Category: Computer Accessories

Product Review–Sony SRS-BTM8 Portable Bluetooth speaker

Introduction

I am reviewing the Sony SRS-BTM8 Bluetooth speaker which is one of the newer Bluetooth speakers optimised for that music-filled smartphone, tablet or Ultrabook. Here, it allows you to use your NFC-equipped Android smartphone or tablet to facilitate “touch-and-go” setup for that device as well as an easy-to-access pair-up button for other Bluetooth devices.

Sony SRS-BTM8 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Price

The unit itself:

RRP including tax: AUD$129

Connections

Input Count as for a device
Audio Line Input
(connect a tape deck, CD player, etc)
1 x 3.5mm stereo
Digital Audio Input Bluetooth wireless

Speakers

Output Power 2W RMS Stereo
Speaker Layout 1 2″ (50mm) full range speaker

The unit itself

The Sony SRS-BTM8 Bluetooth speaker system can work on 4 AA batteries which are installed underneath the unit, or the supplied AC adaptor. Here, it supports orthodox power arrangement for portable audio equipment where the AC power is more about avoiding the need to compromise battery runtime or allow the unit to run with batteries. The fact that this unit can run on regular batteries can mean that you can safely use it in the bathroom or by the pool.

Useability

Sony SRS-BTM8 Portable Bluetooth speaker controls

Controls located across the top of the Bluetooth speaker. Also where you touch your NFC-capable Android phone when you set it up with the speaker.

The near-field-communication setup routine works as expected with the Sony NFC setup ap. But you have to hold the phone or other device to the speaker until the connection procedure is finished, which is indicated by a blue light that glows steadily.

Here, it paired up quickly with my Samsung Galaxy Note II phone. I also tried to pair it up with an iPhone using the standard pairing routine and this was very simple, thanks to the “pairing” button.

As well, I wanted to find out whether this speaker can be reinstated to an existing device without you needing to pair up the device again, a problem I have noticed with some Bluetooth speakers, car stereos and other devices that I have had to help people out with. Here, it didn’t take long for the Sony speaker to reinstate itself with my phone once I used the “connect” function on my phone’s Android user interface.

Like with most Bluetooth speaker systems, you can press this Sony unit in to service as a handsfree speakerphone for your smartphone or Skype-equipped computer. Here, this can come in handy for group calls or if you just want the ability to answer that call while you are undertaking another activity.

There is also a 3.5mm line-input jack that you can use to connect that Discman, DAB portable radio, cassette Walkman or music-full iPod Classic to keep those tunes flowing.

Of course, all the controls are located across the top for volume adjustment and control of Bluetooth devices, including call management when serving as a speakerphone. This makes it easier to locate all the controls when using the speaker such as in a bathroom.

Sound quality

The Sony SRS-BTM8 speaker sound like a small radio yet is able to provide some bass in to the sound mix. It also provides a sound that is more room-filling than the speakers that are typically integrated in a smartphone, tablet or small laptop.

Other usage notes

A teenager who lives with us tried the speaker with his music-filled iPhone and found that it worked well for bedroom or bathroom use and was impressed with the sound for the product’s class.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

Sony could have this as the base product for a variant that has a built-in broadcast radio tuner i.e. as a Bluetooth-equipped portable radio.

As well, Windows and Android could have native support for NFC-assisted Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct setup so there isn’t a need to download applications to set up these devices using Near Field Communication pairing.

Conclusion

I would recommend this as an alternative to a small boombox when you want to use it to amplify the sound from a smartphone, tablet or Ultrabook. As I mentioned before, it would come in handy with use by the pool, in the bathroom or in the kitchen due to the fact that it runs on batteries.

NFC Touch and go is now the way to set up Sony Bluetooth devices

Article – From the horse’s mouth

Sony Corporation

Be moved with one-touch Sony’s new range of NFC products make sharing content easier than ever! : Consumer Products Press Releases : Sony Australia

My Comments

There are steps taking place to make pairing and connecting Bluetooth accessories to smartphones and tablets much easier. Initially the pairing routine was very convoluted with us having to remember pairing passwords or routines. Now most of the devices use a three-click pair routine where you hold down the Bluetooth button on the peripheral then place your smartphone in Bluetooth scanning mode to show up the device, whereupon you click on the name of the device.

But Sony have taken this further with speaker systems and headphones that you just touch to the NFC-capable smartphone, tablet or laptop to set them up. The Sony XPeria and VAIO tablets and laptops will have the integrated set-up software as part of the deal but those of you with Android devices made by other names will need to pick up NFC Easy Connect from the Google Play app store. Of course, these devices will pair up and connect with other Bluetooth hosts using the conventional method. On the other hand, I would love to be sure that this “touch-and-go” pairing can work with Windows 8 / RT equipment like the HP Envy X2 that I previously reviewed.

This will also simplify the connection of a previously-paired Bluetooth host to the speaker, which with some Bluetooth hosts and speaker docks cam be come a real pain as I have seen for myself with a Bluetooth speaker dock that was paired with an iPhone full of music in an “ad-hoc” manner even though it was normally paired with an iPad. At times, this required the iPad to he “re-connected” when the guest device was finished with. This touch-and-go routine could simplify the reconnection phase for “resident” Bluetooth hosts with the speakers or headphones.

This will also be an improvement as far as automotive setups and hi-fi equipment is concerned because it could cut down the time required to pair-up your device to the car or the home-theatre receiver, thus allowing you to get going with the music.

Now a device that converts a classic iPhone speaker dock to a Bluetooth speaker

Article

Auris turns any 30-pin music dock into a Bluetooth speaker | iPhone Atlas – CNET Reviews

From the horse’s mouth

Auris

Product Site

Where to buy

BiteMyApple.co

My Comments

There are situations where you want to play music from your smartphone or tablet to someone but they have a radio or speaker dock that has the orthodox 30-pin “iPhone” connector and no auxiliary-input jack. This makes the device very useless in that context and is more so as the Apple devices move away from the orthodox connector and more of us move away from the Apple portable-device platforms. Similarly those of us who use the “feature phones” that have mobile-phone functionality, music playback and, in some cases, navigation may want to use the speaker dock to share their music.

Now Auris have premiered a device that answers this problem. It is in the form of a battery-operated Bluetooth module that plugs in to the iPod / iPhone connector on these speaker docks or radios. This device also has a line-out connection for those speaker docks that don’t accept the audio through the 30-pin connection from anything other than an Apple device; as well as being a Bluetooth adaptor for powered speakers or equipment that has an auxiliary input of some sort. When used along with a cassette adaptor, this device can enable any old car cassette player or 80s-era “ghetto blaster” for Bluetooth audio.

As well the Auris is equipped with a microphone and functionality to turn the speaker dock or similar device in to a hands-free speakerphone for your smartphone or Skype-enabled laptop. Think of those situations where you need to have multiple people listen in to a call or you want to make or take a call in a hands-free manner.

It is one of those few Kickstarter ideas that have manifested in a real device that answers most questions and situations compared to the the situation where most such ideas end up as quick money-making ideas with useless products. Personally, I would also like to see a wholesale purchase opportunity through the Auris site so that “brick and mortar” and online retailers cam purchase quantities of this device to sell on to others. This would certainly appeal to the likes of the catalogue retailers like Sharper Image and Hammacher Schlemmer; or the mobile phone dealers and mobile networks who want to add this to their accessories line.

Product Review–Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 Audiophile Headset

Introduction

I am reviewing the Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 audiophile headset which is a pair of closed-back circum-aural headphones pitched at those who value their music. They have a long replaceable cord to connect to the computer, amplifier or CD player but they also have a separate mobile cord with an integrated microphone pod that converts them in to a headset that works with your smartphone or laptop for communications purposes.

Denon MusicMainiac AH-D600 stereo audiophile headset

Price

RRP AUD$600 / US$499.99

Type

Headphone Assembly Traditional over-the-head
Driver Positioning Circum-aural (over the ear with sound-containing foam wall)
Driver Enclosure Closed Back
Microphone Position In-line on mobile cord
Connectivity
Headset 3.5mm four-conductor plug on mobile headset cord
3.5mm stereo phone plug on long cord
Adaptors 6.5mm stereo phone-plug adaptor

The headset itself

Connectivity

 

Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 headphones with stereo-equipment cord

The headphones with the regular cord for use with your hi-fi

The Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 headphones come with two separate cords that plug in to the earcups. One of these cords is a long one that has a cloth-effect insulation for use when listening to your hi-fi or laptop whereas the other is a short headset cord with a pod that houses three control buttons and a microphone, thus making it become a mobile headset for your smartphone.

 

Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 headphones plug

Gold-plated equipment plug as expected for good headphones

All the plugs are gold-plated for optimum connectivity to the headset and the device you are using. As well, the separate mobile cord can work in “headset mode” with both the Apple iPhone and the Android handsets, the latter of which I tested for myself where it worked properly with my Samsung Galaxy Note II during a test call.

 

Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 stereo headphones with mobile headset cord

The headphones working as a fully-fledged audiophile headset for your smartphone, tablet or computer

I also like the concept of the detachable cords because you can easily repair broken plugs or replace broken cords, thus allowing you to gain a lot more mileage out of these headphones.

Comfort

The Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 headphones are comfortable to wear for a significant amount of time even though they do feel heavy. This is brought on through the use of leather earcups, which can be sweaty at times with hot weather. Of course, you can’t feel the headband when you wear them due to a well-cushioned headband design.

 

Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 stereo headphones earcup detail

The earcups with a cloth-lined grille and leather-wrapped foam rings allowing for long-term comfortable wear

Even for a pair of circum-aural headphones, you don’t find that the speaker grille in the earcups doesn’t touch your ears at all and you have a cloth speaker grille rather than the typical plastic or metal-mesh one that can be par for the course for this headphone class. This makes it appeal to you wearing the headset for a long time compared to most headphones of this type.

Sound

The Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 does satisfy the expectation associated with a pair of good circum-aural hi-fi headphones.

 

Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 stereo headphones headband

A soft and comfortable leather-lined headband

I have listened to a range of different music content on these headphones and have noticed tight bass with clear sound for the popular music including the current dance and R&B music. Here, the bass didn’t dominate unnecessarily while you could hear the vocals and lead instruments clearly. For classical music and other music that requires detailed listening, the Denon headphones still lived up to that ability, allowing the instruments to be heard individually.

I placed a “confirmation call” to the public-relations agency who lent me these headphones using my Samsung Galaxy Note II and the headphones with the “mobile” cord to observe how they performed as a headset for a mobile phone. Here, I heard the staff member’s voice very clearly through the headset and they heard me clearly from the microphone on their telephone equipment. This feature comes in to its own for use when you use your smartphone as a music player while you are on public transport. As well, the centre button on the microphone module works as a call-control button for Android handsets as well as iPhones. But you don’t have audio control for anything other than the Apple iOS platform.

You do have very significant noise reduction which may be a boon for noisy transport environments, but it may be at a disadvantage if you are walking along the street and need to hear the traffic.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

The Denon AH-D600 with its mobile headset cord could appeal to some teenagers and young men as a gaming headset due to reduced ambient noise so you could hear that other player talk to you. But this ability is limited by Denon not supplying a headphone / microphone breakout cord or USB communiactions audio adaptor to allow it to work with a PC for talking with your comrades while playing that MMO game. Here, they could offer the gaming interface cables and adaptors for PCs or consoles as optional accessories.

Other than that, I have found very little to fault this headset as a premium all-purpose pair of circum-aural headphones

Conclusion

I would position the Denon MusicManiac AH-D600 as an all-purpose music-grade circum-aural headset that cam be used where you want to concentrate on the audio content. It doesn’t matter whether you are on the train or plane listening to music on that smartphone, tablet or laptop; you want to listen to that CD or record in detail through that good amplifier, you are doing some serious recording in the studio or with that good recording device; or are wanting something as an alternative to the fashionable DJ headphones as cue / monitor headphones for your DJ work. The headset cable will also come a long way with communications devices (including mixing-desk talkback setups) that exploit the standard headset plug wiring used for mobile phones.

For that matter, I would recommend these headphones as a major-special-occasion gift for someone in your life who loves their music very much. This could be something like a major birthday. graduation or retirement gift and could be best purchased by a group of people like a family.

A Portable Touchscreen Monitor to work with your Windows 8 laptop or ultraportable

Article

Portable Touchscreen Monitor to Make Your Laptop More Windows 8-Touch-Friendly

My Comments

Do you run Windows 8 on an existing or low-end laptop that doesn’t have integrated touchscreen abilities? If so, you may find that the experience is not all that enjoyable, even if you work the interface using the multi-touch trackpad.

Lenovo have answered this situation with a portable 15” monitor known as the LT-1423. It is available as a USB 3.0 DisplayLink variant that connects to your laptop via the USB 3.0 cable or as a Wi-Fi variant which exploits the WiDi technology. The Wi-Fi variant has its own battery and can run a continuous session for four hours but the USB version is known not to put much impact on the laptop’s battery runtime.

What can be an issue here is that you may find it hard to get used to the idea of a second screen being the main touchscreen for your laptop while you have the screen above your keyboard serving secondary duties such as a copy-entry screen. As well, you may find that some applications like hardcore real-time games may not work well with this screen as DisplayLink doesn’t implement a high refresh rate for these applications.

Even if your laptop has touchscreen abilities, this screen could work well as a “B screen” for managing a screenshow or having notes on display during that screenshow. You could even use this as the wide-work-area setup on the road when you work that extra-large spreadsheet.

This is another example of Lenovo offering methods of gaining more mileage out of existing computer equipment.

Product Review–Creative Labs MA930 in-ear smartphone headset

Introduction

I am reviewing the Creative Labs MA930 in-ear headset which is pitched for Android phones as well as computers. This headset also can work with computers even if the unit has a separate microphone and headphone jack due to Creative supplying a breakout adaptor cable for these situations.

Creative Labs MA930 in-ear mobile-phone headset

Price

Recommended Retail Price: AUD$119.95

Type

Headphone Assembly Earphones
Driver Positioning Intra-aural (in the ear)
Microphone Position In-line
Connectivity
Headset 4-conductor 3.5mm plug
Adaptors Breakout cable with 3.5mm stereo headphone plug and 3.5mm microphone plug

The headset itself

Connectivity

The Creative Labs MA930 headset had difficulty working as a proper headset with my earlier Samsung Galaxy S Android phone but would work properly with newer computers and phones. There is also the headphone / microphone breakout adaptor that allows this headset to connect to separate headphone and microphone jacks on computers when you want to Skype someone.

Comfort

Creative Labs MA930 in-ear headset earpieces

A closeup of the earpieces

The earpieces on the Creative Labs MA930 headset needed to fit tightly in your ears like the older earpieces for them to yield proper sound with good bass response. I have noticed that this can be uncomfortable over a long time of use. Creative does supply different ear adaptors which you slip over the earpieces to fit your ears tightly.

Sound quality

When the earphones are properly inserted in your ears, the Creative headset does perform well with the bass response. As well, there was the clear response across the frequency ranges as I have noticed when I was playing a mixture of “ambient” music tracks through them.

The headset also can handle voice and effects content in video content this also being able to work well with phone calls and video games. Of course, they would work well if the headset is pushed properly in your ears which may affect different people.

Noise reduction and handling in noisy environments

Due to the design of these earpiece-style headsets, you have improved noise reduction which I have noticed when I used them while sitting up the back of a bus. Here, all the sounds around me were significantly reduced and I was able to hear the program material very easily.

Conclusion

The Creative Labs MA930 headset would work well with laptop computers, handheld games consoles as well as recent standards-based smartphones (Android, Windows 8, Nokia) if you value a lightweight headset and want the noise reduction that the in-ear design provides such as in the gym or while travelling on public transport.

But I wouldn’t recommend it for use when jogging or cycling because you may not hear the traffic easily. Of course, like many in-ear designs, it may not work at its best with your ears.

What to look for with “checkpoint-friendly” laptop luggage

Article – From the horse’s mouth

TSA: “Checkpoint Friendly” Laptop Bag Procedures

TSA Website

My Comments

Background

One major goal with airport security is to be sure that the item being taken on board an aircraft is what it really is and not carrying a bomb or other payload dangerous to aircraft or personal safety. Most of us see this function being performed at the security checkpoints using the X-ray scanners.

As far as laptop users are concerned, this has often required the security staff to use these X-ray machines to determine whether it is a computer or not. Along with this, there has been the issue of high-throughput checkpoint lanes, with the use of trays to consolidate passengers’ small-size belongings as they pass through these machines. Some people also reckon that the trays are there to permit a high quality X-ray image out of the machines, especially if there is item-recognition software in place.

As I have encountered from personal experience with the Dell Inspiron 15r during a previous Sydney trip and from a friend’s experience with their laptop, some of the aforementioned trays can’t allow a 15” or 17” laptop to lie flat. In some cases, the laptop could drop down on these trays too easily and this could cause the computer’s owner to worry about its hard disk.

TSA-approved “checkpoint-friendly” computer luggage

The Transportation Security Administration in the US have established a benchmark for computer luggage that allows the laptop to be scanned “in-situ”. This is meant to avoid the need to take the computer out of the luggage and have it scanned separately or have the luggage manually examined.

What makes a laptop bag or case “checkpoint friendly”

The bags or cases are designed in a fold-out style, with one style that folds out like an open book; and the other style being a three-fold design that folds over twice. Another style is the common laptop sleeve that you slide your laptop or iPad into.

The cases don’t have any metal fastenings on the side of the designated laptop pouch or inside that pouch; and there aren’t any pockets on the side of or inside that pouch or sleeve. Typically this will allow for a zipper along the edge of a laptop pouch or sleeve or have the pouch or sleeve secured shut with a plastic zip / press-stud (snap fastener) or a Velcro strip.

The material will be thick enough to protect the computer but thin enough for X-rays to pass through when it passes through the X-ray scanner. As well, the decorations on the case will appear to be thin and made out of materials other than metal for this same purpose.

The bags will typically have the laptop accessories, documents and other items held in other pockets.

But what should you look for

When you choose any laptop luggage, check the case for good quality stitching on the bags. This includes any straps and handles. The laptop pouch must have well-sewn Velcro strips or a good-quality fastening along the pouch. Other fastenings on the rest of the bag should also be good quality and it is worth looking at the warranty that the manufacturer offers on these items. Sometimes a good clue to pay attention to is the manufacturer’s warranty on the bag or its fastenings.

This is important so that you don’t risk damaging your computer equipment due to the case coming apart because of poor-quality stitching or fasteners.

Existing or preferred luggage

If you do use existing or preferred hand luggage like that company briefcase or that backpack, you can get away with using a laptop sleeve to protect your computer even more. Then you just put the laptop in its sleeve directly on the conveyor belt at the airport security checkpoints.

On the other hand you could just place the laptop in to its own tray as the last item to go through the X-ray scanner. Then, after you have passed the checkpoint, you put it in your existing hand luggage.

Once you choose the right kind of well-built luggage, this can lead you to many years of reduced-hassle air travel.

The perfect expansion module for those Ultrabooks

Article

VMultra bundles USB hub, DVD drive, SD slot and 500GB HDD to form ultimate laptop peripheral — Engadget

My Comments

Previously, I have written some articles on the USB-connected expansion modules that can extend the functionality of those Ultrabooks and similar ultraportable computers. Here, I was

This included my reviewing a Sony VAIO Z Series premium ultraportable that was equipped with one of these modules that had an integrated slot-load Blu-Ray player.

But what amazes me about this particular VMultra expansion module is that it is effectively acting as a “storage hub” with an SD card reader, DVD burner and a 500Gb hard disk, thus adding at least three extra drive letters or disk icons to your computer. This also is effectively adding on an external hard disk to the computer for use in keeping “main office” work on the desk while you have “portable” work in the computer. Expect this unit to be equipped with a USB 3.0 host interface as well as a multi-port USB hub that most likely continuously self-powered so you can also charge those gadgets off it.

This could become the start of the expansion module that is more about a virtual system unit for an ultraportable, being equipped with onboard secondary storage, DisplayLink video functionality, audio functionality and the like to be kept as an “at home” or “at office” option.

DisplayLink Now Compatible with Windows 8

Article

DisplayLink Now Compatible with Windows 8#xtor=RSS-181#xtor=RSS-181#xtor=RSS-181

From the horse’s mouth

Product Page

Press release

My Comments

DisplayLink have updated their class driver for their USB-based “plug and display” infrastructure in order to satisfy Windows 8’s needs. Primarily this is to benefit tablet computers, convertibles, Ultrabooks and other similar portable Windows 8 computers to allow them to work with larger screens or display-adaptor modules and expose the displays to what Windows 8 can offer.

For example, there is the ability to use both the Start user interface and the regular desktop user interface across the different displays that are linked using this system. Similarly, a manufacturer could offer a touch-enabled monitor-dock that uses this connection interface as a point of innovation and Windows 8 users can still use this touch-enabled screen as a control surface for their portable Windows 8 computer.

It still can work across all USB connection types through the use of data-compression techniques for the common USB 2.0 setup. As well, the adaptors will support a resolution 2560×1152 per screen depending on the bandwidth, which can allow for the new high-pixel-density displays.

What I see of this is that the USB-based expansion modules (docking stations) will still be relevant to the Windows 8 touch-focused computing era as they are with Windows 7 and before.

Wirelessly playing music held on your mobile device through other equipment

You may have your music held on a smartphone or tablet but you want it coming through better and louder speakers. Similarly, you have packed out your laptop computer or an external hard disk which you connect to your laptop with music. But you still want the flexibility of moving around your space with your phone or positioning your laptop wherever you want it.

Devices you can use

Primarily you could use a wireless media adaptor that is connected to existing audio equipment or speakers. This function may be integrated in some audio devices like Internet radios or music systems. On the other hand, you could purchase a wireless-enabled speaker system such as a speaker dock which integrates the wireless media adaptor with the speakers.

Methods

Bluetooth

Creative Labs Sound BlasterAxx PS-SBX20 Bluetooth wireless speaker (Image courtesy: Creative Labs)

Creative Labs Sound BlasterAxx PS-SBX20 Bluetooth wireless speaker system for the smartphone, tablet or laptop

A common method would be to use a Bluetooth link. This is supported by every smartphone and tablet but would only work with a Bluetooth audio adaptor or Bluetooth speaker system.

Here, the Bluetooth audio device must work to the Bluetooth A2DP audio profile for music playback and AVRCP audio control profile if you want to control the phone from the device’s controls.

To set up your wireless link, you would have to “pair” you mobile device with the Bluetooth audio device. Here, you place the device in “discoverable” mode and then use the mobile device’s “add Bluetooth device” function to discover the audio device. Most recent devices go in to “discoverable” mode when they are first plugged in but with a device that is already connected to power, you may have to hold down a “setup” or “Bluetooth” button. Here, an indicator light may flash in a certain manner to show that the device is in “pairing” or “discoverable” mode.

Bluetooth audio setup with a laptop

Bluetooth audio setup with a laptop and a Bluetooth audio adaptor

When you go to your mobile device and use the “add Bluetooth device” function, there will be a list of devices you had already “paired” with your phone as well as a new device name, typically representing the audio device’s brand or model name. Select this device and the pairing process will take place. If your mobile device shows a “password” or “PIN” request as part of this setup, enter 0000 in response to this request.

In this situation, you will likely have your mobile device connecting to your Bluetooth speakers or adaptor. On the other hand, if you already paired your phone or tablet to the Bluetooth audio device and your device and mobile device are on, you would have to go to the Bluetooth menu to select the “Connect” option to establish the connection.

If you subsequently use the same Bluetooth audio device, you may have to “connect” to that device to have it play its music through the audio device. This may require you to enable Bluetooth and, in some cases, select the device’s name to connect it.

Laptop users would then find that the Bluetooth A2DP and Hands Free Profile will present themselves as “sound devices” through the use of class drivers implemented by Windows 7 and MacOS X. You may have to set the Bluetooth virtual sound cards as default sound devices if you are using applications that don’t allow you to determine the sound device for that application. I have covered this issue in further detail in an article about using laptops with Bluetooth devices.

Wi-Fi wireless

Another wireless connection method is to use a Wi-Fi wireless network. This uses a choice of two protocols: Apple Airplay and the open-standard DLNA protocol.

Network setup

These setups require that the mobile device and the wireless network media player are linked through a network that has a Wi-Fi segment and are seen as the same logical network.

In some cases, the network media player can be connected to an Ethernet or HomePlug segment as long as that segment is accessible to the Wi-Fi wireless segment.

Denon Cocoon 500 Wi-Fi wireless speaker (Image courtesy: Denon Marantz Group)

Denon Cocoon 500 Wi-Fi wireless speaker that works with DLNA or AirPlay setups

These setups can work with network media players and wireless speakers that implement Wi-Fi Direct thus avoiding the need to use a wireless router like a MiFi to create a wireless-network segment. Similarly, some Wi-Fi Direct “master-device” implementations like the Intel implementation used in Windows laptops can allow the device to be a host for a Wi-Fi Direct segment and a client to an existing Wi-Fi network, thus bridging the connections. This can come in handy with public wireless hotspots due to client isolation and, in most cases, Web-based login being established on them; features which could impede the establishment of a Wi-Fi wireless music network.

But you can gain better results with a dedicated WiFi router or access point like one of the portable “MiFi” routers.

Infact most of these setups implement WPS one-push setup for Android mobile devices, Windows 7 computers and most current-issue Internet audio equipment. On the other hand, they will have a pre-determined device-unique WPA-PSK device passphrase for use with Apple devices.

Sony SA-NS410 wireless speaker

Sony SA-NS410 Wireless Network Speaker

It is also worth knowing that some speakers like the Sony SA-NS310, SA-NS410 and SA-NS510 also have access to advanced functions through the use of a dedicated smartphone app. In the case of these speakers, they have direct access to online music services or Internet radio with this software but you may find that they would work better with a regular small-network setup with a router serving a dedicated Internet connection. Again a “MiFi” may come in handy here when you use them at a hotel or serviced apartment with the existing public-acces Wi-Fi network.

Apple AirPlay

This method works best with iOS devices like the iPhone or with computers that are running iTunes. Here, you have to use the AirPlay functionality within iTunes or the music player in your iOS device to “push” your music to your AirPlay-capable device.

Rogue Amoeba have provided the AirFoil program for MacOS X and Windows platforms which turn your AirPlay-capable devices in to a virtual soundcard for your computer. I have helped a friend with purchasing and installing this program on their Windows 7 computer so they can pipe Spotify through an Apple AirPort Express device connected to their home stereo. This program sells for US$29 per computer.

DLNA

The UPnP AV / DLNA-based media setup is a highly-flexible network media playback setup which is more open-frame in nature. I have covered this setup previously due to this ability and the ability for many hardware manufacturers and software developers to support it.

If the idea is to have your music device such as your laptop or smartphone control the music, you will need to make sure that the device can work as a “MediaRenderer”. Devices like the Sony CMT-MX750Ni music system, the WD TV Live network media adaptors or the Pioneer XW-SMA3 wireless speakers will work with this function out of the box but some devices that support this function may require you to visit their setup menu to enable “DLNA Remote Control” or similar functions.

A DLNA-based setup requires a media server to be installed on your computer or mobile device. Windows-based computers will perform this function using Windows Media Player but you can use other third-party players like TwonkyMedia. Here you would have to point these programs to your music library.

Android phones and tablets can work from one of many different DLNA media server-controller apps like TwonkyMedia or AllShare, which is set up to share the content on your device or the SD card.

Depending on the media-client device, a DLNA setup can be managed from the media client device’s control surface or from your computer or mobile device. For example, Windows Media Player that comes with Windows 7 or 8 offers a “Play To” function which allows you to have your content “pushed to” devices that support this kind of control.

DLNA can work as a virtual sound card for Windows computers if you use the Jamcast virtual-sound-card software on your computer, which costs US$29.99. This can be useful for setups like the streaming music services like MOG, Pandora or Spotify which rely on a Web page or client program for them to work.

On the other hand, you could use the DLNA setup to have a laptop play music from your smartphone or tablet. This can be achieved with TwonkyMedia Manager for all platforms or with Windows Media Player 12 (Windows 7 and 8). In the case of Windows Media Player 12, you would select “Stream” – “Allow remote control of my player” to have this option work.

Worth knowing

Sometimes if one of the wireless speakers doesn’t work properly such as failing to reinstate with the device or network or a Wi-Fi speaker failing to connect to another wireless network segment, you may have to reset the speaker. This is a procedure that is dependent on the speaker but may involve you pressing a “RESET” button in a certain way  Then you may have to pair your audio device to the speaker again or configure it to the network you want it to join.

If the idea is to operate that Bluetooth or Wi-Fi speaker at a pool party, avoid the temptation to think that you can operate the iPhone that’s containing the music from the pool or spa. This is where a lot of portable devices become damaged due to the water. Here, it would be better to have the device containing the music, as well as the speaker located as far back from the water as you can, such as near a wall or safety fence.

Conclusion

Once you have your smartphone, tablet or laptop working with a wireless-audio link such as a Bluetooth link, you can be able to have a chance to hear better sound out of these devices while allowing yourself to move the smartphone or similar device around freely.

Update Note

This article, originally published on October 2012, has been updated to make reference to Rogue Amoeba’s AirFoil virtual-sound-card software for Apple AirPlay and to update new pricing details for Jamcast. As well, I have provided direct links to the software developers’ Web pages. I have also created links to the product reviews for the Sony SA-NS410 and SA-NS510 speakers which I had reviewed since the article was first published.