Question for the audiophiles

Oneheadlite

Oneheadlite

Member
So lately I`ve been kicking around upgrading our everyday background music situation at home. Right now we`ve just been using one of our phones or iPads to have a little music going in the kitchen, or Pandora on the tv in the living room. Really not looking for blow your socks off volume; again its background music, not music for entertaining or even home theater use.

(I know, I know... I have audiophile in the thread title and I`m using the phone speakers ... Bear with me!)

I`ve thought about getting a HomePod since we`re already in the Apple ecosystem, plus I`ve got a friend that`s been super happy with his. But, I`m just not looking to spend that much on background music right now. So, I started looking around at sub $100 Bluetooth speaker options.

I then got to thinking: I have a set of Klipsch Quintet II home theater speakers that have been in storage since I sold my house where I originally had them in service. In our current place I don`t really have a good home for the huge Yamaha receiver that was powering them. The way our TV is set up, I`m not ambitious enough to figure out optimal placement of the speakers, plus running all the wiring. Not like it was a thousand dollar setup, but to me it`s too nice of equipment to set up in the garage and risk it being degraded by the elements.

I got to researching a little bit, and have now learned about amps with a smaller footprint than the typical receiver, which could allow me to set up a pair of the speakers on top of some cabinets and get some use out of what I have. Here`s where I`m very open to input, since this is a subject I don`t have a ton of knowledge on.

So finally getting to the question: Does anyone have any recommendations for something like this? I`m leaning towards getting something that`s just an amp, then adding a Bluetooth receiver to avoid having loud pops during audio switching that I`ve read about in some reviews for combination units I`ve looked at.

So far this looks like it could be worth trying: https://fosiaudio.com/collections/f...rated-amp-home-speakers-160w-x-2-power-supply

Any thoughts? I can dig out the books for the speakers and the current amp I was using if folks need the specs to aid recommendations. I believe the Klipsch are 8ohm speakers, but that`s as much as I remember.
 
I would not classify myself as an audiophile by any means, but I do love good sounding speakers. I have a set of Klipsch and love them. If you decide not to go the amp route and just want the bluetooth speakers, look into JBL. I have 4 of them and they are amazing in sound quality for the price. Good bass, but not overbearing. They connect to each other too, so if you have more than 1 JBL you can play the same song in different rooms. I have 2 Charge 3`s set up in my living room, a Pulse 3 in the kitchen (it`s the crazy light-up one--good party trick), and a Flip 4 in my other room. They work great and I find myself using the JBL`s more than the Klipsch. I know that doesn`t answer your question, but it`s a solid option if you can`t find an amp to work
 
m54daboll said:
I would not classify myself as an audiophile by any means, but I do love good sounding speakers. I have a set of Klipsch and love them. If you decide not to go the amp route and just want the bluetooth speakers, look into JBL. I have 4 of them and they are amazing in sound quality for the price. Good bass, but not overbearing. They connect to each other too, so if you have more than 1 JBL you can play the same song in different rooms. I have 2 Charge 3`s set up in my living room, a Pulse 3 in the kitchen (it`s the crazy light-up one--good party trick), and a Flip 4 in my other room. They work great and I find myself using the JBL`s more than the Klipsch. I know that doesn`t answer your question, but it`s a solid option if you can`t find an amp to work
Click to expand...
I personally think the ue booms which are joinable and ar water resistant have a bit better sound quality than the JBL versions

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That amp looks very nice, especially for its size,,thats a big plus. I don`t see where it says it has Bluetooth if you want that.
 
Fishing - Thanks for taking a look! You`re right, that one I linked doesn`t have Bluetooth, though they offer models that do. My logic for looking at the one sans Bluetooth is just that there`s a little comfort in being able to use a known-quantity Bluetooth adapter versus whatever Bluetooth solution they`re using. Also might be easier to be able to mount the adapter somewhere more accessible if the speaker ends up living on top of the cabinets.

Also, update on my search. After discussing with the Mrs, probably looking more at a whole package solution versus my original Amp + speakers I already have. So I`m now looking at standalone (Non-smart) Bluetooth speaker options.

For the price point, I`m adding in sound bars since portability isn`t a big priority. I`m early in the research on these, but looks like you can get pretty highly rated sound bars in the $100-$150 range. I`m about 5 minutes into researching these, but it looks like Vizio has some speakers I`ll be looking at. I`ll try to keep updating this with anything interesting I find.

Thanks all for the insight!!!
 
I’m no audiophile but I do like a good sounding system. It’s easy to fall for a couple of things. One is reviews, everyone hears differently. What sounds good to one sounds bad to another. The next is falling for shortcuts like small drivers and lots of processing. There is a reason most stores have stuff like sound bars away from real speakers.
 
What about a Bose Soundlink or Soundlink mini? They are small and put out decent room-filling sound for the size... Bluetooth.... and about $100-130 ish depending on the model.

Might be the ticket if you are just using for background music while cooking or similar.
 
If your willing to use sound bar. Get one that is hard wired. A lot of sound degradation from Bluetooth.



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I have bluetooth `receivers` attached to my Onkyo recievers (one in the garage and the home theater), and they pick up my devices (phone and Kindle) fine. They cost about $30 on Amazon, and just need a free pair of RCA jacks and power.
 
NAD makes a very nice little integrated Bluetooth amplifier. Small and very compact. Sounds great. I bought one for my daughter when she went off to college. I don`t think she even owns a CD. All from Pandora and such so the Bluetooth was requirement for her listening situation.
 
If you are ok with processed sound, then go with what is easy to use and in the budget..

Personally, I love really good, clear, very little distortion sound, and have a lot of it using Yamaha Aventage equipment to run it all..

You already have a really good receiver/amplifier and decent speakers; it would be so easy to hook that up to the smart TV, and see how you guys like it before you go spend more $$$ on other options..

I use Banana Plugs and very good audio cable to make it so easy to connect everything.. The banana plugs are Sewell Deadbolt Fast-Lock plugs, the awesome cable is KnuKonceptz Kord Kable - 12awg pure oxygen-free copper, ultraflex, stranded cable..

I also listen to Pandora Premium; its mp3 quality, not the greatest sound compared to a really good player and of course, really well recorded and mixed, HDCD, SACD..

Good luck in your research !
Dan F
 
^^^^this^^^^ most people don’t get this. Just for a sample if your car’s charger is wired to the radio for sound and you have Bluetooth.... listen to it on blue tooth, then hardwired. Now amplify difference in hi quality hi fi at home. Bluetooth is made to be easy(lazy, cheaper) not sound better.


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Coatings=crack said:
^^^^this^^^^ most people don’t get this. Just for a sample if your car’s charger is wired to the radio for sound and you have Bluetooth.... listen to it on blue tooth, then hardwired. Now amplify difference in hi quality hi fi at home. Bluetooth is made to be easy(lazy, cheaper) not sound better.


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Click to expand...

Mi Amigo !
I come from a long time ago when Vinyl was all there was.. :) Then Reel to Reel Tape at 7-1/2 ips, Cassette, CD, SACD, HDCD, and now, processed, compressed, sound..

Want to hear something really bad ? Listen to XM/Sirius Satellite Radio.. :( Ugh.. I still have it in my Jeep for those long trips to Tejas and back..
Otherwise, it would be so gone..

Have listened to a lot of SACD HDCD, regular CD,etc., music, and it is amazing how badly recorded, mixed, or whatever went wrong is out there..

Crosby, Stills, and Nash, have some of the worst sounding CD`s ever.. Even in HDCD SACD formats.. Too much bass and lower end mixed in..

I think they let Stephen Stills be in charge of this and he is deaf in one ear and can`t hear out of the other.. That probably explains it.. :)

Some of the absolute Best recorded, mixed, etc., SACD`s are done by Elton John; his early albums from the 70`s - amazing, clear, beautifully mixed sound..

I run Definitive Technology speakers and they are really good at not coloring the music.. Beautiful, heavy, perfect, gloss black cabinets made by Kimball Piano. The very low distortion Yamaha Aventage equipment really helps keep it pretty darn close to what came out of the studio too..

My all time Favorite - "Blood, Sweat, and Tears, 1968", Hybrid Multichannel SACD, Track-9 - "Blues- Part II" Amazing sound in all 7 channels.. 8 - Rock Infused Jazz Musicians, 1 incredible Singer - David Clayton Thomas.. This was the group that Chicago listened to..
Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
Mi Amigo !
I come from a long time ago when Vinyl was all there was.. :) Then Reel to Reel Tape at 7-1/2 ips, Cassette, CD, SACD, HDCD, and now, processed, compressed, sound..

Want to hear something really bad ? Listen to XM/Sirius Satellite Radio.. :( Ugh.. I still have it in my Jeep for those long trips to Tejas and back..
Otherwise, it would be so gone..

Have listened to a lot of SACD HDCD, regular CD,etc., music, and it is amazing how badly recorded, mixed, or whatever went wrong is out there..

Crosby, Stills, and Nash, have some of the worst sounding CD`s ever.. Even in HDCD SACD formats.. Too much bass and lower end mixed in..

I think they let Stephen Stills be in charge of this and he is deaf in one ear and can`t hear out of the other.. That probably explains it.. :)

Some of the absolute Best recorded, mixed, etc., SACD`s are done by Elton John; his early albums from the 70`s - amazing, clear, beautifully mixed sound..

I run Definitive Technology speakers and they are really good at not coloring the music.. Beautiful, heavy, perfect, gloss black cabinets made by Kimball Piano. The very low distortion Yamaha Aventage equipment really helps keep it pretty darn close to what came out of the studio too..

My all time Favorite - Blood, Sweat, and Tears, 1968, Hybrid Multichannel SACD, Track-9 - "Blues- Part II" Amazing sound in all 7 channels.. 8 - Rock Infused Jazz Musicians, 1 incredible Singer - David Clayton Thomas.. This was the group that Chicago listened to..
Dan F
Click to expand...

I’m from the era starting with records and tapes. Morphed into CD’s. It’s a shame what passes for audiophile quality music.


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