Connect B2 to stereo system via WiFi

[Michael Smith]

I'm looking for a way to connect my B2, which is in my office/bedroom, to my stereo system which is in the living room.  Is a WiFi setup possible and can I get could quality sound?  What additional equipment would I need?

[Daniel Taylor]

It depends to a certain degree how many obstacles are between the B2 and your stereo system, and how far apart they are.  I suspect that Bluetooth would be insufficient, but you won't know for sure unless you try.  On the other hand, there are small WiFi-type transmitters and receivers you can buy that might do the job.  I use a pair of those to send the signal from my A/V system in the far end of a basement room to the workshop on the other side of a wall at the other end.  Most of the time it works well, but some days there's a lot of static for which I haven't been able to figure out the reason.

[PMB]

Hi Michael,

If you have good WiFi coverage in your house then you could consider Sonos units for the Living Room. A pair of SLs can be setup as a stereo pair and you can send music directly from the B2 to them (using the web UI).

Paul

Brennan Support.

[JFBUK]

Hi Michael,

is your stereo system already wifi and/or bluetooth enabled ?

John

[Anders Nereim]

I'm looking at Audio Engine's proprietary radio transmitters and receivers which have mini stereo plugs for audio and USB for power. they seem to have more than adequate range and no interference, and fit the 16 bit 44.1 Khz mode of the B2.

[Daniel Taylor]

I've seen those and wondered if they were any better than the lower cost options I'm using.  I bought a pair of unknown name units that transmit and receive, for somewhere around $50-60, which I imagine would be around 35 GBP.  Most of the time they work fine, with a small amount of low level hiss that's really only noticeable between songs.  However, once in awhile they get noisy, often exacerbated by when I walk in front of the receiver.  I'd be interested in how well the AudioEngine units perform.  If they were hiss-free and rock solid, I think I'd spring for the extra cost.

One of my concerns about the AudioEngine units is that the USB connector has zero length to the connecting "cable."  So if the position when it's plugged in to power is not good, then you have to use an A/C extension cable for the USB power converter, or maybe a USB extension cable, neither of which seem to be included in the package.

Dayton Audio also has something like that, and it may not be quite as expensive as the AudioEngine.  DA has a good reputation overall.  Might be worth checking into.

[JFBUK]

Like Daniel I’d be be interested in how these work.

John

[Michael Smith]

I ended up going with $119 unit on Amazon: " Auris Blume HD Long Range Bluetooth 5.0 Music Receiver Hi-Fi Audio Adapter with Audiophile DAC & AptX HD for Home Stereo, AV Receiver or Amplifier".  Would love to have found an inexpensive way to go loss-less, but I'm quite happy with this setup as it lets me listen to my library in a second room about 25' away (with kitchen wall between).

[PMB]

Hi All,

Some Bluetooth transmitters, like those from Avantree, Blitzwolf (and others) have an optical input and aptX on board. 

aptX is a much improved codec for transmitting audio over Bluetooth and provides much better audio quality - both ends need to have aptX for it to work.

Paul

Brennan Support.