Interesting, it has digital transmission (no ADC) and synced remote volume control sender and receiver. No measurements on ASR yet, but the similar looking Audioengine B-Fi didn't do so well: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/audioengine-b-fi-review-streamer.26347/
Amir...
I was thinking about power on/off for the mono amps. Can be solved externally (have a few smartplugs already), but more buttons to press. Also no volume control on the amps, so low listening level would result in more noise I think?
I appreciate you putting together the two lists with actual prices. The second list is basically what I have in mind now, although I was eyeing the LS50 Metas for their design. I was actually looking at the Denon AVR lineup yesterday, they have lots of features including smarts. The Sonos Amp...
Answering my own question after some research. According to the manual connecting the LS 50 Wireless II via Ethernet negates the need to onboard them using the app:
The speakers expose a simple HTTP API, a few people over here have built open-source apps that can control them...
I'm not sure either :). Originally I wanted a solution that avoided running speaker wire between L and R, and not have obsolete "smart" speakers in 10 years. Sonos and other multi-room systems promise they can do that, but you'd need two amps/streamers to do it.
Some additional requirements...
Is it possible to set them up without the KEF Connect app? E.g. connecting them to Ethernet and going to 192.168.1.1 like with routers?
The manual and FAQ doesn't say, and the app might not be available forever. The 2.8 stars in the app store don't exactly inspire confidence.
Certainly the best idea yet. Based on the support page (Compatible Echo Devices for Stereo Pairs) it looks they have the same limitation as the Sonos Amp, i.e. stereo pairing between amps isn't possible, but:
I can't believe I didn't think of that. Sometimes it's so easy to get lost in...
I've updated the title to include active speakers as well. Basically any of these would do:
- Passive speakers + wireless amp
- Active speakers + wireless line in
- Active speakers + wireless digital in
Maybe active wireless speakers would be OK too, if they use some sort of widely supported /...
Total <2k. Though I'm not actually sure how much I'm willing to spend on "smart" things. If there's no money left for speakers then there really is no point.
I guess I mainly want to know what it would take, if it's too expensive I'll go a different route.
Maybe someone can point me in the right direction here, my google-fu isn't strong enough.
I'm looking for a solution like 2 Sonos Fives, which can form a stereo pair wirelessly. They also support adding a subwoofer wirelessly.
I know from experience that everything "smart" doesn't last...
Issues with pots can ruin an otherwise great experience. E.g. my Element II has issues from 6 to 9 o'clock, with one side being completely silent from 6 to 7 o'clock. Going digital is the right decision for the Element III, especially at the price. It prevents unhappy buyers and probably also...
Digital volume control is the biggest improvement. Perfect channel balance makes a huge difference when listening at low volumes.
The announcement blog post has some more details on the changes from Element II to III...
At least TP-Link fiber-ethernet media converters are cheap, reliable, and have legitimate use cases (thinner cables etc).
I'd use the TP-Link MC220L (~20$) which is Gigabit capable and uses a single pluggable SFP transceiver. This allows using your own SFP modules or direct-attach cables, and...
Interestingly, I can't tell the difference between the different encoder filters on my new unit, 3 or even 5 don't feel very different from 1 (default). I'm sure there are differences, but they seem subtle. RME could just set the encoder filter default to 3, I don't think anyone would complain.