We've been able to send audio from sources to Bluetooth speakers for a long
time, but sending sound to some speakers is different from others. Now that's
a reality thanks to apps like AmpMe, Bose Connect, and some from Ultimate
Ears, as well as Bluetooth 5, which lets you send audio to two devices at
once.
With the proliferation of smart speakers, such as the Amazon Echo and Google
Home, we have more Bluetooth devices in our homes than ever before. Here's how
to stream audio to multiple Bluetooth speakers from your Android, Amazon Echo,
or Google Home.
The person creating the group controls the music, but other users can send
song requests via the app's chat feature. Hosts can also activate the Guest as
DJ feature which allows other attendees to add songs to the queue.
Connect Multiple Bluetooth Speakers Using AmpMe
There are several apps you can use to connect multiple Bluetooth devices
including the AmpMe, Bose Connect, and Ultimate Ears apps that have PartyUp
mode. AmpMe is the most versatile, as it's not brand-specific, while the Bose
and Ultimate Ears apps require their respective companies' Bluetooth
speakers.
AmpMe
is an app that lets you sync your smartphone and Bluetooth speaker together to
stream audio from SoundCloud, Spotify, YouTube, or your own media library.
Users can create or join parties on any of these platforms, and sync with
unlimited devices.
Once you've downloaded the app, you'll need to link it to your Facebook or
Google account, then you'll see if your contacts are on AmpMe, or you can turn
on location services and find parties near you.
To start the party:
- Tap Plus (+) at the bottom right.
- Select a service (Spotify, YouTube, etc.), then tap connect.
- Log in to your account and select or create a playlist.
Connect Multiple Bluetooth Devices Using the Audio Enterprise App
With the
Bose Connect
and Ultimate Ears apps, you can pair your smartphone with two speakers each,
but only on select models. Bose Connect works with Bose speakers and
headphones, and the Party Mode feature lets you stream audio to two headphones
or two speakers at once. Compatible Google Play and App Store devices with the
app list.
Ultimate Ears has two apps that can stream audio to multiple speakers: Boom
and MegaBoom, which fit into two rows of compatible speakers. The app has a
feature called PartyUp that allows users to connect more than 50 Boom 2 or
MegaBoom speakers together.
Connect Multiple Bluetooth Speakers Using Samsung's Dual Audio Feature
If you have a Samsung Galaxy S8, S+, or later model, you can take advantage of
the company's Bluetooth Dual Audio, which works with most Bluetooth speakers
and headphones; Bluetooth 5 is not required.
To enable this feature:
- Go to Settings > Connections > Bluetooth.
- Tap the menu icon at the top right.
- Select Dual Audio and toggle the switch on.
- To use Dual Audio, pair your phone with two speakers, two headphones, or one of each, and audio will be streamed to both.
- If you try to add a third, the first paired device will boot.
Connect Multiple Bluetooth Speakers Using the Amazon Echo and Google Home
Other smart speakers, including the Amazon Echo and Google Home, can also
connect to multiple Bluetooth speakers.
Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo can connect to one Bluetooth speaker at a time; Amazon has a list
of Bluetooth speakers certified to work with the Echo.
To do this with an Echo with a display, such as the Echo Show or Echo
Dot:
- Say "go to settings", or swipe down from the top of the Echo screen.
- Select Settings > Bluetooth.
- Next, you will see a list of available devices.
- Select your speaker and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Alexa then notifies you if the connection is successful.
If your Echo doesn't have a screen, you can use the Alexa app.
- From the menu, tap Alexa Devices, then select your Echo device.
- Tap Bluetooth Device > Pair New Device.
- A list of available devices will appear in the Alexa app; tap the one you want, and you're all set.
Google Home
Google Home devices can connect with other Home speakers as well as Bluetooth
speakers from other companies. You can only link one Bluetooth speaker at a
time, but if you have multiple Google Home devices, you can achieve multi-room
audio.
To connect a Bluetooth speaker to your Google Home:
- Open the Google Home app and tap the Devices icon in the top right corner.
- Select the Home speaker you want to connect.
- Tap Settings > Default music speaker, then select your Bluetooth speaker.
For the Latest Bluetooth 5 Devices
For smartphones, the first compatible Bluetooth 5 devices are the Samsung
Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X, and LG V30. The Galaxy
S9 and S9+ followed suit, so you can expect to see these included in many
flagship smartphones.
There are several Bluetooth 5 earphones on the market, including the
Kickstarter-funded Anker Zolo Liberty+. Bluetooth 5 speakers are also on the
horizon, but audio companies are likely to wait for more compatible devices to
come out.