The Bluetooth audio receiver has been a little cottage industry in recent years, and I’ve reviewed my share of them (here, here and here). Bluetooth receivers are a cheap way to wirelessly stream music and audio from your smartphone to your existing stereo or powered speakers. On the other end of the spectrum, Sonos—and to a smaller degree, Apple Airplay—offer higher quality but more expensive options to stream music in your home.

Google’s new Chromecast Audio sits somewhere in between those options, but closer in spirit and price point to the ubiquitous Bluetooth receiver. Priced at $35, it’s ironically higher than most Bluetooth receivers, considering that Google’s Chromecast streaming player (also $35) is considered the budget option in its product category.

But let’s be clear: the Chromecast Audio is way better than any and all the Bluetooth receivers out there. I think it will become the standard of wireless home audio, especially when its future support of multi-room audio arrives sometime down the line.  There is one small hitch to world domination that lies outside of Google’s control: Apple Music doesn’t work with the Chromecast Audio.

That’s right. Spotify, Google Music, Pandora and most of the major music streaming apps work with the Chromecast Audio…except Apple Music (and also Amazon Music, but probably most people don’t care about that). But this could change, as we saw back in June when Apple announced cross-platform support (Android, gasp!) for Apple Music. Just don’t hold your breath.

Unboxing and Setup

The Chromecast Audio comes in the same size box as the new Chromecast and also shares the new puck-shaped form factor. It measures about 2 inches in diameter and has narrow circular grooves on the top, resembling an old-school vinyl record. It’s only available in black, unlike the second gen Chromecast which launched with three color options.

In the box, you’ll also find a short yellow 3.5mm cable (just under 6 inches), the USB power cable and small power adapter. Or you can bring your own RCA Y-cable or optical cable (Toslink to 3.5mm mini Toslink).

The exterior of the Chromecast Audio has a small reset button and two ports: the micro USB port and the 3.5mm jack with analog and digital audio output.

Setup takes anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on your level of technical expertise. But not to worry: it’s easy (and even easier if you’ve already set up a regular Chromecast).

You need to get the free Chromecast app on an Android or iOS phone or tablet. On a Windows PC, you can go to https://www.chromecast.com/setup via the Chrome browser and download the Chromecast app. Windows phones and Macs are currently not supported.

From the Chromecast app, you will be taken through the steps to find your Chromecast Audio via Bluetooth and then test the sound on it. After you’ve verified the test sound, you’ll name your Chromecast Audio and connect it to your Wi-Fi network, and that’s it.

Sound Quality and Play Options

It sounded pretty good right out of the gate. The audio quality immediately reminded me of AirPlay but with less dropouts. Welcome news: Chromecast Audio supports up to 24-bit/96kHz audio (DVD quality).

The Chromecast Audio streams audio over dual-band 802.11ac (2.5GHz/5GHz) Wi-Fi. The bandwidth and range is far superior to Bluetooth and it’s less susceptible to interference.

That said, there can be dropouts when you have heavy network traffic. I tested music streaming while sending files to the cloud, downloading a big file and backing up to a local network, and the audio dropped out for several seconds. It was an extreme test case, but something to keep in mind.

Of course, it’s great for home audio use because, unlike Bluetooth streaming, it won’t interrupt your streaming for phone calls,  text sounds and other system audio.

From the Chromecast app, you have the option of toggling High Dynamic Range for analog connections to hi-fi speakers and audio receivers. If you’re using an optical connection, HDR is the only setting.

The Chromecast app on Android is currently packed with a lot more features compared to the iOS version (although those are “coming soon”). From the Android Chromecast app, you can find content (“What’s On”) and apps (“Get Apps) that will utilize your new Chromecast Audio.  (On iOS you basically see a placeholder for your device.)

Conclusion

For Android and iOS users, the Chromecast Audio is a sleek alternative to Bluetooth receivers that should only get better with more apps (and a better iOS Chromecast app), multi-room audio capabilities and hopefully Apple Music support.

It’s good if you plan to have your devices farther away from the speakers and/or if you need to make use of the guest mode where anyone can easily cast to your Chromecast Audio with no pairing required. With its support for higher quality audio, the Chromecast Audio is a better choice for discerning audiophiles.

And at $35, the Chromecast Audio won’t set you back much more than a typical Bluetooth audio receiver, but it has the potential to do a lot more.

Keep your old Bluetooth audio receiver for the car.

Click Here to Search Ben’s for Chromecast Audio Deals

Google Chromecast Audio Review: A Better Mousetrap

This year I’ve reviewed Bluetooth speaker adapters from Logitech (8/10), HomeSpot (7/10) and Amped Wireless (9/10). Each one has its merits, although the Logitech adapter has certainly been one of the most popular entries in this burgeoning product category since its debut back in 2011.

Three years later, Logitech has released the followup to that successful Bluetooth speaker adapter and in so doing, addressed the issues that many users shared as well as tweaked and improved other aspects of the product.

The big selling point for Bluetooth speaker adapters—for those of you who are new to the category—is that you can stream audio from a Bluetooth device to just about any pair of powered speakers or speakers hooked up to a receiver without having to buy  a new Bluetooth-enabled sound system. For the most part, Bluetooth speaker adapters are comparatively cheap, and the new, 2014 Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter (980-000910) is no exception. In fact, at a street price of $40, it costs about the same (or even less) than the previous model.

The Setup

Inside the easy-to-open box, you’ll find a basic clear plastic blister tray with the Bluetooth adapter, 6 ft. micro USB cable, power adapter, 3.5mm to RCA Y-cable and a straightforward user guide.

Like other Bluetooth adapters, setup was extremely fast. Logitech kept the pairing button on the top of the unit—which was already a good design decision—but made it bigger and flatter with more of a tactile response when clicked. This is a small but welcome improvement. You also get confirmation tone when you a pair or unpair a device. (The adapter will appear as “Logitech BT Adapter” when you are pairing.)

The new adapter is much smaller than the previous model. It measures a diminutive 2″ x 2″ x 7/8″ versus the 3″ x 3″ x 1″ dimensions of the original. Although it’s tiny and lightweight (about an ounce), the rubber bottom surface prevents it from sliding around when you’re plugging and unplugging cables.

The status light is now a subdued blue instead of green/red, and because the light is located on the underside of the unit, it’s not particularly distracting. Of course, the adapter is so small, you can easily hide it in your entertainment system.

Now let’s take a look at the two major upgrades of the 2014 model: simultaneous connections and longer range.

MultiPoint Bluetooth Technology

Logitech’s new Bluetooth audio adapter touts the use of MultiPoint Bluetooth Technology, which allows users to simultaneously connect two devices to it. MultiPoint is widely used on newer Bluetooth headsets and other Bluetooth devices, and it’s a convenience rather than anything revolutionary. Nonetheless, MultiPoint puts Bluetooth-enabled speakers on closer footing with Airplay which already allows multiple devices to be connected at the same time.

Although the original Logitech Bluetooth speaker adapter lacked MultiPoint, it was hardly alone among its peers. Still, if you wanted to play audio from a second paired device, you had to disconnect the first device then connect the second.

Multipoint removes those extra steps and allows you to keep two paired devices connected simultaneously. You still have to pause or stop the audio on the first device before you can play the audio on the second, but you don’t have to fiddle around with the Bluetooth connections.

On that note, you can have more than two devices paired to the Logitech BT Adapter — you just can’t connect more than two devices simultaneously

For me, the biggest issue with the MultiPoint implementation is the brief gap when you stop the audio from the first device and press play on the second device. In my tests, I found that after I stopped the first device, there was a 3- to 5-second delay from the time I pressed play on the second device and the sound coming out of the connected speaker.

It appears this lag is from the first device still sending a signal to the adapter even though audio has stopped.  So I waited a longer period of time from hitting stop on the first device before hitting play on the second—about 10 to 15 seconds—and there was no longer any lag.

In most situations, you probably won’t be switching between devices that quickly, but it’s something to keep in mind. The lag may also be more dependent on what version of Bluetooth your devices uses, e.g. BT 2.1 vs. BT 4.1, etc.

Sound Quality and Range

Logitech’s second major upgrade to the new model is a longer range — the box says the range is up to 50 feet (or 15 meters), within line of sight. The range definitely extends beyond the standard 33 feet, but for practical purposes, I found that the audio was inconsistent beyond 40 feet, similar to the larger Amped Wireless BTSA1 adapter which even has an external antenna.

You may get a strong signal at those longer distances, but walls, floors and other obstructions are typically going to be a factor in a typical home layout.

Nonetheless, I experienced fewer dropouts at closer distances than the previous Logitech model, and the reliability was comparable to the Amped Wireless adapter. Three years have clearly given Logitech’s engineers a chance to improve the signal because overall the sound was very clean.

The new Logitech Bluetooth adapter possessed a warm tone and wide soundstage, qualities that I liked in the previous 2011 model. While some listeners may prefer no digital processing at all, I think it’s preferable for the type of compressed audio you will hear in streaming applications.

Final Analysis

Logitech’s new Bluetooth adapter is about the best product you can find right now in this category. The only minor faults would be nitpicks: the lack of NFC connectivity and the audio lag when switching between the two connected Bluetooth devices.

(For those of you looking for applications outside the home, I will be reviewing a Bluetooth speaker adapter you can use in your car in the next edition of this series.)

Overall, the 2014 Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter’s compact size, warm sound, strong signal, above average range, MultiPoint pairing and competitive price point allow me to strongly recommend this as a purchase.

Bluetooth Speaker Adapter Review, Part III: Logitech Bluetooth Adapter (2014)

Two months ago, I reviewed two Bluetooth speaker adapters from Logitech (8/10) and HomeSpot (7/10). I gave the slight edge to the Logitech for a more polished product. They are both popular products as consumers have begun to prefer Bluetooth-enabled speakers and the convenience of streaming  music from their portable devices.

However, both the Logitech and HomeSpot suffered from one similar weakness: limited range.

Got Range?

Enter the recently released Amped Wireless Long Range Bluetooth Speaker Adapter (BTSA1), which promises up to 2X the range of Bluetooth adapters’ standard 33 ft. (10m) range. Amped Wireless is known for its long-range wireless routers, signal boosters and range extenders, so it makes sense they’re now offering a long-range version of the Bluetooth speaker adapter.

The BTSA1 features Bluetooth 3.0 (A2DP)  with aptX, a proprietary codec intended to mitigate the lossy sound quality that Bluetooth is known for. The catch is, your device has to support aptX, and currently iPhones do not support it, although many newer Android phones do, including the Samsung Galaxy S3 and S4, Samsung Note and the HTC One. Apple has a vested interest in its proprietary Airplay which is considered to have better sound quality, and I’d agree that—under the right conditions—Airplay’s audio quality is superior to most Bluetooth applications.

But Bluetooth wins hand-down in convenience and universality, and most of us won’t care about minimal differences in sound quality, especially when we’re already playing compressed music files from mobile devices and PCs.

The Setup

Inside the package, you’ll find the Bluetooth adapter, detachable, screw-on swivel antenna, 3.5mm to RCA Y-cable and power adapter. In addition to the one-sheet user guide, you receive a code good for two months of the Rhapsody streaming music service.

The unit has a glossy black finish. With its sloped edges and 3-inch antenna, the BTSA1 resembles a miniature router, but it should fit in with your typical black home theater equipment. It’s 4 inches wide, 2.75 inches deep and 1 inch tall (sans antenna), similar in size and weight to the Logitech adapter.  Also like the Logitech, the BTSA1 has both RCA and 3.5mm outputs. (There’s no optical output.)

Overall, the Amped Wireless adapter has an unobtrusive and polished appearance. The solid blue paired light is not distracting, although I generally prefer white or amber as more relaxing indicator lights.

Like the other two Bluetooth adapters, pairing with an iPhone or computer is a very straightforward process. (It’s listed as “Amped BTSA1 xxx.”) The Connect button is located on the front of the unit, which is convenient enough. You can only have one device connected at a time, and you have to press the Connect button each time you reconnect, but that’s pretty standard for these products.

Sound Quality and Range

The BTSA1 performed very well in my tests.  Within the standard 33-ft. range I experienced fewer dropouts overall than the Logitech and HomeSpot adapters. In some sessions, I had no dropouts at all. Still, the difference is minimal and totally dependent on many variables.

I found the sound quality to be comparable to the Logitech Adapter. Not necessarily as warm, but still a pleasing sound. A lot of the sound quality is dependent on the music source, encoding and the devices themselves, but the BTSA1 does seem to get out of the way and do what it’s supposed to do, which is create a strong wireless signal.

That’s where the Amped Wireless adapter shine. In my tests, I found the outer limits of the range to be around 40 feet, including two or three walls in between. As usual, YMMV. Nonetheless, its range is noticeably superior to both the Logitech and HomeSpot adapters.

Within 40 feet, the connection was always strong as I moved my Bluetooth device into separate rooms, behind doors, walls and even in the basement through concrete. Outside this range, at distances up to 50 feet, the sound would crackle but I could still get a signal.

Who Needs This?

The Amped Wireless Bluetooth Speaker Adapter is typically selling for around $70 online. That’s about $30 more than the popular Logitech adapter and twice as much as the HomeSpot, both of which performed reasonably well.

That said, I think consumers looking to place their speakers in a separate room from their music source will immediately benefit from this purchase.  The BTSA1 is just a lot more reliable Bluetooth speaker adapter, particularly when you get farther away, in the 10- to 35-ft. range.

If you’re planning on keeping your music device relatively close to the adapter, you may want to look into the less expensive alternatives. And although I’ve yet to find a flawless solution for Bluetooth audio without any dropouts or interference, the Amped Wireless Bluetooth adapter has about as good a signal as you’ll get with this technology.

View the Amped Wireless Bluetooth Speaker Adapter on Amazon

Bluetooth Speaker Adapter Review, Part II: Amped Wireless

As many of us have moved our entire music collections onto mobile devices and laptops or increasingly use streaming music services like Pandora or Spotify, we’ve also embraced the convenience of wireless speaker systems.

Thanks to best-selling products like JAMBOX and the Beats Pill, Bluetooth speakers have become the wireless delivery technology of choice for music listeners. A distant second and third would be Apple’s proprietary AirPlay and DLNA (i.e. AirPlay for non-Apple products), both of which use existing Wi-Fi networks. AirPlay promises higher fidelity audio if you’re playing uncompressed CD-quality files, which most people aren’t doing anymore. Bluetooth may not be the best quality, but like VHS in the VHS-Betamax war, universality wins out and Bluetooth is pretty much on every mobile device.

Who Needs a Bluetooth Speaker Adapter?

The Bluetooth speaker adapter is very simple: it’s a box that wirelessly streams stereo audio from a Bluetooth-enabled device—like a mobile phone or tablet—to a powered speaker or receiver via an RCA or 3.5mm cable.

If you’ve got powered speakers or an old stereo receiver or maybe a speaker dock that no longer fits your new smartphone, then you’ll want to look into getting a Bluetooth speaker adapter. It’s a lot cheaper than buying a new home theater receiver with built-in Bluetooth.

For this review, I’ve compared two of the most popular Bluetooth speaker adapters on the market: the Logitech Wireless Speaker Adapter and the HomeSpot NFC-enabled Bluetooth Audio Receiver. Both are very affordable and can typically be found between $25 to $35 online.

One caveat: if the quality of sound is of utmost and only concern to you, stop reading here. A wired connection is always the way to go.

(l). HomeSpot NFC-Enabled Bluetooth Receiver, (r.) Logitech Wireless Speaker Adapter

HomeSpot NFC-Enabled Bluetooth Audio Receiver: Setup

The HomeSpot Bluetooth adapter (under $30 at Amazon) is a tiny glossy black box measuring 2.4-inches square and weighing about an ounce. Its light weight is a drawback because the two cables connected to the back can actually lift the box up on one side. And although it’s really small, keep in mind you’re still adding two more cables to what’s probably an already existing cable clutter behind your stereo.

The adapter comes in a “frustration-free” reusable plastic zipper bag, which is handy for transporting it around for portable use or just storing unused cables. The contents also include a 3-foot 3.5mm stereo cable, a 3-foot 3.5mm to RCA Y-cable and a 6-foot micro-USB to USB cable with power adapter.

The HomeSpot is so easy to set up, the one-page instruction sheet is almost unnecessary. There’s only audio output on the back: a 3.5mm output jack. The pairing process took a painless 5 to 10 seconds each with two different iOS devices and a laptop. You simply press the little connect button on the back, have your phone or Bluetooth media player “discover” the adapter (listed as “GT BT-Receiver”), and you’re done. When the little green light on the front panel glows slowly, the pairing is complete.

It also supports NFC (Near Field Communication) which means you can “tap-and-pair” NFC-enabled devices like select Android phones (e.g. Samsung Galaxy S4).

The HomeSpot can only pair with one device at a time, so you have to unpair or disconnect the first device before pairing the second. It’s a small inconvenience but nothing more. The HomeSpot automatically goes into discoverable mode whenever it’s not paired and you don’t have to press the connect button again.  It can store up to 8 paired devices so the next time you pair the same device, you just reconnect without having to go through a discovery process. In contrast, AirPlay allows a second device to connect without having to disconnect the first device. That is a limitation of Bluetooth.

Sound Quality and Range

As for sound quality, the processing on the HomeSpot renders a very flat sound. I tested the HomeSpot on a Philips Airplay Speaker via the auxiliary input and it lacked the depth and soundstage that the AirPlay connection would produce. I also tested the HomeSpot with another powered speaker via RCA inputs, and it also had the same flat tone. While a few listeners may prefer this type of sound as it usually indicates less digital processing, for most it’s less appealing to hear compressed MP3 music with little to no processing.

Because it’s a Bluetooth connection, the HomeSpot will reproduce all other sounds from your device, including button taps and game sound effects. Incoming calls or text messages will temporarily pause / lower the volume of the sound, which some may not find ideal. (This flexibility also means that you can wirelessly listen to Spotify’s desktop application, which currently does not support Airplay.)

In contrast to an average Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth has a limited 30-foot standard range. While the strength of the HomeSpot falls into that range,  I heard very spotty audio when multiple walls were put in between the adapter and the audio source. In the 25 to 30 foot range with a straight line of sight, the audio dropped out briefly when I walked in front of the phone. Under 20 feet, there were no issues.

Logitech Wireless Speaker Adapter: Setup

The Logitech Wireless Speaker Adapter ($35 to $40 on Amazon) is a bit more polished product, as you might expect. It has more heft than the HomeSpot—thus staying flat to the surface with cables plugged in—and slides around less due to larger rubber feet. It’s also bigger, measuring about 3-inches square, while still remaining unobtrusive. The box has a matte black finish with a fingertip-sized connect/pairing button on the top which is more conveniently located than the little button on the back of the HomeSpot.

It comes in a “frustration-lite” blister pack with a perforated back, thankfully avoiding the need to use scissors to open it. Inside the package is a 3 foot RCA Y-cable and a standard wired power adapter. While the Logitech has less pack-ins, it does have a stereo RCA output in addition to a 3.5mm jack, an improvement over the HomeSpot’s single audio output.

Pairing was also very easy and error-free in my three test cases (listed as “Logitech Adapter”), but unlike the HomeSpot, I had to press the connect button each time I needed to connect a new device or reconnect an old one. The front panel LED bar is solid red when powered, flashing green in pairing mode, and solid green when paired. The Logitech does not support NFC.

Sound Quality and Range

I experienced a couple brief dropouts with the Logitech when my phone was a mere 6 feet away from the adapter. However, with all wireless technologies, occasional dropouts are unavoidable. As with the HomeSpot, incoming calls and text messages caused a short blip in the audio.

I felt the Logitech’s sound processing was far more preferable for compressed music, producing warmth, depth and a wide soundstage that was similar to my Philips AirPlay connection. YMMV, but if you’re looking for a more pleasing and less compressed sound, the Logitech would be my pick.

The signal on the Logitech was pretty strong between 20 to 25 feet, even with a closed door, wall or cabinets in the way, and it experienced less dropouts than the HomeSpot at those distances. However, once a couple more walls and doors came between the phone and the Logitech, the audio quickly turned very choppy.

Final Analysis

If you’re fine with the lossy compression of MP3 audio, then you’re probably fine with streaming music over Bluetooth. With its relatively low price, compatibility with most mobile devices and the convenience of wireless audio, the Bluetooth speaker adapter is a great little gadget to have.

The HomeSpot and Logitech adapters are very similar, so the choice comes down to your needs. I picked the Logitech because of a more appealing (processed) sound and RCA outputs, but if you want NFC support or prefer a “flat” sound, then the HomeSpot is a better choice.

Neither adapter has an optical out, so if you’re looking for that type of connection, I’d recommend looking at the more expensive Belkin Bluetooth HD Music Receiver ($50 at Amazon).

HomeSpot Bluetooth Receiver: 7/10

Logitech Wireless Speaker Adapter: 8/10

Bluetooth Speaker Adapter Shootout: Logitech vs. HomeSpot