Quick Links

  • Spotify
  • Pandora
  • Rhapsody
  • Songza
  • Deezer
  • rdio
  • SiriusXM
  • KKBox
  • QQ Music

It's worth noting that audio quality will vary significantly based on sources. Music from locally stored files and DLNA servers should play with whatever quality they were encoded with. Sadly, the .flac file format isn't supported by the app. (What was DTS thinking?) Many of the Internet radio stations sound as bad or worse than they would if broadcast over FM radio with equipment from the 1960s, but that's just how they always sound. Naturally, the music streaming services land somewhere in between, but most of them are pretty good.

Conclusion

There aren't many products I will gush about, but Wren's speakers actually deserve the praise. Sound quality is about as good as the market has to offer without crossing into the field of professional audio gear (which also skyrockets the cost). There's something about the V5 speakers that makes music come alive in ways that competitors just can't seem to achieve.

Wren makes speakers that spoil you for life.

Then there is the design aesthetic. The V5 series look stylish and classy, and most importantly, nothing at all like the black plastic rectangles most companies manufacture. You're meant to use a Wren as part of your décor, placed somewhere people can see, not buried under a TV or hidden in a corner.

That's why it pains me that the V5US is so expensive. A really good bookshelf speaker shouldn't come cheap, but $499 is pushing the limits of what most people will want to spend. By comparison, the trio of older V5 models have dropped from their launch price of $399 to $299 (Play-Fi) and $249 (Bluetooth / Airplay). Unless you really need all three wireless modes and a remote, the V5US doesn't really offer enough to justify the expense. As much as I love this speaker, Wren effectively undercut its flagship by aggressively pricing the three other models.

Of course, it's this price change that makes the older models incredibly attractive. They still include the exact same audio package and gorgeous exterior, but at a much more accessible price. Do you still want the connectivity options of the V5US? Buy a Chromecast Audio. For an extra $35 you can get practically everything offered by AirPlay and Play-Fi, but with an open ecosystem, many more streaming options, and software that will get regular updates. This is precisely the situation Chromecast Audio was meant for. Just moments into trying the two together, I felt like Chromecast and Wren were a match made in heaven.

To sum up, Wren makes speakers that spoil you for life. If you've got the money laying around, you really can't go wrong with the V5US. Without a doubt, it's one of the best bookshelf speakers on the market. If your budget isn't quite as flexible, I strongly recommend buying one of the single-mode speakers. You can have the same profoundly great speaker and still save $200 or more.

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