Beoplay S3 wired input question...

Hello everyone,

Apologies if this has been answered before - I did search, but couldn't find anything.

Could anyone tell me if the Beoplay S3 speakers are capable of receiving audio input through their 3.5mm input jack? I have bought a pair to use as bluetooth speakers from my Mac/iPhone/iPad etc - but would also like to wire them to my TV to use as speakers for that, too.

I have read some conflicting reports that it's either not possible, or is possible but there is a lag in the sound against the picture on the screen.

Could anyone clarify this for me?

Thanks so much!

Colin

Have a look at the post from Thu, Oct 1 2015 2:18 PM

http://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/t/16666.aspx?PageIndex=4

There is no delay using wired connections.

And welcome to Beoworld :-)

MM

fooyork:

Could anyone tell me if the Beoplay S3 speakers are capable of receiving audio input through their 3.5mm input jack? I have bought a pair to use as bluetooth speakers from my Mac/iPhone/iPad etc - but would also like to wire them to my TV to use as speakers for that, too.

In a nutshell: you can use S3 speakers either as wired speakers (connected to the TV with the 3.5mm input jack and wiring two S3 speakers together with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable to get them to function as left & right speakers) OR you can use them as a bluetooth speakers for Mac/iPhone/iPad etc.

Unfortunately, you cannot setup the S3 to function as both bluetooth & wired speakers at the same time, and alternate between the bluetooth/3.5mm input source.

Connecting a 3.5mm cable disables bluetooth, meaning that you'd need to go through the setup process (for bluetooth and wired use) every time you want to switch the input from bluetooth to 3.5mm and vice versa.

In addition to my previous post:

For a Mac/iPhone/iPad setup there is a kind of a work-around for wired / wireless use:

1) Connect an S3 to your TV with a 3.5mm cable.

2) Connect the S3 to another S3 with a 3.5mm - 3.5mm cable, so you can use them as a stereo pair.

3) Connect an Apple TV to your TV.

4) AirPlay music from your Mac/iPhone/iPad to the Apple TV, and you'll hear the music from the S3 pair.

The bluetooth function will be redundant in this kind of a setup, but you can use AirPlay instead. In this setup, the S3 speakers will of course work when watching TV, Blu-Ray & other sources as well (and there is no delay in sound).

@KMA

Nice workaround!

Bluetooth might work, if connecting the S3's to an Essence (2g) and connecting the tv-out to the line-in of the Essence.

Would be nice to test some day ;-))

MM

@KMA

By the way - how do you use your 'pair of S3' nowadays and do you still like them?

MM

Thanks so much for your tips...

I have thought of another solution... The Apple TV (4th gen) supports output to Bluetooth speakers... So I may use them as purely bluetooth speakers and only use them with my Apple TV - I only use my television for Netflix/NowTV/Plex/iTunes anyway, so that would suit me perfectly!

Millemissen:

@KMA

By the way - how do you use your 'pair of S3' nowadays and do you still like them?

MM

There is a tv - and there is a BV.

Yes, I have a pair wired to an Airport Express. They sound a bit different (better to my ears) when used over AirPlay instead of bluetooth – I've wondered if this is because of the DAC in AE and the analog line-in connection.

For their price & size, they're remarkable. I found them to be a bit too bright (to my taste) at first, but this was easily fixed with a little tweak of Deezer's EQ.

I wish there were floor-stands available for the S3, similar to, for example, BL3's stands. I did contact STBbrackets, and will perhaps modify their S3 wall bracket to function as an adapter to fix the S3 to floor stands. The stands will cost more than the speakers, but I think they'll look worth the price

fooyork:

Thanks so much for your tips...

I have thought of another solution... The Apple TV (4th gen) supports output to Bluetooth speakers... So I may use them as purely bluetooth speakers and only use them with my Apple TV - I only use my television for Netflix/NowTV/Plex/iTunes anyway, so that would suit me perfectly!

That's a great idea!

With bluetooth, I hope there will be no audio delay in such a setup, or that it can be adjusted from Apple TV.

I have the new Apple TV myself, so please do share how it works out!

@KMA

Thanks for your comments on your use of the S3's.

Do you have any issues with the 'double-volume-control' of the setup?

Means - do the S3's always start up at the same volume level (each of them and every time), so that you can control the volume entirely from the app/iDevice?

Or how do you do this?

P.S. I gave mine to my daughter - but often think of buying a pair for myself, as I liked it very much.

MM

Millemissen:

Do you have any issues with the 'double-volume-control' of the setup?

Means - do the S3's always start up at the same volume level (each of them and every time), so that you can control the volume entirely from the app/iDevice?

Or how do you do this?

I haven't had any issues with the volume control: I just set it at a comfortable level and matched it to about 1/3 of my iDevice's volume setting, and then forgot about it. I have since been adjusting the volume from my iDevices only.

As far as I can tell, the "base level" of S3's volume remains the same. I don't actually even know if the hands-on volume controls are synchronised between the two speakers, when using the wired connection – I haven't used the buttons since the initial setting.

Note that I have the S3s always on standby, I don't power them down. Maybe that makes a difference so the volume stays at a set level?

I'm curious to experiment, though, now that you mentioned it. If the volume controls work independently in a wired stero setup, it might be a handy way to balance the volume in a setting where one S3 is further away from the listening position than the other

@KMA

Thanks again.

That sounds good ;-)

No excuse then for me to try out a pair ;-))

I must look out for a good offer.

MM

 

Right - so I now have both of my S3's.

I am having teething problems.

If one S3 is connected to my Apple TV via Bluetooth there are absolutely no sync issues with the picture on the screen. However, once you add the second speaker through the 'True Wireless' stereo setup there is a very slight, but noticeable lag between the speakers and the picture. Enough to be annoying. Anyone got any good ideas?

I have also tried to use them as a pair of wired speakers, however I can't seem to get them to play left and right channel - all I get is mono sound. Could anyone help here?

fooyork:

Right - so I now have both of my S3's.

I am having teething problems.

If one S3 is connected to my Apple TV via Bluetooth there are absolutely no sync issues with the picture on the screen. However, once you add the second speaker through the 'True Wireless' stereo setup there is a very slight, but noticeable lag between the speakers and the picture. Enough to be annoying. Anyone got any good ideas?

I have also tried to use them as a pair of wired speakers, however I can't seem to get them to play left and right channel - all I get is mono sound. Could anyone help here?

I think the BT lag cannot be avoided in a wireless stereo setup.

As for using them as a wired pair, I would suggest a reset first (press and hold the "B&O button" and - button simultaneously for 6 seconds).

Then connect the wires, and follow the instructions of setting them work as a wired pair: start with the left (main) speaker, then setup the right speaker. You need to follow the sequence & press the buttons as instructed in the manual.

Hello there, 

Hope that people are still active on this thread, i actually bought a pair today, and updated them both. I thought to use them with my computer with usb audio but i exprencience indeed a lag when i play them in True Wireless mode does anyone know if this can be fixed in the future? Or will it stays always in this way.

Is there really no other possibility then use the speakers in true wireless mode without a lag? And with an Aux cable? i need to try it out soon.

Thanks to you all for your helping here!

canariasproducts:

 And with an Aux cable? i need to try it out soon.

Have a look in the thread, that was linked to in my first post - the picture that Dave Farr provided - if you want to know about the connection possibilities.

And welcome to Beoworld - please keep us posted, if/when you try it out.

MM

I'm having fun putting together a B&O system for a friend that "plays records and Bluetooth for as cheap as possible" and found that with 1 S3 wired to a phono preamp allows for auto switching to Bluetooth audio.

So, play a record in the wired setup and start playing music via Bluetooth and the S3 switches automatically to Bluetooth until the Bluetooth audio signal stops then it reverts back to the wired phono preamp signal. Also allows for remote volume control via Bluetooth through the beoplay app of the turntable.

Two S3s not working so smooth, no stereo separation via wired connect or Bluetooth true wireless and the Bluetooth auto switching doesn't work right and volume control via app of the turntable with 2 S3s isn't working right. I'll keep playing with it.