Wired or Wireless Sound Systems? Which Should You Choose?

by Product Specialist

Wireless home sound systems are all the rage today, and rightly so. With the popularity and convenience of smartphones, tablets and wearable technology, it is not surprising that many people want to go wireless. But there are some distinct advantages and disadvantages of both wireless and wired home media systems. Take a quick look at some of them.

Speed & Performance

When it comes to speed, there is just no comparison. Wired systems beat wireless every time. That might not be the case indefinitely, but current wireless networks tend to slow down when a large volume of data is flowing through the network on multiple devices. Wired systems using fiber optics, on the other hand, can manage massive data flow with no noticeable loss in speed and performance.

Sound quality is another difference. With wireless systems, data is compressed and transmitted through the network, and along the way some fidelity is always lost. This means that wired systems currently provide a richer, deeper sound than wireless, but the gap is closing quickly as wireless systems are improving every year.

Updates & Repairs

Both wired and wireless systems are susceptible to technical difficulties. Routers become obsolete, and software becomes slow and begins to lag.

Wired systems generally last much longer before becoming outdated, but they are susceptible to physical damage, such as wires being bent, kinked or eaten by pests inside the walls.

Security

Security is another factor to consider. With a wireless system, your network is always susceptible to hackers. Keeping your security software updated is the best way to protect your network and personal data, but the risk is still there. But with a wired home system, your network can only be accessed by someone physically connecting inside the home.

Wireless media systems are definitely the wave of the future, and their convenience, ingenuity and versatility are their greatest strengths. While both types of systems offer distinct advantages over the other, it is still going to be a while before wireless sound systems can keep up with traditional wired systems in terms of speed, performance, reliability and security.