Routing HiFi audio to a soundbar, wirelessly

A useful video which taught me something. I had dismissed using Bluetooth Headphones to use with my TV (which predates anything like that) because a quick Google suggested the latency in Bluetooth is typically 300ms. Low latency sounds to be what I need.

Yet Another Excellent Video. Wonderful job thinking outside the box! I can imagine there are people who have a situation similar to this and now have an answer.

I think Techmoan used to use a setup similar to that long ago... Before the streamer was introduced..

I have a couple of older Avantree BT transmitters...looks like this newer one has similar specs...but I have not tried it (yet)... Avantree Audikast Plus Bluetooth 5.0

Sonos will also do this... at about 10x the price you paid, but with many more features such as the ability to play your HiFi audio in any/every other room via a Sonos speaker in that room.

Speaking of Bluetooth, my car displayed this evening: https://ibb.co/DLBtGk4

Other's already mentioned that this is not really using aptX. So as a side note, SBC is not necessarily a bad codec, it's a stripped down mp2, basically the brother of PASC used by DCC. The main issue with SBC is that the bitrate is not defined in the A2DP profiles, so some devices use lower bitrate (bitpool) values, and quality goes downhill below ~300kbps. Myself can't really complain about the quality with recent devices using the most common 328kbps bitpool settings. The base aptX code is kind of a marketing stunt, because it's an even more dumber codec than SBC. It doesn't really have any kind of psychoacoustics model, just a pre allocated bit quantizer for a few sub bands. (it adds hiss when the allocated bits are not enough, so different artifacts than with SBC) aptX HD is the same, just higher overall bitrate, lower noisefloor. This article goes into many technical aspects, also codecs can be tested in the browser with your own audio files: https://habr.com/en/post/456182/

If you need AirPlay put, you could use Airfoil. You would need a spate Mac with it, but it’s a possibility… https://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac/

This is only a tranmitter and is Stereo, bluetooth 5.0 low latency and sonds very good! https://amzn.to/3zV8Tni I had to find it among a thousand monophonic transceivers, because I need it for a video and I didn't want to spend a crazy amount of money. You might be interested in.

Would it make sense to include the name of the product and some mention of Bluetooth in the YouTube description or title? I can imagine lots of people looking for this kind of a solution, but the title and descriptions doesn't seem to really give your review the credit it deserves in finding this device.

Thanks Mat - what a clever gadget.

SBC sounds much better than people give credit for, but yeah having an aptx hd supporting receiver on your soundbar (I can't imagine many soundbars support it natively) would be a slightly more interesting angle. Maybe offer an opinion as to if you and can detect any difference at all in sound quality between SBC and aptx hd.

About the product: for your next trick, you should hook up the reception mode to your Hi-Fi amplifier — now having gained a Bluetooth input! Like others have pointed out, there's a bit of confusion regarding aptX in the narration here. For what it's worth, Sony promotes their competing LDAC system over aptX. My Xperia 1 II does both, though. Don't know about that soundbar of yours. Anything in the manual? Perhaps aptX needs to be activated separately. The product review is important enough that I think you should publish it. But it would probably benefit from some re-editing, in order to sort out the issue. Mini-Mat to the rescue. 😁

I take it this tool would work to bring analog auto from a HiFi into a PC/Mac to then record into Audacity?

This is something I could use, but I would need two of them to go from my jury-rigged hi-fi in the basement to my TV surround system upstairs since that system is physical input only. I might get one anyway since it could always be used for something else. SBC vs aptX isn't an issue either.

You saved my day. I was looking for a device for ages that could connect my hifi system to TWO headphones. And at 8:11 in the video it says it could do that. I will definitely try it out. I have a home cinema and sometimes I want to watch a movie late at night with another person without waking up the rest of the family. The latency could be a problem but Kodi should fix that problem.

I remember back in the 1970s when none of this technology existed. Wiring remote devices needed a rats nest or cables. You would then find the builders would come in a cut through the cables. One client paid me £2500 in advance and when I came back to find all my hard work destroyed, he said don't bother I have changed my mind and you can keep the money.

Thanks!

Nice device, and it works. Can I ask what is that piece of gear (at 9:44) two shelves below the Pioneer reel to reel? Looks like it says Technics...is it a switchbox? Thanks.

Hey, you're spoiling us now 😀. Have to wait 5 hrs to watch this; but ironically I happened upon your video re: sending music to quality Bluetooth speakers last night: https://youtu.be/SOlPl7JMeis It was one rare video I didn't recall watching previously. I love it when that happens.

Haven't seen more than the thumbnail for now, but I recognize the Bluetooth transceiver you're holding there. Had some plans of adding it to my headphone rig at the office. Didn't come to fruition (yet?) Perhaps after your review. 🤓

It is of relevance to me! I was looking for something similar to connect an old tape deck to my minimalist Hi-Fi (amplifier & IPTV receiver) in the living room. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Actually - yes, I have been looking to do something like this. I have an old amp and cassette deck in the front room and no means to send the audio out to the TV/sound bar except via a very long RCA/3.5mm lead (not ideal when there's a 4 year old running around). This should solve my problem as there's no room for speakers in the lounge. Thanks.

You mention that it's using aptX, but both the sound bar display and the transmitter display show that it is using SBC, which is the original, simpler bluetooth codec, and not aptX. Perhaps your sound bar doesn't support aptX, or maybe aptX is an option in the transmitter UI somewhere.

I remember using one of the small Apple wifi routers years ago to stream audio, would have been airplay. Although it had a line out only :/

I watched Elliott Coll varnishing wood the other day, I'm gonna watch anything you post 😁