SVS SoundPath Review (Wireless Transmitter)

[rdenney]

Ah, my son was helping me with the wifi test and he kept complaining about his phone's wifi reception being intermittent and poor. Didn't think about the SVS box interfering with his phone.

It only took me six months to figure it out.

Rick "sigh" Denney

 

[wwenze]

Either switch your wifi to 5GHz, or switch to a wireless audio system that uses 5.8GHz

And then get poor wifi reception again when you do both and realize 5GHz wifi uses 5.8GHz frequency

 

[GXAlan]

@amirm can you test this one?
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/rocketfish-wireless-rear-speaker-kit/6254098.p?skuId=6254098

At that price, shipping will be pricey and you’d hope to get a local reader to submit it if you didn’t buy it yourself. It takes high level inputs and has a chip amp on the receiver.

EDIT: actually it looks like there are two versions
https://www.rocketfishproducts.com/pdp/RF-WHTIB/8275528

https://files.bbystatic.com/VuO9Waw6ouaQPHovivz6VQ==/RF-WHTIB_16-0683_WEB_V4_ENG_Final+lr.pdf
Heavier probably better. Advertises CD quality. Manual states 16/48 uncompressed with 87dB SNR and 30Wx2 at 10% THD into 4 ohms.

https://www.rocketfishproducts.com/pdp/RF-WRSK18/6254098
Current version, no specifications at all.

 

[johnnyx]

If your network is used for streaming audio, is another's phone's wifi reception similarly compromised? Does it make a difference that the system is separate from your network?

 

[amirm]

@amirm can you test this one?
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/rocketfish-wireless-rear-speaker-kit/6254098.p?skuId=6254098

I have not.

 

[amirm]

If your network is used for streaming audio, is another's phone's wifi reception similarly compromised?

No. Not much anyway. Audio streaming is pretty slow so shouldn't take up a lot of bandwidth as to impact other wifi use.

 

[nstzya]

I've been researching this very product type as I'd like to do a multisub (up to 4) installation but wires will not be possible. This one was on my list. Not now.

There are models which will channel hop to find least "interference" (already a problem in my crowded urban condo building). And ones to do up to 4 subs. And ones that operate on 5gHz or on AptX low latency Bluetooth. And ones with acceptably low latencies. Finding one with most (all) of this is the problem.

 

[Archaea]

There may be a new version of this?

The SVS site now shows 14MS latency, and 5Hz to 24Khz frequency response +-1.5dB

SoundPath Wireless Audio Adapter

Add wireless audio connectivity to subwoofers, speakers, amplifiers and more. Transmits pristine audio signal up to 65’ at CD quality.

www.svsound.com

manual showing 5Hz response and 14MS numbers.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0921/3560/files/wireless-subwoofer-kit-manual-v2.2-pages.pdf?v=1618843148%22

One thing that's not discussed here is the latency is important, and this seems to have one of the lowest latency's on the market. Most others seem to have 20-30MS of latency. The REL measured that comes recommended in the first post has 22MS of lag.

The measured number at 4ms of latency on this device is exceptionally low.

The Outlaw OWA4 is commonly said to have very low latency, but I can't find any actual values on its latency anywhere.

 

[MatthewS]

@amirm I doubt you still have this unit in your possession, but is it possible your latency measurement is wrong? I measured it with REW and an Motu M2 and got 25.2ms--which is right on spec. I had a looped back the acoustical timing on one channel of the M2 and ran the sweep on the other channel. I also measured a few other units here and had latency numbers also in line with manufacturer's specifications:

Measurements of Three Wireless Transmitters (SVS SoundPath, Dynasty ProAudio, iFinity Wireless)

I purchased three stereo wireless audio transmitters and tested their frequency response, distortion, channel matching, and delay. The results are below. I utilized the Motu M2 audio interface and REW to take these measurements. I used REW’s soundcard calibration on the M2 before taking these...

www.audiosciencereview.com

When you get around to measuring the Dynasty Proaudio it will be interesting to see if we get agreement and if not where the discrepancy might be.

 

[doodlebro]

I love owning equipment and finding Amir has reviewed it. Definitely can hear the distortion (hiss) coming off this transmitter, into an Allo Volt+ D, driving KEF Q Compacts.

 

[valerianf]

@doodlebro What RF transmitter did you use?

 

[doodlebro]

@doodlebro What RF transmitter did you use?

The transmitter in the review, SVS's. I plan to replace it with the tri-band version. Mostly a superficial issue, hiss isn't audible from the MLP.