GadgetReview

In the past year I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing Audioengine’s Wireless Audio Solutions.  Unfortunately, there claims of ‘wireless’ were slightly inhibited by a necessary AC adapter.  Enter the i2i Stream from Aerielle.

Included in the package are two wireless audio devices that can both send and receive audio, 2 headphone to headphones cords in 2 lengths, 2 headphone to 2.5mm jack cords in two lengths and a standard 4-pin to 6-pin USB cord for charging.  I should mention that i2i failed to provide an audio RCA to headphone cord, which might prove bothersome to those looking to hook up the system to their home’s stereo system.  Also worth noting is the lack of compatibility of the included headphone cords with the Gen 1 iPhone (they’re just a bit too fat, but with some force fit).

So what makes i2i’s offering different from Audioengines? First off, inputs and output are predicated on the trustee headphone cord, which means you can use the Stream with any device sporting a headphone jack.  Output is via a 3.5mm  jack, where as input is courtesy of a 2.5mm jack.  Audioengine’s offering on the other hands uses either a USB out (W1s) or iPod dock connector (W2s).  Much like Audioengine’s wireless offering, audio is transmitted over a tweaked 802.11 spectrum.  Additionally, the i2i Stream can be charged and are in fact designed to operate via a built-in battery!

Setting up the i2i Stream just requires plugging them in to a USB port and charging the built-in battery. Unfortunately, they only included one USB cord, so unless you have a spare one kicking around, charging will be increased a two fold, which equates to about 4 hours.  Once charged it’s just as simple as plugging your iPod (or any MP3 player with a headphone out) into one of the i2i Streams and plugging the other into a pair of powered speakers or stereo system.  After that, you’ll just need to power on, assign the devices as a sender or receiver (the buttons are a bit cryptic for this) and select a matching color (channel).  I should mention that the i2i Stream features a total of 7 channels meaning you can have a whole army of these things distributed around your house and switch audio in a room according to color (purple, green, yellow, orange, etc).  To increase each send/receiver’s volume you’ll just need to flick the power button up or down.

Now the biggy: performance  Although I didn’t think the i2i’s sounded quiet as good as Audioengine’s W2 or W1, the true wireless offering (i.e. no AC plug necessary) makes the i2i the real deal wireless audio solution for any device.  i2i specs the i2i Stream at about 7 hours per charge, and based on my testing I received something in that neighborhood.  Connection wise the i2i Stream exhibited no tendencies towards static or drop out, even from one room to the next.  The ‘channel select’ button is large and easy to push, which is great, but may lead to inadvertent channel changing if you are to carry the Stream around in your pocket, something that might slightly hinder the overall wireless experience.

Although the built-in batteries do liberate you from the corded experience, those who want to permanently affix these in a room may find Audioengine’s solution a bit more accommodating.  With that said, i2i’s Stream might be the perfect resolve for those traveling or on vacation, where as Audioengine’s is better suited for the at home experience.  There’s simply no reason why you can’t own both.

Pros:

• Battery powered, so true cord free wireless audio
• Small size
• Easy to use
• Multi channel
• Each Stream can be either a sender or receiver
• Works with any device that has a headphone jack

Cons

• No AC plug for fixed home experience
• Send/receive buttons cryptic
• 2.5mm input jack isn’t a widely used format for audio
• One USB cord provide in packaging
• Headphone cords aren’t Gen 1 iPhone compatible

Buy – $90

Audioengine is offering one lucky GadgetReview reader the chance to win an Audioengine W2. We just reviewed the W2 and for the most part loved what we saw heard.

Check out our Audioengine W2 review

To enter the contest: Just tell us your ’sex’ and ‘age’ (e.g. male, 24) and make sure to register your comment with a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. If you’re wondering why were asking for this info, I completely understand. Don’t worry, we’re just collecting site demographic information.

Good luck!

Contest ends: 1/21

If you can’t wait you can buy the W2 here for $169

Earlier this year Audio Engine introduced their first wireless audio solution, the W1. Although the W1 worked flawlessly, it left the iPod crowd salivating for a wireless solution for their coveted MP3 player. Heeding the calls of numerous iPod owners, Audioengine finally released an iPod dockable product: the W2.

Included in the box is a transmitter that plugs into the iPod’s dock, the receiver, 3.5mm to 3.5mm cord, power pack and RCA to headphone cord. As with the W1, the W2 transmits audio over the same slightly tweaked WiFi spectrum.

Setting up the W2 is simple as ‘plug and play’. Insert the transmitter into the iPod’s dock, plug in the receiver into the speakers or stereo, hit play, and presto, wireless audio. The sound quality of the W2 is superb and based on my refined ear I couldn’t perceive any derivation in quality from the source to the receiver.

Since the W2’s transmitter is powered by the iPod’s battery there is inevitably a reduction in playback time. I tested the W2 with my iPhone – which is not certified for use since the iPhone’s GSM signal could interfere with the transmission of audio (but didn’t) – and I didn’t notice a massive drop in battery power; something along the lines of 10-15% drop over normal playback time.

The wireless range of the W2 appears to be more limited than the W1. When I traveled about 10 feet and 1 wall away from the receiver, the transmission was lost. This is probably largely due to the weak power source that the receiver draws from, the iPod. Once I traveled back in range, though, audio immediately re-initiated.

Another small and annoying hindrance is the receiver’s loose dock connection. A slight jostle and the W2 receiver tended to knock loss from my iPhone (same with my buddy’s iPod) interrupting music playback or worse, creating unwanted static in the connection. An easy problem to resolve – just reinsert the W2 – but could prove a significant hurdle for those that plan on storing their iPod in their pocket during wireless playback.

Speaking of carrying the iPod. Both the W2’s receiver and transmitter are very light weight and add little to no significant weight to the MP3 player. Since the transmitter plugs into the dock, it does extend the overall size of the playback device by about 10%.

Of note, if you owned the W1, you’ll be glad to hear that it’s compatible with the W2. You’ll simply need to pair the two by holding down the W2’s sender button for 3 seconds (until the LED flashes rapidly) and do the same to the W1’s receiver until the music is paired.

Overall Audioengine’s W2 iPod wireless adapter is like the killer app every iPod owner should have. I’m still frustrated by the cordless power pack that is also found on the W1, but it’s a small price to pay for wireless audio from an iPod. This only applies to iPod Touch or iPhone users, but it’s worth pointing out that applications, such as AOL Music or Pandora won’t work with the W2 since Apple’s SDK agreement prevents the apps from working with anything ‘dock’. But since the W2 is better suited for iPod classics and Nanos it’s a rather moot point. In other words, the W1 is a better solution for iPod Touch and iPhone users with the advent of the ‘remote’ app.

At $169 it ain’t cheap, but in retrospect a small price to pay for turning your iPod into a ‘walk almost any where, music on demand’ DJ.

Pros:

• Super easy setup and operation
• Lightweight
• Superior audio reproduction for wireless transmission

Cons:

• Loose dock connection creates occasional static and interruption in playback
• Expensive
• Cordless AC plug

The Audioengine W2 is available here for $169

Hold on to your hat, because Audioengine is about to knock it off with the AW2.  The just released, handy little device plugs directly into your iPod (should work with the iPhone but you might experience some GSM annoyance), is powered by the dock connection and wirelessly transmits CD quality audio to the included receiver, which by the way appears to be an AW1 in hiding (I loved).  Setup is super simple and Audioengine has even included headphone and RCA cords to get you going.  The only downside is that the receiver requires power, which means an outlet needs to be in reasonable close reach given the cordless power plug.

The AW2 is available here for $169

Hopefully we can score a pair for review, so keep an eye out.

AW2 Features

• Use your iPod for total wireless music control
• Quick setup, Receiver included
• Super-compact size, no batteries needed
• No separate remote or base station needed
• Uncompressed CD-quality digital transmission
• No dropouts, static or interference
• Wi-Fi technology beats Bluetooth and FM
• No DRM restrictions, plays all your music
• HOP feature works with up to 8 receivers