We live in an on-demand culture. Everything, from streaming services to delivery apps, has trained modern individuals to expect precisely what they want, where and when they want it. These on-demand attitudes have profoundly affected AV design.
Modern workers and customers are no longer willing to "make do" with the technology or content provided in a space. They anticipate being able to bring their own technology and content into any environment and have them function as seamlessly as they do at home.
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In terms of audio, this expectation translates to offering wireless connectivity. Whether in conference rooms, classrooms, or event spaces, users want the ability to share presentations with audio, demos, video clips, and even background music from their devices effortlessly. Given that many personal devices come with a single USB-C or Lightning output, which may or may not support audio, a wireless solution becomes essential. Moreover, users are reluctant to physically tether their devices to a system just to facilitate audio during a presentation.
Now that wireless BYOD connectivity is a baseline expectation, integrators have two paths to consider for every project: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. While there is a plethora of branded wireless audio connectivity solutions available, most rely on one of these two foundational technologies, each with its own set of pros and cons. Let’s break them down.
Bluetooth
Pros: Bluetooth is nearly ubiquitous; most end users are familiar with it, often using it daily. This familiarity means that users can comfortably pair their devices with systems via Bluetooth without assistance. It’s also pervasive and standardized in the consumer device industry—practically all new phones, tablets, computers, and displays have Bluetooth built in, and it’s added to more devices every day.
With Bluetooth, you can feel comfortable that your components as well as end user devices will all be compatible. Transitioning devices from space to space is simple, and switching among sources is nearly seamless. It’s also a relatively low-cost technology, a big reason for its ubiquity.
When it comes to wireless audio, the integrator must prioritize, balancing ease-of-use and interoperability against signal quality and range.
Cons: Historically, Bluetooth’s range has been unimpressive. Older generations have topped out at about 33 feet (10m) for indoor applications, and even the latest generations have a range of only 131 feet (40m) indoors. If you’re aiming to allow end users to “un-tether” the source and receiver, it’s not acceptable to have the audio drop out whenever the user walks into the next room.
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Bluetooth signals are also typically quite compressed. This can affect audio quality—and, if there is accompanying video, cause latency issues as well. Newer codecs such as aptX or Apple’s AAC have improved on this problem, but it’s still no match for wired or even alternative wireless technologies. If audio quality, distance, or video sync are critical considerations for your application, you may want to instead consider Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi
Pros: The range for a wireless audio distribution system is as good the wireless network itself. All the regular Wi-Fi rules apply: As long as you can create and maintain a stable network (using extenders, repeaters, etc.), you can extend the range as long as you want. With proper network management, that means you can create an incredibly flexible wireless audio transmission system that works anywhere in an office, sports bar, event center, or school.
Wi-Fi also supports much higher bandwidth transmission than Bluetooth, although in real-time audio applications on mixed-criticality commercial networks, this bandwidth may need to be reserved. As a result, Wi-Fi transmission can achieve higher audio quality and is less prone to latency than Bluetooth.
Cons: The trade-off for quality is cost and ease of implementation. Wi-Fi solutions generally require more programming in the initial setup and more support thereafter. They also often require specialized or proprietary components and software.
In addition, many manufacturers have implemented their own proprietary Wi-Fi-based audio systems, which are often not designed with compatibility in mind. Choosing one of these solutions can make it extremely difficult to integrate components from multiple manufacturers, essentially locking you in to a single-vendor solution.
What's Your Priority?
When it comes to wireless audio, the integrator must prioritize, balancing ease-of-use and interoperability against signal quality and range. There are excellent solutions available in both categories, but no silver bullets yet.
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Integrators must critically analyze the prevailing factors—including the environment, user preferences, and technical demands—to tailor a solution that meets the contemporary expectations of an on-demand culture. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, the innovative advancements in both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies enable us to create spaces where limitations are fewer, and the user experience is richer and more seamless.
