Whole home audio - wired or wireless?


I’m trying to decide if wired speakers in the ceiling is still a worthwhile project, or should I just use Bluesound wireless speakers. In-ceiling is nice because it tends to provide unobtrusive distributed sound. Wireless still needs a power source and requires mounting or shelving, though it’s also more flexible for moving things around. Anyone else recently face this decision? If wired, what amp/controller system are you using? 

mattsca

I use BlueSound devices and really like the setup.  My outdoor speakers are wired but driven by Nodes.  Living area is a pair of Puse 2i’s set up as stereo and the remainder are Pulse M’s in various rooms as well as the garages. 

I’m not likely to be drawn back to Sonos.  Seems like I had a similar experience to @jbs - constantly frustrated by glitches, lost/unfound devices, robo responses from Sonos "help," etc.  If I do pure wireless, it’ll be Bluesound.

I could have been a bit clearer about my intentions.  I have a dedicated hi-fi listening room and my MBR has a nice two-channel system as well.  Whole house audio for us would be mainly for background music during entertaining. 

@fastfreight thank you for the heads up about too many endpoints for Roon.  It kinda makes me think I want a hybrid system - same as I have in my other home.  I have an HTD MCA66, which powers six pair of in ceiling speakers, with a Bluesound Node as the primary input source.  I then have three other Nodes on traditional stereo setups and a pair of Pulse Flexes.  For entertaining, I just move between the HTD app (to control the six wired speaker zones) and the Bluesound or Roon app (to select the streaming content, and add other zones). 

So, for my purposes, Sonance 8" ceiling speakers (or possibly Klipsch) would do the job nicely.  I’m just kinda hoping I can avoid a guy (or myself) crawling into the attic and cutting holes in the drywall.

I have a Naim system in my home. I have a ND5 XS in my listening room linked to my preamp.  I have Muso QB 2s in each bedroom and a Muso 2 in my great room. All is WiFi enabled and Naim app has native Qobuz among other streaming sources. Similar to Sonos and Bluesound I can play music in one room, all rooms or anything in between. The Naim speakers sound great (better than Sonos in my humble opinion and I've listened to Sonos a lot). They are also beautiful speakers only bested in appearance (again my opinion) by the Sonus Faber Omnia.

The setup has been reliable as well with only connection issues when a speaker(s) has a firmware update. 

It is certainly a more expensive setup than Sonos or Bluesound, but the appearance and sound is worth it to me. 

One final comment on Sonos.  Glitches and drop outs WERE issues.  The older Connect modules etc had issues.  The new ERA 300 are way better, both in sound and connectivity.  Easy to try:  buy a Sonos Era 300 from Crutchfield.  Easy free returns if not satisfied.  That is what I did, and was impressed.  Don't get me wrong - they are not high end.  For that look to Dutch and Dutch etc.  But they are wonderful for second areas where you just want  music, and don't want frustration.

Never noticing the following: 

"...trying (through Roon) to have four endpoints in the house.  It worked, but my wireless speaker options for the bedroom and bathroom that were Roon endpoints often had network issues.  AND, running multiple Roon endpoints at the same time degrades the sound."

I posted this on the following thread -- Streaming to Multiple Systems Around the House:

WiiM devices (as well as FiiO devices) also receive a yes from me.

I just put into service a Roon Ready WiiM Pro connected to a Marantz AV8805a pre-pro.

The Marantz pre-pro does airplay (Roon); but I wanted Roon Ready synchronization from it, while grouping that 7.2 system, with 3-Roon Ready Audio Pro A10 MKII Wireless Speakers, “WiiM Edition” (which is an important distinction that = Roon Readiness).

I just installed the Audio Pro A10’s in other areas of the house. Their connection to Roon, was as simple & robust as any other Roon Ready device.

Additionally, I made use of a Roon Ready FiiO SR-11 connected to Vanatoo Transparent Zero speakers.

I’ve been using the Vanatoo Transparent Zero’s daily for approx. 8-years. They are self-powered, accept bluetooth connections (as well as other connections) and with either the WiiM or FiiO devices, they obviously become Roon Ready.

Lastly, I posted the following in this thread:  Replacing Roon - What Should I get? 

I've been running a Roon, ROCK, Intel NUC 11 (11PAHi7), with a 20TB USB HD, a 500GB SSD, 32GB of memory and a >200k library 24/7, for over 3-yrs., minus a single hiccup.  I use it for my 2-channel EMM Labs DAC audio room and to distribute multi-room music to a Marantz AV pre-pro based HT and to 3-Audio Pro A10 WiiM wi-fi speakers.  For my purposes, Roon just works!