Monoprice Announces Three Home Audio Bluetooth Adapters for Under $40
Monoprice has announced a set of home audio Bluetooth adapters for under $40! Priced at $17.99 (receiver only), $27.99 (transmitter and receiver), and $39.99 (long-range transmitter and receiver), respectively, they won’t break the bank and will add some functionality to older gear. Got a TV you want to use with headphones or an old CD player you’d like to stream to your new AV receiver? These Bluetooth adapters from Monoprice are the easy, and inexpensive, solutions! Let’s take a closer look.
Who Is This Aimed At?
So let’s face it. Not everyone is on the bleeding edge of technology. I have a 37″ dumb TV that is 13 years old sitting in my living room. I haven’t watched it in five years. But my father-in-law and my wife use it frequently, and with those tiny, TV speakers cranked to the max.
But Andrew, get them some Bluetooth headphones! Great idea, but I’ll remind you that it’s 13 years old. Back then, Bluetooth wasn’t a common feature in everyday electronics. Enter the Monoprice Bluetooth Adapters! This scenario, and many others, is a perfect fit for these inexpensive Bluetooth adapters!
The Rundown
As is typical with Monoproce, they offer a few tiers, starting at basic and ultra-budget to feature-rich but still budget! Let’s go through them.
Monoprice Bluetooth 5 Receiver with Mic (43245)
The entry-level model, 43245 (these units are so inexpensive, Monoprice can’t even afford proper names!), starts at $17.99 and is a simple transmit-only unit. The Monoprice Bluetooth adapter allows you to add Bluetooth capabilities to a non-BT device via a 3.5mm stereo connection. Want to stream audio from your phone to an older AV receiver? Or maybe from your newer TV to your wired headphones? This is the device for you!
It has a 32′ range (line of sight) and allows you to connect up to two devices simultaneously. On top of this, there is a built-in microphone that will enable you to make and receive calls. There is a simple multi-function button to help you navigate it all.
- Bluetooth 5 wireless connection
- 3.5mm stereo analog audio connection
- Multipoint Connection allows seamless switching between audio sources
- Built-in microphone for making and receiving phone calls
- Supports 3-way phone calls
- A rechargeable battery delivers up to 15 hours of playback/talk time
Monoprice Bluetooth 5 Transmitter and Receiver (43244)
The middle child, the 43244, is $27.99 and is both a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver (though it can only be used as one of those at a time). It shares all of the features of the 43245 (you are killing me with these names Monoprice!) and adds support for AAC, SBC, Qualcomm aptX, and aptX Low Latency audio codecs. Want to stream from a non-Bluetooth device that only has analogue audio? This is the one you want!
This addition is important for Bluetooth headphone users who want the best audio quality from their music but either a) don’t have Bluetooth in their device or b) have Bluetooth 4 or lower.
Battery life drops by an hour, but that’s acceptable given that the unit transmits and receives. So that’s a fair trade-off.
- Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver
- Transmits or receives at up to 32 feet (10 meters) distance
- AAC, SBC, Qualcomm® aptX™, and aptX Low Latency audio codecs
- Supports a 3.5mm stereo analog audio connection
- Multipoint Connections for both the transmitter and receiver
- Up to 14 hours of audio playback
Monoprice Bluetooth 5 Long Range Transmitter and Receiver (43243)
Lastly, we move to their top model, the 43243, priced at a “whopping” $39.99! It shares all of the features of the 43244 and adds support for digital optical S/PDIF wired connections. There is an optical in and an optical out depending on whether you use the unit as a transmitter or receiver. Ironically, even though the name says long-range, it maintains the same 32′ range as the other two.
In my opinion, this is the no-brainer of the trio. Adding a digital wired connection gives you some versatility and gives you some options for high-res streaming. Most importantly, it looks audiophile grade with LED’s to denote when you are in high-res modes!
- Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver
- Transmits or receives at up to 32 feet (10 meters) distance
- AAC, SBC, Qualcomm aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Low Latency audio codecs
- Supports analog and digital optical audio connections
- Multipoint Connections for both the transmitter and receiver
- Up to 25 hours of audio playback for uninterrupted listening sessions and calls
Our Take
These Bluetooth adapters from Monoprice are low-cost ways to breathe some new life into aging gear that is still useful but lacks some modern features. While low-cost, they are jam-packed with helpful features. I know I will get one for my old TV and gift my wife and father-in-law some great Bluetooth headsets so they can binge their favorite shows while I nap.
Check out Monoprice’s full line of Bluetooth receivers here.
