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#474841 - 08/22/19 10:53 AM OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight?
saxxman Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 1433
Loc: Niceville, FL USA
Has anyone tried to use a wireless transmitter to transfer the audio from their keyboard (or other instrument) to a remote speaker? I thought that a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver could be used for this purpose, but even with the lowest latency available in BT codecs, there is a noticeable latency even at only 20 feet away.

Sennheiser makes a UHF (2.4 Ghz) transmitter/receiver combo which looks like it works great (marketed for DJs to avoid long cable runs), but the price is really high.

Wondering if anyone on SZ has dabbled in this area and has any suggestions? Ultimately, I would like to play backing tracks on the Bose Compact while being able to stroll around a restaurant playing my sax with a small battery powered speaker on my belt. Just don't see it happening anytime soon..... I looked at the Alto Stealth combo but the receiver requires AC power -- which nixes my ability to walk around. Any ideas would be most appreciated!
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Randy

PA4X, SX900 (Baby Genos), Roland U-20, L1 Compact, Way 2 Many Saxes

"My computer beats me routinely at chess - but it's NO MATCH for me at kick boxing!"

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#474850 - 08/22/19 01:13 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
MacAllcock Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/02/02
Posts: 1221
Loc: Preston, Lancashire, England
All i know about Bluetooth is that I have yet to experience Bluetooth headphones where the latency is small enough to not be apparent on video playback.

Is this latency a cost issue - is latency inversely proportional to cost - or is it built-in to the way audio gets sampled and sliced as it is communicated over Bluetooth? If it's the latter then that suggests to me that the delay will always be noticeable.

This question is well beyond my level of geekiness....

But if you are playing back backing tracks is the latency actually going to be noticeable as you won't hear the original signal at all?
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John Allcock

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#474852 - 08/22/19 01:15 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
MacAllcock Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/02/02
Posts: 1221
Loc: Preston, Lancashire, England
And the latency will not be affected by the distance to the speaker as that is a radio signal.
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John Allcock

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#474853 - 08/22/19 01:25 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
saxxman Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 1433
Loc: Niceville, FL USA
Thanks John - I tried a BT transmitter/receiver with the latest "low latency" codecs. Apparently, the BT processor has to digitize the audio to send it and then process it at the receive end. Hence there is going to be latency with BT. With the 2.4GHz UHF wireless units (considerably more expensive) the processing delays are minimal - 25ms or less and not noticeable.

In my situation, I am running a Bose Compact with my sax and backing tracks coming from the Bose - I want to wander away from the Bose while it's playing and keep playing along but not lose the ability to hear my tracks as I get further away. I have tried it with BT and there is a big "ping-pong" effect for sure -- nearly 1/2 second delay between the Bose and my portable speaker.

I tried using a wireless vocal mic (plugged the Bose "line out" into the transmitter instead of the lavalier mic) but the signal level on input needs to be cut way back. The Sennheiser DJ relays do the trick - just hate to spend $600 to be able to go that route. frown I will keep looking around. Thanks for your thoughts!


Edited by saxxman (08/22/19 01:27 PM)
_________________________
-------------------------------------
Randy

PA4X, SX900 (Baby Genos), Roland U-20, L1 Compact, Way 2 Many Saxes

"My computer beats me routinely at chess - but it's NO MATCH for me at kick boxing!"

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#474854 - 08/22/19 01:26 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
Crossover Offline
Member

Registered: 11/19/17
Posts: 596
You would need „AptX Low Latency“, which has 30-40 msec delay in contrast to over 100 ms for normal AptX bluetooth.

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#474855 - 08/22/19 01:32 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
saxxman Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 1433
Loc: Niceville, FL USA
Thanks Crossover - I bought this unit with high hopes - they advertise the "AptX Low Latency" codec:

Amazon Item Description for Low Latency System

Unfortunately, the latency was evident at 20 feet. Had to return the unit - it's a shame because it was very portable with a good battery life. Thanks for your input!
_________________________
-------------------------------------
Randy

PA4X, SX900 (Baby Genos), Roland U-20, L1 Compact, Way 2 Many Saxes

"My computer beats me routinely at chess - but it's NO MATCH for me at kick boxing!"

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#474856 - 08/22/19 01:47 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
Uncle Dave Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
I've used Xvive U3 to transmit to Bose S1Pro (battery powered). No noticeable latency. I didn't go too far from the source, but I think it worked very well at about 40 feet. I'm using the same unit this weekend in a much larger room, and I need to run sound to a patio with no AC outlets. Fingers crossed for another successful outcome.
I also have Xvive U2 (1/4") transmitter/receiver that I use to feed signals when the connection is 1/4", and not XLR.
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No longer monitoring this forum. Please visit www.daveboydmusic.com for contact info

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#474857 - 08/22/19 01:57 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
saxxman Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 1433
Loc: Niceville, FL USA
Thanks Dave! You the man! I believe I could use the Xvive system as long as I can convert the XLR output from the receiver into a 3.5MM input for my portable speaker. I will check them out! I'd probably rig up a belt hanger so as to not have to put the receiver in my pocket but that should be doable.

I have an outside wedding gig coming up and I told the guy who booked me that I would be able to remote a speaker from my Bose with no cables (balcony to ground mounted speaker) and this should do the trick for that as well.

Thanks for the input! Definitely appreciate it!
_________________________
-------------------------------------
Randy

PA4X, SX900 (Baby Genos), Roland U-20, L1 Compact, Way 2 Many Saxes

"My computer beats me routinely at chess - but it's NO MATCH for me at kick boxing!"

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#474858 - 08/22/19 02:39 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
Uncle Dave Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
Randy,
I hav another system I've used the same way that has 1/8" jacks. It's by WiDigital Systems:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_3ViprvmjE

This also works with no latency!
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No longer monitoring this forum. Please visit www.daveboydmusic.com for contact info

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#474859 - 08/22/19 05:48 PM Re: OT - Wireless Speaker Options? Any Insight? [Re: saxxman]
saxxman Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/15/05
Posts: 1433
Loc: Niceville, FL USA
Thanks again Dave - will check out the WiDigital too! Thanks again!
_________________________
-------------------------------------
Randy

PA4X, SX900 (Baby Genos), Roland U-20, L1 Compact, Way 2 Many Saxes

"My computer beats me routinely at chess - but it's NO MATCH for me at kick boxing!"

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