- Simple- Use with PCs, GPS, game consoles, CD/DVD players, MP3 players, laptops etc.
- Compatible - works with any playback device that has a standard headphone jack (1/8" or 3.5mm).
- Listen to music on any Bluetooth compatible headphone, hearing aid, speaker or more.
- The 90 Degrees headphone jack swivels allowing for easy storage, portability and hard-to-reach connections.
- Operating times - Up to 7 hours playback using internal Lithium-Ion battery or continuous with USB.
Belkin Bluetooth Reciever
Sound Quality: Amazing/Excellent 10/10sounds just as good if not better than standard wired 3.5mm audio connection
Range: 8/10 Line of sight maybe 20-25ft, although I hear that this also depends on your transmitter, I was using Lenovo s10-3t netbook integrated bluetooth and Iphone 3GS integrated bluetooth as source.
Connectability Ease: 10/10, once you have paired it, it stays plugged in to the wall next to your stereo. Example: I turned off my Lenovo s10-3t netbook, the blue light went out on the belkin receiver showing disconnect, I turned the netbook on a day later, immediately I notice the belkin blue light come back on the belkin receiver, and the connect is so fast that the windows 7 startup sound/chime came in through my stereo. Obviously if you connect your computer to a different bluetooth audio device, you will have to later tell it to reconnect to the belkin. But the whole process is super smooth.
Portability: NOT PORTABLE, stays plugged in to wall, this is also a PLUS, because it always stays very ready for easy connect.
BluBridge 3.5mm Mini-Jack Rx Receiver
Sound Quality: Excellent 9.8/10, wired and the belkin bluetooth sound were slightly better, it was more of a slightly fuller/richer, slightly louder sound with the belkin or wired connection. Note: it is only very slightly better sound. My friend and I could only tell the difference when we used the same song, same sound source connecting back and forth very quickly. In the BluBridge's defence it produces 9.8/10 sound whether on battery power or connected to usb charging.
Range: 9/10 Line of sight maybe 25-30ft, basically I got an additional 5ft of range from the same bluetooth transmitters. The signal did seem stronger, when I would start to reach the max, the signal would break and then regain clear again for 3-4 more feet if the transmitter was stable. With the belkin as soon as the signal started to break, the signal was gone.
Connectability Ease: 8/10, this is mainly because the unit has a battery power saver that shuts off the device when not in use. So you have to hold down the button on the unit for 7 seconds, then connect with your device (Iphone 3GS or Lenovo s10-3t netbook)
Portability: Extremely and Easily Portable 10/10. I use it off of battery power mostly, I have it plugged into my Harman Kardon Go + Play High-Performance Portable Loudspeaker System with Dock for iPod (Newest Model) which can also operate off of battery power (8-D-cell batteries). Makes for a excellent portable sound source.
Testing: Used the Belkin RockStar 5-Way 3.5-mm Headphone Splitter (White) with Harmon Kardon Go and Play, 2 computer inputs, Belkin bluetooth input, and BluBridge bluetooth input, and Logitech Z-2300 THX-Certified 2.1 Speaker System with Subwoofer. Everything was connected at once and audio was crystal clear, from anysource, this really speaks volumes for the Belkin rockstar. And if your wondering, yes I did play the movie "Gone in 60 seconds" from my HTPC throught the belkin rockstar outputing to both the Logitech z-2300 speakers and the Harmon Kardon Go and PLay at the same time, sounded really good.
Before Very Close scrutinizing side by side testing, I thought I was going to be returning the Belkin, because the range was about 5ft less, and it wasn't portable. And playing with them separately 20min apart I nor my friend could tell a difference in the sound Quality, so it is very slight. But I ended up keeping them both. I recomend the Belkin if you have a stationary high end stereo system and have no need for bluetooth portability with your stereo system. Other wise I recomend the BluBridge 3.5mm receiver if you think you might ever want to hook it up to portable stereo. The Ease of connectiblity at the end of the day with the belkin is what made me keep it.
They are both EXCELLENT PRODUCTS, read details so see which fits your need better, I found a need for both.
PS: at the end of the testing my friend said he is going to buy the BluBridge bluetooth receiver, he like it because the sound quality was still excellent, it was portable, and he liked the look of it.I ordered this item because I wanted to be able to watch TV in bed while my wife slept. Its great product but not for watching TV or video. There is a delay in the sound, it's like watching an old Godzilla movie, the people's mouth move and then you hear their voices. I tried it on three other TVs my laptop and my Zen video player and got the same results. I guess this is why they call it a Bluetooth Music Transmitter.Set up : HTC EVO 4G in Car. Used this device to feed my stereo AUX input to avoid having to connect a 3.5mm jack to my EVO everytime I got into the car
Sound Quality : 5/5. Did some tests with this and a direct connection (with a friend connecting either one way or the other while I had my eyes closed) and I couldn't tell the difference.
Initial Pairing with Phone : 5/5 Very easy as the passcode is 0000, which the phone always tries as a default code, so I didn't even have to type it in.
Connection and Reconnection : 2/5 This is the biggest let down. Once the phone and the device lose contact (ie if you get out of the car to go into a shop, etc) they do not automatically reconnect. Instead you have to press the button on the unit, and also tell the EVO to reconnect. Manageable, but not as slick as my Parrot car kit, which reconnects automatically with no inputs from me.
Device Design : 3/5 Would have been nicer if the 2 wires you need to connect (power/charge and output to AUX) were on the same side of the device. This would have made it easier to mount it in the car
One other issue I had, which is nothing to do with this device itself, and has more to do with your cars electrical wiring, is that I was getting alternator whine through the stereo if I was charging at the same time as playing music. This is a well known phenomenon in car audio and is caused by a ground loop being created between your stereo and the input device. There are multiple correct ways to fix this properly, but I took a short cut and installed a ground loop isolator http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RNNWHC which cured the ground loop and the whining noisePROS:
I've used several bluetooth transmitters and receivers over the past few years (including equipment made by some famous brand names like Sony and Blackberry) and this is the first tool which really has the solid range which I need. The specs for the range which are listed in the literature for this device are conservative, I believe. The range will always depend on the sensitivity of the bluetooth receiver, plus the power of the transmitter. In this case, Miccus has made sure that you get 200 feet of transmission range and 45 feet of receiving range when it is paired the weakest A2DP devices out there, and factoring in a wall/floor or two. You do not need to be in the line of sight with the device.
The Blubridge Home has a suave design. Those three circles you see on the front are buttons. You press and hold the middle button for three seconds to turn the tool on or off. Once it is on, you can press and hold either the Tx button (left) or Rx button (right) to pair with a foreign bluetooth device. It uses standard bluetooth blink colors (flashes blue and red when pairing, solid blue when connected and receiving, solid red when connected for transmission, flashing red or flashing blue when it is searching for its connection). The lights are in a line inside the case and shine through subtly through the holes and jacks in the back, and the pair of slits along the middle edge of the front.
It is powered by USB. It has a mini-usb jack for that purpose in the housing just below the antenna.
Included in the package are an AC adapter which delivers power to a standard USB jack, a cable which goes from two RCA plugs to one 1/8th inch audio plug, and a male to male 1/8th inch audio cord about a foot long. I have yet to figure out what they intend that last item to be used for (it would have been more useful, if they had included a female to female 1/8th inch audio adapter).
The antenna can be unscrewed and replaced with a larger one if you know where to buy one.
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CONS:
Only one device can be paired at a time. It cannot transmit and receive at the same time.
There is definitely a pulsing background sound which happens if you adjust the volume on the device wrongly.
Connected as a transmitter, it will never disconnect from the bluetooth receiver. So if you leave it on after going to sleep, for example, it'll stay on all night long. The upshot of this is that the batteries in the receiver can really get worn out quickly.
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OTHER THOUGHTS:
Be aware that this is an A2DP (stereo audio) device ONLY. First generation bluetooth devices used a low quality monaural handshake protocol called HSP (or HFP)... and this is not supported hence the one or two complaints you see in the reviews here.
In addition, be mindful that the output of audio equipment which is designed to send a feed to amplified equipment can be a bit grainy. That sounds good when booming out of speakers (it gives a "breathiness" to the sound which adds a sense of heightened emotion). However, it will sound awful with earbuds or headphones. If you're having this problem, it may help to turn down the volume of the origin of the sound before you transmit it with the Miccus Blubridge Home. This effect can't be said to be the fault of the Miccus device.
This tool is supposed to reconnect with the device it has been paired with automatically when it comes into range. I haven't tested this fully because I'm always changing bluetooth devices and needing to re-pair.
I've been reading reviews of Miccus bluetooth devices for about a year now, and given the unqualified enthusiasm people seem to have for the company's products, I have faith that this device will serve me well in the coming years.
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Weight: 110 grams
Size: 11cm x 6cm x 2.5 cm at its widest points. The antenna is 9cm in length.
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This is my second try at a bluetooth transmiter from a 3.5 audio jack. Compared to the first attempt, the Blubridge was a dream come true. I was able to pair to my Plantronics Voyager 855 Stereo Bluetooth Headset with no problem. The first device that I plugged it into after charging via the micro ubs charger was my ipod. The sound was loud and clear. I then plugged it into my netbook and watched some streaming video, no problems. I also have been using it at work with my work PC to listen to streaming audio while I move wirelessly around the office. I do start loosing connectivity after about 15-20 ft, but I only need it to work within that range for my needs. My favorite feature is that I can use it while I have it charging via the usb connection. You just need to turn it back on after you plug it in, as it turns off when it connections to the charger. Another weakness is the user manual is pretty brief. I have serveral questions about why the light blinks the way it does, but it works great. So with few complaints I give this device 4 stars with a strong recommendation.
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