The Audioengine W3 is designed to connect your audio components wirelessly. The W3 handles USB audio up to 16 bits/48KHz with no compression, as well as analog audio via a 3.5mm minijack. Think of the W3 as a wireless 16-bit USB DAC as well as a wireless audio link.
The W3 consists of 2 parts, the "Sender" and "Receiver". The Sender transmits audio from your computer through USB audio or from any product with 3.5mm mini-jack or RCA audio outputs. The other side of W3, the Receiver, connects audio to any product with mini-jack or RCA audio connectors.
Power for the Sender and Receiver is provided from either a USB computer port, from the included USB AC power adapter, or from any other USB AC charger (such as an iPod charger, for example). Another USB power source is the Audioengine A5+ powered speakers, which are equipped with a USB charger on rear of the left speaker.
DAC type
Dual mode USB and analog (via CS5343 ADC) wireless DAC
Inputs
USB audio, mini-jack analog
Outputs
analog mini-jack
DAC
CS4344
ADC
CS5343
Full scale output
1.0Vrms
Output impedance
470 ohms
Power source
Sender: USB from computer or adapter
Receiver: USB power adapter
Power requirements
Sender: 180mA, 5V
Receiver: 150mA, 5V
SNR
95dB
THD+N
0.01%
Crosstalk
-65dB
Frequency response
20Hz to 20KHz, +/- .2dB
Input bit depth
up to 16 bits native
Input sample rate
up to 48KHz native
USB device class
type 1.1 or above
Wireless range
>100ft
Latency
<20ms Receivers supported
up to 3
Product dimensions
100x30x10mm (LxWxH)
Shipping weight
1 lb
Included accessories
minijack cable (20″), minijack to RCA adapter (12″), USB power adapter
Environmental
Operating Temperature: 32 to 95 degrees F
Non-operating Temp: -4 to 113 degrees F
Relative Humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing
Advantages of wireless
The W3 wireless system transmits bit-perfect PCM-stereo simultaneously to up to 3 receivers. Because the USB controller in the Sender and the DAC in the Receiver are segregated by the wireless subsystem, various anomalies which plague many wired DACs such as jitter, grounding, and induced cable noise are greatly reduced. In addition, the W3 allows the user to physically isolate a potentially noisy computer from the sensitive audio components in your system.
W3 USB
The W3 utilizes the TI CC8520 PurePath™ USB wireless system-on-a-chip solutions, TI’s newest offering to the wireless audio arena. The Sender can be powered directly from the USB bus or from the included external power adapter.
W3 DAC
The W3 Receiver utilizes the CS4344 DAC, a solid, well regarded industry mainstay. Due to the CS4344’s’s high signal-to-noise specs, the W3 presents impressive low noise and low distortion characteristics.
And you know how we know this?
Simple: it's simple. Cut a hole in a piece of fabric and call it a day simple.
The poncho is the clothing equivalent of the Japanese flag. If we were to list step-by-step instructions on how to make one yourself, there'd be no Step Two.
If you're wondering how this ties into today's deals, it doesn't. These are just the things we think about when we're tasked with writing blurbs but we're completely out of inspiration.