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Airplay Speakers

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Avon4447

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 7, 2011
15
1
Chicago
My family recently got my mom an iPad 2 for her birthday. Now that Christmas is coming up I thought she might enjoy some speakers to go with her iPad so she can listen to her music.

Now, it would be great if she could listen to her music without having to dock her iPad or connect via an AUX cable. I've seen Airplay speakers advertised in a couple of sale papers, but I don't really have a lot of background knowledge on them. After a quick search online I didn't really come across a huge selection.

Does anyone have any suggestions for Airplay speakers? I'd like to get her something that is relatively simple (smaller, easy to set up...). She also doesn't need anything with "fantastic audio quality." She just needs something that is simple, wireless, and can causally listen to music with.

I'd like to spend around $100. Thanks!
 
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incandenza

macrumors member
Apr 8, 2009
33
0
I would look into Bluetooth speakers as opposed to AirPlay. AirPlay requires a connection to your WiFi network, which is more complicated and more expensive. Bluetooth speakers will connect to the iPad easily; once you pair them the first time, as soon as you turn them on the audio will get sent over to the speakers automatically.

I have the Jambox, which is nice, but a little more expensive at $200 regular price or $150 at a few Black Friday sales. But if you look around on Amazon, for example, there are a few other brands that are under $100.
 
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rookiezzz

macrumors regular
Mar 21, 2011
116
1
WA,USA
How about buying an Airport Express and then use your speakers? The AE would do the airplay for you :)
The other choice is as what incandenza adviced, a bluetooth speaker. Not only that you could pair it with the idevices, but you wouild be able to pair it with pretty much all devices, since most of the devices got a bluetooth now..I got the new Bose Soundlink 2 weeks ago, a quite pricy though ($300), however, it does sound awesome! it beats my 5-6 years old speakers (was $50)..
 
S

Sirolway

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2009
421
23
London
I've been looking at AirPlay speakers too & there don't seem to be a lot around. What there is, seem to be fairly expensive.

What I've done (arrived & installed yesterday) is to get an Airport Express & some active speakers (i.e. speakers with an amp built in so you just plug into the wall + Airport and you're ready to go). I went with the Audioengine 2 speakers, which seem to do a good job; they're big enough to make a decent sound, but small enough to be fairy unobtrusive. I got them off Amazon.

The Airport Express also gives you the opportunity to extend your WiFi network.

The only thing I'm not entirely sure about is whether doing it all over WiFi will mean that the sound drops out occasionally ...
 
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