Bluetooth A2DP for the Quality Amplifier

In December 2008 I started building a variant of the 1934 Wireless World Quality Amplifier, and by the summer of 2009 I had a pair of these working with a valve preamp based on a Mullard design from the 1950s and a pair of the original Leak Sandwich speakers from the 1960s.

All very well, but this is 2010 and I seem to listen to music on Spotify more than any other source and radio programmes on iPlayer.

This week I added a Bluetooth A2DP stereo receiver to the amplifier, and I am very impressed by how well it works. Given that these things are almost being given away (mine cost £15) I cannot recommend it enough.

From gadgets

For anyone looking to do the same, here are my notes on getting it working with Windows 7 or Ubuntu.

Frakenfone

My latest "gadget hack".

From gadgets

Not sure what this 1940s telephone was originally used for, some sort of radio telephone link I guess. Anyway it seemed ideal for conversion to a bluetooth phone. With the handset down the original loudspeaker fitted in the dial aperture is loud enough to be heard clearly in a quiet room. I though some extra amplification might be needed, but I got lucky.

The clear glass bezel was in my junk box and works beautifully to allow the bluetooth earpiece blue/amber LED to be seen.

From gadgets

A simple project, but very pleasing.