Audio Pursuit - Vera-Link Review
The Vera-Link Bluetooth amplifier pair are an elegant, terrific solution for anyone with an extra pair of speakers that the owners still craves to enjoy, but doesn’t want to have a full stack of gear. Outstanding!
"Home audio is changing once again. The last revolution was home theater, now it is “lifestyle systems” based on the streaming music concept that gained critical mass by the Google Echo. In essence, lifestyle systems eschew standard audio elements in favor of simplicity, small size, and convenience. The problem is audio quality, yes we get music, but without texture, tone, and immersive experience. Some alternatives, such as the KEF LSX II powered speakers provide one such solution, but at the cost of $1000 a pair. What about so many audiofanatics/audiophiles with an extra set of speakers that they like, but are not part of their main system anymore? Or, as in my case, a living room for entertaining guests but without the stack of gear. The latest answer comes in the form of the Vera-Link amplifiers. Each unit (about the size of a deck of Uno cards) attaches via Velcro to the back of a speaker. The banana plug speaker wire plugs into the speaker outputs. A second wire connects to a power brick that has a 4 foot cord that then plugs into a wall outlet. Once connected, grab your phone or tablet, open up the bluetooth, and select “Vera-Link”, after a few seconds with two sets of tones to acknowledge connection, you are all set to stream. The sealing boxes are perfect for use in a workshop or garage, as no dust or dirt can penetrate to the interior. In a home office where surface space is at a premium, not having relegate footprint area for traditional electronics is a huge benefit. In a bedroom setting, less is always better. At 50 watts per box into 4 Ohms, the Vera-Links offer plenty of power to drive 4 Ohm nominal Totem Model 1’s, with very pleasing acoustical performance for a bluetooth sourced signal. The Vera-Link amplifiers have provided an exceptional solution for music in my living room, without drawing the ire of my wife. Finally, Veri-Fi Audio has announced that a matching set of bookshelf speakers will be available by the holiday season in rosewood veneer for $299 a pair. Or, $499 with the Vera-Link amplifiers. This is a great solution for dorms, first apartments, whatever the case may be."