How to stream music from my smartphone to my Hi-Fi system?

[Brian G Turner]

So I'd like to be able to cast/stream music I play from my smartphone to my Hi-Fi system, ie, use my phone as the music source and remote controller. My CD rack has a USB input option I used to plug USB drives with MP3s on, or my old iPhone into, and they worked, so I figure there must be some kind of dongle somewhere I can plugin that will receive the music from my phone and serve to input it. But I've no idea if such a device exists.

I know there are devices such as Google Chromecast that allow you to cast your smartphone screen to your TV, so you can watch what you're playing on your phone on your TV, but I'm struggling to find if there's any such device that just works with a stereo system?

 

[Foxbat]

I think my brother has an amp with built in bluetooth that he uses. I wonder if you can buy a bluetooth attachment to fit the USB?

Edit…don’t know if this is what you need

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Receiver-Wireless-Stereo-Adapter-Black/dp/B09WR52TYK/ref=asc_df_B09WR52TYK/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606687121396&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9848030880817263444&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007380&hvtargid=pla-2138006645512&psc=1&mcid=983c77254a7d3c60ae73cf9653264c57

 

[Brian G Turner]

Cheers, that looks like it could be an option and has got me wondering if a simple Bluetooth dongle might do the trick:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Transfer-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-Black/dp/B0CBBCSY73/

 

[Foxbat]

Cheers, that looks like it could be an option and has got me wondering if a simple Bluetooth dongle might do the trick:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Transfer-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-Black/dp/B0CBBCSY73/

At that price I’d roll the dice

 

[mosaix]

I think my brother has an amp with built in bluetooth that he uses. I wonder if you can buy a bluetooth attachment to fit the USB?

Edit…don’t know if this is what you need

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Receiver-Wireless-Stereo-Adapter-Black/dp/B09WR52TYK/ref=asc_df_B09WR52TYK/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=606687121396&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9848030880817263444&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007380&hvtargid=pla-2138006645512&psc=1&mcid=983c77254a7d3c60ae73cf9653264c57

I got two of something similar a couple of years back - one for transmitting from my stereo and one for receiving on my laptop. It works fine except the range isn't all that good. The plan was to transmit from my stereo in the living room to my laptop in the office. The rooms are next to each other but the signal constantly breaks up.

 

[Foxbat]

I got two of something similar a couple of years back - one for transmitting from my stereo and one for receiving on my laptop. It works fine except the range isn't all that good. The plan was to transmit from my stereo in the living room to my laptop in the office. The rooms are next to each other but the signal constantly breaks up.

I think the range of Bluetooth is 10 metres but drops quite a bit with obstacles (and you can't get much more of an obstacle than a wall ) . You can get range extenders which should help.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I'm just looking for something that works when I'm in the same room, so not too worried about range.

 

[mosaix]

I'm just looking for something that works when I'm in the same room, so not too worried about range.

I'll try and find the details @Brian and post the info here.

My sterio is fairly old - 1980s Pioneer but all works fine. I plugged one device into the headphones socket on the amp and had that on transmit and the other into the mic socket on my laptop on receive. It all worked fine when all in the same room but that rather defeated the purpose.

 

[mosaix]

This is the one @Brian G Turner, a Tao Tronics TT-BA09

DC 5V Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver Optical Fiber Digital 3.5mm Audio Adapter | eBay

【OPTICAL+RCA+3.5MM】: Apart from a 3.5mm Aux / RCA connection, the item also supports optical cable(TOSLINK) input/output. With a provided optical cable, you can enjoy high-quality digital sound through multiple audio outputs, such as wired stereo, speakers, or headphones.

www.ebay.co.uk

Of course, two are required - one for transmit, one for receive.

I exchanged messages direct with the manufacturer (support@taotronics.com) querying that they would do exactly what I wanted. Although the item is available on ebay it doesn't seem to be on the taotronics website anymore. Maybe it's been superceded? Anyway the support desk were more that helpful. I am sure if you described the required application they would point you in the right direction.

Interestingly I found that the output would go directly into an unpowered HiFi speaker as well as my laptop. The signal was just as poor, however.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Cheers, that looks pretty similar to what Foxbat mentioned. I've bookmarked a couple on Amazon to try later.

 

[Foxbat]

Of course, two are required - one for transmit, one for receive.

Would this be the case if using a smartphone to send to a Hi-Fi? I don’t use one myself but I think all smartphones now have bluetooth built in.

 

[mosaix]

Would this be the case if using a smartphone to send to a Hi-Fi? I don’t use one myself but I think all smartphones now have bluetooth built in.

Good thinking @Foxbat. Although my laptop (with blue tooth) was a target for one end of the system I also wanted to transmit from my stereo (no blue tooth) to a free standing hifi speaker (no blue tooth) so, in that configuration I needed two devices.

I think that you're right and the smartphone would obviate the need for one.

 

[JunkMonkey]

I may be mising something but if your sytem has an aux input - mine has a mini jack socket on the front - why not use a male to male minijack from the headphone jack on the phone to the amp. That's what I do and it works perfectly well.

 

[Foxbat]

I may be mising something but if your sytem has an aux input - mine has a mini jack socket on the front - why not use a male to male minijack from the headphone jack on the phone to the amp. That's what I do and it works perfectly well.

That's probably what I would do but I suppose it depends on distance. I use a minijack with my keyboard when recording to my PC (through an audio interface) but had to buy a female/male extension because I couldn't find a cable long enough for my needs. I think most are just designed for phone to ear kind of lengths.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I may be mising something but if your sytem has an aux input - mine has a mini jack socket on the front - why not use a male to male minijack from the headphone jack on the phone to the amp. That's what I do and it works perfectly well.

Are these wireless?