Audioengine 32 Bit Bluetooth Receiver for Home Stereo, Bluetooth 5.3 Adaptive, Optical and RCA Connections, Enhance Your Audio System Wireless Streaming

I've now had the Audioengine B2 for a couple of months, well past the 50 hour "break-in" time, and I can say that it is without reservation the best $189 gadget I've bought in a long time. I had been using a Motorola DC800, which I bought several years ago on the recommendation of David Pogue, when he was still with the NYTimes. There's no comparison between the performance of the two devices--the Audioengine is in a different audio cosmos, mostly, I'm sure, because of the superior quality of the digital to analog conversion chips--cheap vs. not-so-cheap. The quality and clarity of the sound produced by the Audioengine is, to my 70+ year-old ears--dramatic. I have some hearing loss, and the difference the Audioengine makes for me is the difference between being able to understand newscasters voices and missing 25 to 35 percent of what's being said. As for music, the results are excellent. The set-up for me was effortless. I'd been using the other gateway for years, and the Audioengine, if anything, was even easier to pair. It's working flawlessly with 2 iMacs, 2 iPhone 5's and 2 iPads, for a 6 device maximum, perfect for us. You just have to remember which device is connected to the music receiver because, like all Bluetooth devices, it only connects with one source at a time. If you forget that your computer is connected, you will not be able to pair another device with the device until your disconnect it form the one it's currently paired with. To solve this, I usually just leave it connected to my iMac and access music through iTunes on the computer via the Remote app on the phones and iPads. It works like a charm. Oh, about the range--my old Motorola DC 800 can maintain a connection up to about 35 feet or so then it drops out. Also, whenever we turned on our microwave when using the older gateway, it would stop working until the microwave went off, then it would sometimes continue playing and sometimes just disconnect. With the Audioengine, that has not been a problem. The manufacturer claims that the device's range is 100 feet. That seems accurate to me, plus the Audioengine seems oblivious to our microwave. Also, as a technical detail, I have it connected to a Pioneer Elite SC-55 Receiver with three separate music zones. To connect it to multi-zone devices, you'll usually have to connect BOTH the digital AND analog outputs to get sound in multi-zone configurations. Most digital receivers cannot broadcast digital signals to other than the main speakers. At least, that's the way the last two Pioneer receivers I've used have been configured. Bottom line: simple set-up, superior audio performance, great range...I give it 5 stars plus. TWO WEEKS LATER; One more little glitch which has come up a couple of times. While switching between devices, or sometimes after a power grid failure, the device shuts down its analogue output and only outputs through the digital output. This affects my Pioneer receiver's multi-zone output, which only accommodates analogue signals. The problem is solved by rebooting the bluetooth device--simply unplug it, wait a few seconds, then plug it back in. Problem solved. A minor inconvenience, but I thought I'd mention it. And one more thing--the power light on the device is very bright. If you have it in a bedroom, you'll have to cover it because it illuminates the whole room like a powerful night light. Also, I edited the original review after I discovered that the popping chattering problem I was having can be solved by keeping the device as far away as possible from the power supply on my receiver. Just moving it to another shelf in the cabinet solved this problem. Have had the device for several months now and still think it's worth 5 stars.

--------------------------- OVERVIEW --------------------------- Audioengine's B1 Bluetooth Music Receiver is the affordable, simple wireless home audio solution we've been waiting for. When Apple's AirPlay debuted, with its relatively high-fidelity wireless audio, it was exciting. Bluetooth, which lagged behind in sound quality, eventually caught up and arguably surpassed AirPlay, which would sometimes stutter from network hiccups. Bluetooth, not needing any extra hardware (like a router), is far less likely to stutter, so the final piece of the home audio puzzle is a Bluetooth receiver for high-end musical tastes. The aluminum case of the B1 reflects traditional Audioengine design and the high-quality components and audio fidelity are typical of Audioengine's commitment to great sound at affordable prices. The Audioengine B1 continues to close the gap between your computer music and home hi-fi and even if you're not an audio enthusiast we guarantee your music will sound better! The audio quality of most Bluetooth products isn't usually very inspiring and their limited range can be frustrating. The B1 solves these problems by implementing the aptX codec, which is a high-quality audio converter designed specifically for audio. The B1 also has special circuitry and a precision-tuned antenna to extend the wireless range, providing much more versatility than other Bluetooth receivers. Upgrade your Bluetooth and breathe new life into your audio system. You already have Bluetooth on your tablet, computer, or iDevice, so get more out of it and experience stunning audio with the Audioengine B1 Bluetooth Receiver including aptX, 24-bit upsampling DAC, and extended range. --------------------------- WHAT'S IN THE BOX? --------------------------- - (1) B1 Receiver - (1) RCA audio cable (3ft/1m) - (1) Power adapter with detachable cable - (1) Microfiber bag - (1) Setup guide --------------------------- FEATURES --------------------------- - Easy setup, connects in seconds - Plug-n-play, no software to install - Superior sound and extended range - Streams audio from any media player (iTunes, Amarra, Youtube, etc.) - Connects to any music system with an audio input --------------------------- SETUP --------------------------- 1. Connect the included (or your own) audio cables from the B1 rear panel to your music system. 2. Connect the included power adapter to B1 and plug into an AC outlet. B1 will automatically go into pair mode. 3. On your device, turn on Bluetooth and select "Audioengine B1" to pair and connect. 4. Play your music. Setup is really this easy! A well written instruction guide is also included. --------------------------- SOUND QUALITY --------------------------- Due to the fact the AudioEngine has a built-in 24-bit DAC it will upsample the audio while supporting APT-X is a HUGE bonus. Wireless audio has improved by leaps and bounds in the short space of a few years, and the Audioengine B1 Premium Bluetooth Music Receiver is possibly my favorite device to come out of this high-fidelity revolution thus far. It solves the problem of shaky wireless home audio streaming, and it never degrades (and often improves) audio quality. Improvement in Bluetooth technology is the real hero here, but Audioengine takes it a step further and adds a top-notch DAC, which results in a top notch audio accessory worthy of our Editors' Choice designation. While it's expensive compared with the Apple AirPort Express, it does exactly the job it's supposed to do, with solid, reliable results This thing performs exceptionally and is just bliss for wireless music. --------------------------- VERDICT --------------------------- After using the Audioengine B1 for several weeks, I didn't find anything wrong about the product. I didn't encounter any hiccups or degradation of sound quality even when the receiver is farther from the source. This small aluminum box is simply a "magical instrument" that would easily replace those long audio cables, connecting your source and speakers, without any loss in audio quality. This is simply a great wireless Bluetooth DAC, and you really can't complain about its price. I've seen wired DACs from other companies that are priced higher than the B1, and they probably offer the same audio quality. Here is how I rank the adapters I test, from best to worst; BEST: Audioengine B1 Premium Bluetooth Music Receiver - $189 GOOD: Philips AEA2000/37 Bluetooth Hi-Fi Adapter/Receiver (Discontinued) - $28.99 Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter - $29.99 OK: HomeSpot NFC-Enabled Bluetooth Audio Receiver - $29.00 WORST: Amped Wireless Long Range Bluetooth Speaker Adapter - $55

UPDATE 1/27/2016 CHECK YOUR BLUETOOTH VERSION! If your playback device uses an older Bluetooth standard (i.e. Bluetooth 2.1 or, God forbid, 1.0), the B1 will skip and stutter like an old CD player. While this has a certain nostalgic appeal, it soon becomes unbearable. Bluetooth 2.1 (which is what my aging computer has) can only transfer data at a theoretical maximum rate of 3.0 Mb/s (0.375 MB/s), which isn't enough bandwidth to stream high-quality audio—the files are simply too big. Newer versions of Bluetooth, meanwhile, can serve up 24 Mb/s (3 MB/s), which should be enough for even uncompressed audio (though why you'd send uncompressed audio over heavily compressed Bluetooth is a question worth asking). Fortunately, my phone supports Bluetooth 4.0, so I'm still keeping the B1. ORIGINAL REVIEW This is the first and only Bluetooth receiver I've ever bought. I looked at cheaper options, but given that I'm streaming 320 kbps Spotify tracks to M&K Sound MPS1611P reference monitors, it seemed like a tragic bit of false economy to cheap out on the device that's actually getting the music to the speakers. I've had a pair of Audioengine A2 White speakers for nearly five happy years now, so I have a lot of respect for Audioengine's products. They make superb, no-nonsense audio gear at prices that can only be called "disruptive" in an industry famous for bombast and snake oil. By way of example, the Pangea Audio AC 9SE MKII Signature Power Cable - 1.5 Meter costs more than the B1 and it's just a damn power cord. So when you consider just how much this little antenna box will improve your quality of life, especially compared to the comically diminishing returns to be had in the audiophile underworld of overpriced copper, $190 isn't just reasonable, it's CHEAP! Fortunately, the B1 performs like anything but a cheap device. Pairing has been quick and hassle-free with both my Mac computer and Android phone (LG Nexus 5). The signal strength has been rock solid, even from rooms away. The connectivity is simply flawless (at least for me), and that's the highest praise I can give any wireless gadget—as a category, wireless networking devices tend to be finicky, failure-prone, and frustrating. The B1 is not. Audioengine really doesn't make a big enough deal about the onboard DAC—it's the B1's secret sauce, and the reason it's worth the premium over much cheaper competing options. Poking around the "Tech Specs" sections of Audioengine's catalog, I discovered that the B1 contains the same DAC (AKM AK4396) used in their highly regarded D1 and D3 standalone DACs, as well as their new flagship HD6 powered speakers. This is a Very Good Thing, and makes the B1 a totally unique product (to my knowledge): perhaps the world's only 24-bit Bluetooth DAC. But what about the sound? I did a quick A/B listening test of the same track played through the B1 and the HRT - Music Streamer II , which is my wired DAC. I'm sorry to say that compared to a good wired DAC, there's really no contest—the sound quality penalty for going wireless is noticeable and significant, but the experience of wireless music through good speakers is magical enough that I'll take the tradeoff. That's not to say that it doesn't sound good, but where the Music Streamer renders music crisp, detailed, and clean, the B1 produces a more Bose-like sound with aggressive highs and exaggerated, rumbling lows. Mids are the B1's saving grace, though, and vocals sound beautiful. I suspect, however, that this is attributable to the limitations of Bluetooth and not because the B1's onboard DAC is inherently inferior. That said, unless you're used to the orchestral precision of a wired DAC, you're unlikely to find anything to complain about—with decent source files and decent speakers, this will absolutely blow the doors off any dedicated Bluetooth speaker, most of which sound like someone jammed a car speaker into a perforated tin can upside down.

Pausing the music here to write a quick review received this today and had it installed and working in less than 5 minutes. Bluetooth pairing was effortless and used the toslink optical connector out to a Yamaha AV and with my Android phone I'm now connected directly to NAS media storage over wifi and using VLC player and directing audio to the B1 it sounds awesome in fact I can't tell the difference between the B1 and a hardwired cable into my auxiliary input the range is fantastic couldn't be more pleased. I will note that I'm using 5 gigahertz for the Wi-Fi as to not interfere with the Bluetooth I haven't tried my 2.4 but it probably won't be an issue. I was using a long 6' shielded hardwired input cable but it really became a hassle and i nearly tripped over it a few times and then having my dog yank it out from my front panel and hearing a loud pop from my Klipsch speakers I decided this was well worth the investment. Update No I was wrong this device the signal through the obstacle is much more detailed and has more impact and range across whole Spectrum as opposed to the shielded high end input cable I was using to play my music. I should mention I had a weak link and needed to use a 1 foot low-quality interconnect on the phone side to get it through the cover hole to access the headphone jack and I had no idea how much signal quality I was losing. I don't know anything about the quality of the competitors to this device but I did my research and found this little device to truly be an audio magic gem seemingly made to a very high quality standard. Time will tell but out of the box it's 10 star.

NOTE: I have never received any financial incentive related to a review on Amazon. No free products, discounts, etc. I bought both the Audioengine B1 Premium Bluetooth Music Receiver ("B1," $189) and the AmazonBasics Bluetooth 4.0 Audio Receiver ("AB-B4," $25) to compare. The quality of the B1 is excellent, materials feel solid and expensive, and packaging is thoughtful. The AB-B4 feels like a cheap electronic box and was packaged with an equally cheap RCA to 3.5mm audio cable that did not work well for me. Also, even when I used a better quality cable, I had to unplug and reattach the cable a couple of times to get it seated properly--but after doing this, all was fine. Obviously, at more that seven times the cost, the Audioengine product should be of different quality. But what about the sound? Both were easy to pair with 2 different iPhones (5s and 4) and an iPad*. For the first test, I connected each unit to Audioengine A5+ speakers using Kimber Kable - PBJ Interconnects ($96, overkill, but I wanted to isolate the difference in the 2 units). I initially used the 3.5mm to RCA cables supplied with each product and, even before playing music, there was significantly more noise with the AB-B4. When I used the cable supplied with the B1, the noise went away. I listened to rock, classical, and tracks from the Ultimate Demonstration Disc: Chesky Records' Guide to Critical Listening (well worth the $15 cost). There was no difference in sound between Spotify and Apple lossless ripped from the CD. There was also very minimal difference, if any, between the two Bluetooth devices--using the better quality 3.5mm cable for both. The next system I tried was using an Emotiva Mini-x a-100 amplifier connected to Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Designed Bookshelf Loudspeakers (at the time, the best value possible at $79 a PAIR, still a great value at $109) using the PBJ cables. Again, no difference between the two devices (with the better 3.5mm cable). Lastly, I connected each device to my best quality equipment, AKG K702 65th Anniversary Edition headphones ($377), Valhalla Headphone Amplifier by Schiit Audio (on sale for $289; new version is the Valhalla 2 for $349). The AKG K702's are so accurate that they sometimes detract from poorly recorded music by making every error audible. There was a clear difference with this set-up between the two Bluetooth devices with the B1 providing a richer, more full-bodied and accurate sound with better imaging. The AB-B4, by comparison, took less advantage of the excellent headphones and sounded compressed and slightly tinny. Given the differences in price, however, I decided to give both products 4 stars. For an inexpensive Bluetooth solution to get music from your portable device to your stereo (or powered speakers), the AmazonBasics Bluetooth 4.0 Audio Receiver is a great value--though I recommend buying a better quality 3.5mm to RCA cable and discarding the one supplied (or maybe the one I received was defective). If you are looking for a more high end Bluetooth solution for a very good (audiophile) quality system, the Audioengine B1 Premium Bluetooth Music Receiver sounds as good as listening to a CD of the same music and is a pretty good value, too. * I don't think any of the devices I used support the aptX codec, though my iPhone 5s sounded better than the other two devices for some reason. The B1 supports aptX so, in theory, the sound should be better from compatible devices as I don't think the AB-B4 supports this format (it's not mentioned on the product page).

Was a bit hesitant to drop this much cash on my old HK receiver and studio reference monitors. I have many blutooth devices, and both practice, as a performer, and listen from all of them. But I was using portable speakers for this purpose. Now I have the great sound that I missed without buying a new reciever. Every one of my bluetooth devices synchs up right away with the Audioengine B1, even after its gone to sleep. Not even an app needs to be installed. No hassle trying to search for connections. It even stays locked on if I go from basement to 2nd floor. Sound is great. Also very unobtrusive and simple cabling. Completely happy with this purchase so far.

We moved recently and I have been dying to set up my two channel system for some time. A few weeks ago I was able to bring it to life. It reminded me of how much I truly love listening to music at its finest. My system is relatively high-end consisting of a Sonic Frontiers SFS80 tube amp, Audio Research tube preamp, Classe' CD player, and Rega turntable. I was always interested in finding a way to play my music or stream from my phone to this revealing but rewarding system. Until not, I have not found any product that was listenable. Not only is the Audioengine B1 super simple to setup and use, but it sounds phenomenal on its own. It sets up in minutes and the Bluetooth is easily discoverable on your device. I had relatively low expectations due to the wireless signal and my critical ear, but this piece continues to impress me. I listened to the Audioengine B1 for a few days on its own and my findings are that it is extremely musical. Listening impressions are as follows, the highs are detailed and have great separation without being fatiguing. Vocals are clean and forward. In fact, I think the vocals and mids are slightly exaggerated in a good way that shows some presence. Finally, the bass is outstanding. I have never heard a wireless signal sound so clean and authoritative in the bottom end without being muddy or losing its musicality. The B1 is extremely quite and I have not detected any background noise at all. Very impressive. As an experiment I decided to hook up the B1 to my Musical Fidelity V90 Dac to see if that made this already great sounding piece better. What a combination! My friend and I did a critical listening A/B comparison with my Classe' cd player and the B1 changing back and forth between tracks to determine which was more enjoyable. The B1 not only held its own with a $3500 CDP but in some cases was more enjoyable to listen to. We were blown away. I used the optical output of the B1 to connect to the DAC and then the DAC is connected to the preamp with MIT 330 cables. I cannot imagine any other Bluetooth product that is more geared towards higher ended listeners than the B1. Other points that are really not a big deal for me are the range. Most of the time I am in the same room listening, however, I have gone as far away as 50 feet from the B1 and signal was still strong and clear. The B1 is compact in size and can hide behind or on top of other components. Build quality seems to be better than average with a metal housing and gold plated rca outputs. Overall, the B1 is amazing for the sub $200 price point. On its own it sounds wonderful, but if you are looking to take it to the next level adding an external DAC is the way to go! One other point that I love is that you can control the volume with your phone while playing back. My system does not have this feature on any other source but the Audioengine! Do not hesitate to give this piece a try. It has been eye opening and a game changer to my listening experience! Thank you Audioengine!

I was looking for the best BT receiver I could find in order to run Spotify streams through my older equipment. I've so far tested it with two systems, streaming from a Samsung tablet on a satellite wi-fi connection. It's not a great connection, but I live in a rural area and it's what I have to work from: 1. System 1 - AEB1 connected via TOSLink optical to Musical Fidelity V90 DAC, feeding a Quad 405/2 power amp joined to a Quad 44 pre-amp driving Mission 771 bookshelf speakers. 2. System 2 - AEB1 connected via TOSLink optical to MHDT Havana tube/SS DAD, feeding an Acurus A/150 power amp joined to an Acurus LS11 pre-amp driving vintage Spendor SP1's that I bought new in 1984. Note that in both tests I am bypassing the AEB1 internal DAC by going optical to my own DACs. System 1 (Quad/Mission) sounds fine. It is in my bedroom. I am comparing it to a straight BT stream to a Marshall Stanmore BT speaker. Neither one is close to greatness - the Stanmore has better bass, but does not have the dimension of the Quad/Mission comparator. I think I'm disenchanted with the Missions - they should sound much better being powered by the Quad electronics, but that's not the fault of the AEB1. System 2/MHDT Havana/Acurus/Spendor is VERY GOOD. I was switching back and forth between Pops Staples' version of "World in Motion" - one from streaming Spotify and the other a Rotel CD player going into the same electronics and speakers. The CD has a richer, fuller sound with the voluptuous mid-range sound that is characteristic of these old Spendors. But the AEB1 version is very listenable. It has less "fullness" to it, and less bass, but it also has an imaging that sounds like you are acoustically in the recording studio more than the CD-based sound. Head-to-head, I'd prefer the CD, but given that Spotify opens the door to everything you've ever owned or loved, even though your turntables and vinyl are now gone, EITHER are fine options. I have thousands of dollars worth of mid-range audiophile equipment that has been constrained by my no longer having all the input sources (vinyl and CD) that I once had. With the $189 addition of the AEB1, I feel like a kid in a candy shop. It may be that some of the cheaper options work about as well - I don't know - but for $189, why fool around - this thing is a passport to the soundtrack of your life. Highly recommended.