Looking for a WiFi interface


I’m using an under-$100 consumer BT wireless transmitter to send signal to rear speakers in a 5.1 home theater. This is a mid-fi system in which the ambience channels consist of $500-$1000-ish Cambridge Soundworks speakers connected to an $1800 Audio Alchemy stereo amp. The amp receives line-level input from a $2000 Marantz A/V receiver via the wireless interface. My "serious-listening" stereo is something else all together, T+A / Harbeth / Audioquest Niagara, etc., but this CSW/Marantz/Alchemy setup has been satisfactory for Dolby-soundtrack ambience channels.

Except for one thing: No matter how I position the wireless xmitter/receiver modules, I get annoying dropouts. And if I could improve the SQ even a bit, that would be wonderful, since I’m starting to get into vintage Quadraphonic mixes. AptX HD would be an upgrade, I’m sure, but I’d prefer a WiFi solution.

It wouldn’t be a problem to invest a few hundred bucks (or more) in an interface, but all I’ve been able to find so far are more no-name Amazon interfaces & pro-audio products intended for stage performance. The few name-brand audiophile-grade wireless interfaces name-checked on this forum don’t seem to be in production today.

Can anybody make a recommendation based on first-hand experience? This has got to be a common problem, no?

 

 

cundare2

The SVS SoundPath Tri-Band looks like a pretty good fit for a mere $200.  Stereo, full-range frequency response, three selectable WiFi frequencies.

 

 

While the SVS and Rel transmitters are geared towards Subwoofers, they are also marketed for use with wireless speakers. I’ve tested both and they do play in stereo.

My copy of Rhino's "Quadio" Joni Mitchell Asylum Albums SACD arrived last night.  One thing that was strange was that the Atmos mixes -- downmixed by my receiver to 5.1 -- seemed to have greater ambience than the remastered stereo tracks.  Almost like added reverb.

This suggests to me that my wireless interface has more latency than I'd like.  I may order the SVS Tri-Band interface today.

 

...and I just did. Thanks, everybody, for your help.  This low-latency, stereo, WiFi interface looks like just what I need to do the job, no more, no less.

Follow-up: after a few days of extensive use, the SVS unit still works great.  No latency issues, no drop-outs, although I did lose some volume. 

Nice little product.