Is the Fiio BTR7 using AptX Bluetooth? And will I hear sound degradation compared to wired? And will Quedelix release a newer model soon?TagalogON t1_j29ofdx wrote
Yes, the FiiO BTR7 has AptX and so on. For sound degradation, it depends on your environment and how loud your listening levels are. Some people will hear the inherent Bluetooth compression more, others will be able to ignore it after a while or so.
At safe hearing levels and also when outside, people probably won't be able to easily tell the difference due to the external noises competing with the sound/music. Like even when at home at louder volumes some people also can't tell between wired and wireless, when using LDAC, AptX, etc.
This is the BTR7 thread for more info from FiiO and more regular people: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fiio-btr7-portable-bluetooth-amplifier-color-ips-display-high-performance-dac-es9219c-2-thx-aaa-28-2-amps-3-5-4-4mm-outputs-one-click-%E2%80%9Cdongle%E2%80%9D-mode-fw1-88-firmware-is-available-in-2022-11-28.963808/page-90
Look into the FiiO BTA30 Pro if you want LDAC for PC: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fiio-bta30%EF%BC%8Chi-fi-desktop-bluetooth-receiver-transmitter%EF%BC%8Crca-optical-coaxial-interface.926876/page-39
Or ya actually recently some people are using LDAC through Windows 11 or so, check here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aptx-adaptive-aptx-lossless-usb-transmitters.961856/page-45#post-17277046
The LDAC for Windows is supposedly from here, it's like in beta mode or something right now: https://www.bluetoothgoodies.com/a2dp/
Or just get those $15-20 AptX Adaptive transmitter dongles, here's more (direct) updated info about the AptX Adaptive USB transmitter dongles (KB8P, KB9P, YET-T10P): https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zr41fe/which_lossy_codec_to_use_compress_with_before/j12cdwt/
Though ya just get the Qudelix 5K instead as it's like half the price at $110.
For the Qudelix 5k, expect no newer model or successor to it in 2023 and possibly beyond. This is because Qudelix is finishing up their Qudelix T71 gaming/7.1/etc. device for now, see here for more info: https://forum.qudelix.com/post/qudelixt71-12037543?pid=1334122761.
And it seems other companies, like FiiO, etc. are not really spending money and time to make a competitor any time soon to the Qudelix 5K, so it's just the Qudelix 5K for like 3 years and possibly half a decade now.
The Qudelix 5K has no competition for value and features. They just recently released the v2.0 update, and wow, it's just unparalleled software achievement: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zsjmng/qudelix_5k_v20_update_released/
Here's a bit more info/resources/etc. about the Qudelix 5K Bluetooth amp/DAC dongle as it's often out of stock these days: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zgk4s8/equalizer_apo_doesnt_for_me_best_alternative/izhf43z/ and https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zsjmng/qudelix_5k_v20_update_released/j18t8qo/
This thread link talks about the Qudelix 5K, AptX Adaptive dongles, and specifically Apple devices: https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/zc1znn/qudelix_5k_arent_these_issues_a_big_issue/iyuh35j/
ostuniman OP t1_j2a9som wrote
Dude you hella smart and diligent. Thank you.
Norville84 t1_j2aa5c5 wrote
I didn't know it was possible to send LDAC using my simple Asus bluetooth adapter in Windows 11, but after reading your comment I installed the "alternative A2DP driver" and it's working great. Thanks for that tip.
TagalogON t1_j2b9jf6 wrote
Yup, that https://www.bluetoothgoodies.com/a2dp/ LDAC thing for PC is new IIRC, like maybe first available this second half of 2022.
Windows/Microsoft is legit like so slow with Bluetooth updates (and for some people it's sometimes really buggy with like blue screens and so on), they kinda said AAC will be available for Windows 10 but then they just made it exclusive to Windows 11, lol. So those of us with the Intel AX200/210/etc. Bluetooth/WiFi (PCIe) cards basically only have regular AptX (and AAC if on Windows 11). Hopefully they integrate LDAC and AptX Lossless soon but ya it'll probably not be in the near future, lmao.
Anyway there's actually LDAC USB transmitter dongles in development. It'll first be available on Taobao and then a few weeks or so later, AliExpress and other places.
In addition there's also the Bluetooth 5.3/AptX Lossless/etc. transmitter dongles (there's receivers or neckband adapters and so on now that allow you to get AptX Lossless with your wired IEMs and headphones, etc.), but sadly they are delayed. Wait for those transmitter dongles as they'll probably only cost $20-30 or so, maybe ~$50+ if they think people will pay that much.
So ya no need to pay ~$130 for the LDAC through USB from the FiiO BTA30 Pro (and probably its successor, if there's a BTA40 in the near future).
ostuniman OP t1_j2ab730 wrote
I use iPhone. So looks like Quedeliz doesn’t use AptX but Aac? Maybe I should use Fiio instead?
fijosh t1_j2ag0or wrote
It's the other way around - iPhones (and pretty much any other Apple devices) do not support any aptX codec variants or LDAC. Only SBC and AAC codecs are supported.
If you're looking for a BT audio DAC/AMP to use with your iPhone, don't bother chasing aptX/LDAC support.
TagalogON t1_j2b81wg wrote
In theory you can use those AptX Adaptive USB transmitter dongles to output AptX Adaptive with any device that has USB. So use USB-C or USB-A adapters/converters if needed. Or in your case probably a Lightning converter/adapter.
Btw, it seems you have to get the 16-bit version for compatibility with older devices like say TV, otherwise go for the 24-bit version as those are often newer and have bugfixes and so on. They're like the same price, so just get the 24-bit versions of the AptX Adaptive dongles.
There's a Lightning/Apple version for the AptX Adaptive dongle (KB8(P)), it might be on one of the AliExpress listings still, but it'll be on Taobao for sure.
So just to be clear, if you get the $15-20 KB8P or KB9P dongle for your iPhone (or really any device that can output sound with USB, in theory), then it should output AptX Adaptive. So your TWS earbuds, Qudelix 5K, et cetera should get AptX Adaptive too.
If you don't have that KB9P/etc. dongle then it'll likely just be AAC with the Qudelix 5K and your TWS earbuds. As yes unfortunately iPhones/Apple devices pretty much just have AAC (and SBC), and so you'll need those extra transmitters to get the other codecs like AptX Adaptive and LDAC.
With Apple TWS earbuds or Bluetooth devices, those have hardware/software/etc. onboard that make them sound good (through AAC) when paired with iPhones or other Apple devices that have a particular chip, like the new H2 chip or something like that.
But ya with Bluetooth amp/DAC dongles like the Qudelix 5k and basically other non-Apple TWS earbuds and so on, it'll just be AAC only.
The main selling point of the overpriced ($130) FiiO BTA30 Pro is probably the LDAC through USB. But it's not like a dongle, it's not really portable with the phone.
A bunch of us are actually in contact with the Taobao/Chinese sellers or manufacturers that are making these AptX Adaptive USB transmitter dongles. You can use the Taobao shipping agents like Superbuy/ParcelUp/CSSBuy/et cetera to navigate the Taobao site with English translation, and when you actually message them through Aliwangwang or the messaging system, they have decent English due to the autotranslate and so on system.
Anyway, maybe earlier this 2022 those Taobao sellers said that the new Bluetooth 5.3/etc. dongles with LDAC and so on are in development, but sadly ya they're still delayed. For reference, they released the new KB8P and KB9(P) around January to April 2022, I forgot now.
So for now no LDAC USB transmitter dongles, same with the AptX Lossless USB transmitter dongles, though it seems there's some other companies (like say Nura with their NuraTrue Pro TWS earbuds) that are trying to get those AptX Lossless USB transmitter dongles out soon too.
TL;DR: get KB9P dongle as it will give your iPhone AptX Adaptive and so on.
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