Can Bluetooth speakers only be operated wirelessly?

With Bluetooth speakers, you can enjoy your favorite music anywhere without complex wiring. Not all speakers are purely wireless, however, and some models also have at least one other connection option. Get an overview of the different alternatives to wireless Bluetooth connectivity.

An overview of all alternatives to Bluetooth

In addition to the wireless Bluetooth connection, some speaker models offer other connection options as an alternative.

1. Some models are also equipped with a 3.5 mm AUX input. This allows you to connect your smartphone or tablet to the speaker via a jack cable. This type of connection is especially good if you want to save battery power, as you can turn off the Bluetooth function. In addition, the AUX connection is a lot less susceptible to interference than the Bluetooth connection.
2. Another alternative to wireless operation is the connection via a USB port. As with the AUX connection, you pair here your smartphone or tablet via cable with the box.
3. A few older speaker models also have a docking station in addition to the Bluetooth connection. Via the station, you can connect certain smartphone models with the speaker.

WLAN instead of Bluetooth

Some wireless speakers have, in addition to the option to connect devices via cable, other wireless connection standards such as WLAN - especially if the speakers offer a multi-room function. The reason for this is that wireless connections such as Bluetooth are nowhere near as stable and powerful as a WLAN connection is, for example.