Can multiple Bluetooth speakers be connected to my computer and play at the same time?

[tomthbomb]

I can pair several Bluetooth speakers to my laptop, but can I make them all connect and play from the one Bluetooth connection at the same time?
As of now, I have to select one speaker to connect and play at one time. I would like to play several in different rooms at the same time.

 

[americanaudiophile]

I don't think bluetooth allows for this. You can do it with Airplay and with Sonos which is designed as a whole house solution.

 

[hang-the-9]

There are stereo Bluetooth speakers with two separate enclosures you can move around, but of course if you have music that plays left or right, if you move one of the speakers to another area you will have issues. If you can select Mono output then that will sound fine since the left/right mix will be send to one speaker.

 

[shall10]

I am very interested in this thread, because I have just purchased two pairs of Ruark MR1 speakers to be used in adjacent rooms playing MP3 music via iTunes from a single laptop. I have even tried using a wireless receiver for each pair, using the speakers' 3.5mm input, but apart from the sound being poor, my laptop running Windows 7 sees each receiver as a "network device", and I can only connect to one device at a time.

My latest thought is to get a second Bluetooth USB dongle to match the first, and pair each one separately to each pair of speakers. I can see the problem being getting the laptop's sound card to use both USB's for output.

For decades radio stations have broadcast to millions of radio sets worldwide, playing programmes simultaneously - how difficult is it to get two pairs of speakers playing the same music in your own house?

 

[hang-the-9]

I am very interested in this thread, because I have just purchased two pairs of Ruark MR1 speakers to be used in adjacent rooms playing MP3 music via iTunes from a single laptop. I have even tried using a wireless receiver for each pair, using the speakers' 3.5mm input, but apart from the sound being poor, my laptop running Windows 7 sees each receiver as a "network device", and I can only connect to one device at a time.

My latest thought is to get a second Bluetooth USB dongle to match the first, and pair each one separately to each pair of speakers. I can see the problem being getting the laptop's sound card to use both USB's for output.

For decades radio stations have broadcast to millions of radio sets worldwide, playing programmes simultaneously - how difficult is it to get two pairs of speakers playing the same music in your own house?

You just need the right tech and it will work http/www.crutchfield.com/S-OVcjRQxgBti/learn/wireless-multi-room-audio-systems.html

Radio and Bluetooth work differently, Bluetooth pairs a device securely (or semi-securely at least) with another device. Radio is just a blast out to everyone that has the right reciever to pick up the signal.

Here is a "radio" set you can get to send your sound to remote speakers, just like a radio http/www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=278322&gclid=CIL8lP_cmMMCFUQV7Aod7VkAvw&is=REG&Q=&A=details

 

[shall10]

Thanks for the further advice. The Bluetooth speakers have now gone back, and I have ordered two pairs of Monitor Audio's WS 100 wireless speakers. They use the SKAA wireless transmission system, which would seem to deal with multi room playback from one device.

 

[thunderbirds1970]

I have had the same questions for months now, HOW to connect 2 speaker (or more) to 1 bluetooth source. I can not believe that in this day and age NO ONE has come up with an App or any solution for this.
I would love to run multiple speakers off my music source :-(

 

[hang-the-9]

I have had the same questions for months now, HOW to connect 2 speaker (or more) to 1 bluetooth source. I can not believe that in this day and age NO ONE has come up with an App or any solution for this.
I would love to run multiple speakers off my music source :-(

It's possible that in a future Bluetooth spec it can be setup for multiple speakers. Keep in mind that Bluetooth has a fairly short range, as well as having the spec call for lower power and less bandwidth available for it so your phone does not run out of battery in 30 minutes. There are other options for multiple wireless speakers out there, listed in the posts above.

 

[Sleerf]

Many seem to overlook the fact that bluetooth was created specifically to prevent exactly what you want to accomplish. It was initially implemented as a way to allow for wireless headsets which would allow one to have a headset without others being able to listen in. As control capability was built in this security became even more important because you certainly don't want multiple people controlling your phone.

I'm kind of irritated at the mad rush to make all of these bluetooth speakers because the use actually isn't ideal for bluetooth. Instead, I think wifi as a standard would have made a lot more sense. You could easily create apps to utilize the wifi any way you wanted, range would be much better, and the devices could be made to communicate with each other as well as with multiple devices. You could setup file on your PC, skip on your tablet, pause on your phone, all without having to pair devices. There are a few companies making wifi speakers but few have implemented it well and they're much more expensive than they need to be since the radio for wifi isn't any more expensive to build than the radio for bluetooth.

 

[vandenbrakel]

If you are on OSX, you can. See the below link to find out how.


http/lifehacker.com/5933282/how-to-aggregate-and-use-multiple-audio-inputs-and-outputs-in-os-x

 

[Greggion]

Do you mean this solution for multiple bluetooth speakers?

 

[Martinezm2]

Yes

Do you mean this solution for multiple bluetooth speakers?

What is the next step after creating the aggregator? thanks!

 

[jaylentz]

The UE Boom speakers can be paired with the related app

 

[arcmaster]

here is a two speaker solution. You can pair 2braven 570 (with aux out included), or two blue-tooth headsets.
http/www.avantree.com/product-bluetooth-audio-transmitter-avantree-priva-985.html

 

[wisconsinray]

For less than $50. you can get the C. Crane FM2 transmitter.
http/www.ccrane.com/FM-Transmitters/transmitter
This will broadcast in stereo from any 3.5 mm audio jack source, and the quality is as good as a commercial FM station. You can then pick this up with just about any FM radio in the house (or outside). For really good reception, connect a six foot piece of wire to the transmitter's antenna. I got one for Christmas, and I plug my streaming device into it, and listen on the radios everywhere in the house. I also use it to transmit my TV sound throughout the house.

Ray

 

[Zanshire]

This is all fine but you are still limited with Bluetooth which is why no one really makes large Bluetooth systems but simple portable devices. As stated before bandwidth with Bluetooth is limited in he first place so you will not get the sound you would over a wireless 5ghz signal and there is still the range of Bluetooth which is very limited. Although it has improved in distance it is still not ideal. If I am going to want to run a larger system, I would definitely want the quality and Bluetooth will not give you that. Stick with either hardwiring your speakers with a docking station or jack or go wireless. If you are going for portability and small footprint and just want to listen to music without true fidelity but just have music then Bluetooth is the answer. Example of the lack of bandwidth would be shown in the transfer of a photo from one device to another: it takes a little time to transfer that picture than it would over Wi-Fi. Also most Bluetooth devices can be purchased from very cheap to somewhat expensive. Even with the expensive versions you will not get the immersive sound you would over Wi-Fi. As said before as well Bluetooth is a somewhat secure connection and thus less interference in the connection while playing music. If you just want more speakers to play then there are Bluetooth series speakers out there that connect to each other via a wired connection. I use these and create a pyramid of sound as I like to call it. Like I said don't expect much but its plenty for just working around the house or just relaxing. Also the output connection on the back of some Bluetooth speakers can be used to hook to a amped subwoofer if you really want the lows. Again not an Ideal setup if you want fidelity but it works just fine for basic needs. If you're an audiophile well you wouldn't be using Bluetooth anyway. So basically your options are software running mono even when it says stereo over Bluetooth or a speakers that allow hardwiring to another speaker via a jack or for those really good tunes Wi-Fi or a true hardwire system. Research and you will find many choices, as far as OSX goes, its a great operating system but not a real good choice if your just wanting to run multiple speakers, unless of course you want to buy an overpriced computer system just to run Bluetooth speakers. Apple is awesome when it comes to video and audio abilities but not the solution for someone just wanting to extend more than one Bluetooth device. Neither is buying a windows computer if you are just running off of your phone. There is a lot of technology out there, read up on it and find a solution that best works for you

 

[Merch24]

This is all fine but you are still limited with Bluetooth which is why no one really makes large Bluetooth systems but simple portable devices. As stated before bandwidth with Bluetooth is limited in he first place so you will not get the sound you would over a wireless 5ghz signal and there is still the range of Bluetooth which is very limited. Although it has improved in distance it is still not ideal. If I am going to want to run a larger system, I would definitely want the quality and Bluetooth will not give you that. Stick with either hardwiring your speakers with a docking station or jack or go wireless. If you are going for portability and small footprint and just want to listen to music without true fidelity but just have music then Bluetooth is the answer. Example of the lack of bandwidth would be shown in the transfer of a photo from one device to another: it takes a little time to transfer that picture than it would over Wi-Fi. Also most Bluetooth devices can be purchased from very cheap to somewhat expensive. Even with the expensive versions you will not get the immersive sound you would over Wi-Fi. As said before as well Bluetooth is a somewhat secure connection and thus less interference in the connection while playing music. If you just want more speakers to play then there are Bluetooth series speakers out there that connect to each other via a wired connection. I use these and create a pyramid of sound as I like to call it. Like I said don't expect much but its plenty for just working around the house or just relaxing. Also the output connection on the back of some Bluetooth speakers can be used to hook to a amped subwoofer if you really want the lows. Again not an Ideal setup if you want fidelity but it works just fine for basic needs. If you're an audiophile well you wouldn't be using Bluetooth anyway. So basically your options are software running mono even when it says stereo over Bluetooth or a speakers that allow hardwiring to another speaker via a jack or for those really good tunes Wi-Fi or a true hardwire system. Research and you will find many choices, as far as OSX goes, its a great operating system but not a real good choice if your just wanting to run multiple speakers, unless of course you want to buy an overpriced computer system just to run Bluetooth speakers. Apple is awesome when it comes to video and audio abilities but not the solution for someone just wanting to extend more than one Bluetooth device. Neither is buying a windows computer if you are just running off of your phone. There is a lot of technology out there, read up on it and find a solution that best works for you

Great & complete answer

Thank you!!!

 

[Ranbirsingh]

I can pair several Bluetooth speakers to my laptop, but can I make them all connect and play from the one Bluetooth connection at one time?
As of now, I have to select one speaker to connect and play at one time. I would like to play several in different rooms at the same time.

Yes there is a solution to this.
I use a bluetooth transmitter which converts my TVs analogue audio to bluetooth. All I have to do is feed my analogue audio L and R to this device. This transmitter can then be paired to my blue tooth speakers which play what is being transmitted by my TV.

Now you can take multiple devices (bluetooth transmitters) and using a splitter, split the same analogue L and R to feed the same signal to all these devices. Now all these devices will be transmitting the same analogue sound that is being fed into them.
Next, pair each of these transmitters to different Bluetooth speakers.

Ranbir Singh
[email removed]

 

[jlust286]

I am using software on my windows 10 laptop that will allow me to connect two Bluetooth speakers at once. It is donation-ware called Voice Meeter. It was originally designed to mix audio with microphone during a live broadcast or recording. After installation I right clicked on the speaker icon in the system tray and selected "Playback Devices". I then selected Voice Meeter and made it the default audio device (When you are done using it, you can switch it off by setting its properties to disabled. Also, right click in the playback window and make sure "Show Disabled Devices" is checked so you can find it to set it back to default when you need it again). Open the Voice Meeter program and ignore the first three columns and just look at the forth column "Hardware Out". Set A1 to one of your speakers and set A2 to the other speaker. If you only have one Bluetooth speaker then set A1 to your computers speaker and A2 to your Bluetooth speaker. In this case you will need to set a delay to A1 to sync with the delay the Bluetooth speaker has or you will hear the Bluetooth speaker echo the computer speakers. To do that go to menu then click "system setting / options". In the area that says OUT A1 set the delay to about 200ms. I was able to get two different brands of Bluetooth speakers to work at the same time using this method and it didn't cost me anything.

 

[MadamHopkins]

Is there any type of app for my phone to do the same thing? I have a Samsung galaxy note2 and have two of the same type of portable speakers and want to play my music from my phone on both if possible