Not a mackie issue - AirPlay disconnecting

[JohnMHoyt]

I use this BT receiver for people who need to connect to my system at wedding receptions etc.... It's stereo too, and pairs quickly and reliably, it also has XLR and 1/4" outputs.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1484041-REG/galaxy_audio_jib_bt8r_stereo_portable_bluetooth_audio.html

Love that it has XLR on it =)
Does it beep when someone connects to it? 

[WK154]

This one seems like it could be a winner - according to questions/answers, no beep at connection/disconnection?

Any thoughts?

https://www.amazon.com/BluDento-Bluetooth-Receiver-Internal-Streaming/dp/B07BKXP326

Too Pricey and if you want to take advantage of high quality audio you need both transmitter and receiver to be able to handle the aptX HD codec. This will only be possible with a pair cause Apple doesn't have that.
https://www.banggood.com/BlitzWolf-BW-BR4-bluetooth-V5_0-HD-Music-Receiver-Transmitter-Audio-2-in-1-Adapter-p-1320978.html?gmcCountry=US&currency=USD&createTmp=1&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cpc_bgs&utm_content=frank&utm_campaign=pla-elc2-us-pc-0720&ad_id=368005069105&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1oC6n4ft5AIVMBitBh1gogCLEAQYASABEgLAh_D_BwE&cur_warehouse=CN
for what I have. You really only need a good BT4.2 or 5 BT receiver with reasonable distance specs (30M) for even less $. Ipad analog will put out 24/48khz but more likely 24/44.1 for your application. No beeps on this one either. I'm always leery of products that don't give you specs such as BT Version#. The above was a quick look on the net you may want to search a bit.
Walmart for a little more.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/BlitzWolf-BW-BR4-2-in-1-Transmitter-Receiver-3-5mm-AUX-SPDIF-Input-Output-RCA/797039243?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227279616451&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=338656452638&wl4=aud-566049426705:pla-684047244234&wl5=9031169&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=797039243&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2Kvtsovt5AIVGMpkCh2mNAHyEAQYBCABEgLb2_D_BwE

[JohnMHoyt]

Sound quality is not nearly as important as reliable streaming from an iPad without adding on additional transmitters, cables, etc.

I just went ahead and bought one of these units will give it a try.  The 20 dollar logitech that I found in my junk box has proven to me that bluetooth is far superior to AirPlay anyway...   
Even when AirPlay was working better, it always required me to remember to link the iPad to AirPlay before the gig, and to check/double check it before something as important as a first dance with a track.

Bluetooth connects automatically and stays connected.   

I'll let you know how it all goes after this weekend =)

Thanks everyone for the input.

[dpdan]

I recorded the two bluetooth outputs and then played some break music so you can see and hear how soft the two beeps are relative to the music.
In a room with anyone talking, the two beeps most likely would not ever be heard.
This was the Galaxy Audio JIB/BT8R.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGhVoZUmhj4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGhVoZUmhj4</a>

They also make a mono version for 50 bucks.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1482182-REG/galaxy_audio_jib_bt4r_jib_bt4r_mono_bluetooth.html

[JohnMHoyt]

Thanks for going the extra mile there =)

I did order the one that was cheaper, though it may not get here in time to get it into the system and test before tonight. The el-cheapo logitech with BT3 will work fine (hopefully) until then.
It's working so much better than AirPlay ever did.  Yes, the sound quality when streamed from the iPad Air 2 is just a tad less crisp than when using AirPlay - but it's only really noticeable if I lower the iPad output volume to less than 75%.   Just over 75% seems to be the sweet spot, and it compares nicely with AirPlay there.

The lag is not bad with BT 3, it wouldn't sync with video I bet, but I'm not using that.

I'll report back after the weekend!

Thanks again to everyone for their input and help (and demo!)

[WK154]

I see two potential problems with this unit, one is the realistically 5M range not 10M marketing spec (as long as you don't stray more than 15 or 20ft away line of sight it should be fine) and if you have break music that is true stereo you wont get what you want. Bluetooth A2DP by design is a stereo audio stream. I'm guessing that this product simply drops one track in the drink. I doubt that they combine the two tracks (lack of info here (specs)). Dual mono recordings will work just fine but not true stereo. Once you have this unit it is quite simple to test this with a stereo track one with 440Hz and the other at 1Khz. You should have no problem determining its characteristics.

[JohnMHoyt]

The cheap logitech one is true stereo, I know that much.  Great separation with it.

[WK154]

My original suggestion still does everything you need by adding a 3.5mm to XLR or TS cable  (3-5$) and avoid the overpriced and out-dated product your looking at. Future proofing is what I had in mind and I'm sure you all know about that with Apple. The distance issue is also significant in the real world even if you are close to the source without going into the technical details.

[JohnMHoyt]

Oh man - last night was perfect!  Not a single disconnect from AirPlay - no delays.  Bluetooth (using the cheap logitech adapter) was flawless.
Our sound tech said it sounded as good as ever out front.

I had used the Apple Airport Express because it was a reliable router and offered one less piece of equipment to worry with since AirPlay worked well. 
But honestly, it never worked perfectly.   I would sometimes start a song even when it was working what I thought was well - and the ipad would not have gotten set to go to AirPlay and - boom, dead air.

BT is instantly connected.

My on-stage ipad is 10ft away from the rack with the BT receiver, so I don't believe that will be an issue.

Thanks everyone for the input - when the other receiver comes, I will try to update and let you know how it works.

[WK154]

John I'm confused as to which one you used, Airplay or Bluetooth? Glad that everything worked out well.

[JohnMHoyt]

John I'm confused as to which one you used, Airplay or Bluetooth?

AirPlay is being sketchy on iPad Air 2 on 12x and iPad OS 13x for me, so I am using Bluetooth.   Last night was with a very cheap logitech receiver.  Worked perfectly. Sounded great.

[WK154]

So iPadOS 13 is working just fine as well. No obvious problems that you noticed.

[JohnMHoyt]

So iPadOS 13 is working just fine as well. No obvious problems that you noticed.

One problem our sound tech had - but not sure if it is them or what...   When you don't have internet on the router you are using for your sound system, and you do have an ipad with broadband on it, it prompts now with "internet not detected on wifi, use cellular?" or something like that.   You have two options...
Keep trying or use cellular...     When it first prompted, I think I picked to use cellular.

Later in the night, that iPad would no longer connect to the DL32, even though it was showing it in MF4.

Only after disconnecting from wifi and reconnecting did it work again.

Again - not sure if this a bug, or what option I should be picking when it prompts for that.   Will try again tonight.

[WK154]

There should be a setup option to disable broadband (cellular) if not simply enable airplane mode and then individually enable WiFi and if needed Bluetooth in setup. I only have WiFi iPads.

[JohnMHoyt]

Figured I would follow-up again...

I never put the new bluetooth receiver in place because the old el cheapo one works so well for me.
Not a single glitch. 
Audio is no worse (maybe better?) than when streaming through the Airport Express.
Latency doesn't seem any worse than when I was using the Airport Express.

Best of all, it's always on, never drops out, never have to select it from the iPad like I did the airport - it just works brilliantly.

Using with iPad Pro with latest IOS for the record, and never more than about 30ft from the receiver.   The receiver is gaff-taped to the top of my DL32R in the rack that sits on stage, line of site to everywhere.