HI-FI GOES WIFI

摘要

Licence-free wireless technology on the 2.4GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band has changed the face of home computing and could now do the same for hi-fi. Crystal Audio's new £1500 'high-end wireless, THX-certified loudspeaker package' - the THX-3D12 - claims to 'remove all the cable clutter associated with home cinema speaker systems'. However, making hi-fi wireless will not all be plain sailing.rnThe family of IEEE 802 WiFi standards has made it relatively easy to connect computers and printers in a wireless network on the 2.4GHZ band. The same system can be used to stream compressed audio and video, as in Philips' Streamium products. Range is a few hundred metres. The Bluetooth system works on the same 2.4GHz band and is used for cellphones and portable players because it pulls less power, so does not drain batteries so quickly. The new A2DP standard (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) lets a Bluetooth link carry stereo. But audio quality is iffy, range is only a few metres and the signal won't pass through walls.