Question before I spend a bunch of money on a bluetooth speaker

By Siobhan, 3 December, 2014

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Apple Hardware and Compatible Accessories

Hi everyone. Here's my problem: I love to read audible books, play music etc. I love my mac, except for the speaker quality, hopefully someone might give the sound a little attention, but that's besides the point. Say I buya speaker, jawbone or suhc, can i, in theory, leave the amc upstairs on my desk, my speakr being brought downstairs to the kitche directly blelow my room, and have funcionality? My brother suggested this idea, as when playing a book, the audio have to be turned way up causing Voiceover to yell when i write someting such as this post. Keep in mind, the bluetooth connectivity would have to go through hrd wood floor, through the cieling, into the speaker on the kichen counter. I hope my scenario has made some sesne, and that someone will actually comment this time. Thanks for any help.

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Comments

By Missy Hoppe on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - 02:34

Hi there! Hopefully someone who's a lot more tech savy than I am will chime in here, but I'm almost sure this won't work. I think Bluetooth's range is extremely limited; something like 30 feet. If you know someone with a Bluetooth device who would let you test it, maybe try that first, but I can tell you that at one point, I used BT headphones on my computer, and by the time I got to the entry way of my apartment, the signal was cutting in and out. I'm not saying it absolutely won't work in your situation, but your best bet truly is to try to find a way to test it out for free before spending any money. Good luck!

By Mike Freeman on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - 02:34

It's hard to know. Most likely you'll be able to listen in the kitchen while leaving your computer at your desk. However, since Bluetooth is at UHF, objects *might* interfere with the signal. The wisest advice I believe I can give you is to borrow a Bluetooth speaker, pair it up and test for yourself.

By Siobhan on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - 02:34

Hi. Thanks for both your suggestions, unfortunately I don't know anyone with a bluetooth speaker, and yes I figured objects might interfere with things. And the last thing I need is to be hooked into a book, missing half of it because the signal cuts out. I guess i'll just have to figure out another thing to do. Thank you both for your responses.

By Paul on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - 02:34

I regularly use a bluetooth headset to listen to videos on my iPad at the dining room table so I don't need to expose my iPad to possible spills and whatnot. It has the occasional short drop out (it's kind of like someone cut a millisecond or 2 of audio), but it works floorlessly in the kitchen, which is below my room. My room's floor covering is carpet. I don't think a hardwood floor will interfere as much as a brick or concrete wall might.

Assuming that your ceilings aren't exceptionally high, your kitchen would be well within the 30 foot range generally supported by most bluetooth products.

Unfortunately, there is no way to know for sure before spending money. I could suggest either buying second hand so you don't pay as much, or buy from a retailer who would be happy to give you a refund if the product doesn't work in your situation. This rules out most internet purchases.

You might also consider a test with a bluetooth keyboard if you have one, assuming you can tell if it's working in the kitchen. If a bluetooth keyboard can work consistantly in your kitchen, chances are a bluetooth speaker can too. Granted a keyboard is a lot different to a speaker, but your chances are better than if the keyboard doesn't work at all from your kitchen.

By dvdmth on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - 02:34

Having used Bluetooth headphones for a few months now, I can tell you that the range can vary depending on what else is transmitting wirelessly in the area. At home, for example, I get good range because there isn't much in my vicinity that will interfere. However, when I used them while downtown, where there was a lot of wireless traffic, I had to have the iPad close to me. Even a distance of a few feet was enough to cause regular dropouts and higher audio latency.

Bluetooth operates at the 2.4 GHz frequency, the same frequency used by most Wifi networks, along with a bunch of other stuff, so the potential for interference is pretty high, especially if you're in a populated area.

Just another variable to consider. As others have stated, you will ultimately have to test it out to see if it will work the way you desire. There are other wireless audio solutions, such as Sonos and AirPlay, but I have no experience with them.

By Usman on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - 02:34

Can microwaves also interfere with the reception? I've been having some issues in my dorm when I walk out of my room and my headset starts cutting in and out. I'm thinking it might be the microwave in the communal kitchen which is located pretty close to my room.

By Roxann Pollard on Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - 02:34

The comment that said the range is about 30 feet is basically correct. This is what I have found while using both the big jambox speaker and the Plantronics Bluetooth ear piece. Here is a thought, however, if you were playing a book on your iDevice of choice instead of your computer then it's no harder to carry the device and the speaker together. This way you wouldn't lose signal and you wouldn't have to run back upstairs just to change something on the computer after the coffee is done brewing.

Personally, I really enjoy my big jambox speaker from Jawbone. I am somewhat of an audiofile and I would say without hesitation that the big jambox produces great sound in all the ranges for it's size. I insist on lots of volume as well and it produces quite nicely. As far as reading books is concerned the jambox wins again.

One last thing I would say, if you should consider purchasing the Jawbone jambox speaker, I recommend the big jambox and not the smaller sizes, especially if you want good quality sound that will fill more than a small bathroom. A friend of mine had the smaller version and I tested it out. I'm glad that I own the big jambox, instead.

Anyway, thanks for reading this long-winded post. I hope that you find exactly what you want in a speaker that is portable. I know I love mine.

P.S. as of this posting, Amazon.com has the Jawbone big jambox in graphite hex for $242.83. Full retail is $299.99. Other colors were about $10.00 less.