Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
If you have Bluetooth speakers, you may think their use cases end with wireless pairing to one source device. The truth is, you can squeeze additional utility from your speakers around your house and in your home entertainment system, as long as you’re willing to get creative.
Also: I traded my Sonos Era 300 for Denon’s new home speaker – and see no reason to go back
Whether you connect a Bluetooth speaker directly to your TV to create a makeshift center audio channel, or you buy a small audio receiver to turn your analog speakers into smart speakers, you have options. Even the cheapest smart speakers cost at least $200, and these tips are either free or cost no more than $90.
1. Extend your TV’s audio to different rooms
The simplest way to expand your Bluetooth speaker’s utility is to connect it directly to your TV. Before I added an additional Sonos Era 100 to my kitchen counter, I used this trick often.
If your TV has native Bluetooth, you can put your speaker into pairing mode and add it. If your TV doesn’t have Bluetooth but you have an Apple TV 4K, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, or Google Chromecast plugged into it, you can pair your speaker with your streaming stick. If you have neither, you’ll need a Bluetooth dongle to connect to your TV.
Also: I finally tried pairing headphones to my TV streaming stick, and I’m not going back
It’s about convenience, not optimal audio. Recently, I connected my TV to a Bluetooth speaker I had lying around so I didn’t miss Sunday afternoon football while preparing Sunday night dinner. In college, I used this trick to listen to The Real Housewives of Atlanta while getting ready in the bathroom.
The only caveats are that you may experience noticeable lag between your picture and audio. However, this issue didn’t matter much to me, as I was more focused on listening than on watching. Additionally, you’ll need to keep your speaker and TV within Bluetooth range (about 30 feet) to avoid connection dropouts.
2. Turn it into a center audio channel
If you don’t need a portable solution to extend your TV’s audio, you could create a makeshift center audio channel with a Bluetooth speaker. Provided your TV has a line-out port, and your Bluetooth speaker has a line-in port, you can wire your speaker to your TV to play audio.
This trick works well if you’re watching TV in a smaller bedroom and don’t want to spend money on a soundbar. Though you won’t get as sophisticated an audio experience, you will get louder audio with an emphasis on dialogue.
Also: Your TV can sound a lot better: 7 easy but unexpected ways to improve audio quality
If you have bookshelf speakers lying around, you can also connect them to your TV via RCA to achieve the same result. However, you must use active speakers for a direct connection; for passive speakers, you’ll need an amplifier.
3. Consider smart audio streamers
If you have older powered speakers without smart features, you can invest in a smart streamer, like the WiiM Mini. Devices like these connect to your speakers via line-in or Optical, and you can set up the WiiM app to enable features like AirPlay and digital voice assistants.
With several WiiM Mini streamers around your house, you can create a whole-home audio system with your existing speakers, instead of spending hundreds on a new speaker with native smart features.
4. Try a Bluetooth dongle with your receiver
If you have an analog setup that includes an AV receiver, you can plug a Bluetooth receiver into its line-out port to enable wireless streaming. Your AV receiver likely has a line-out, an output, or a headphones port; you can plug into any of them.
Also: This viral wireless dongle lets you share your audio on a flight – how it works
Once your Bluetooth receiver is plugged in, put it into pairing mode and connect your phone to start playing music through your speakers. I recommend this trick most to people with a built-out analog system who don’t plan to upgrade to digital speakers anytime soon.
5. Repurpose an older Amazon speaker
If you have an older Amazon Dot, Spot, Plus, or Show, it should have a line-out port. You can use a 3.5mm cable to connect one of these speakers to your powered analog speakers, funneling the Amazon speaker’s audio to a higher-fidelity speaker.
Along with improved audio quality, connecting your Amazon speaker to your analog speakers lets you use smart features, such as the Alexa voice assistant, to set alarms and issue voice commands.
This trick will only work if you have a fourth-generation speaker or older, as Amazon’s newer smart speakers don’t have headphone jacks and instead rely on wireless streaming.
