In an effort to support the majority of products while ensuring high-quality audio playback, we made a decision to release the firmware to support products that have fixed audio latencies. Our line of SoundTouch Wireless Link Adapter and older Lifestyle systems have latencies that vary depending on connected accessories, which makes it hard to guarantee your audio will stream seamlessly and synchronized with all speakers in your AirPlay 2 group.
I have the SoundTouch Wireless Link Adapter hooked up to an old Bang & Ofusen stereo and I was looking forward to stream some music from my Mac to it, using Airplay 2. So latency wouldn't have mattered in that case as I wasn't going to group the adapter to other speakers.
If in fact the latency-concerns are the only reason why Bose excluded the adapter then I think it would have been much appreciated if they had left it to the user to decide if some latency is acceptable or not. Apple provided Airplay 2 for their 2nd gen. Airport Express and Sonos offers a similar solution as well. Both of them also can't predict the latency of connected speakers.
Should the SoundTouch Wireless Link Adapter be missing the necessary hardware to provide Airplay 2, then it would be nice to just have this confirmed and we can put a nail in that coffin.
If anybody else was waiting for Airplay 2 on the Wireless Link Adapter and could live with potential latency issues, let Bose know below. Maybe we can get more information about this from them.
If we cannot have Airplay 2 on other Bluetooth SoundTouch systems because of latency. Why can it not be also added to Bluetooth SoundTouch systems? Is Apple not allowing them to be certified?
If we cannot have Airplay 2 on other Bluetooth SoundTouch systems because of latency. Why can it not be also added to Bluetooth SoundTouch systems? Is Apple not allowing them to be certified?
I think on other SoundTouch speaker systems, the latency is fixed and a known amount that can be programmed in to the Airplay 2 interface. Because the SoundTouch adapter has analog and digital audio interfaces, the overall latency is different for each one, and the Bose engineers can’t program in a set latency that will be correct for both audio outputs. If they picked one output’s latency (and really the only choice would be the analog one), I think the concern is that customers who use other outputs will experience unsynchronized audio and the subset who are uninformed will be calling in for technical support, or to complain, or will form and share negative opinions about Bose products and design. It leads to compromised product performance that might be hurtful to their reputation. Apple may also restrict Airplay 2 usage to devices that strictly conform to their spec. on synchronized audio, because a sub-performing system is hurtful to their image as well.
I think on other SoundTouch speaker systems, the latency is fixed and a known amount that can be programmed in to the Airplay 2 interface. Because the SoundTouch adapter has analog and digital audio interfaces, the overall latency is different for each one, and the Bose engineers can’t program in a set latency that will be correct for both audio outputs. If they picked one output’s latency (and really the only choice would be the analog one), I think the concern is that customers who use other outputs will experience unsynchronized audio and the subset who are uninformed will be calling in for technical support, or to complain, or will form and share negative opinions about Bose products and design. It leads to compromised product performance that might be hurtful to their reputation. Apple may also restrict Airplay 2 usage to devices that strictly conform to their spec. on synchronized audio, because a sub-performing system is hurtful to their image as well.
There are a few assumptions there that if true would mean that other devices would be added. The SoundTouch Bose TV systems that are not included like the Lifestyle & Cinemate systems that have an external adapter would automatically be included since Bose knows the exact amount of delay they would have as it's all controlled by Bose from beginning to end. After all, the Wave ST IV got an update and it also has an external Bose adapter.
Also if it's a difference between optical or rca, then Bose could simply make an if statement for the delay, so if optical then this delay, if not then use another delay.
I can't understand why the recent Bose Soundtouch software update to Soundtouch 300 included Airplay but Soundtouch wireless link adapters weren't included. This means, other than Bluetooth (inferior sound quality in my opinion), it is still not possible to stream music wirelessly from Apple Music directly to Bose Wireless Link Adapters.
My Bose zones compromise:
Lounge/dining Room - Bose Lifestyle 25 series II (2 zones) with a wireless link adapter
Study - Apple iMac connected to Wireless Link Adapter and Bose Companion 50 speakers
Sun Lounge - Bose Soundtouch 300 connected to Acoustimas module and surround speakers
4 rooms in total
A beautiful system when it works as Bose Soundtouch wireless link adapters can be tempremental and can often drop off the network. I find the following workaround enables (best quality) streaming Apple Music from my Study across all zones.
1. Open Apple music on iPhone and connect to Soundtouch wireless link adapter with auxiliary cable via an Apple lightning aux adapter.
2. Open Soundtouch App. on either iPhone or iMac and then select the required listening zones.
Not ideal as the iPhone has to run off battery but I feel aux delivers a better audio quality to each zone than Bluetooth although I stand to be corrected here. The sooner Bose includes Airplay into wireless link adapters, problem solved. Like many on here, we live in hope.
Although I have the Soundtouch 20 with the recently upgraded Airplay 2, I also have the soundlink which sadly had been left out of this ‘vital’ upgrade.
I too wouldn’t mind any latency issues if the soundlink is upgraded since I use Qobuz and Tidal to stream music to my Soundtouch 20 but since Bose doesn’t have these integrated in their App to register through, it only leaves other more known companies to be connected through Bose.
Please, Bose. Provide us with an Airplay 2 update for the Soundlink?
Could not agree more...people buy (or bought in my case) the Bose SoundTouch Wireless Link Adapter to connect it to their non hyper tech audio systems they cherish for years... So I think it is really important AirPlay 2 comes!
Especially, since for Apple iPhone or iPad users there is already no support on streaming your iPhone or iPad content over the Bose app as it is today...! virtually making the adapter today just an expensive way to get your radio on your previous century sound system.
looking forward to the solution for Airplay. Even locking to only streaming over Airplay to SoundTouch Wireless link adapter and not to other devices would be fine!
Everyone, the solution has arrived. I updated my speaker today and when I was complete to my pleasant surprise, All my apple music became available through Bose sound touch wireless Link Adapter. Moreover, the discovery is that I all my common apple products can play music, my bedroom, the entertainment room, and my sound link adapter. I have long been able to use XM Radio, and Pandora and have been locked out of my music library. As of TODAY, NO MORE ISSUES.
Even my issues of with Catalina IOS system and Bose are effectively resolved with Airplay. So whether IPhone, IPad, or Mac computers, the solution with Airplay 2, now affords me to use my Bose Systems with no issues. While you cannot see the Airplay on Bose, Apple allows you to tap into the Bose System. It JUST WORKS...kind of trippy. But my issues have been put to bed.