With technology moving at a rapid pace, Bluetooth transmitters have become an affordable and effective way of introducing modern wireless connectivity to older devices or those without native wireless support.
Whether you’re looking to pair your favorite wireless headphones with your TV, use a controller on your computer or upgrade your home audio setup without investing hundreds of dollars in a new system, a Bluetooth transmitter may be exactly what you need. After all, these devices are often available for under $30.
In this article, I’ll cover the benefits of these devices, the type you need, and highlight the best Bluetooth transmitters currently available, so you can enjoy low-latency wireless performance with minimal setup time required.
Our Pick
What Is a Bluetooth Transmitter, and Why Would You Need One?
A Bluetooth transmitter is a small device that allows non-Bluetooth devices to transmit data wirelessly. When we buy a product that has Bluetooth capabilities, there’s either an internal Bluetooth receiver or transmitter built into it. These aftermarket transmitters work in the same way and make it super easy to adapt an otherwise wired device into a wireless one.
You may want to consider a Bluetooth transmitter if you have wireless receiving devices like Bluetooth headphones and want to connect them to an older television, gaming console or even to an electric guitar. Maybe you have an older stereo system but would like it to connect to your portable Bluetooth speakers, that’s also easily achievable by adding a Bluetooth transmitter to your stereo system.
While many Bluetooth transmitters can function as both a receiver and transmitter (and even include bypass abilities), some can only operate as one or the other. To understand the direction of signal flow and which type of device you may need, one must first evaluate the intended uses for the Bluetooth audio system.
Bluetooth Transmitter
A Bluetooth transmitter gives wireless power to a device that does not have wireless capabilities, such as a TV, Radio/HiFi/Stereo System, or a laptop/computer. The transmitter works by connecting via a wired connection (usually Aux, RCA, Optical, or USB) to this non-wireless hardware and using Bluetooth technology to establish a wireless link with a Bluetooth-enabled device, such as a Bluetooth speaker, wireless headphones, or AirPods.
For example: If you want to use your wireless headphones or earbuds to connect to your TV, but your TV doesn’t have Bluetooth support, you can plug a transmitter into the television and send the audio signal wirelessly to your Bluetooth headphones, which have a built-in receiver.
Bluetooth Transmitter Signal Flow Example:
Television 🡪 Aux, Optical, RCA or USB Cable 🡪 Bluetooth Transmitter 🡪 Wireless Signal 🡪 Wireless Headphones/Speaker
Bluetooth Receiver
A receiver works in the opposite way, allowing you to receive signals from a Bluetooth-compatible device (such as your cellphone) to a set of headphones or speakers that do not inherently have wireless capabilities. Your Bluetooth-enabled source device will transfer audio to the receiver and fed into the headphones.
Bluetooth Receiver Signal Flow Example:
Cellphone with Bluetooth 🡪 Wireless Signal 🡪 Bluetooth Receiver 🡪 Aux, Optical, RCA or USB Cable 🡪 Stereo System
So you can see, if you’re looking to send data from a Bluetooth device to a non-Bluetooth device, you’ll need a receiver. But if you’re looking to receive data on a Bluetooth device from a non-Bluetooth device, you’d need a transmitter.
Best Bluetooth Transmitters
This section evaluates each Bluetooth transmitter based on several factors, including the Bluetooth version, maximum range between devices, codec (audio transmission quality), number of connections, and functionality.
Best For Watching TV
Best For Your Car
Best For Stereos
Best For Playstation
Best For PC Peripherals
Best For PC Gaming
Best For Musical Instruments
Factors to Consider When Buying a Bluetooth Transmitter
While the various factors to consider when looking for a Bluetooth transmitter will largely depend on your intended use, there are certain general specifications to look out for. Let’s take a closer look!
1. Bluetooth Version (and its impact on product performance)
At the moment, we have access to Bluetooth versions 5.4 and earlier. While most modern devices will utilize 5.0 to 5.4 technology, some still operate on older versions. The most important factor to remember is that a Bluetooth transmitter will only function as well as its slowest version in your signal chain. In other words, using a Bluetooth 4.2 transmitter with your cellphone, which operates on Bluetooth 5.0, for example, will be limited to the performance of the older version.
Using a Bluetooth 4.2 transmitter with a more modern device which operates on Bluetooth 5.0, for example, will be limited to the performance of the older version.
Another vital rule to remember is the amount of energy (power) Bluetooth will draw from its enabled devices. Bluetooth 5.0 and onwards operates in a low-energy mode, preserving the battery life of all connected devices. Older versions of Bluetooth will pull more power from your devices and reduce battery life.
So before purchasing any Bluetooth audio system, check the versions supported by your current equipment to ensure compatibility between all devices and optimum performance.
2. Form of Audio Transmission (codec)
Now that we know the power of different Bluetooth versions, we must understand the tech-talk used to describe the audio quality and transmission speeds. When dealing with wireless audio communications between a pair of devices, it is important to look at the type of technology (known as the codec) as it has a major impact on the audio quality.
It’s the job of the codec to turn digital data (such as audio) into smaller, easier-to-send packages by compressing it and having the signal then get decompressed when it arrives at the receiving device. This helps ensure a faster transfer speed and allows for a higher retention of quality. Uncompressed, data would be too large and result in high latency.
A codec of aptX or later is imperative for low latency.
By today’s standards, a codec of aptX or later is imperative. Older devices may not support modern Bluetooth transmission and revert to a less complex codec called SBC. This aptX technology has seen various upgrades to support high-definition (aptX-HD) transmission and low-latency (aptX-LL) operations.
3. Wireless Range
For use in your car, a short-range transmitter will do just fine. However, if you plan to stream music from your phone to your HiFi/Stereo System or pair headphones to your TV for wireless viewing, you may need a longer-range setup. Newer Bluetooth versions are capable of long-range connectivity. With the current version of Bluetooth (version 5.0 to 5.4), one can expect an effective range of 32 – 164 feet.
4. Maximum Number of Connected Devices
This shouldn’t be considered a make-or-break factor when looking to purchase a Bluetooth Transmitter. However, one must remember that while many Bluetooth transmitters offer dual-link connectivity (two devices connected at once) the same form of audio codec (usually aptX, aptX-LL, or aptX HD) may not be available for both dual and single-use, resulting in degraded audio quality when more than one device is linked to the transmitter.
While many Bluetooth transmitters offer dual-link connectivity, the audio codec may not support it, resulting in degraded audio quality when more than one device is linked to the transmitter.
5. Ability to Bypass Bluetooth
When using your Bluetooth Audio Transmitter for TV, the speakers that are either built-in or externally wired to your television will be inactive. If you want to be able to toggle between their wireless speakers or headphones and the wired or onboard speakers, a bypass button on the Bluetooth Transmitter can provide easy switching.
Unfortunately, this is not available on all units. You may be forced to shut down the Bluetooth transmitter and then re-pair the devices when wireless connections are needed.
This is mostly a preferential aspect and depends greatly on the device in question, as some units support hassle-free pairing and connections (some even pair automatically by accessing a memory bank of previously paired devices). In contrast, others require a re-entering of pin codes.
Our Pick
