Logitech Wireless DJ Wireless Music System

Music in the Palm of Your Hand

Logitech has been an active member of the iPod accessory and digital music markets, and its recent acquisition of Slim Devices signals an even deeper commitment to digital audio. One of the company’s latest offerings, the Wireless DJ Music System, is actually a competitor to Slim Devices’ Squeezebox, but takes a somewhat different and unique approach to streaming music from PC to stereo.

A wireless remote with a built-in, 2-inch LCD screen controls the system, and allows you to search and select digital music files on any PC you have hooked in. The remote has a slick silver-and-black design and is 8.25 inches long by 2.25 inches wide, and almost wafer thin. A wireless transmitter plugs into your PC’s USB port and transmits a signal to a receiver unit that plugs into your stereo and has a cradle for charging the remote. The StreamPoint software lets you use programs such as iTunes, Windows Media Player, and Musicmatch to stream paid subscription content alongside music stored on your PC.

Setting up the system and installing the software is a breeze, and I was up and running within 10 minutes. Using the remote control’s scroll wheel to browse and select tracks is intuitive and convenient, and queuing up tracks while listening is also a snap. One notable feature is the PC control mode, where anything you have streaming through the computer—subscription radio broadcasts, sports, video clips, and so on—gets sent along, so you can play WAV, RealAudio and other types of files, including iTunes’ DRM-restricted tracks.

The range of the system is somewhere between 50 and100 feet, depending on how many walls you’re going through, and you need to keep the USB transmitter about 3-4 feet away from your PC to prevent interruptions in the music stream.

If you have a slower PC processor, using multiple applications may also degrade the streaming and sound quality. Another
drawback of this system is that your PC always has to be on in order to stream. However, as a simple, low-cost method for transmitting music from PC to stereo, the Wireless DJ Music System is one of the better offerings on the market right now, and certainly benefits from Logitech’s experience in designing ergonomic, intuitive, and visually-appealing remote controls. TPV