AirPlay or Bluetooth? We determine the choice of wireless speakers

Choosing a wireless akustistichesoy system itself is complex: many brands, sizes and formats, not to mention the prices. Add to that the choice of sound technology transfer and you get a truly difficult task for the average user. AirPlay like "native" because it is proprietary Apple technology, however, along with the advantages he has (like Bluetooth) has its drawbacks. All the strengths and weaknesses of both technologies, as well as what criteria guide the choice of wireless speakers, we are together with you try to understand this article.

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AirPlay vs Bluetooth: what is the difference?

And the AirPlay, and Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows you to broadcast music from one device to another. That is, you will be able to stream your favorite music from your Mac, iPad or iPhone on wireless dinanmiki (or speaker system). The AirPlay, in addition, allows you to broadcast still and video on your Apple TV, and Bluetooth can be used to distribute Internet tethering and a number of other things (except for video transmission).

AirPlay - is a proprietary technology developed by Apple, which works via Wi-Fi. Thus, if your iPhone and WIRELESS speakers are connected to your home Wi-Fi-network - you should not have any problems with streaming music.

Bluetooth technology was created by Ericsson, but is now used in virtually all mobile devices. For her work does not require a connection to a Wi-Fi network as the device "communicate" with each other directly.

AirPlay vs Bluetooth: advantages and disadvantages

If we talk about the quality of sound, the advantage here on the side of the AirPlay, as used for audio lossless-compression, can not be said about Bluetooth. This means that when using AirPlay you get better sound output, which does not suffer from the wireless data transfer.

Another advantage of AirPlay is that the sound is transmitted to the device via Wi-Fi, so you You can move freely around the house with iPhones in your pocket and it will not affect the sound quality or loss connection. While, as the Bluetooth technology can provide reliable reception within 10 meters, but it largely depends on the power of the antennas in the devices, the presence of bearing walls, and other factors.

Ironically, the fact that Bluetooth does not work over Wi-F, yavlyaetetsya also an advantage, because it makes it more mobile solution. You can always bring your Bluetooth-speakers in the park, camping or any other place where it is not necessary to count on coverage Wi-Fi.

If you are going to broadcast music to several speakers throughout the house, there is also the advantage on the side AirPlay: Using iTunes, you can organize the translation of a few AirPlay-devices (iOS, this feature is not supported). For convenience, you can control playback on your Mac using the Remote app.

In the case of Bluetooth, you are limited to one speaker or sound system. If you need a desktop speakers or portable speakers, which can carry - not with Bluetooth It has problems, but if you need to sound the whole house or large room - it is better to opt for AirPlay.

AirPlay vs Bluetooth: price

As you know, due to the fact that AirPlay - this is Apple technology, such speakers are more expensive. Despite the differences in prices and a variety of offerings on the market, the average price of AirPlay-speaker higher than their Bluetooth counterparts.

It is difficult to compare different types of columns, but we will try to evaluate several models of the same price category, to see the difference. We begin with a pair of speakers in the mid-range.

up to $ 200

Pure Contour 200i ($200)

14-inch speaker with a power of 36 W, which runs from the outlet. It has on-board 30-pin dock connector for the iPhone and iPod. The system was praised by users and critics. According to the BBC Music Magazine - 5 Star, PC World and What Hi-Fi? - 4, and Wired, its rating is 80%. For $ 200 it's pretty good.

Philips Fidelio P8BLK / 37 ($120)

More affordable ($ 120) Philips Fidelio, working on Bluetooth, profitable portability is different - it measures just 28 x 12 x 6 cm. This fact is confirmed by the presence of the integrated battery, which will give you about 8 hours of continuous music playback. This model also has a high rating (4.5 to Amazon) and excreted relatively democratic price.

up to $ 400

Libratone Zipp ($400)

Willing to spend on high-quality sound a little more money? Then pay attention to Libratone Zipp - beautiful model with AirPlay-enabled, which provides Omnidirectional sound and able to run for about 4 hours in a wireless mode (or 8 hours at connecting via 3.5 mm jack). For the money, you also get a nice soft carrying case. Members note the high quality sound and portability of the device. On Amazon model has a solid four.

JBL On Beat Rumble ($400)

Let's take a look at the JBL On Beat Rumble, Bluetooth-acoustics, which is in a similar price range. This model is "packed" as they say. We have as much as 50 watts of power output, subwoofer and Lightning-connector for iPhone or iPad mini. The less, unlike Zipp, this stationary device without a battery, that works only on the network. Many users have already appreciated the quality of the sound JBL On Beat Rumble and its overall rating on Amazon is 4.4 points.

Cambridge Audio Minx 100 ($400)

Of course, there are universal solutions such as Cambridge Audio Minx 100, which work with both the AirPlay, as well as with Bluetooth. Its versatility is directly reflected in the price tag, but the model is quite high marks (4 points on Amazon), although nekotrye users were not impressed with the sound quality of the output.

So what do you choose?

Choice depends on the specific situation and the goals you are pursuing. I recommend AirPlay for users who are at the forefront of sound quality. If more than important portability and autonomy - you on the road with Bluetooth. AirPlay also preferable if your ecosystem is dominated by the Apple device. If you are the owner and active user motley fleet of devices, including Android-smartphone and a tablet, you should appeal to the universality of the speakers based on Bluetooth.

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And you use the wireless speakers with their Apple-devices, dear readers? What kind of connection technology you choose? Share your experiences in the comments!

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