These days most mainstream audio electronics have Bluetooth connectivity built in. But if you have older home-audio gear, such as a beloved stereo receiver or a set of powered speakers, there’s a chance that either it lacks Bluetooth connectivity altogether or its Bluetooth reception is poor. That doesn’t mean you have to scrap your system and start over.
A Bluetooth audio receiver lets you pair your older gear with the latest Bluetooth audio sources—and the best ones give you great sound. The iFi Audio Zen Air Blue is our favorite due to its excellent range, exhaustive format support, and surprisingly good audio performance for the price.
Our pick
This Bluetooth audio receiver sounds amazing, is simple to set up, and offers surprisingly good range—but it lacks digital audio outputs.
Although you can certainly pay more for a Bluetooth receiver to get additional features and even longer range, the iFi Audio Zen Air Blue delivers where it matters most. The sound quality is on a par with that of Bluetooth audio receivers costing nearly twice as much, and its small number of connections and controls makes it easy and intuitive to operate. Plus, the Bluetooth range is surprisingly good considering this model’s lack of an external antenna.
Stereo analog RCA outputs are the only connection option, and that’s fine for most people since pretty much every home stereo system has an analog input. The Zen Air Blue supports all of the relevant Bluetooth audio codecs (coder/decoders, algorithms that compress audio data to make it easier to transmit wirelessly), so it’s almost certainly capable of receiving the best Bluetooth signal that your phone, tablet, or computer is capable of transmitting.
Upgrade pick
The Zen Blue V2 is a costly but worthwhile upgrade to our top pick if you prefer digital outputs or have a larger home that requires more signal range.
If you have a high-end audio system or would prefer a Bluetooth audio receiver with digital audio outputs, the iFi Audio Zen Blue V2 was without question the best-sounding Bluetooth receiver we evaluated in our latest round of tests. Connection-wise, it has you covered with both optical and coaxial digital audio outputs, as well as a 4.4 mm balanced audio connection and stereo analog RCA outputs.
The Zen Blue V2 is also a great choice if you need more signal range than most Bluetooth receivers can provide. All the rest of our test units either became unstable or lost connection somewhere within the 1,518-square-foot suburban home in which we did our testing, but the Zen Blue V2, fitted with the supplied long-range antenna, maintained a stable connection from an iPhone located all the way in the far corner of the backyard.
Combine that with easy setup, reliable and near-instantaneous reconnections, and an attractive form, and the Zen Blue V2 is the best pick for demanding audiophiles, despite its lofty price tag.
Budget pick
If you’re looking for a cheap, reliable Bluetooth audio receiver with portable potential, the Monoprice 38071 performs well. But it has some quirks.
If your main priorities when shopping for a Bluetooth receiver are price and portability, as opposed to ergonomics and pristine sound quality, the Monoprice 38071 Premium Bluetooth 5 Transmitter and Receiver wins out over other comparably priced offerings. It supports the most common Bluetooth audio codecs but lacks support for a couple of the more esoteric ones that audiophiles may appreciate.
The 38071 can function as a Bluetooth receiver or transmitter, though we tested only its reception capabilities for the purposes of this guide. In addition, you can either leave it connected to power or use it as a portable device, as it has pretty decent battery life. It also has transport controls that allow you to skip tracks without unlocking your phone or other portable media player.
Unfortunately, it has some operational quirks that appear to be common for models in its price class and make it less intuitive than the iFi Audio picks. But as long as you’re using its optical output instead of its 3.5 mm analog output, the sound quality is pretty solid.
