Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Bluetooth stereo headphones, earphones, and headsets
Neither of us has much experience with Bluetooth (wireless) stereo headphones and headsets, but
we thought we'd at least plant the seed. The idea is that with Bluetooth stereo headphones/
earphones/headsets, you can listen to music wirelessly up to 33 feet away from your iPad. If this
sounds good to you, we suggest that you look for reviews of such products on the web before you
decide which one to buy. A search of Amazon for
stereo Bluetooth headset
brought up more than
300 items, with prices starting as low as $15.
Listening with Speakers
You can connect just about any speakers to your iPad, but if you want decent sound, we suggest you
look only at
powered
speakers and not
passive
(unpowered) ones. The difference is that powered
speakers contain their own amplification circuitry and can deliver much better (and louder) sound
than unpowered speakers.
Prices range from well under $100 to hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars. Most speaker systems
designed for use with your computer, iPod, or iPhone work well as long as they have an auxiliary in-
put or a dock connector that can accommodate your iPad.
Desktop speakers
$25 to more than $300. But that $300 system is the Z906 THX-certified 500-watt 5.1 digital sur-
round system — surely overkill for listening to music or video on your iPad mini, which doesn't
support surround sound anyway.
superior audio at prices that are quite reasonable for speakers that sound this good. Audioengine 5 is
the premium product priced at $349 a pair; Audioengine 2 is its smaller but still excellent-sounding
sibling priced at $199 a pair. They're available only direct from the manufacturer, but the company is
so confident that you'll love them that it offers a free audition for the speaker systems. If you order a
pair and don't love them, return them within 30 days for a full refund. Bob knows a lot of people
who have ordered them, and so far no one has sent them back.
Bluetooth speakers
Like Bluetooth headsets, Bluetooth speakers let you listen to music up to 33 feet away from your
iPad. They're great for listening by the pool or hot tub or anywhere else you might not want to take
your iPad.
Both of us have written favorable reviews of the $199.99 wireless JAMBOX by Jawbone, a re-
chargeable speaker that offers very good sound despite being able to fit into the palm of your hand.
You can connect via Bluetooth or its auxiliary stereo jack. An added bonus: JAMBOX doubles as a
decent-enough speakerphone.
