Can anyone recommend a Bluetooth Aux input?

I want to be able to turn up to work or at home and my iPhone automatically connect to the stereo though the aux.

Any suggestions?

I can’t recommend a specific product, but “a2dp” is what you need to be searching for.

A few seconds with Google uncovered this at Amazon, looks like it’d do the job.

Why not get an Airport Express or similar?

Because for the price of an Airport Express you could buy five of the adapters I linked to, and still have change?

What’s an Airport Express do that a fifteen quid adapter doesn’t?

The Airport can be installed and just left there – no charging every 12 hours of using?

I got one off EBay for £3.95 delivered.

It’s not great but it does the job. Powered by a small internal battery but charged by mini USB so if it’s close to a modern TV you can power it full time.

I’ve got something similar to what Cougar and brassneck has suggested at it certainly fits the bill that you have described apart from possibly one requirement. You say ‘automatically’ connect. These devices being battery powered require you to turn them on to conserve battery power, so you have to physically press a button. So when I get in my car I reach into the glove box where my aux input and bluetooth dongle is, turn on the dongle by holding down the button for about 5 seconds, then turn the head unit to aux and set my iPhone playing and i’m good to go. ON a long journey i’ll plug in the USB charger into the ciggy lighter to power it as the battery wont last. Works a treat though.

The Airport can be installed and just left there – no charging every 12 hours of using?

The cheapie charges from USB, I don’t see why you couldn’t just leave that plugged in. Might even be able to charge it straight off your AV kit if there’s a free USB port?

EDIT: from the description,

This Bluetooth adaptor draws power from its built-in li-on battery and when fully charged will allow for 10.5 hours continuous use (device still works when charging). The adaptor comes complete with a charging cable. The charging cable can be pluged into any USB socket to charge the adapter.

I might buy one myself thinking about it, see if it can pull power from the Xbox. Though I hope their electronics is better than their spelling.

Lot more positive reviews on this one from 7dayshop. You’d more than likely need a female 3.5mm to phono adapter (for under a quid on Amazon) as well though.

The cheapie charges from USB, I don’t see why you couldn’t just leave that plugged in. Might even be able to charge it straight off your AV kit if there’s a free USB port?

If you are close to a USB power source then yes that would work. Our set-up at work (old school amp and floor-stander speakers) dictated that we got an Airplay – no USB power source and we wanted a simple, uncluttered solution in the studio.

And I just Googled – and the Airport (being wifi) should have better audio quality if that is an important consideration…

The choice of Bluetooth or WiFi is clear. Bluetooth is a universal standard and easy to use. But, its range is quite limited and sound quality is restricted. WiFi systems have a wider range and can offer excellent fidelity. But, different systems that use WiFi are incompatible, and setup may be difficult.

From here >>>

And this

AirPlay uses the Apple Lossless codec exclusively, which means that anything up to CD-quality files will be delivered with no lossy compression.

From here >>>

If you are close to a USB power source then yes that would work. Our set-up at work (old school amp and floor-stander speakers) dictated that we got an Airplay – no USB power source and we wanted a simple, uncluttered solution in the studio.

Why couldn’t you just plug a USB mains charger into the same place you were powering the amp from (and where, presumably, you’re now plugging the Airport into)?

the Airport (being wifi) should have better audio quality

It’ll have considerably better range, but willy-waving specifications aside I’d be shocked if most people could tell a difference in quality beyond observational bias. (And arguably if you can, you’re not the sort of person to be using a phone as a media source in the first place.)

It’ll have considerably better range, but willy-waving specifications aside I’d be shocked if most people could tell a difference in quality beyond observational bias. (And arguably if you can, you’re not the sort of person to be using a phone as a media source in the first place.)

Possibly, possibly not, but it is a worthwhile consideration if sound quality *IS* important to the OP isn’t it?

I’ve got a nokia MD-310.

Needs a power adapter (included) or you can use a usb to nokia-small-pin-charger cable if you have USB power handy.

Pair the phone, then from then on just tap the button on the top and it connects to the iphone (or choose it from the iphone’s bluetooth menu).

Great sound quality, and great range.

I’ve used cheaper A2DP adapters and this works more reliably, has better range and sounds better.

Full disclosure: I was given it by the nokia music/accessories team. Having said that, and having tried it, if I got home this evening and it wasn’t working I’d be straight onto amazon to order a new one.

it is a worthwhile consideration if sound quality *IS* important to the OP isn’t it?

Oh, sure. Everything is worth considering when you’re buying something new.

First review on that 7dayshop one though,

I am a recording engineer of a good few years and have always associated ‘wireless audio’ and ‘bluetooth’ with horrific crap sounding mush that you shouldn’t waste your time on.

however, having done some simple tests (using a nexus 7 i might add) with a wired connection and then switching to this bluetooth wireless receiver, i couldn’t reliably tell the difference between tracks i had personally recorded mixed and mastered.
[continues…]

Good enough for me I reckon. Or, put it this way, the airport may well be nominally better to an audiophile who demands lossless over “near CD quality”, but for most practical purposes is it sufficiently better to justify a 500% price hike? I doubt it.

I’ve just had a look at the Airport myself, and it’s also a wireless range extender and print server; so if you can make use those features as well then it would seem to be a reasonable choice. But using it ‘just’ as an audio extender would seem to be a little overkill to me. /shrug

I have the 7dayshop one linked above and it works ok. I use it to play podcasts, radio 6 shows etc from my phone and the quality seems fine to me – considering the road noise etc, anyway.

The only problem with it is that it is a bit fiddly to switch on, and also plugging it in (or turning on the ignition while it’s connected to a lighter socket) switches it off. You can switch it on while charging but if only it was the other way around (power switched it on) then it would be perfect – I could leave it tucked away and never have to touch it.

But yeah, for the price it’s fine. Does the job and hugely better than fm transmitters etc that I’ve heard in the past.

Asda do one for £15’ish – I’m listening to tunes through it right now actually.
Just leave it pugged in so whenever I turn the amp on its ready to go

THIS ONE

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Logitech-Wireless-Speaker-Adaptor-Bluetooth/dp/B0057BAB60/ref=pd_cp_ce_0

Have been using this for some time. It works as it says on the tin.

Cheers guys the logitech one looks like it will do the trick, left it to the last minute and you can get it in currys.

obviously curry’s haven’t got in in stock!

I got one off ebay like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rechargable-Bluetooth-Music-Receiver-3-5mm-Output-for-Car-HiFi-iPhone-5-4s-H16-K-/141146591556?pt=UK_Computing_USB_Bluetooth_Adapters_Dongles&hash=item20dcfe1144 for the car. Get a 3.5mm jack cable, one end to the bluetooth gizmo and the other to the aux input and you’re sorted. For power I bought a USB 12v charger and leave it permanently plugged in. Works on other devices too with a 3.5mm input obviously. Bit cable heavy but if they’re out if sight they’re ok! Works for me.