Question About Bluetooth Adapter Connections and Compatibility

Hardware
1

I look after the sound and lighting systems in our village for the animations, plus all computer related issues and connections.

My question is based around bluetooth and compatibles with different computers, phones and tablets.

Each start of season I check all the computers work fine, they are all now on linux, we use libreoffice and google documents, sheets etc to share data of members, accounts and everything about running an association with members.

We have a large sound system which only works on wired connection to the different computers tablets or phones. Although we do have several radio microphones which I then connect to the amps and mixers as required.

No problems, except when a windows user wants to plug in, but thats another issue.

So bluetooth.

We have 3 different portable powered speaker systems which have radio microphones, usb or wired connection. They also have bluetooth availability. This is where I can have issues.

So my questions are

Is bluetooth the same on each device given the age range of the devices are from new to one around 10 years old and a further around 12 years, nothing is marked on the boxes no names, no versions just the makers name and they no longer exist. So do bluetooth receivers have different version and could this cause compatibles issues ?

Can you connect 2 bluetooth speakers to one bluetooth computer.

Similar connect 2 computers to one speaker via bluetooth or is it exclusive

Pair two speakers to one computer

Do you need to remove devices or empty the cache on the computer. Like you do with cookies.

I tried yesterday to connect one speaker to several phones at the same time and they all saw the device but all failed, guess it could not decide which to link so did nothing. This was not intentionnel, just a concert and the musiciens were all experts and all said, they were the one to connect. In the end I fitted a cable to one guitar and a microphone for the singers to share.

Are there different versions of bluetooth available

Its an area I know little about just added to my work load

2

As long as they can pair, I would not epxect problems. But it’s best to check.

No. BT allows you to connect multiple devices, but the cannot be of the same function.
For example, you can connect BT keyboard, BT mouse, BT speaker the same time to a computer, but you can’t connect BT speaker “A” and BT speaker “B” at the same time.

You can pair more, but only one can be active.
For example, on my laptop I have paired my RPi (as BT receiver in the living room), and also the Bludento BLT2 which is in my sons room. But I can connect to only one of them at the same time.

That’s a different story, the receiver may support more connections, but usually this is not the case. For example, my RPi can handle up to 3 devices, it allows to connect even a 4th device, but then the sound gets choppy, and interleaved.
So my laptop plays a song, then phone A plays another, phone B something other, and the result is a mixed mess… :slight_smile:
But it’s possible.
Usually, you can pair more devices to a speaker, but only one can connect at a time. Say phone A connects, then phone B will not be able to connect, until phone A disconnects.

Sure there are, but at this point I’m unsure as well. I don’t really know what’s the difference between BT versions.

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3

Thanks that cleared a lot of my questions.

I dont personally have any bt devices except a keyboard for my tablet so all this is new to me, still prefer to plug in devices hard wired like me

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4

I like fixed things to plug. So for the desktop wired keyboard, mouse, wired sound output etc…
But a mobile device is more practical to use via wireless solutions.

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5

I don’t know details either, but it seems to me each newer version was using less power as a main feature. Some newer versions also have higher fidelity sound, I think.

Below is a Copilot summary of differences between the most recent versions.

Bluetooth has come a long way from its humble beginnings, and the last few versions—especially from 5.0 onward—have introduced major leaps in speed, range, efficiency, and audio capabilities. Here’s a breakdown of the most recent versions and what sets them apart:

:cyclone: Bluetooth 5.0 (2016)

  • Speed & Range: 2x faster and 4x longer range than Bluetooth 4.2.

  • Broadcast Capacity: 8x increase in message size for better beacon and location services.

  • Use Case: Ideal for smart home devices, wearables, and improved audio streaming.

:compass: Bluetooth 5.1 (2019)

  • Direction Finding: Introduced Angle of Arrival (AoA) and Angle of Departure (AoD) for precise location tracking.

  • Improved Discovery: Faster and more reliable device discovery.

  • Use Case: Indoor navigation, asset tracking, and proximity-based services.

:headphone: Bluetooth 5.2 (2020)

  • LE Audio: Supports the new LC3 codec for better sound quality at lower bitrates.

  • Multi-Stream Audio: Enables synchronized audio across multiple earbuds or hearing aids.

  • Isochronous Channels: Improves audio sync and latency.

  • Use Case: True wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds, hearing aids, and broadcast audio.

:high_voltage: Bluetooth 5.3 (2021)

  • Energy Efficiency: Enhanced power control for better battery life.

  • Improved Reliability: Smarter channel classification to reduce interference.

  • Use Case: IoT devices in crowded RF environments, longer-lasting wearables.

:shopping_bags: Bluetooth 5.4 (2023)

  • PAwR (Periodic Advertising with Responses): Enables bidirectional, connectionless communication.

  • Encrypted Advertising Data (EAD): Boosts security for broadcast messages.

  • Use Case: Retail tech like electronic shelf labels, large-scale sensor networks.

If you’re choosing devices or peripherals, Bluetooth 5.2 and above are especially valuable for audio quality and multi-device connectivity. Want help comparing specific gadgets or figuring out what version your gear supports? I’ve got you covered.

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6

@pdecker answered most of your questions…

In my experience BT 4.x is very unreliable - especially on Linux… BT 5 and later were a vast improvement… I have a BT 5 and WiFi PCIe in my Pop!_OS desktop machine - it’s rock solid…

Generally - no - you cannot have two computers connected at the same time to a BT audio “sink” (like a speaker) - whichever one pairs / connects last, stops it on the first one - this happens to me all the time - I have a portable BT speaker (Tribit StormBox Micro 2) which I mostly pair to my phone - but - if BT is turned on on my Pop!_OS Thinkpad - it takes over - so - I keep BT disabled on that laptop…

I just got some new BT headphones yesterday - my 3rd set of “bone conducting” headphones (the old ones still work) Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 - the audio quality is a vast improvement over the previous generation! Anyway - you can install an app - and use the app to switch between two bluetooth computers / devices… But I found it unreliable…

Note - the Tribit speaker also has an app with some sophisticated features - e.g. you can get a 2nd one and set them to stereo speakers left and right… Haven’t tried it myself (as I don’t have a 2nd one).

I’d suggest it’s highly likely 10+ year older computers have BT 4 or earlier… Note also - Linux can be a bit fussy with BT LTE (low power) devices - e.g. USB BT dongles…

Also - Intel BT chipsets seem much more reliable than those from the likes of Broadcom and Realtek - but that’s just my anecdotal experience…

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So if you have a 10 year old telephone which connects to a 10 year old device no problem.

Will it connect to a new bt device ?

Similar if you have a new phone will it connect to a 10 year old device

Are all versions compatable upwards and downwards ? (Except for speed)

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Good question. I couldn’t say for sure. If it’s like WiFi, it would be backward compatible. You would sure think it would make sense.

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