Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 review

In everyday use, few components reveal the gap between acoustic ideal and living-room-friendly integration as quickly as a subwoofer. The very position in which a subwoofer performs best is often the one where nobody wants to route a visible cable across the room. Conversely, discreet placement frequently means accepting less than optimal bass performance. This is exactly where Velodyne Acoustics GmbH steps in with the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2. This compact transmitter-and-receiver set replaces the classic Cinch connection between source and active subwoofer with a wireless link, creating precisely the kind of flexibility that often makes all the difference in practice. The fact that the platform could in principle be used in other scenarios is ultimately a side note. At its core, this is very clearly a solution for the wireless connection of an active subwoofer.

Key Facts

• wireless solution for connecting active subwoofers
• more freedom for placement in the living room
• very simple installation without complicated setup
• straightforward handling in daily use
• stable 5,8 GHz wireless link with very low latency
• impeccable transmission quality without audible compromise
• easy to use even with classic AV receivers
• fairly priced at € 349,-

Concept and positioning

With the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2, Velodyne Acoustics is not addressing a niche issue, as one might initially assume, but a very real challenge found in countless living rooms. An active subwoofer adds clear value in many different situations, whether in a high-quality television setup, a compact HiFi system, or a classic home cinema arrangement built around an AV receiver. Precisely because it is so important for the sonic foundation, it should be possible to position it as freely as possible within the room. And yet this is exactly where many setups fail. Visible cable runs, complicated routing, or compromised placement for purely practical reasons remain among the most common issues to this day, and often lead to users giving up on a subwoofer altogether.

The Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 is a deliberately focused answer to that problem. It does not aim to be a platform, a network solution, or a complex add-on system, but simply a wireless bridge between source and subwoofer. That very focus on one clearly defined task is one of its greatest strengths. It means the product does not come across as a technical gimmick, but as an honest and effective problem solver for everyday use.

Design and build quality

Both transmitter and receiver are pleasingly compact and therefore easy to integrate into existing systems. That is by no means a minor detail, because an accessory of this type only reveals its true value if it barely draws attention to itself in daily use. That is exactly what happens here. The two small units can be placed discreetly behind a television, inside a lowboard, next to a soundbar, or directly near the subwoofer without disturbing the existing arrangement.

Build quality also leaves a coherent impression. The system is functional and cleanly executed, without indulging in unnecessary design flourishes. For a product in this category, that is clearly the right decision. It should not attract attention, but blend unobtrusively into everyday life. The flexible USB power supply reinforces this impression, because it makes installation within a living space noticeably easier.

Technology in focus

The technical principle behind the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 is refreshingly clear, and that is precisely why it works so well in everyday use. A transmitter takes the audio signal from the source, while a receiver outputs it at the destination device. Connection is handled via combined stereo/LFE Cinch inputs and outputs, which means the system is properly equipped for its intended role: the wireless connection between amplifier, soundbar, or AV receiver and an active subwoofer.

Wireless transmission operates in the 5,8 GHz band and is therefore clearly designed for a stable, low-latency signal path. Up to 24 Bit and 48 kHz are supported, and one transmitter can be paired with up to four receivers. Both transmitter and receiver are powered via 5 Volt over USB, and pairing takes place automatically.

What matters here is less the bare specification than what it enables in practice. A subwoofer signal must never become an uncertainty factor. Transmission has to be stable, it must not introduce any meaningful delay, and it should not lead to any sonic disadvantages. This is exactly what the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 is designed to achieve. That is why using it with a classic AV receiver, including automatic room calibration, appears entirely unproblematic. The very low latency ensures that the solution is suitable not only for living-room-friendly television setups, but also for conventionally built home cinema systems.

For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that the system could in principle also be used in other configurations, such as with active loudspeakers. In editorial practice, however, that remains more of a theoretical option, as there are usually more suitable solutions for such tasks. Its true strength is clearly as a wireless link for active subwoofers.

Installation and operation

Perhaps the greatest quality of this system becomes clear within the first few minutes. The Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 requires no learning curve, no app, no network structure, and no special technical curiosity. Connect the transmitter and receiver to the source and subwoofer respectively, supply both units with power, and the system is practically ready to go. Automatic pairing reduces the effort even further and turns setup into exactly what it should be: a brief and uncomplicated process.

That is a major advantage in high-quality audio and television systems. In such environments, nobody wants to study an accessory first and only then use it. The Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 behaves exactly as one would hope from a product in this category. It is set up once and then works unobtrusively in the background. It would be difficult to expect more convenience from a solution of this kind.

Practical use and listening test

For our review, the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 was used together with a subwoofer from Velodyne Acoustics, namely the Velodyne Deep Blue 8 Subwoofer. We chose two different, but in our view highly realistic scenarios.

The first scenario focused on a high-quality, living-room-friendly entertainment system of the kind found today in many demanding households. Instead of a classic multichannel setup with a separate AV receiver and explicit surround loudspeakers, we worked with a Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max in combination with a 65 Zoll Samsung OLED television. Content came from streaming services such as Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, as well as Blu-ray via a Magnetar UDP900 MKII. In exactly this kind of environment, the practical value of a wireless subwoofer connection becomes immediately tangible. The subwoofer can be positioned where it performs best acoustically, without a visible cable dictating placement. This is not merely an advantage for visual neatness, but often the prerequisite for meaningful integration into the living space at all.

In use, the solution proved highly convincing in this setup. The Velodyne Deep Blue 8 integrated cleanly into the overall presentation, without the wireless link drawing any unpleasant attention to itself. Effects arrived with authority, low-frequency impulses were transmitted precisely and with control, and the overall result was the sort of coherent impression one expects from a well-integrated subwoofer. That is the decisive point here: the wireless connection did not feel like a technical compromise, but like an elegant liberation from an annoying cable problem.

It is important to note in this context that the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 is not limited to such minimal setups. It can just as easily be used together with a classic AV receiver. In fact, this is precisely where the minimal latency becomes especially valuable, because even automatic room calibration systems are not faced with practical issues. That increases the value of the solution further, as it is not tied to one single category of device, but also fits smoothly into conventionally configured home cinema systems.

The second scenario was classically HiFi-oriented, though deliberately in a particularly compact and contemporary form. At the centre stood a Cambridge Audio EVO 150 All-in-One system, with streaming via Roon serving as the basis of the test. KEF LS50 loudspeakers were used, complemented once again by the Velodyne Deep Blue 8 Subwoofer. Here it became very clear that a subwoofer can contribute significantly to overall performance even in a reduced stereo setup, provided it can be positioned freely and sensibly in the room. This is exactly where the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 shows its true appeal. It creates the freedom one often wants in practice without introducing new complexity at the same time.

In this environment as well, the system impressed through its trouble-free operation. The subwoofer could be placed freely, without cabling becoming either a visual or practical obstacle. Even more importantly, the low-frequency extension integrated cleanly and convincingly into the overall sonic picture. The added depth felt controlled, coherent, and naturally embedded. In a compact, living-room-friendly HiFi system in particular, that is of special value, because any gain in sonic substance should ideally be achieved with as little technical ballast as possible.

In both scenarios, the same impression was confirmed: the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 is exceptionally easy to install, refreshingly uncomplicated in daily use, and so unobtrusive in transmission quality that one could hardly ask for more from a good wireless link.

From practice – strengths and weaknesses

The greatest strength of the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 lies in its consistency. It does not try to be a universal audio tool, but an elegant wireless link for active subwoofers. That is exactly what it is designed for, and that is exactly where it convinces. Installation is quick, operation is self-explanatory, and in daily use the solution works with pleasing naturalness.

On top of that comes its strong practical relevance. In high-quality living-room setups, whether in a television environment, an AV-based system, or a classic HiFi arrangement, subwoofer placement often determines the final result. A product that makes that placement more flexible therefore offers not just convenience, but genuine acoustic value. The fact that transmission remains stable and behaves impeccably in practical use makes the appeal of this solution all the more tangible.

The concept is naturally not completely cable-free. Short Cinch connections and power for transmitter and receiver are still required. That limitation is objectively relevant, but it hardly diminishes the benefit of the system, because it removes exactly those long and visually intrusive signal paths that tend to be the real problem in practice.

All advantages at a glance

• active subwoofers can be placed much more freely within the room
• no long, visible Cinch cables running across the living space
• very simple installation without complicated setup
• automatic pairing ensures a quick and stress-free start
• pleasantly uncomplicated and unobtrusive in daily use
• stable wireless connection with very low latency
• impeccable transmission quality without audible loss of quality
• suitable for living-room-friendly television setups as well as classic HiFi and AV systems
• fair pricing for the practical value on offer

Price and availability

At a price of € 349,-, the Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 is very fairly calculated. Especially when considering the practical benefit such a simple yet reliable wireless solution offers in everyday living spaces, the amount appears more than justified. Anyone looking to integrate an active subwoofer neatly, flexibly, and without visible cable runs is getting a solution whose value becomes obvious very quickly in daily use. Velodyne Acoustics therefore offers an accessory that does not feel luxuriously priced, but rather like a well-conceived tool for demanding audio and television systems.

Conclusion

The Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 convinces in review because it solves a very specific problem with pleasing elegance. The freedom to place an active subwoofer where it actually performs best acoustically is of great value in real living spaces, yet it all too often fails because of cable routing. This is exactly where the system comes in, and exactly where it works convincingly. Particularly noteworthy are the very simple installation, the exceptionally straightforward handling in daily use, and the impeccable transmission quality. The fact that the solution can be used just as easily in modern, living-room-friendly television and HiFi setups as in classic home cinema configurations adds even more practical value. The Velodyne Acoustics WiConnect System 2 from specialist Velodyne Acoustics GmbH is therefore a clear buying recommendation for anyone who wants to integrate an active subwoofer flexibly, elegantly, and without audible compromise.

Technical data

The Velodyne WiConnect System 2 is a simple yet compelling solution for flexibly and elegantly integrating an active subwoofer into your living space. Installation is quick, operation is exceptionally straightforward, and the wireless connection quality is beyond reproach.

Test Environment

• Samsung OLED 65-inch TV
• Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max
• Cambridge Audio EVO 150 All-in-One
• Magnetar UDP900 MKII
• KEF LS50
• Velodyne Deep Blue 8 Subwoofer
• Signal cable from Wireworld Inc.
• Power cable from Wireworld Inc.
• Speaker cable from Wireworld Inc.
• Roon NUCLEUS+
• Streaming services: Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Qobuz