What You Need to Know About the Differences Between Bluetooth, Vinyl Stream, and Auracast
When you’re shopping for a turntable, it’s very easy to get lost in the sauce of technical terms. On the Victrola Blog, we have a bunch of articles hoping to clear up some of these queries for you, but the one we’ve been getting most often lately is the difference between streaming options. We’re here to help sort that out for you.
Wanting to stream the vinyl you’re playing is a no-brainer; you can move around your house with a portable speaker, can listen outside while your turntable stays inside away from the elements, or can stream in multiple rooms simultaneously. So what streaming connection do you need for your turntable? We’ve got you:
Bluetooth Input: Perfect for simple one-to-one wireless connections
You can stream music from your phone or Bluetooth enabled device to many of Victrola’s music systems and turntables, allowing you to listen to your music in multiple ways.
VINYLSTREAMTM: Pair your turntable with your Bluetooth speakers
If you’re looking to connect your turntable to a single Bluetooth speaker, then all you need is a turntable with simple Bluetooth output connectivity enabled. The downside of Bluetooth is that the range is the smallest of all connectivity types, and it only allows you to pair with a single device.
AuracastTM: The upgraded Bluetooth experience for multiple devices
As we’ve previously covered on the Victrola blog, Auracast is Bluetooth on steroids: It allows users to connect a virtually unlimited amount of Auracast devices together to broadcast the same thing. The range is also greatly improved with Auracast, as is the sound quality of what you’re streaming vs. Bluetooth.
VINYLSTREAM Wi-FiTM: A Wi-Fi streaming connection for best quality audio
VINYLSTREAM Wi-Fi, a Wi-Fi-based streaming connection, is meant for audiophile listening over your home’s Wi-Fi network, through devices that support UPnP. VINYLSTREAM Wi-Fi comes equipped on all Victrola Stream products and works with any UPnP network-enabled streaming product. This includes most Wi-Fi speakers, A/V receivers, HiFi speakers, smart TVs, and more. The easiest way to confirm if your device supports VINYLSTREAM Wi-Fi is to confirm if it supports UPnP playback. Brands such as KEF, WiiM, Denon, Heos, Onkyo, Pioneer, Samsung, Cambridge, and many more all support UPnP on most of their network-enabled products. The audio over VINYLSTREAM Wi-Fi is typically superior to Bluetooth and Auracast because it uses your Wi-Fi network and can stream in up to a lossless format to many devices. Typically, VINYLSTREAM Wi-Fi works best in whole-home setups, and the range can be longer than either Bluetooth or Auracast, depending on the range of your Wi-Fi router.
If you have any questions about wireless connectivity and Victrola products, don’t be afraid to hit up our Customer Service team.
