The computers had developed a lot in the last decades. First there were big and unpractical devices that were capable of just some small operations, but these days the computer are very small (for example the notebooks) and they are capable of so many complex operations. You can so many things on a computer; you can work, play games, watch movies and pictures and also listen to your favorite music. Many years ago the computers didn't even had external speakers, they had just a small speaker integrated on the main board. But now there are so many of computer speakers to choose from such as stereo speakers, 2.1 systems (2 speakers and a subwoofer), 5.1 surround systems (5 speakers and a subwoofer) and the most performing are the 7.1 systems. The technologies had developed so much, that in our days you can even find wireless computer speakers.

These are good speakers with almost the same audio quality as the normal ones, but with no wires to fill up all the space on your desk or in your room. Another big advantage is that you will be able to place them wherever you want, either if you want to listen to music in the bathroom, kitchen or even in the backyard. But of course you will have to be in the specified reception area which is usually 150 to 300 feet from the transmitter. The wireless speakers are based on two different technologies - radio waves or infrared signals. The first wireless speakers were released by the company Recoton which produced them under three brand names:  Advent, Acostic Research and Jensen. But the company went bankrupt in 2003 and it was bought by Thompson.

In time the users found out that these speakers have a big disadvantage. The good part is that you won't have any wires to trip on and you can place them wherever you like, but the bad part is that the speakers may interfere with other devices. So the sound quality may not be the same compared to normal wired speakers. Sometimes they can even be annoying, so that's why most of the specialists recommend to wait some more time, until new generations of computer wireless speakers appear, with these problems solved.

But anyway if you are not looking for a perfect clear sound quality and you want to benefit from the wireless advantages, we will talk more about these kind of speakers. They are using a transmitter (base) to send electrical signals from the stereo to the amplifier which is usually incorporated within the speakers. The speakers turn these signals into sound waves that we can hear. Actually all the speakers are doing the same thing which is to translate an electrical signal into an acoustic one. The difference is that these signals are not transmitter through wires, but through radio waves or infrared waves. The technology that is used the most is the one using radio waves.

The working method is pretty simple: the transmitter picks up signals from an audio device or a CD player, and sends them to the speakers which are the receivers. But of course the speakers still need a power supply. You can use batteries but they can also be plugged in a mesh through a wire. So the wireless technology is not 100% wireless after all.

As we said before, the biggest problem of these speakers is the interference. They usually operate in the 900 MHZ FM range, and there are also other devices that may work within this range so there might be some jamming between them. The speakers may usually interfere with older cordless phones or baby monitors. But a good wireless speaker system will let you do some tuning in order to solve this problem. And of course you can also try to use the speakers as far away as possible from those devices that are interfering with them.

Most of them are using normal batteries, and only a few models are using a built-in rechargeable battery, such as the one on your cell phone. The cover area of the speakers depends on the model, but usually they have a range of 150 to 300 feet from the transmitter and the waves can penetrate through walls and furniture.

Like the normal wired speakers, the wireless speakers come also in different sizes. There are the stereo speakers and also the surround systems. A pretty good model of stereo wireless speakers is the Acoustic Research AW871. It comes at a price of about 180 dollars and it includes a pair of speakers and the transmitter. The sound is clear and they deliver the full range of frequencies (the high, mids and lows). Each speaker has a power of 10 Watts, so that means the total power is 20 W which is pretty decent and they can also be used outside.

But of course you can find many other stereo speakers to choose from, from different audio equipment producers. There are also wireless surround sound speakers. The big advantage of these systems is that you can place the speakers wherever you want so you can get the best surround feeling. There are also very easy to install and you won't have to worry about colored wiring or stuff like that, because this can be a problem for many users and they usually do not connect the system in the right way. You can find wireless surround systems from big producers such as Pioneer, Sony, Philips or Samsung. Most of them may be a little expensive for most of the users, with prices between 400 to 1000 dollars. One of the most expensive is the Sony DAV - FR 10 W with a price around 1.000 $, but with good ratings and reviews from professional sites and home users.

If you want to take the party outside, and you don't want to worry about the wires, you can choose some of the wireless outdoor speakers from the market. One of them is the AW 811 from Acoustic Research. It's base on the same 900 MHZ frequency and it is waterproof so it's perfect for outdoor use and also areas such as bathrooms or kitchens. It has a pretty nice design, it's small and compact so you can place it anywhere in your yard, without even being noticed. Due to it's design the sound will spread in all directions. It can be used with many devices such as computers, TV-s, DVD players, A / V receivers, VCR-s, MP3 players and also CD and DVD players. It is working with AC power but it also accepts normal and rechargeable batteries.

The two major brands in the wireless speakers market are Sony and Thomson. They each offer different models of speakers so you will have where to choose from.

These days you will also find a few models of wireless headphones. They work on the same principle as the wireless speakers: they have a transmitter (base)  that is plugged into the sound source, and the headphones which are also the receivers. The transmitter sends electrical signals to the headphones and the receiver and amplifier included in them will turn the electric signal into sound waves that we can hear. You can also find them by the name of cordless headphones instead of wireless headphones. They are pretty good but there still is the interference problem. Usually the wireless technologies are either lower performing than wired technologies, at a similar price, or they are as good performers but much more expensive. So it is up to you to decide whether to buy normal or wireless speakers.