# wireless audio bridge?



## bobbeyo (Jan 23, 2011)

Happy new year everyone,
Essentially i am looking to get the audio from my laptop to my onkyo reciever. I have seen some systems out there but figured this would be the best place to ask. I also would like it to work with music services( rhapsody, pandora) as well as mp3's etc. on my hard drive. Thanks for the help.


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

The newer receivers have ethernet inputs which can be wired or used with a wireless adapter. If yours is not one of these, consider getting a SqueezeBox Touch.


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## bobbeyo (Jan 23, 2011)

my onkyo does have an ethernet port on it but i dont like using the recievers interface. I have seen that onkyo makes a wireless usb dongle but they say it only works with the newest recievers, mine is 2010 model. I'm hoping to find a bridge with a digital audio connection. I will check out the squeezebox touch. thanks.


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## bobbeyo (Jan 23, 2011)

I looked at the squeezebox touch but i'm not sure if thats what i'm looking for. I want something like the apple airport express but that will allow me to stream rhapsody etc. I do like the sonos connect with its digital outputs but it's a bit pricey for me. Just wondering if i'm missing a simple solution. Thanks


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

bobbeyo said:


> I looked at the squeezebox touch but i'm not sure if thats what i'm looking for. I want something like the apple airport express but that will allow me to stream rhapsody etc. I do like the sonos connect with its digital outputs but it's a bit pricey for me. Just wondering if i'm missing a simple solution. Thanks


What do you find lacking in the SBT? Streams music files, Rhapsody, Pandora, Spotify, Internet Radio and it has analog and digital outputs. What else do you want?


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

What model number is your Onkyo?


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## bobbeyo (Jan 23, 2011)

So do i have to do all this on the squeezebox touch or can I also play rhapsody and audio files from my laptop through the sbt. Sorry if I misunderstand. thanks


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## bobbeyo (Jan 23, 2011)

onkyo tx-nr708


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

I believe you just stream your music to it and then you also have the option to use the other services as well.


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## Dale Rasco (Apr 11, 2009)

There's also the Cisco-Linksys WMB54G Wireless-G Music Bridge but it has mixed reviews and I personally don't have any experience with it. It's touted as a Airport Express type of unit. Personally I would go with Kal's recommendation as it seems to have more options with it.


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

bobbeyo said:


> So do i have to do all this on the squeezebox touch or can I also play rhapsody and audio files from my laptop through the sbt. Sorry if I misunderstand. thanks


Sure. See my review: http://www.stereophile.com/content/logitech-squeezebox-touch-network-music-player


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

What about something like the audioengine w1 (soon to be replaced with the w3).


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

eugovector said:


> What about something like the audioengine w1 (soon to be replaced with the w3).


That is OK but requires that all program control be done from the PC. It seems that if one needs wireless, it is because the PC is in a remote location making it difficult to use for control.


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

I think the OP will be controlling from the PC, maybe OP can clarify?


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

eugovector said:


> I think the OP will be controlling from the PC, maybe OP can clarify?


I did not get that impression. I do wonder, though, why one would bother with wireless if user+PC are in the listening room. OTOH, I wonder why someone would want to control from a PC and not be in the listening room.

Kal


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## bobbeyo (Jan 23, 2011)

This setup I'm putting together is so I can play music from rhapsody on my laptop in the kitchen and have it on my home theater in my living room. This is more for hanging out casual when people are over and tend to convene in the kitchen, not for more serious listening from my couch(listening position). I did see the audioengine w1 last night while looking around. Would you guys recommend it? Last, i apologize for not being clear on what i was looking for. Thanks


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## natescriven (Jan 12, 2011)

I use "Creative Sound Blaster Wireless Transmitter with Wireless Receiver". We have the USB dongle hooked to my Wife's laptop and the wireless receiver connected with RCA to a small Sony system. She loves it because she can listen to Slacker and Pandora all day. I don't think the sound quality is perfect but it's good enough for how we're using it. You can add additional receivers as well.


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## Kal Rubinson (Aug 3, 2006)

bobbeyo said:


> This setup I'm putting together is so I can play music from rhapsody on my laptop in the kitchen and have it on my home theater in my living room. This is more for hanging out casual when people are over and tend to convene in the kitchen, not for more serious listening from my couch(listening position). I did see the audioengine w1 last night while looking around. Would you guys recommend it? Last, i apologize for not being clear on what i was looking for. Thanks


It works (I have one) but is much less flexible than the SBT. For example, the SBT can be controlled from the PC or from the SBT itself, so there is no constraint on whether you control it from the kitchen or the listening room. The AudioEngine only streams what your PC sends, so there is no local control or display. It is also limited resolution compared to the SBT but that may not be relevant for your described application.


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## redsandvb (Dec 2, 2009)

bobbeyo said:


> This setup I'm putting together is so I can play music from rhapsody on my laptop in the kitchen and have it on my home theater in my living room. This is more for hanging out casual when people are over and tend to convene in the kitchen, not for more serious listening from my couch(listening position). I did see the audioengine w1 last night while looking around. Would you guys recommend it? Last, i apologize for not being clear on what i was looking for. Thanks


Not sure if you found what you're looking for yet (I know I'm really late to this thread) but I also think the Squeezebox Touch would be a good choice. You set it up with your Rhapsody acc't info and you hook it up to your AVR. As Kal said you can control it from your laptop or with its touch screen or its own remote control. To play files off your laptop you run a server program the Touch will connect to thru your network so it can see your files/library.


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## KalaniP (Dec 17, 2008)

bobbeyo said:


> I looked at the squeezebox touch but i'm not sure if thats what i'm looking for. I want something like the apple airport express but that will allow me to stream rhapsody etc. I do like the sonos connect with its digital outputs but it's a bit pricey for me. Just wondering if i'm missing a simple solution. Thanks


Why not just get eh AirPort Express, then, and use software like AirFoil or a number of others to stream the system audio to the AEX?


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