Written By:
Table of Contents_
If you are new to the world of high-fidelity audio, you may look to compare Bluetooth Vs WiFi speakers. The best speakers, after all, tend to include a wireless option of some kind, with Bluetooth and standard WiFi being two of the most popular configurations. So what are the differences between these two designs, and which is right for you? Keep reading to find out about the leading wireless speaker solutions.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
The primary difference is how the speakers connect wirelessly to an audio source or related component, which is useful when shopping for high-end smart speakers. Bluetooth speakers connect via a Bluetooth receiver and transmitter, and WiFi speakers connect to a traditional wireless router, even if you compare a Sonos One generation 1 vs generation 2.
Moreover, if you buy the best wireless surround sound for your home theater setup, these will connect via WiFi, too.
Insider Tip
Make sure to download and update your audio drivers as indicated by the instructions that came with your speakers.
This initial difference balloons into more contrasts between the two popular speaker types.
Bluetooth speakers typically receive power from an integrated and rechargeable battery, making them ideal for portable ventures like listening to music while outside or during a road trip. After all, Bluetooth speakers are made to connect to phones, watches, tablets, and other gadgets you take with you on your travels. On the other hand, WiFi speakers are intended primarily for home use, as they require a wireless router to stream music from an app, streaming service, or another device.
WiFi speakers have the edge here by a fairly large margin, though this depends on your router and the speaker itself. Generally speaking, Bluetooth speakers max out at a close range of around 30 feet, making them great for playing music from a phone but not so great at playing music from a computer on the other side of the house. On the other hand, WiFi-enabled speakers can reach a maximum range of 100 feet or so. Again, this goes back to the notion of portability. WiFi speakers are a better bet for the home, and Bluetooth speakers are better for leaving the house.
This largely depends on the make and model of your speakers, but WiFi speakers do have a slight edge here as the wireless signals created by a router are more stable than those created by a Bluetooth transmitter. Additionally, the sound quality of Bluetooth models will suffer as you get further away from this transmitter.
STAT: Both Bluetooth speakers and wi-fi speakers compress the data files differently to play music on the speaker. (source)
