Analogue speakers and WiFi speakers simultaneously

[Raphaz]

Ok, here’s some more info and context:

My initial hope/goal was to reduce footprint and add convenience, while keeping some of my old gear, without sacrificing sound quality or breaking the bank.

Our loft is in an old former press building, It’s a long L-shaped, approx 1100 sqft, open space, with high ceiling, wooden floor, brick walls and four large windows.

I don’t have a particular listening spot, so the challenge with this space has always been to have good sound throughout, without having to crank the volume up too much.

Currently the Yamaha R-2000 powers and controls a pair of KEF Q500s and a Klipsch sub; the Nikko 1219 (connected to the R-2000) powers and controls three pairs of Minimus 7s, two in the upper mezzanine/loft (where our office is) and four in the kitchen/living room area (all three spaces open to the main area). Currently all speakers are wired.

The Wiim helped me to skip the laptop and improve the sound for streaming services, and it added some convenience factors.

One of the things I want to accomplish next is to get rid of the wires that feed the six Minimus speakers (or replace them with wireless speakers), ideally via WiFi (quality/stability) without adding tons of new gear. Too many wires everywhere, and potential issues due to length and such.

The speakers furthest from the receiver are approx 14 ft away.

Would be nice if I could then still play CDs and records (in addition to streaming services) all through my main receiver, on all speakers simultaneously (in true stereo). So I’d be willing to get rid of my precious Nikko, but not of the R-2000 (I like its sound and look).

 

[rwartner]

My integrated and receiver have TapeRec(output). This allows me to connect speakers and a wireless device from TapeRec. Or I can connect the receiver to integrated AUX via TapeRec. So simultaneous is simple.

The wireless sender and receiver require power. So your remote wireless speakers will require power outlets or batteries.

 

[Raphaz]

My integrated and receiver have TapeRec(output). This allows me to connect speakers and a wireless device from TapeRec. Or I can connect the receiver to integrated AUX via TapeRec. So simultaneous is simple.

The wireless sender and receiver require power. So your remote wireless speakers will require power outlets or

My integrated and receiver have TapeRec(output). This allows me to connect speakers and a wireless device from TapeRec. Or I can connect the receiver to integrated AUX via TapeRec. So simultaneous is simple.

The wireless sender and receiver require power. So your remote wireless speakers will require power outlets or batteries.

Both my receivers have Tape/Rec in and out.

Looks like I what I need to add is a good quality transmitter and wireless speakers (the latter ideally battery-powered or pre-chargeable).

The transmitter could replace one of the receivers (the Nikko).

I start wondering if, instead of getting just a transmitter, it’d be worth investing into newer receiver with WiFi transmitter capabilities - that of course would be a more expensive though.

My integrated and receiver have TapeRec(output). This allows me to connect speakers and a wireless device from TapeRec. Or I can connect the receiver to integrated AUX via TapeRec. So simultaneous is simple.

The wireless sender and receiver require power. So your remote wireless speakers will require power outlets or batteries.

Both my receivers have Tape/Rec in and out.

Looks like I what I need to add is a good quality transmitter and wireless speakers (the latter ideally battery-powered or pre-chargeable).

The transmitter could replace one of the receivers (the Nikko).

I start wondering if, instead of getting just a transmitter, it’d be worth investing into newer receiver with WiFi transmitter capabilities - that of course would be a more expensive though.

 

[Raphaz]

Not sure why my comments get posted twice every time. Sorry!

 

[spicer]

Both my receivers have Tape/Rec in and out.

Looks like I what I need to add is a good quality transmitter and wireless speakers (the latter ideally battery-powered or pre-chargeable).

The transmitter could replace one of the receivers (the Nikko).

I start wondering if, instead of getting just a transmitter, it’d be worth investing into newer receiver with WiFi transmitter capabilities - that of course would be a more expensive though.

Both my receivers have Tape/Rec in and out.

Looks like I what I need to add is a good quality transmitter and wireless speakers (the latter ideally battery-powered or pre-chargeable).

The transmitter could replace one of the receivers (the Nikko).

I start wondering if, instead of getting just a transmitter, it’d be worth investing into newer receiver with WiFi transmitter capabilities - that of course would be a more expensive though.

Several posts have asked but no one has addressed it. How will you synchronize the sound, certainly latency issues will present themselves, a slight reverb or echo depending on the latency. Are you aware of it as an issue? Perhaps I missed something.

 

[Bill S]

Some devices like Samsung Galexies have a Dual Audio feature which allows you to simultaneously connect 2 devices to a BT stream. You might check that out. Otherwise, like in my Pixel 7, you can only stream to one connected device at a time.

 

[Raphaz]

Several posts have asked but no one has addressed it. How will you synchronize the sound, certainly latency issues will present themselves, a slight reverb or echo depending on the latency. Are you aware of it as an issue? Perhaps I missed something.

I saw this being mentioned. I heard some of the apps that come with transmitters let you adjust latency and such, but I’ll have to do some investigation on which apps do and how effective these adjustments are.

 

[cpt_paranoia]

How will you synchronize the sound, certainly latency issues will present themselves

The Wiims, like a number of multi-room systems, have delay compensation mechanisms. The Wiim has a microphone to do this automatically.

 

[Raphaz]

I saw this being mentioned. I heard some of the apps that come with transmitters let you adjust latency and such, but I’ll have to do some investigation on which apps do and how effective these adjustments are.

Some devices like Samsung Galexies have a Dual Audio feature which allows you to simultaneously connect 2 devices to a BT stream. You might check that out. Otherwise, like in my Pixel 7, you can only stream to one connected device at a time

Some devices like Samsung Galexies have a Dual Audio feature which allows you to simultaneously connect 2 devices to a BT stream. You might check that out. Otherwise, like in my Pixel 7, you can only stream to one connected device at a time.

Some of the streaming/transmitting devices and apps let you pair multiple speakers into a multi-room system, I think.

 

[Raphaz]

I think I have some ideas now. Thank you all.

Any recommendations for:
- WiFi transmitter
- battery-powered (or/and rechargeable) wireless WiFi speakers
- integrated amp or receivers with streaming and transmitting capabilities
would be highly appreciated at this point.

 

[Raphaz]

Ok. Maybe I should limit this to one question at a time.
Can anyone recommend good battery-operated or pre-chargeable WiFi speakers (I prefer WiFi over Bluetooth but will keep myself open to both)?

Thank you.

 

[Rockyhill]

Are the Wi-Fi speakers powered and Bluetooth capable? If so, get a Bluetooth transmitter. Split the output from the Wiim and drive the receiver and the Bluetooth transmitter simultaneously.

I have no knowledge of Wiim products. I prefer using a laptop and external DAC for my streaming. It allows for a lot more flexibility.

WiiM products are highly flexible. And you can use a laptop/external DAC with therm. I do just that, daily.

 

[JoeESP9]

How do you add a new streaming service to a WiiM? How do you access something like Radio Garden or Radio Paradise or a single station that streams?

 

[peterp1]

Ok. Maybe I should limit this to one question at a time.
Can anyone recommend good battery-operated or pre-chargeable WiFi speakers (I prefer WiFi over Bluetooth but will keep myself open to both)?

Thank you.

I don't have any recommendations for WiFi speakers, but one thing you can to make any USB-powered or USB-charged WiFi speakers "rechargeable" is to simply to strap a USB power bank to the back of it. This $16 Anker 10,000mah has a ton of capacity -- is about the size of an iPhone -- and that is far, far more capacity that is built into the battery of most rechargeable speakers (https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Ultra-...063561&sprefix=anker+power+ban,aps,126&sr=8-5)

 

[Raphaz]

Very interesting! Thank you!