Bluetooth and aptx

[dave2010]

Do any of you have views on Bluetooth and apt-X, which is now being deployed for some speakers and headphones?

https://www.aptx.com/how-it-works

https://www.cnet.com/uk/news/can-aptx-give-you-better-sound-over-bluetooth/

I am slightly sceptical that it would provide better results than a really good wired set up with good speakers etc., but I suppose one has to consider what the alternatives might be. For people who are perhaps used to listening to computer speakers, then it may indeed sound much better.

A couple of speakers using this technology at Richer -

Wharfedale Diamond A2 - http://www.richersounds.com/product/floorstanders/wharfedale/diamond-a2/whar-diam-a2-blk

Dali Zensor 5 AX - http://www.richersounds.com/product/floorstanders/dali/zensor-5-ax/dali-zens-5-ax-blk

[WAD62]

Do any of you have views on Bluetooth and apt-X, which is now being deployed for some speakers and headphones?

https://www.aptx.com/how-it-works

https://www.cnet.com/uk/news/can-aptx-give-you-better-sound-over-bluetooth/

I am slightly sceptical that it would provide better results than a really good wired set up with good speakers etc., but I suppose one has to consider what the alternatives might be. For people who are perhaps used to listening to computer speakers, then it may indeed sound much better.

A couple of speakers using this technology at Richer -

Wharfedale Diamond A2 - http://www.richersounds.com/product/floorstanders/wharfedale/diamond-a2/whar-diam-a2-blk

Dali Zensor 5 AX - http://www.richersounds.com/product/floorstanders/dali/zensor-5-ax/dali-zens-5-ax-blk

I use a denon bluetooth portable speaker, in conjunction with Samsung S4, both are aptx compatible, and the SQ is vastly better than my previous non aptx portable (big jambox)...

I also have a QED bluetooth receiver (again aptx) linked by toslink to my MDAC (useful for when ones friends want to play something from their phone etc.), streaming FLAC from a mobile sounds pretty good, until you compare it to the USB input from my SBtouch, of the same FLAC track...bluetoth/aptx sounds around high end MP3 to my ears (rather flat), and add to that the occasional dropout...

So I'd definitely recommend it for the portable/convenience market, however for more serious applications I think ultimately bluetooth is compromised by its bandwidth, aptx just improves upon its mediocrity...;)

[struth]

Think Naim are using it in one of their magic boxes. Not tried it myself but supposedly lossless.

[User211]

I use it in the car. I've tried it in the main system and I agree with WAD62, basically.

[WAD62]

I use it in the car.
That's one problem with the aptx site (or me perhaps), I can't find a list of car audio systems that support it...I currently run mp3s off a USB but would prefer the FLAC bluetooth/aptx route from my phone...given mp3s sound markedly better than bluetooth on my DS3's stereo I can only assume mine doesn't support it...:scratch:

[WAD62]

Think Naim are using it in one of their magic boxes. Not tried it myself but supposedly lossless.

I think due to the compression/decompression algorithms, at each end of the bluetooth connection, it's supposed to be able to carry 'full CD bandwidth', but I suspect due to the additional A/D/A conversion gubbins going on in the chain there's got to be a downside...or at least that's what it sounds like to me.

However perhaps my Samsung S4/QED receiver combo is not a good reference point...:eyebrows: