Do you have a fantastic pair of regular speakers gathering dust in a corner because you’ve moved into a wireless world? You love their sound, but you hate the idea of tripping over cables or being tethered to a single spot. The good news is that you don’t need to replace them with an expensive new Bluetooth model. With a few simple and affordable gadgets, you can give your trusted audio companions a new lease on life.
Learning how to make regular speakers wireless easily is a common goal for many music lovers, and it’s far simpler than you might think. It’s all about finding the right adapter to bridge the gap between your classic speakers and your modern devices. Whether you want to stream from your phone, laptop, or even your TV, there’s a solution that fits your needs and budget, letting you enjoy your favorite music without the clutter.
Your Toolkit for Cutting the Cord
The magic behind this conversion lies in a few key types of wireless audio adapters. These small devices receive a wireless signal from your source and then send the audio to your speakers. The main options you’ll encounter are Bluetooth receivers and Wi-Fi streamers. A Bluetooth receiver is often the most straightforward and budget-friendly choice, pairing directly with your phone or tablet. A Wi-Fi streamer, on the other hand, often connects to your home network and can offer higher audio quality and multi-room capabilities.
To connect any of these, your speakers will need some form of input. The most common are the red and white RCA jacks or a 3.5mm auxiliary input. If your speakers only have old-fashioned speaker wire terminals, don’t worry; you’ll just need an adapter that includes a small amplifier to drive them, which we’ll touch on later.
How to Make Regular Speakers Wireless Easily with a Bluetooth Receiver
This is the most popular method for a reason: it’s incredibly simple. A Bluetooth receiver is a small, portable device that you can purchase for a very reasonable price. Here’s how to set it up in just a few minutes.
First, plug the Bluetooth receiver into a power source. Many models have a USB cable that can be plugged into a wall adapter or a USB port on your TV. Next, connect the receiver to your speakers using an audio cable. This is usually a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable or a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable, depending on the inputs on your receiver and your speakers. Once the physical connections are made, power on your speakers.
Now, on your smartphone, tablet, or computer, go to the Bluetooth settings. Turn on Bluetooth and look for the name of your receiver in the list of available devices—it’s often something generic like “Bluetooth Audio.” Select it to pair. Once connected, any audio playing from your device will stream directly to your now-wireless speakers. It’s that easy!
Exploring the World of Wi-Fi Audio Streamers
If you’re looking for something with a bit more power and flexibility, a Wi-Fi streamer might be the perfect fit. Devices like the Arylic A50 or various models from Arylic and other brands plug into your home Wi-Fi network. The setup is a bit more involved than Bluetooth, usually requiring a companion app on your phone, but the benefits are significant.
Wi-Fi streaming often supports higher-resolution audio formats, meaning you can hear more detail in your music. It also doesn’t use your phone’s Bluetooth connection, so your phone battery lasts longer, and you can take calls without interrupting the music. Many of these systems also support multi-room audio, allowing you to play synchronized music in different rooms or different songs in each room, all controlled from your phone.
What About Speakers with Only Bare Wires?
Perhaps your speakers are the older, passive type that only have positive and negative wire terminals and require a separate stereo receiver to power them. You can still make these wireless! The solution is a device that combines a Bluetooth receiver with a built-in amplifier. These are often sold as “mini Bluetooth amplifiers.”
You connect this small box to power, pair it with your phone via Bluetooth, and then connect the speaker wires from the amplifier to your speakers. It receives the wireless signal and provides the necessary power to drive the speakers, all in one compact unit. This is a fantastic way to resurrect an old pair of bookshelf or floor-standing speakers.
Choosing the Right Solution for You
With several paths to wireless freedom, how do you choose? It really comes down to your priorities. If you want the simplest, most portable, and most affordable option, a standard Bluetooth receiver is your best bet. It’s perfect for casual listening from your personal devices.
If you’re an audiophile who cares about sound quality or you want to integrate your speakers into a whole-home audio system, investing in a Wi-Fi streamer is the way to go. And for those classic passive speakers that have no built-in electronics, a Bluetooth amplifier is the essential key to unlocking their wireless potential.
Final Thoughts on Your Wireless Setup
Breathing new life into your old speakers by making them wireless is a rewarding and cost-effective project. It saves you from unnecessary electronic waste and lets you continue enjoying a sound profile you already know and love. Whether you opt for the simplicity of a Bluetooth receiver or the advanced features of a Wi-Fi streamer, the process is straightforward and the result is liberating. In just a short time, you can be enjoying a clean, cable-free setup and streaming your favorite playlists directly to your revitalized speakers.