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I’ve got a pair of Totem Dreamcatcher speakers and want to find a way of playing spotify, from my iPhone, through them. Is this possible or will I be better off selling the totems and buying a pair of dedicated Bluetooth speakers?
Sonos connect amp off eBay will sort you out.
What altitude are you at?
20 quid bluetooth dongle from amazon +++
Dont get Bluetooth speakers. What about a Tangent Ampster BT II?
http://hifiandmusicsource.com/2017/04/tangent-ampster/
Or get an amp with optical in, then plug in a Chromecast Audio.
Or get an amp with optical in, then plug in a Chromecast Audio.
Doesn't have to be an optical in. You can just hook it into a normal RCA connection.
Google aren't manufacturing the Chromecast Audio anymore though, so if you think you want one, get one quick.
I got my first one for Christmas, then heard that they weren't making them anymore so bought 3 more just in case. Should have bought a couple more, really.
We've got a Gramofon plugged into our amp, easy to set up and doesn't drop out.
I can honestly say that the best way is to sell me your totem dreamcatchers and just buy a Sonos 😂
Or invest in a chromecast audio > into a decent Dac (Beresford work well on a budget) > into a decent Amp (some nice class D or class A without boutique names floating around second hand. Have fun...
just to add to the options, the amazon echo link amp is also coming out which should give this functionality (probably a chunk cheaper than the sonos too) - but if you have some old amp, just hook that up to a chromecast
you don't really want to be pushing audio over bluetooth to nice speakers, but using sonos\chromecast\echo you control from your phone, but the music is generated locally
Just connect your computer or tablet or phone to the amp with a bit of wire? KISS
Logitech Bluetooth dongle thing. £17 last week from amazon. Works very well
That Tangent Ampster looks good, I was considering the Audiolab M-One but will look into that. Ruark Mr1 Mk2’s were high on my list of small but great sounding Bluetooth speakers but my Totems are gathering dust and if can partner them up with my phone and Spotify then I’ll be a happy chappy 😀
Dirt cheap option!...
...I use one at work and it sounds fine.
Apple Airport Express plugged into your amp. Job done. Works well for me.
I forgot to mention, I don’t have an amp, just the speakers. I sold my hifi when i downsized But I still have the Totems and want to turn them into a good set of Bluetooth speakers without huge amps on show
tjagain
Just connect your computer or tablet or phone to the amp with a bit of wire?
That's what I do - gave up with faffing about with bluetooth/chromecast, just plug phone into the lead dangling from the Aux socket.
That said, has OP got a amp, or just speakers? Ah, silmulpost... no amp 😀
Need an amp then matey!
Back to my dirt cheap option - worth a punt for £28! 🙂
Definitely 🙂
More hi-fi stuff should be called Nobsound
🙂
Yes - unfortunate name - original meaning lost in translation somewhere!
Something like muffin-man's option with a cable straight from your phone will do the trick, I had a similar set up for my son when I gave him a set of old Technics speakers, worked fine, he now has it connected to the old Technics amp which does sound much better but for about thirty quid you can't grumble.
You could always buy a second hand amp off gumtree/ebay, some nice older stuff going very cheap, either connect it directly with a cable or via an airport express, which will make it sound much nicer as you'll be using the airport express's dac rather than the phone's (check out Ken Rockwell airport express review (although I know many consider him a bit of a bell end)).
Depends how far you want to go sound quality wise.
If you haven't got an amp, buy a cheap one off eBay/Gumtree and get a BT dongle. I have an ancient Cambridge Audio amp which has a BT jobbie plugged into one of the inputs and works perfectly.
It's from an iphone, so you will need something that accepts AAC, not just bluetooth otherwise you will end up with the lowest quality bluetooth.
Are the speakers connected to your HiFi that also has the TV on - in which case you could get an Apple TV and Airplay to it. I've just got one for that reason.
Are the speakers connected to your HiFi
They ain't connected to nuffin he said.
Tangent ampster is excellent; BT, optical in and line. Bought one for Son1 to liberate a sonos. It's driving some bookshelf speakers just fine. He plays spotify via BT.
He plays spotify via BT
except that, on an iphone, that will be the lowest quality SBC bluetooth.
Cable might be your best option - I seem to remember that smoeone used an iphone as a source at a big hifi show.
I've just thought of another option if you do want to be able to 'throw' from your phone and not connect with cables - a Sony SBH56 bluetooth adapter - which will accept AAC from your iphone and so will be better quality than with most bluetooth adapters.
It is more for headphones but if you plug the charger port into a mains adapter to keep it powered up and then a cable from it's headphone socket to the amp that drives your speakers.
here's one on ebay :
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283092975728
I listen to one every day, had to change from the SBH52 because of the Apple AAC thing when I changed form an android phone to an iphone.
The speakers and the amp all have sit on a narrow window sill, so a full sized amp won’t fit. I’m not looking for the cheapest option just the one that offers the best sound and convenience.... convenience being just being able to walk into the room and Bluetooth spotify to it. I think the tangent ampster is looking to be what I might go for.
....I’ll then be asking what cables (and direction) works best when I’m amped up 😀
I think the tangent ampster is looking to be what I might go for.
except that you'll be using the lowest quality bluetooth codec. The tangent supports aptX which is higher quality but your iphone doesn't, it wants AAC.
I like the look of that nob sound. Will the mini usb power a chromecast audio for even more options? if it does, i might just have to get one.
except that you’ll be using the lowest quality bluetooth codec. The tangent supports aptX which is higher quality but your iphone doesn’t, it wants AAC.
I see. What other device could I use that uses aptX?
Personally I can't stand listening to anything transmitted via BT to any half decent setup. Better wired or over your network, in which case look at the Yamaha Musicast adaptor.
see. What other device could I use that uses aptX?
no, you want AAC as you have an iphone - I hit this problem when I changed from a sony phone ot an iphone.
Same issue if you buy bluetooth headphones, they need to support AAC.
That SBH56 adapter I posted up above would accept AAC, or if you have an old tablet or phone lying around that does aptX you could use that with the Tangent.
Or the airport express solutions to work with your iphone that other people have posted.
Or this page lists some DACS of various prices, some of which do Airplay/AAC - add a cheap amp like the nobsound and it's around the same budget as the Tangent :
https://www.t3.com/features/best-streaming-dac
Neet did something and their stuff is normally good but it seems to be unavailable :
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neet%C2%AE-Wireless-Receiver-wireless-streaming/dp/B00O0U37HO
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neet%C2%AE-Airstream-Wifi-Music-Receiver/dp/B010DM7M8W
I think this Yamaha does AAC and a lot more but is a bit big for you :
ths page has more details on the differences :
https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/gbr/en/blog/difference-between-airplay-bluetooth
To piggyback on the thread, I've just got an Amazon echo input for 15 quid as an add on to an mp3 player and bluetooth speaker for my daughter.
I think it will plug into my amp (which is CD and turntable) but I have no idea how they access music. I have Wi-Fi so do I need an Amazon prime account?
With all that stuff about AAC and Apple up there that I don't really understand, perhaps something like this would be a better solution than the Bluetooth ootions...?
Or this, but you'll probably have to site it sideways....
That Denon looks good and their small systems have always had very capable amps in - worthy of more than the denon speakers. Good find as it supports Airplay.
I have 2 little Denon systems, an N5 and an N9 I think, both powering smallish bookshelf speakers, with the primary source being MP3's Airplayed from my NAS. I have found the WIFI to be a bit flakey, not sure if that's down to my network or the units themselves, but now I've hardwired one of them it's been rock solid. Also does internet radio etc. I'll be getting more and sticking them in other rooms in the house.
Don't worry about AAC/MP3/ANAL compatibility, just ensure you install some [url= http://www.machinadynamica.com/machina47.htm ]Machina Dynamica[/url] dots and you'll be laughing.
Don’t worry about AAC/MP3/ANAL compatibility, just ensure you install some Machina Dynamica dots and you’ll be laughing.
Seems legit. Take my money!!!
Sonos = massively overpriced, massively overrated imo.
There's a nice Yamaha network amp with Bluetooth built in on richer sounds website for 299£. https://www.richersounds.com/yamaha-rn602-blk.html
Much nicer option if you already have decent speakers.
This might be worth a look at, it handles AAC and AptX, has optical and 3.5mm.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MEE-audio-Universal-Transmitter-Headphones/dp/B016NIOOH2
You have a very good set of speakers. Keep them.
Buy a second hand amplifier and any associated paraphernalia you need to connect it to bluetooth.
Put the amplifier somewhere else and get some long cables if positioning is an issue.
If Sonos is over priced and overrated then what else is better?? I can run speakers throughout the house with excellent sound, stream anything I want and choose anything in any room, quality is fantastic using Connect Amps and now if I want the new higher quality higher power version, plus there are cheaper standalone options like the Play series which sound amazing considering their size and price. I don’t see anything rven vaguely similar out there.
I don’t see anything rven vaguely similar out there.
Yamaha multicast, Google chromecast and integrated speakers, Echo and Alexa integrated speakers, Bose... Etc.
Nothing has the integration, range of options and quality of Sonos. Plus amazing customer service. Yes Bose have come up with their version....which is MORE expensive. You can’t compare Echo / Alexa rubbish to a Sonos Amp and a decent quality set of speakers. Not even remotely comparable.
Obviously I'm talking of connecting an echo to an amp. Although I imagine the dac is not great. Amazon are bringing out their own amp soon I believe and an optical link for connecting to your own.
But any networked amp will do what a sonos amp does?
Nothing has the integration, range of options and quality of Sonos?
Sorry but this is absolute twaddle.
Next people will be saying how wonderful Bose is.