Audyssey Wireless Speakers

Audyssey's latest offering will look familiar to some?it's a wireless Bluetooth stereo speaker set that is more or less an update of a previous Audyssey wired speaker pair. At $299.95, the simply named Wireless Speakers ?are significantly more expensive than their older sibling, the Audyssey Media Speakers . The wireless version offers an easy pairing process with your Bluetooth sound source, and can also be used as a wired pair with PCs and mobile devices. The audio performance is similar to the Media Speakers, as well?quality bass response and crisp highs, but with some distortion at maximum volumes on deep bass tracks.

Design
The Wireless Speakers have a spare, visually pleasing design, with a white housing, black cloth grilles, and some black border accents. The look is minimalist and classy, with a hint of Space Age-feel. As mentioned above, visually, the Audyssey Wireless Speakers look virtually identical to the Audyssey Media Speakers, n?e the Lower East Side Media Speakers, which we reviewed in 2011. They certainly do not pack the overbearing flare of another recently reviewed Bluetooth stereo speaker set, the horn shaped Edifier Spinnaker , but it's nice to see two new sets of honest-to-goodness stereo speakers, instead of docks that can't muster even close to the stereo image that both of these systems can.

Both speakers measure 9 by 4.9 by 6.8 inches, with the passive left speaker connecting to the active right speaker via traditional speaker cable. The only other connections are on the active speaker's back panel?one for the included power supply, and a 3.5mm aux input, as well. The non-removable grilles covering the front panels hide a 0.75-inch tweeter and a 3-inch woofer, while the back panel of each speaker houses a 4-inch passive bass radiator, which aids in low-frequency performance. A Volume/Power knob is situated on the lower portion of the right speaker's front panel, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack and a power LED (green is On, red is Standby).

The built-in speaker stands are a great design feature; They angle the drivers slightly upward and give them a little extra height. If you're using the Wireless Speakers on a desktop, they'll be more or less perfectly angled towards your ears, which is often not the case for desktop systems.

The worst aspect is the lack of a remote control. At $300, it seems like a cheap exclusion. True, you can use your sound source as the remote when streaming via Bluetooth, but that's not the case when using a wired sound source, like a PC. A 3.5mm aux cable is included with the system. The?Wireless Speakers support Bluetooth A2DP, and the pairing process is simple and quick.

Performance
The sound signature is quite pleasant at moderate to high volumes, with a smooth, but never overpowering, bass response, and an emphasis on clarity in the high-mids. On deep bass tracks, like the Knife's "Silent Shout," at maximum volume the Wireless Speakers begin to noticeably distort and digital signal processing (DSP) seems to kick in, thinning out the bass a bit. At more moderate levels, they convey much more accurate bass response?even on deep electronic drum kicks like the one in the aforementioned Knife track?with a satisfying fullness that is neither thunderous nor meek. Regardless, the DSP will turn off some audio purists.

On instrumental tracks, like John Adams' modern classical piece "The Chairman Dances," the low mids and high mids take center stage, giving things a crisp edge with a rounded out low-end. Lower register strings are not ignored, however, and add a nice, subtle depth to the mix, while high, wooden percussion hits sit nicely in the background. At least on this particular track, the brass section, with its insistent trombones, owns the space. If the overall depth of the low-end and sense of space is not as strong as it is on the aforementioned Edifier Spinnaker, the Wireless Speakers will still appeal to those who favor a crisp response over one with more emphasis on bass.

For $300, the Audyssey Wireless Speakers seem overpriced. There's no remote, and there is some distortion, which shouldn't really be an issue in this price range. None of this, however, detracts from the fact that at moderate to reasonably-high volume levels, the Wireless Speakers are a solid choice for Bluetooth streaming, with a simple design and a crisp response.

If both the Spinnaker and the Audyssey speakers are out of your budget, consider the portable Iriver Blank Sound Donut , a much smaller and far less expensive Bluetooth system with a built-in speakerphone for calls. If you prefer a Bluetooth docking system, the JBL OnBeat Xtreme ?is not less expensive, but is our Editors' Choice for wireless systems. And if you couldn't care less about wireless audio and just want a quality, affordable PC speaker system, you can't go wrong with the Harman Kardon SoundSticks III, another Editors' Choice winner that delivers excellent audio response for the price.

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