Auracast transmitter tests

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I have Jabra Enhance Pro 20 aids and a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra phone, both of which support Auracast, and I have been experimenting for several weeks with both my aids and also with both Samsung Buds 3 Pro and Sony Libkbuds S earbuds.

To do so, I purchased and tested 6 different Auracast transmitters on 2 different Windows computers. Here are some of my findings to date:

Of the 6 transmitters, only 2 work with my aids, 3 work with the both brands of earbuds but not the aids, and 1 doesn’t seem to work at all. Note that everything that follows refers ONLY to Bluetooth LE broadcast mode not Classic Bluetooth.

HomeSpot BA210 v2: This is the clear winner. It uses a USB C power source and gets audio via a 3.5mm jack or USB. It connected immediately to all devices and has great range–I get clear reception throughout my house. Note that the BA210 v1 included with HomeSpot headphone sets will NOT work. It is not listed on the HomeSpot web site but you can find it currently for $49.99 on Amazon. The User Guide is at: https://www.homespotdigital.com/content/Bluetooth-Transmitters/Broadcaster/IM-EN-BA210.pdf

FlooGoo FMA120 dongle: Didn’t work with my aids at first, but once the Jabra firmware was updated to version 9.68.1.0 (which requires a trip to Costco), as suggested by Ranson Sha at Flairmesh, it worked as well as the BA210 v2, but it’s not quite as flexible in terms of connections and portability.

The following 3 devices connect to the earbuds but not the hearing aids. In each case, the Auracast broadcast is discovered by the assistant, but when I try to connect, I get a message that my device is not supported.

Avantree Voyager: a slick rechargeable transmitter with a 3.5mm plug that comes with an adapter for use with airline audio systems.

Avantalk C82: a USB C dongle controlled by a multifunction button.

MoerLab MoerDuo: a very small rechargeable clip that supposedly can both transmit and receive Auracast, also controlled by a button.

I also tried the Creative BT-W6, a USB C dongle with a button similar to the Avantalk C82, but also controlled by Creative’s Windows app. I couldn’t get it to work at all

I’ve used Avantree Bluetooth products for years and hope they can update the Voyager and the C82 to work with my aids as they are both very attractive products. If the MoerDuo can be updated to work with my Jabras, they would probably become my first choice. But for now, only the BA210 v2 and the FMA120 fit the bill.

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Regarding the C82 please see my post here. I’m hoping to be able to try it again sometime this week

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Are the Homespot and Floogoo devices comparable? I thought the FMA120 would give a computer full LE Audio capability. The Homespot device sounds like a transmitter only.

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The BA210 v2 and the FMA120 are both transmitters only.

The only device I tested that can also receive Auracast broadcasts is the MoerDuo, but that did not work with the Jabra hearing aids.

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How does one identify a BA210 v2 versus a v1 or is the one sold by itself always v2? This supports optical as well with a specific cable type so it could work as a TV streamer.

Is MoerLab MoerDuo made by the people who made VOCE? You can still buy VOCE devices: https://www.nexum-design.com/shop It looks like a similar device.

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The FMA120 has a special firmware that allows it to function as a stereo USB microphone. The audio source comes from a preset Auracast channel, which you’ll need to configure beforehand (including the broadcast name and PIN, if applicable) before starting recording. This means the FMA120 can work as both an Auracast transmitter and receiver.

With a mixing app that can loop the microphone to the speakers, this could be one of the easiest ways to receive Auracast on a PC.

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@jwerner what is your intake on this thread?

do you need both HA and smartphone to be auracast enabled?
Thx

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As I understand it, to host an assistant app, a phone (or other device) must support Bluetooth LE, so at the very least it must have Bluetooth version 5.2 or greater. I don’t believe it needs to be Auracast enabled, but since I don’t own any Apple devices and my Samsung phone is Auracast enabled, I have no way of testing this myself.

On the other hand, hearing aids or earphones must must be Auracast enabled to receive and decode the LE Audio broadcast discovered and selected by the assistant app.

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Look for the silkscreened symbols on the top of the case near the front edge identifying the LEDs. The v1 has 2 LEDs and the v2 has 3 LEDs.

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The tech person from the church has made it work with just the Smart 3D app and the Jabra Enhance Pro 20s on a parishioner’s iPhone.

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TOSLink input on the 3.5mm jack too!

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It also works on an Android 8.0 phone with Bluetooth 4.2.

Auracast is exciting, and having a solution for existing phones is key.

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The Jabra app has been updated & now supports Auracast assistant

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Thank you for the update @NormPete , and welcome!

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Great to hear. I returned my Jabras months ago because they would not accept an auracast except from jabra proprietary devices.
Also, the Jabras would not accept an auracast when others are also receiving it.
Returned the Damsung 25 as well awaiting this type of update.
Can your Jabras receive an Auracast transmission while other devices are also " online" ?
Thanks,
Jim

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I see on Amazon that there is now a BA310 model. Same price BUT with a $10 off coupon. Any guess if that Is that an improved version over the 210v2 that you found best?

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The BA210 V2 works perfectly with my Jabra EP20s and the Jabra Android app v 1.39.1. The BA310 specs and description appear to be identical on the Amazon listings. For whatever reason neither is listed on the Homespot site.

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The BA310 is only listed as a receiver, not a transmitter. I don’t think that’s what anybody here is looking for…

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Yes, the BA310 is a receiver only.

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I spoke with the Moer Labs people. They say that they will have a new firmware and utility out in May that will allow the MoerDuo to successfully act as a Auracast Transmitter for hearing aids including the Jabra EP20. Also, I’ve tested the MoerDuo as an Auracast receiver with the BA210 as a transmitter. It works, but the quality is terrible, as if there is some very poor transcoding going on in the MoerDuo. Perhaps their firmware update will fix this as well. If I use the MoerDuo as a receiver in classic bluetooth mode with the BA210, the quality is fine, but that is not what we want in this discussion thread.