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Pioneer Drops AirPlay Speaker Prices, Now Competitive with Bluetooth Models
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Haha that's funny!!
Love to know where you got that statistic from? I'm no audiophile but when a friend showed me a flac file and a file encoded by iTunes at 256kbs (both came from the same source) which were playing through his vaf signature series speakers, the difference was night and day. But when he played the same files through some crappy old speakers there's no way you can tell the difference.
My point is, there is a big difference in sound quality provided you have speakers capable of showing the differences. People who say they can't tell the difference between the two are very very funny
Maybe..., maybe not.
They could be dropping the price for some, or none of the following reasons.
1. Pioneer has sold products before at a loss per unit [Kuro TV], so this would not surprise me if it was done to promote and sell quantity for purposes of market presence.
2. New line-up on the way, so price drop to make room? AV Markets often tend to do yearly releases of new/updated products.
3. Market is getting competitive, or they see it becoming so and so acting for the reasons of point 1.
Or we could just be "getting gouged"
Apple couldn't half their prices and make a profit.
People pay a premium for Apple stuff because Apple's products are good and are known to be good. Look at all the Ultrabooks that are coming out know, same price as Apple products. But when other companies try to charge more for the same thing because it is somehow related to Apple, then it becomes a rip-off. If they sell the same speakers for twice the price because of AirPlay, that's a rip-off and people are not buying it.
Maybe it is because of trolls spouting "Mac users are all idiots who buy overpriced rubbish because of Jobs' reality distortion field" all the time, and someone at Pioneer believed it.
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But it doesn't require a router. The iPhone has WiFi, the Airplay device has WiFi. They can create an ad-hoc network. Just like two Macs, or a Mac and an iPhone.
The licensing costs and beurocracy to deal with Apple for Airplay, Lightning and iOS dock access is certainly one of the dumbest things Apple has ever done. It generates no significant revenue in the grand scheme of things and cripples the ecosystem.
Two years ago a massively understated advantage for Apple over Android was that if I wanted to buy a dock or a charging cable or anything for my iOS device there was a huge range of items with a significant range of costs, whereas getting something for an Android phone was a pain in the ass.
Now it's actually done a 180 - I can walk into any electronics retailer and see dozens of sets with 30 pin support, or micro-USB. But if I want a Lightning dock I'm screwed, with only badly designed, overpriced rubbish (it's still impossible to find a dock that actually copes with a case properly and uses Lightning. ARRRGH).
Airplay has gone nowhere because it's too expensive. Dock connectivity is a poor shadow of what it could be.
It's a true shambles.
You could just buy a router for the purpose of setting up a local network if you intend to run Airplay devices a lot.
This is what I do. I have three Airport Express units and two Apple TVs and can stream music pretty much anywhere in my house.
The tip is too small and Airport joy.
To the people who grip over cable changes and Airplay: I agree, the cable change is a hassle. But, no big deal once you update/buy adaptors and it is done. What bugs me about the cable change is how the tech press has missed something entirely: After using the new much smaller connector, I find it a little TOO small for my average, grown man hands. Making things a little too small is a classic Joni Ive mistake. Remember that teeny tiny little open button on the MacBook Pro? Ridiculous. Even little kids struggled with it.
Also, in redesigning it, Apple missed an opportunity to cover over some metal. That metal tip is, well, metal and scratches things it hits or drags over. I think the cord should have been female with a plastic exterior and the plug on the device a recessed male (the little metal tip in a slot). Even looking forward to smaller devices Apple may make, the connector would still be very small.
For Airplay complaints: All I know is it is awesome and works great! I use Apple TV on my main system and an old Airport Express with a mini jack cord to a clock radio. Both sound great compared to Bluetooth products which I have returned on multiple attempts at finding a good one. Now I see why Airport is just way, way better for sound. Even via an old AE and a 3.5mm mini jack!
My advice is just use Airplay now that it is competitive and/or recycle that old AE for audio.
To the people who grip over cable changes and Airplay: I agree, the cable change is a hassle. But, no big deal once you update/buy adaptors and it is done. What bugs me about the cable change is how the tech press has missed something entirely: After using the new much smaller connector, I find it a little TOO small for my average, grown man hands. Making things a little too small is a classic Joni Ive mistake. Remember that teeny tiny little open button on the MacBook Pro? Ridiculous. Even little kids struggled with it.
Also, in redesigning it, Apple missed an opportunity to cover over some metal. That metal tip is, well, metal and scratches things it hits or drags over. I think the cord should have been female with a plastic exterior and the plug on the device a recessed male (the little metal tip in a slot). Even looking forward to smaller devices Apple may make, the connector would still be very small.
For Airplay complaints: All I know is it is awesome and works great! I use Apple TV on my main system and an old Airport Express with a mini jack cord to a clock radio. Both sound great compared to Bluetooth products which I have returned on multiple attempts at finding a good one. Now I see why Airport is just way, way better for sound. Even via an old AE and a 3.5mm mini jack!
My advice is just use Airplay now that it is competitive and/or recycle that old AE for audio.
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You do realize that other people have different use cases from you, right? As someone who's spent a few grand on a nice two-channel system, I can say that they aren't for everyone. If you want to actually sit down and listen to music, nothing's better. But in most cases, it's more about streaming radio or having music in the background for other activities, such as dinner parties, BBQs, etc. It's situations like those where iPad control and easy streaming to different rooms shine, and it's a far more common use case than wanting to sit in a perfectly-positioned sweet spot by yourself or with a very small group doing nothing but listening to high quality audio.
I think it's cheaper to get an Apple TV and a surround sound system with HDMI input. Better sound
You literally could buy a cheapish sourround sound system and use the optical out on the AppleTV and come in under $299. I could build a box with an AppleTV built in for even less than that.
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I do love a good Stereo system with my old vinyl.
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I wired an iPod/Phone dock into my LeSabre, and I'll be damned if I buy an iPhone 5 before a dock comes out with the same functionality.
Agreed. That's why all of my AirPort Express's and Apple TVs are hard-wired. It extends the reach of my wireless network and also reduces the strain on the Wi-Fi.
It's not too much to hope for. You are spot on. Apple will essentially be leapfrogging Sonos and others starting next week.
it does *not* require a router. the pioneer speakers can be used to broadcast their own wifi network and you pair your device (iphone, ipad, laptop) to it as a destination.
so yes, it will work in a remote cabin location.
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you do realize lightning is less than a year old, right? of course there isnt as much crap for it as there is of the previous adapter, which had almost a decade lead time for third-party makers to build on.
i often see crappy 30-pin docks in hotels that have the same expectation (a naked phone).
DOOM! DOOOOM!!
Maybe..., maybe not.
They could be dropping the price for some, or none of the following reasons.
1. Pioneer has sold products before at a loss per unit [Kuro TV], so this would not surprise me if it was done to promote and sell quantity for purposes of market presence.
2. New line-up on the way, so price drop to make room? AV Markets often tend to do yearly releases of new/updated products.
3. Market is getting competitive, or they see it becoming so and so acting for the reasons of point 1.
Or we could just be "getting gouged"
I believe this product is getting phased out and pioneer is clearing inventory.
I don't care tho, i bought them anyway.
Most places are sellout of them quick. Get em while they last
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882117416
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I recently bought the pioneer sma3 speakers and I love them.
The wireless is strong and dropouts are very rare.
The speakers have wifi direct built in so you can use the speakers own wireless network and connect a device with it- the sad limitation of it is that you cannot use a 3G connection so music must be airplayed from the device to the speakers
Personally If I was out of range of my wifi network I tether my phone to the speakers (I have my phones hotspot ssid set the same as my house so it will auto connect to my phone).
This allows me to airplay music to the speakers AND use my 3G network to stream music.
Tethering and airplaying like this also works perfectly with Apple TV.
Thankfully I bought these speakers at roughly half price( very good random deal), price cut makes me think I may buy another one.
Sma 3 speakers battery is good and HTC devices can also stream to them via htc connect app.
The speakers also have a Ethernet port but sadly cause of my weird network setup within the house they don't always appear on network unless I connect to main router. Stuck with wireless for now but luckily they work perfectly.
Using them with airfoil and other airplay speakers is awesome.
The wireless is strong and dropouts are very rare.
The speakers have wifi direct built in so you can use the speakers own wireless network and connect a device with it- the sad limitation of it is that you cannot use a 3G connection so music must be airplayed from the device to the speakers
Personally If I was out of range of my wifi network I tether my phone to the speakers (I have my phones hotspot ssid set the same as my house so it will auto connect to my phone).
This allows me to airplay music to the speakers AND use my 3G network to stream music.
Tethering and airplaying like this also works perfectly with Apple TV.
Thankfully I bought these speakers at roughly half price( very good random deal), price cut makes me think I may buy another one.
Sma 3 speakers battery is good and HTC devices can also stream to them via htc connect app.
The speakers also have a Ethernet port but sadly cause of my weird network setup within the house they don't always appear on network unless I connect to main router. Stuck with wireless for now but luckily they work perfectly.
Using them with airfoil and other airplay speakers is awesome.
The article is about PIONEER'S product for APPLE'S airplay. You really cannot see the connection? I guess because thunderbolt 3rd party accessories are so cheap.
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You really think it costs appple over 400.00 to build an iphone 5 or over 200.00 to build an ipad mini in china? It costs us over 800 for the phone and 400 for the ipad. Get a clue, electronics are cheap to make.
Troll? I love mac's and ipads? I CAN see the apple premium we pay though where fanboy's like you cannot. You are blinded by brand worship.
Know how you can tell a brand worshiping fanboy? Their only coherent response is to yell troll.
Not all of us that use apple products keep that special zip lock bag handy for the outside chance a pair of tim cook's used boxer shorts might show up on the market.
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bluetooth
Bluetooth is perfectly acceptable for probably close to 99% of the users music libraries out there..most people aren't anywhere near "cd" quality or lossless codecs quality.
Nice thing about BT speakers, is ad-hoc network, from like anyone around. so anyone can easily pair (say, on a beach, in a car, out and about, etc.) and join the speaker and share music.
With AP, it's currently on the SAME AP WIFI network only...at some point apple will probably add ad-hoc networking, but it isn't there now. It COULD be coming soon, hence the move to sell these current products now. Let's wait till next week to see..
Another advantage I BELIEVE of BT networks vs. AirPlay networks is slightly better battery life of the device, for a device that is BT network ready and not AP network ready. Only compare I have is the draw from the Bose units the are both different...
I think there will continue to be a market for both going forward though.
Bluetooth is perfectly acceptable for probably close to 99% of the users music libraries out there..most people aren't anywhere near "cd" quality or lossless codecs quality.
Nice thing about BT speakers, is ad-hoc network, from like anyone around. so anyone can easily pair (say, on a beach, in a car, out and about, etc.) and join the speaker and share music.
With AP, it's currently on the SAME AP WIFI network only...at some point apple will probably add ad-hoc networking, but it isn't there now. It COULD be coming soon, hence the move to sell these current products now. Let's wait till next week to see..
Another advantage I BELIEVE of BT networks vs. AirPlay networks is slightly better battery life of the device, for a device that is BT network ready and not AP network ready. Only compare I have is the draw from the Bose units the are both different...
I think there will continue to be a market for both going forward though.