Wireless speakers Questions
Discussion
I have a couple of dumb questions - would someone mind answering this previously knowledgable hifi person?! 
I am leaving Sonos, the current debacle has made me think I should upgrade my 2nd system, the one I listen to the most. My 1st system is decent (Musical Fidelity pre amp, MF mono blocks, Ruark speakers - fed optically by Sonos and I will take out Sonos in time, fairly easy).
My 2nd system is a pair of Play 5's. They're going. Kef wireless arriving.
OK - the clunky questions.
1. Does Spotify (Deezer, Tidal etc) come to your phone (the controller) and then transmitted from the phone to the speakers? I don't think it does, but am not sure. Or do the speakers receive the stream independently which is simply managed from the phone using Spotify Connect?
2. If a new streaming service launched, I am assuming it wouldn't work with the Kef speakers as they wouldn't have the inbuilt chipset - the work around would be to bluetooth from your phone? Would this be a lower quality?
3. Is AirPlay 2 from phone to speakers or speakers receiving directly?
Sorry - just some fundamentals that I am not totally familiar with! Thanks.
I am leaving Sonos, the current debacle has made me think I should upgrade my 2nd system, the one I listen to the most. My 1st system is decent (Musical Fidelity pre amp, MF mono blocks, Ruark speakers - fed optically by Sonos and I will take out Sonos in time, fairly easy).
My 2nd system is a pair of Play 5's. They're going. Kef wireless arriving.
OK - the clunky questions.
1. Does Spotify (Deezer, Tidal etc) come to your phone (the controller) and then transmitted from the phone to the speakers? I don't think it does, but am not sure. Or do the speakers receive the stream independently which is simply managed from the phone using Spotify Connect?
2. If a new streaming service launched, I am assuming it wouldn't work with the Kef speakers as they wouldn't have the inbuilt chipset - the work around would be to bluetooth from your phone? Would this be a lower quality?
3. Is AirPlay 2 from phone to speakers or speakers receiving directly?
Sorry - just some fundamentals that I am not totally familiar with! Thanks.
1. Does Spotify (Deezer, Tidal etc) come to your phone (the controller) and then transmitted from the phone to the speakers? I don't think it does, but am not sure. Or do the speakers receive the stream independently which is simply managed from the phone using Spotify Connect? Direct (unless using something like air play)
2. If a new streaming service launched, I am assuming it wouldn't work with the Kef speakers as they wouldn't have the inbuilt chipset - the work around would be to bluetooth from your phone? Would this be a lower quality?
Most are surprisingly flexible but yes there may be a limit where things like AirPlay come in.
3. Is AirPlay 2 from phone to speakers or speakers receiving directly?
Yes
2. If a new streaming service launched, I am assuming it wouldn't work with the Kef speakers as they wouldn't have the inbuilt chipset - the work around would be to bluetooth from your phone? Would this be a lower quality?
Most are surprisingly flexible but yes there may be a limit where things like AirPlay come in.
3. Is AirPlay 2 from phone to speakers or speakers receiving directly?
Yes
1. Does Spotify (Deezer, Tidal etc) come to your phone (the controller) and then transmitted from the phone to the speakers? I don't think it does, but am not sure. Or do the speakers receive the stream independently which is simply managed from the phone using Spotify Connect?
To test this, when trialing the speakers use your phone to play something and then kill the app on your phone. If the music dies then it was from your phone.
2. If a new streaming service launched, I am assuming it wouldn't work with the Kef speakers as they wouldn't have the inbuilt chipset - the work around would be to bluetooth from your phone? Would this be a lower quality?
Not sure on this, it's dependant on Kef developing the application support within the speaker OS. Bluetooth from your phone would work though. Or I know they have input's so you could add a box to allow you to stream through another service. Amazon/google/anyotherstreamingbox.
3. Is AirPlay 2 from phone to speakers or speakers receiving directly?
Yes, it's from the phone to the speakers.
To test this, when trialing the speakers use your phone to play something and then kill the app on your phone. If the music dies then it was from your phone.
2. If a new streaming service launched, I am assuming it wouldn't work with the Kef speakers as they wouldn't have the inbuilt chipset - the work around would be to bluetooth from your phone? Would this be a lower quality?
Not sure on this, it's dependant on Kef developing the application support within the speaker OS. Bluetooth from your phone would work though. Or I know they have input's so you could add a box to allow you to stream through another service. Amazon/google/anyotherstreamingbox.
3. Is AirPlay 2 from phone to speakers or speakers receiving directly?
Yes, it's from the phone to the speakers.
Forums | Home Cinema & Hi-Fi | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff