Vintage w/bluetooth multiroom

[Raphaz]

I’m a musician and an affectionate vinyl collector.
I love vintage stereo gear, for its sound, looks and the hunt for occasionally under-appreciated, affordable gems in the used market.

I wanted to hear from AK members how they connect to the wireless, bluetooth, multi-room world.

I'm not talking about just Spotify played/controlled form a phone and sent to one mediocre bluetooth speaker at a time. I'd like to be able to play my analogues (vinyls, tapes) throughout my apartment, with stereo speakers (pairs as in 2 speakers!) in 3 different rooms (if possible at the same time). It would be a plus if I could also control the volume from a remote or/and phone.
Not to forget, I don't plan to spend a fortune on it.

How can I make this happen without breaking the bank and still have decent sound in every room (I guess I could live with sacrificing a little bit of sound quality in all the secondary rooms – if unavoidable)?

What options do I have?
Do you guys just have small/cheap bluetooth receiver/streamer/sender... hooked up to your vintage gear?
Can I still use vintage analogue speakers?
Do I need to stick with a specific brand for receivers and speakers?
Is there any way around the need for separate receivers in each room?
Or should I just get an integrated receiver that offers all the new technology? Would that be sufficient or do I then still need extra gear for the additional rooms/speakers?
Is there a chance that I find some of the necessary gear in the used market already?

Please share your solutions, your experience and brands/models you use/recommend.

- - - - -
Apartment 1:
Yamaha R-2000
Nikko NR-1019
Technics SL-D 3 (w/Concord OM-20)
Denon DVD-1520
Nakamichi LX-3
2 x KEF Q-500 / 1 x KEF C4
6 x Realistic Minimus 7
- -
Apartment 2:
NAD 7100
NAD T562
Lenco L82
2 x KEF Cresta 2

 

[KentTeffeteller]

BlueTooth is not multiroom. Short distance protocol. Also, not lossless. That's even with APT-x on both ends of the link, the best BlueTooth there is.

 

[jblnut]

Best/cheapest is to get a stout amp/receiver and use it to power 3 pairs of speakers directly (maybe with a speaker selector switch in the mix). I have no idea how to do this cheaply with any kind of digital sound distribution system.

I do what you are after with BlueSound nodes but they aren't exactly cheap and you need to use a digital source with them like Spotify, etc.

jblnut

 

[cgutz]

I use this transmitter on my living room vintage amplifier:
https://www.amazon.com/Miccus-Bluet...ocphy=9020387&hvtargid=pla-439322447412&psc=1

I found I had to use an attenuator similar to this between the line out of the amplifier and the bluetooth transmitter to avoid overdriving the bluetooth transmitter:
https://www.amazon.com/XMSJSIY-Univ...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

You can then use whatever portable bluetooth speakers you like in another room. This bluetooth transmitter seems more powerful than the standard, I can receive it through walls and up to 50 feet outdoors to the patio.

I wouldn't call it "high" fidelity, since bluetooth is "lossy" and the portable speakers have limitations, but it does allow me to listen to the vinyl in other rooms.

FYI, I have also used the bluetooth transmitter to transmit to a bluetooth receiver connected to the tape in on my basement tube amp. Both systems then play the same source from the living room. However, there is a slight delay, so when you are between rooms you get the "echo." I mostly use this at Christmas for background music.

 

[markkb]

You can check out the iFi zen blue version 2 streamer. It has very good range.

BlueTooth is not multiroom.

I’m not sure what Kent means, not multi room, maybe quality? But with the zen blue (v2), streaming from my phone, I can change songs and volume between 3 walls/different rooms, downstairs and more than 50 feet out in the backyard. My main want was to sit in bed and stream from my phone to my stereo, something I couldn’t do with a previous Bluetooth streamer. The sound quality is fine with me. It does sport a Sabre dac
When looking, you will see cheaper ones offered, these are likely the version 1, and I believe not with the same range. Make sure the ad specifies V2.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Bluetooth is a short range protocol. Doesn't cover multiple rooms. Only travels a few feet.