Make any home theater system wireless with a wireless rear speaker kit
Do you want the advantages of a wireless surround sound system without having to shell out for an entirely new system? Wireless speaker kits which can add on to your current home theater system offer a cost-effective solution to your wiring issues.
Wireless speaker kits are easy to set up and will generally work with any speaker that doesn’t have a proprietary plug. The sound quality will be fine for most listeners – if you can’t tell the difference between MP3 and CD sound quality, then you won’t be able to tell between wireless and wired sound quality either.
Most systems run the wireless signal over 2.4GHz RF, which is shared with wireless networks, cordless phones etc. so it is important to choose a good quality system to ensure the best listening experience. Here are three of the currently available systems which we recommend:
The rocketfish wireless rear speaker kit is the cheapest option to get good quality wireless sound into your home theater. The wireless receiver has dual 25-watt digital power amplifiers to power your speakers. Unfortunately, there is no remote control, so you will have to manually turn the system on and off. When you are using stereo mode instead of surround there may be noticeable buzzing and humming coming from the speakers. Overall though, this is a great entry level system to get rid of those rear surround wires.
Price: $267.99 at amazon.com
The JBL WEM-1 wireless speaker kit comes in about $100 more expensive than the rocketfish system, but with the added price comes a few extra features. You get a 50-watt per channel amplifier (compared to 25 with the rocketfish), and there is a remote which means you don’t have to manually turn the system on and off. There is also an auxiliary input, which means the system can double as a wireless speaker for your ipod.
Price: $359.00 at amazon.com
Coming in at just under $500, the KEF universal wireless kit is the most expensive add-on wireless kit available. While expensive, this system offers the best quality sound, with very minimal hissing or interference. Best of all, there are two separate receivers, each with its own 50 watt digital amplifiers. Having two receivers means that wire management will be even simpler as you won’t have to run wires to each speaker from a central amplifier. This feature alone justifies the extra money if you are looking for as little wiring as possible in your system, and makes this system the pick of the bunch if you can afford the cost.
Price: $499.77 at amazon.com
Conclusion:
Wireless speaker kits offer a cost-effective option for reducing your wire burden while still maintaining good quality surround sound. These three systems will work with basically any home theater system as long as it doesn’t use proprietary cable connecters. If you are stuck with one of these systems, check to see if your manufacturer has its own wireless add-on option – most do.
Wireless speaker kits offer a cost-effective option for reducing your wire burden while still maintaining good quality surround sound. These three systems will work with basically any home theater system as long as it doesn’t use proprietary cable connecters. If you are stuck with one of these systems, check to see if your manufacturer has its own wireless add-on option – most do.
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