaker and play music on the go.
In general Bluetooth speakers are less suited to integrate in a complete home audio set-up. The transmitter is less powerful and speakers need to be close to the audio source. Outside the 10 meter / 30 feet range they become less reliable.
If your goal is to set-up a complete wireless home audio system WiFi speakers are a better choice. My experience is that the sound quality is superior over Bluetooth speakers. In most cases it’s possible to control these speakers via an app on your smartphone which make them very user friendly.
Next to that, if you’re looking to connect multiple speakers and create a full home audio experience WiFi speakers are the once you’re looking for.
The downside of WiFi speakers is that you still have to use a power cord to provide them with energy. They need to be situated fairly close to a socket or otherwise you have to start using power cord extensions. There goes your wireless effect.
On the flip side, these speakers will have a more powerful sound as the don’t have to worry about draining their battery. I personally prefer WiFi speakers over Bluetooth if you are going to use them indoors.
Best Wireless Speakers Review
Based on the information provided above it is your turn to start doing a little bit of research. Remember, the most important question to ask yourself is; where do you want to use the speaker for? Bluetooth for outdoor and on-the-go use.
It is provided with a battery and depending on the device it is of good enough quality to provide sound in a small room. Go for Airplay (WiFi based) speakers if you are looking for a high quality home audio experience.
Good luck with the rest of your research! Feel free to explore the site and look for the best wireless speaker reviews. You can read the reviews by clicking the links in table or the post on the right sidebar.
