Linkable bluetooth module?

joeybutts

Anybody know if this is accessible to the average consumer?  I've had a couple people ask me if I can make linkable bluetooth speakers and I haven't seen or can recollect that this is out there to the public.  Also, I'm not 100% sure what the name would be to search other than linkable bluetooth module or chip.  

Thanks!

ani_101

Multi-room audio systems such as sonos or bluesound use proprietary wi-fi mesh network. Similar concept exists for bluetooth mesh systems, but typically used in IOT applications. Bluetooth 5 supposedly have enough bandwidth for audio HD audio streaming, but haven't seen any mainstream practical applications. Some cars / phones ahve started to support multiple sources (where you can connect multiple phones simultaneously meaning only 2 for now) but will get more popular.

https://www.whathifi.com/us/advice/bluetooth-5-everything-you-need-to-know
https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected/the-evolution-of-bluetooth-audio
 

ani_101

If anybody knows of any easy to use Wi-fi mesh or bluetooth mesh system for synchronous audio, i would be interested to know too. (DIY or open source preferred of course!)

Silver1omo

If the sole purpose is to have a party mode, LMS can play the same audio to all clients. 

joeybutts

Sorry, whats lms?

ani_101

Squeezebox or Logitech media server. Forgot about this, but it is a WiFi mesh similar to Sonos, but with more capabilities and crappy UI and lots of hair pulling.

Silver1omo

Logitech Media Server, can be hosted in pretty much anything. A raspberry 3 can be server and client with turnkey distros.
As for the UI, Orange Squeeze works quite well an there some free apps for android that work well.

ani_101

Silver1omo said:

Logitech Media Server, can be hosted in pretty much anything. A raspberry 3 can be server and client with turnkey distros.
As for the UI, Orange Squeeze works quite well an there some free apps for android that work well.

Do you have it up and running? This is on my long list for trying, but never got around to it. hat is your setup and how are you using it?

Silver1omo

Had it before moving. Plan to re do it once I get back. 
For the server side I have been using vortexbox. It is a fedora distro with LMS. 
On the client I use picore player. For a while I used a raspberry 3 as server and client. 

Silver1omo

Vortexbox:
https://wiki.vortexbox.org/available_images

Picoreplayer:
https://www.picoreplayer.org/

Both my RPI have DACs from hifiberry:
https://www.hifiberry.com/

There are other brands of DAC that get better reviews, I went with hifiberry due to shipping to Mexico.

On my old RPI (Original model I was unable to make wireless work stable enough for FLAC. So it remained wired.
On the RPI 3 the onboard wireless works like a charm. 

My current plan once I get back to TX is to use the RPI 3 with updated picoreplayer as standalone player (server and client) with a 250GB SSD (USB to SATA cable) for storage. And connect it to a HiFly amp.

Not the best amp, but it is what I have ATM.

ani_101

Have you tried the hifiBerryOS? It seems to have LMS on it. 

Silver1omo

My old LMS server is still in storage in Mexico, uses old parts (except HDD that was updated recently):
MoBo:
https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/C60M1I/

1 GB DDR3 RAM, some POS cheap case, picoPSU (do not remember if 150 or 160 Watts https://www.mini-box.com/picoPSU-160-XT) and the most expensive part, the HDD HGST DeskStar 4TB.

So for the server if you have a RPI 3 or newer and an external HDD you can give it a try with picoreplayer.
If you have an old laptop no longer in use, you can try vortexbox.
For client the easiest I have used is picoreplayer.

Sorry for the hijack.

ani_101

I have a couple of Pi's lying around and the hifiberry Beocreate which is a 4channel DSP/DAC/Amp and an unfinished Speaker which is still crossoverless, so i can play with it being active - hopefully in the next few weeks.

Silver1omo

Back to the original question, soundcore/anker uses "partycast" to sync 100+ speakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmDAIeWDqt0
https://www.soundcore.com/partycast

Does seem to use BT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwDJLV4PfYQ

So it is doable, how accessible to the average Joe? No idea... 

ani_101

From a Qualcomm news blurb, note the "Near perfect synchronization"

Now Available on the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 845 Mobile Platform, this Technology Helps Consumers to Wirelessly Stream Music from a Single Device to Numerous Headsets or Speakers with Near Perfect Synchronization 

Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) announced today that its Broadcast Audio technology is now available on the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 845 Mobile Platform. Qualcomm® Broadcast Audio is designed to allow one Bluetooth source to stream audio to numerous headsets or speakers with near perfect synchronization. The technology is designed to support Bluetooth to be used for one-to-many sound broadcasting – helping to extend the capabilities of traditional Bluetooth. Qualcomm Broadcast Audio supports ad-hoc multi-speaker parties, sharing headphones and listening to the same music from a single smartphone, or for group audio tours.

ani_101

Looks like an universal solution is on the way, as per the release for Bluetooth LE standard.

https://www.bluetooth.com/learn-about-bluetooth/bluetooth-technology/le-audio/
https://thenextweb.com/plugged/2020/01/07/bluetooths-new-standard-will-support-streaming-to-multiple-devices/

Timeline was supposed to be H1 2020 for the release of specifications.

Multi-Stream Audio will enable the transmission of multiple, independent, synchronized audio streams between an audio source device, such as a smartphone, and one or more audio sink devices.
 
Extensive listening tests have shown that LC3 will provide improvements in audio quality over the SBC codec included with Classic Audio, even at a 50% lower bit rate.

Silver1omo

Limited, but there are commercial rx/tx modules
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01IV1H1ME/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

Silver1omo

The couple I have seen can use a wired source and tx to 2 players.