No, Bluetooth generally cannot transmit true 5.1 channel surround sound.
While you can connect a 5.1 or 7.1 channel home theater system or soundbar to your smartphone or other source device using a Bluetooth link, the audio signal that is transmitted is typically downmixed. According to the provided reference, even when playing DD 5.1/DTS 5.1 audio from your source, the sound received by your speakers via Bluetooth will be in PCM/LPCM format.
Why Bluetooth Isn't Ideal for 5.1 Surround
Bluetooth audio codecs are designed for efficiency and data compression, primarily for stereo audio transmission (two channels). Sending multiple discrete audio channels (like the six channels needed for 5.1 surround sound: Front Left, Center, Front Right, Surround Left, Surround Right, and Subwoofer/LFE) requires significantly more bandwidth than standard Bluetooth profiles (like A2DP) can reliably handle without severe compression or loss of quality and channel separation.
When a 5.1 signal is sent over Bluetooth, the audio source or transmitter often converts the multi-channel audio into a stereo signal (PCM/LPCM) before sending it. This means the individual surround channels are lost in the transmission process.
- Source Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1
- Bluetooth Transmission: Converts to PCM/LPCM stereo
- Output: Left, Right, and typically LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) are preserved within the stereo mix, but the distinct center and surround channels are not transmitted separately.
What You Hear
As the reference indicates, when you play 5.1 audio through a Bluetooth connection to a multi-channel system, you will primarily hear Left, Right, and LFE sounds. The system receiving the stereo PCM signal might try to process or upmix it to use all speakers, but it won't be the true, discrete 5.1 experience as intended by the source material.
Alternative for 5.1 Audio
For genuine 5.1 surround sound transmission, wired connections or other wireless technologies designed for higher bandwidth and multi-channel audio are necessary. Common methods include:
- HDMI: The most common and capable connection for transmitting uncompressed and compressed multi-channel audio formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital, DTS, etc.).
- Optical (Toslink): Can transmit compressed 5.1 audio like Dolby Digital and DTS.
- Coaxial Digital Audio: Similar capabilities to Optical.
- Wi-Fi based systems: Some proprietary wireless speaker systems or technologies (like certain multi-room audio standards) use Wi-Fi, which has greater bandwidth than Bluetooth, to transmit multi-channel audio.
| Feature | Bluetooth Audio (Standard) | Wired/Other Wireless (HDMI, Optical, Wi-Fi) |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Support | Primarily Stereo (2.0) | Multi-channel (5.1, 7.1, Atmos, etc.) |
| Bandwidth | Lower | Higher |
| Audio Quality | Compressed (SBC, AAC, aptX) | Lossless or Lossy Multi-channel |
| Typical Use | Headphones, Portable Speakers | Home Theater, High-Fidelity Systems |
In summary, while you can connect a 5.1 system via Bluetooth, the technology's limitations mean it cannot transmit the full, discrete 5.1 multi-channel signal. The audio is downmixed to stereo PCM during transmission, resulting in a loss of true surround sound separation.
