Audio latency with Bluetooth
Answered
I have Bluesound system comprising Powernod 2, Node 2i and Pulse flex 2i. They are non-grouped and thus act as solitary speakers. On all these systems I experience a terrible audio latency when connected by Bluetooth to an iMac. For Powernod 2 it is in the range of 350-400 ms. For Node 2i it is in the range of 300-350 ms. It is just the same audio latency if I uses my iPhone 12 as a Bluetooth audio source.
As you say there will always be a slight delay with Bluetooth. But what do you mean by "slight"? According to Bluetooth there can be an audio latency of 35 ms in the system. Most bluetooth speaker have an audio latency of about 50 ms but never more than 100 ms. So, what is Bluesound doing to provide a delay of up to 400 ms? This is not a delay. This is not even an echo. This is two separate occasions. One occasion when you see the lips moving on a TV or a computer. And one occasion when you hear the sound in the Bluesound system.
Such a delay is absolutely unacceptable. What is the purpose with the Bluetooth facility on Bluesound? What version of Bluetooth is used in Bluesound equipments? And finally - what are you going to do about it.
JS
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Official comment
Hi Jan
We do not support lip-sync grade synchronisation with Bluetooth and have never professed to. We do support lip-sync on the POWERNODE if connected via optical or HDMI.
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Hi Tony
Thank you for your answer (?) where the only information is that you do not support lip-sync on bluetooth but support lip-sync on optical and HDMI. To start with Powernod 2 do not have a HDMI connection. Secondly both your suggestions need a cord. What I am looking for is at wireless connection. And in your broschyr there is no cord between the TV and the Bluesound product.
Looking at your presentation of the product I can find nowhere any information that lip-sync is not supported. Instead it is stated that "aptX® Bluetooth wireless built-in". And the aptX-codes is just created to minimize audio latency. Only that information gives me the conclusion that lip-sync via Bluetooth is supported.
Further your Internet homepage states that: "With state-of-the-art Bluetooth® aptX® HD, the NODE 2i can easily support 24-bit streaming directly from your phone or tablet, as well as transmit studio-quality music to Bluetooth headphones and speakers". Does this indicate that the might be an Audio latency about 350 ms?
Incidentally I did connect via the optical input on my Node 2i. And the audio latency was kept within 20 ms. But then the possibility to pair the Powernod 2 with the Node 2i went crazy. The sound was just fluttering in both systems.
So once again, what is the purpose to provide Bluetooth connection when the audio latency is about 350 ms?
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Bluetooth is designed as an audio source to listen to audio tracks from your phone or tablet such as music files stored there or 2 channel streaming services.
If you are trying to connect a video display, this will require a proper cabled connection using an optical or HDMI connector from your display to the Player in order to handle the complications of true audio/video streaming.-1 -
Yes Tony
I understand. You must have a cord connection to get rid of the Adio latency. But where do I find this information? Isn't that vital fo buyers?
In searching for a Bluetooth receiver to fix the problem I have not yet found a Bluetooth receiver with a audio latency of as much as 350-400 ms. So why should I buy one for 8000 Swedish kronor?
Fix it!
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I would like to support Jan here. The sound of my PULSE 2i is perfect for most of my needs and it was supposed to be the starting point for my complete audio system spanning a house of 3 stories.
But the giant bluetooth latency / input lag is killing it for me. Yes, listening to YouTube Videos might not be the main concern for your audiophile target audience but it should at least be possible without totally frustrating the viewer/listener.
This is supposed to be a constructive criticism, as I love the sound and would be mad happy if Bluetooth would work. So, is this patchable? Are you working on a fix?
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Hello,
I own two Bluesound systems: Pulse 2 and of recently a Pulse Flex 2i, usually using them in a group.
Unfortunately this bluetooth latency spoils all my pleasure in listening to also my Youtube and YT Music favourites.
The presence of the aptX, unlike many other speakers on the market, weighed heavily when I decided to buy these 2 systems, but it doesn't make it's presence felt at all.
Please, please fix it!!
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I have owned a few competitive Audiophile devices that have BT and AirPlay. Both work equally as well with NO lip-sync issues with video. Especially from an Apple TV.
There is NO GOOD reason for this device (that is NOT Cheap) to have absurdly poor sync with BT.
I have multiple AppleTV's throughout my home and audio systems on all of them.
I was planning on buying a few of these Node's but you are making it impossible to buy or recommend your products to people. No less keep the one I bought!You do know who Apple is right? iPhones? iPads and Apple TV's? Not a small audience.
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Jan,
I am in the same position as you, however I am using a Node 2. My problem is similar, a very long latency between the screen and audio with my Apple TV 4k.
I am debating an upgrade to a Node 2i, but am also considering another manufacturer, if Bluesound isn't going to stand behind a "wireless streaming device" that can't even keep up with video.
Have you tried using Airplay instead of Bluetooth?
Justin
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I fully support the comments made here and have had the same struggles myself. In addition to having BluOS on my NAD receiver I more recently purchase have a Bluesound Pulse Mini 2i, which I love and would like to buy another, except for one thing: the annoying latency when watching YouTube videos over Bluetooth to the Pulse. I was absolutely flabbergasted at this result. Afterall, the Pulse Mini is advertised to support AptX HD (i.e. "Highest quality built-in Bluetooth (aptX®)) and if that's the case, then why not simply include AptX LL as well?
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In response to Tony W. - Product Support Manager,
I have a couple of very expensive ($5k +) Displays for Commercial or residential use. They have NO digital or HDMI outputs. Few do.
So this product is not for anything professional or anything on the higher end for Audio or AV.
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Hallo,
Dieses BT Latenz Problem werdet ihr bei allen Muliroom-Systemen haben, da eine Pufferung der Daten erforderlich ist, um sie an die möglichen System-Komponenten weiter zu übertragen
Schade, aber technisch bedingt.
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Hi there,
You will have this BT latency problem with all Muliroom systems, since the data needs to be buffered in order to transmit it to the possible system components
Too bad, but for technical reasons.
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Hi Guenther. The need to buffer for mult-room playback is understandable. However, that is a completely separate issue. Using AptX-LL for video files using Bluetooth to one BlueOS device should provide proper lipsync. Sharing that sound to multiple devices would introduce a lag, but I wouldn't consider such a scenario to be part of the use case for AptX-LL.
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