Bluetooth speaker questions

kip4

kip4

Well-known member
Hi guys it’s been a while but here I am after upgrading to a new ipad5 and laptop with Bluetooth I’d like to go wireless for monitoring.
so I’d value some opinions on which way to go.
looking for something in the 100£ gbp region budget wise.
should I get an amp and passive speakers with a separate Bluetooth receiver transmitter.
Or get Bluetooth speaker monitors.
id like a fair range of reception 10-30foot would cut it.
and something that is not constantly reconnecting.
thanks for all the help in advance.
Dragging myself into the 21 century.
obviously it’s just for fun at home song writing and to listen to my digital music collection.
 
Hey Rich! Long time no see. Hope you're keeping well! :)
I don't know anything about bluetooth devices but just wanted to say hi.
 
Does Bluetooth offer full frequency broadcast/reception? What are the distortion numbers? Although I know there are PA speakers with bluetooth, I don't remember hearing of studio monitors with BT. Your budget is pretty low for ANY monitors (right now 100 pounds = US$112).
 
spantini said:
Not for accurate recording/mixing, but for playback and general listening of music and videos, I've been looking at these :

amazon.com/Bluetooth-Bookshelf-Speakers
Click to expand...
I guess if you want to be able send music from your phone to half decent listening speakers, they make sense. But they always show pictures of a 'neat' installation, no wires snaking around, etc. The reality is you still have to have a power cable to the speaker with the amps in it, and a speaker wire to the extension speaker from the amped one.
 
Thanks guys and thanks Steeno it’s been a while.
Sadly not so good these days. I’ll take a look at those too spantini.
Is Henry still about? Good to be back.
 
mjbphotos said:
Does Bluetooth offer full frequency broadcast/reception? What are the distortion numbers? Although I know there are PA speakers with bluetooth, I don't remember hearing of studio monitors with BT. Your budget is pretty low for ANY monitors (right now 100 pounds = US$112).
Click to expand...
Bluetooth has definitely gotten better over the years. That being said, I wouldn’t use it for my first source of monitors, but I’ve used it as my B when A/Bing plenty of times. Most people these days listen on Bluetooth speakers. The problem comes with translation to ALL Bluetooth speakers.
 
I have a do all pair of plastic box 12” Pa speakers 150w, mic line and Bluetooth inputs. They’re horrible for recording as they’re so brassy and trebly, but nothing in the middle. A couple of times I tried to use Bluetooth to feed the further one, where it would take a lot of cable and the Bluetooth delay is far greater than I ever imagined. If you clap, at some points in a big room you hear two!
 
I have only messed with BT in a small way but as the others have said it has definite limitations. The simpler systems (aka cheaper!) have poor distortion performance but the biggest problem, as Rob points out is latency.

Anyone on a budget for monitors should IMHO look for some 'hi fi' speakers at cash gen' and charity shops and marry them with a hi fi amplifier from a similar source. small, sub cu ft speakers from Wharfedale, Kef, Yamaha Celestion should be fine. 30 watts per channel is plenty for monitoring.

Dave.
 
Super smashing great.
Cant wait to get the new gear up and running so I can get my old mics out and record some real instrument. Health permitting.
Ill have to break out the ribbon mic. Getting rid of a load of old analogue gear and staying mostly in the box for my writing projects. Been doing a bit of dub reggae and loving it.
Any other fans here btw?
I forgot how friendly this place is, thanks guys.
 
kip4 said:
Thanks guys and thanks Steeno it’s been a while.
Sadly not so good these days. I’ll take a look at those too spantini.
Is Henry still about? Good to be back.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry to hear that, pal! Hope things are on the up, at least?
Haven't seen Henry around in a long time. His profile says last visit Apr 2020.
Well...If he ever sees this, I hope he's doing well too! :-)
 
Steenamaroo said:
I'm sorry to hear that, pal! Hope things are on the up, at least?
Haven't seen Henry around in a long time. His profile says last visit Apr 2020.
Well...If he ever sees this, I hope he's doing well too! :-)
Click to expand...
Hi Mr S " We haven't seen you around for a bit either. Or have I just missed you?

Dave.
 
kip4 said:
Super smashing great.
Cant wait to get the new gear up and running so I can get my old mics out and record some real instrument. Health permitting.
Ill have to break out the ribbon mic. Getting rid of a load of old analogue gear and staying mostly in the box for my writing projects. Been doing a bit of dub reggae and loving it.
Any other fans here btw?
I forgot how friendly this place is, thanks guys.
Click to expand...
Re the ribbons you mention? I don't know what you used to plug them into but you might not have caught up with a fairly recent development? The phantom powered 'pre-pre amp. These are an XLR inline tube that contains a very low noise pre amp with about 25dB of gain. That is enough to lift a ribbon or dynamic mic enough such that an interface with low gain or/and some noise can be greatly improved.
I sent my son one, a FetHead, about £40 and it makes recording a gut strung classical guitar at 1/2mtr perfectly possible with an SM57.

There are several other brands, the "Cloudlifter" was the first AFAIK and can be had with different gains, some switchable. Most are more expensive than the FetHead.

Dave.
 
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