My husband and I built a 3-story townhome. He was all about the sound on the main floor – where will the speakers go, where does the router go, which walls and ceiling will run all of the wires? Being an audiophile, he is very into his music and appreciates high-fidelity, wireless audio technology. I was more than happy to let him take the reins on designing this sound system for our new home.
Then came the “S” word. No, not that one -- I mean Sonos. Suddenly, one day, there it was – the “high-end” white, plastic-looking speaker that sat on the bookshelf alongside our fireplace. Apparently, this speaker had to be located right there because the Wi-Fi signal was good, and there was easy access to the plug in the wall. Not quite the finishing touch that I was striving for. We had already had a bout with the builder when we discovered that two built-in speakers in our kitchen ceiling had not been centered properly. Rip up the sheetrock, move the wires, move the speakers, and re-paint? Sure, no problem, anything for a change fee.
I tried to remain positive, I really did. During the pandemic, though, our grown sons were home with us for a few months. The music was sporadic at best, however, given that one son worked from home and used Wi-Fi, while our other son watched his virtual college classes via Wi-Fi. I thought about listening to music upstairs on the top floor. Oh yeah, silly me, no speakers up there, and not much room left anyway to piggyback off the Wi-Fi system for mom’s tunes.
Now we have a pair of Audality S3 speakers. The Audality speakers are lovely to look at, made of bamboo with a timeless look, somewhat retro yet modern all the same. I don’t need an app, a password, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi because the transmitter and receiver work off their own secure frequency. I can place each speaker at any spot in the townhome (even when I leave my phone and its playlist on the kitchen counter) because the signal will travel through floors, concrete, and an elevator shaft. Give me ease, fantastic range, and mobility any day. I’m no audiophile myself, but the Sonos situation has me asking: can a speaker truly be wireless when it is wholly dependent on internet cables and must always remain close to its Wi-Fi source?
Funny thing, too, that the builder installed two speakers on our outside back deck. We never use them. The Wi-Fi on the patio deck is dreadful, and it’s just not worth the aggravation. The other day, I was enjoying the cool morning outside while playing some music on an Audality S3 speaker and reading a book. I noticed that a dove had begun to build a nest using one of the deck’s built-in speakers as its base. At least it’s getting used for something.
Whenever we move next, all of our Audality speakers will move with us. That’s a good thing. The thousands of dollars’ worth of wires, cables, and built-in speakers in my townhome can’t go anywhere.
A Simple Wireless Sound System: A Wife's Guide