What Is Auracast? How It Works and What You Need to Know

Imagine being able to share your favorite music or podcast with friends without handing over an earbud or tuning into a gym’s TV audio directly through your own headphones. This is the promise of Auracast, a groundbreaking Bluetooth technology that’s set to transform our audio experiences. If you’re curious about what is Auracast exactly, and how it works, you’re in the right place.

In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the Auracast Bluetooth audio technology, from how it works and its key applications to the devices that support it, so you can see how it’s poised to change the way we listen.

What Is Auracast and Why It Matters?

Auracast™ is a next-generation audio broadcasting feature built on Bluetooth LE Audio (Low Energy Audio), developed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). Unlike traditional Bluetooth—which pairs one device to one receiver—Auracast enables one-to-many audio broadcasts. That means one phone, TV, or speaker can stream audio to multiple Bluetooth speakers or headphones at the same time.

Why It’s a Game-Changer:

• Share audio with multiple users without physical connections.

• Hear public announcements or TV audio clearly in noisy places.

• Stream synchronized sound to many Bluetooth speakers.

• Customize volume and device preferences per user.

Think of Auracast like a personal radio station—you “tune in” to the audio you want using your own headphones, no tangled wires or pairing needed.

How Does Auracast Work?

Now that you know what Auracast is, you might be wondering how it actually works. It’s pretty simple when you break it down, and the technology behind it is both smart and efficient.

Auracast uses three core components: a broadcaster, an assistant, and a receiver.

Here’s a more technical look at how it works:

• Broadcast Begins: A device like a smartphone, TV, or speaker starts sending a Bluetooth LE Audio stream using the LC3 codec.

• Scanning: Your device (via an Auracast assistant, like a phone app) detects available streams—just like connecting to a Wi-Fi network.

• Join the Stream: You select a stream manually or via a QR code/link, and your headphones or speaker join instantly.

Alternatively, you can skip the scanning by joining via a shared link or QR code. For instance, if your friend is streaming a podcast from their phone, they can share a link or QR code for you to join their Auracast channel with your headphones.

Public and Private

Auracast supports both public and private broadcast channels. Public streams can be accessed by anyone, while private broadcasts require encryption, similar to password-protected Wi-Fi. Multiple Auracast streams can coexist in the same space without interference, ensuring smooth audio access in places like airports, theaters, and conference rooms.

Low Latency

Leveraging the LC3 codec, Auracast latency is extremely low, offering a delay of less than 40 milliseconds (ms.) in some cases. This low latency ensures that you experience audio synchrony, particularly important for scenarios like live lectures, presentations, or watching videos without noticeable lip-sync issues.

Key Applications of Auracast

Auracast is more than just a cool new way to stream audio, it opens up a variety of exciting possibilities across different settings. Here are some of the key applications where Auracast is set to make a real impact:

Public Spaces

Imagine being in a crowded airport or a busy train station and needing to hear important announcements. With Auracast, audio can be broadcast directly to your Bluetooth headphones, ensuring that you never miss a crucial update—even with all the background noise. The same goes for stadiums or arenas where you could tune into commentary or music, all tailored to your preferences.

Group Listening

Ever wanted to listen to music or watch a movie with friends, but you’re all in different spots or just prefer your own headphones? With Auracast, you can all join the same audio broadcast, enjoying the same sound while keeping your own devices and volume settings. It’s perfect for social gatherings, movie nights, or road trips where you want everyone to enjoy the same experience without crowding around a single speaker.

Enhanced Accessibility

For those with hearing impairments, Auracast offers an incredible opportunity for clearer and more customized audio. In environments like theaters, museums, or lecture halls, Auracast allows individuals to connect directly to audio streams for enhanced clarity. This makes public audio sources more accessible and ensures that everyone, regardless of their hearing needs, can engage with the content.

Parties and Home Entertainment

Wanna sync multiple Bluetooth speakers together effortlessly for parties? Unlike traditional Bluetooth pairing, where you’re limited to one or two devices, Auracast allows you to control all connected speakers from a single device. This means better audio quality, lower latency, and a more stable connection across multiple speakers—perfect for filling large spaces with sound.

With Auracast speakers, you can also enhance your home theater experience by connecting multiple speakers for synchronized, room-filling sound. Unlike traditional Bluetooth, which can introduce delays or require complex setup, Auracast keeps everything in sync effortlessly, making movies, gaming, and music streaming more immersive than ever.

Fitness and Gym Environments

In fitness centers or group workout classes, there’s often a mix of different types of audio playing—from instructions and silent TVs to music—making it tough to focus. With Auracast, you can tune into a specific audio stream that works best for you, whether it’s workout instructions, music, or even a live commentary feed. It’s a way to make workouts more personalized, with no need to worry about competing sounds.

What Devices Support Auracast?

For a device to support Auracast, it must be equipped with Bluetooth 5.2 or later and support the Public Broadcast Profile (PBP) within the Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio standard. While Bluetooth 5.2 (released in 2020) is available in a wide range of modern devices, not many of them support Auracast.

Currently, within the soundcore lineup, Auracast is available only on the Rave 3S model. Other soundcore speakers, such as those equipped with PartyCast, are not compatible with Auracast at this time.

So, which devices can actually use this innovative technology? Here’s a rundown of Auracast compatible devices:

Auracast Transmitters (send the broadcast):

An Auracast transmitter is a device that sends out an Auracast broadcast. This could be anything from a smartphone, laptop, or TV to even a public address or sound system.

Many modern smartphones and tablets are equipped with Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast. For example, Samsung has confirmed that its Galaxy S23 and later, Galaxy Z Fold 5/6, Galaxy Z Flip 5/6, Galaxy Tab S9 FE and later, and even older devices with the One UI 6.1 update will support the feature.

Auracast Assistants (scan & connect):

Auracast assistants help you find and connect to available broadcasts. Many devices like smartphones and tablets have native support for this, but you can also use apps from companies like JBL, Sennheiser or soundcore. These apps act as your personal guide, helping you switch between multiple broadcasts in real-time, similar to how you connect to Wi-Fi networks in public spaces.

Auracast Receivers (hear the stream):

Once you’ve joined an Auracast broadcast, you need a compatible receiver. These could be headphones, earbuds, speakers, or even hearing aids. soundcore has begun introducing Auracast-enabled devices, with the Rave 3S being the first party speaker to support this technology. 

Auracast in Action: Soundcore Rave 3S Party Speaker

The soundcore Rave 3S  which is equipped with the latest Auracast technology is a 200W AI karaoke Bluetooth party speaker built for immersive sound and group audio sharing. When using Auracast, you can control all connected Rave 3S speakers with a single device. Plus, the audio quality is improved with lower latency and a more stable connection than older wireless transmission protocols.

To use the Rave 3S with Auracast, simply power on each speaker and press the Auracast button to automatically pair them. When you connect two Rave 3S speakers, they will provide stereo (left and right channel) output, and you can switch between channels by double-clicking the Auracast button on either speaker. If you connect three or more Rave 3S speakers, they’ll output in unified mono sound, providing a more immersive experience in larger spaces

FAQs

What is the difference between Auracast and Bluetooth?

Auracast is a new feature of Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio that allows one device to broadcast audio to multiple receivers simultaneously, unlike traditional Bluetooth, which requires a one-to-one pairing. This makes Auracast ideal for public spaces, assistive listening, and group audio sharing, whereas standard Bluetooth is primarily designed for private, device-to-device connections.

How to connect speakers to Auracast?

To connect speakers to Auracast, first ensure your speakers are Auracast-compatible, like the Rave 3S from soundcore. Open the Auracast assistant app or Bluetooth settings on your device to scan for available broadcasts. Once you find the broadcast you want, select it, and choose your speakers from the list of available devices. After that, you’ll be connected and ready to enjoy the audio!

How many devices can you connect to an Auracast transmitter?

Auracast supports an unlimited number of connected devices in theory, as long as they are within range and compatible with the broadcast. This makes it ideal for large-scale applications like public announcements, assistive listening, and multi-user streaming.

What’s the range of Auracast?

Auracast™ operates over Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) and offers a significantly greater broadcast range than traditional point-to-point Bluetooth connections. While the theoretical range can reach up to 100 meters (328 feet) in open environments, the typical effective range is around 20–30 meters indoors, depending on environmental factors. This extended range makes Auracast ideal for larger or public spaces like airports, gyms, museums, and outdoor venues.

Auracast vs. PartyCast: What's the Difference?

While both Auracast and PartyCast allow for multi-speaker playback, they are different technologies:

Feature	Auracast	PartyCast
Developed by	Bluetooth SIG	soundcore
Compatibility	Requires Bluetooth LE Audio	Works across PartyCast-enabled Soundcore speakers
Pairing Method	Broadcast-based pairing	App/manual pairing
Sound Effect	May share similar audio cues	Uses distinct pairing process

 

Conclusion

As we’ve discovered, Auracast is not just an upgrade to Bluetooth; it’s a game-changer for wireless audio. By enabling multiple devices to connect to the same audio stream without pairing, it enhances accessibility, group listening, and public broadcasting like never before.

Whether you’re looking to share media with friends, sync multiple speakers for parties, or need clearer audio in a bustling public space, understanding what Auracast is and how it works equips you with the knowledge to take advantage of this innovative technology.