[Buscador]

I'd like to thank @mcnaugha for starting this thread and everyone else who has posted in it. While I have occasionally used this site as a reference over the years, I joined specifically because of this thread. I am pretty sure I have now read every post, although I jumped around a bit so Imight have missed a page or two. I have not used Bluetooth for years, but I just bought a phone with no 3.5mm port, and a pair of EarFun Air Pro 3, which use the QCC3071. As I spend a fair amount of time on video calls and have been finding the wires on my IEMs annoying, I want to buy a dongle to use on my desktop for that purpose and, if the sound quality is high enough, music and video when for some reason I'm unable to use my speakers. I can't find any adapters that use the QCC3071, and I am not going to spend more on a transmitter than I did on the earbuds. I am guessing the chip is just too new, but if there is one that I don't know about that is worthwhile, by all means let me know. I came across the various Vaorlo adapters on AliExpress, which lead to the search which found this thread. It does not seem as if there is a quite a consensus on the one dongle to rule them all, but it seems as if the T10P 24bit is probably the best choice for me. Here are my details.

• My desk is in the middle of a wall of a 4m x 4m room, and I don't need the Bluetooth to extend beyond 2-2.5m max. Probably best if it doesn't actually, as I have 4 teens in the same house with mobile phones, although they are mostly asleep when I am working.
• I don't game. At all. (Yeah, I know I'm weird but I even sold my last dedicated graphics card and CPU and bought a Ryzen 5600G with integrated graphics and was very happy about the noise reduction and lack of interference with USB audio).
• I use Linux Mint, although I do have a Windows laptop available that I can reluctantly fire up to install/configure firmware if necessary.
• Usage will be Google Meet and Zoom, locally stored videos, locally stored audio, and an extremely small amount of YouTube. No other streaming.
• My audio files are 99% 16/44.1 rips in either flac or mp3 format.
• I can easily enough upsample all audio to 24/96 as it is played if there is value to doing so.
• I can easily enough configure my video player software with any latency values I need for sync.
• I EQ all sound output using Pulse Effects to match my preferred listening curve, and I will be creating one for the Air Pro 3 when they arrive.
• I care a lot about audio quality but I can't hear above 14kHz and I have verified through multiple blind tests that I can't hear a difference between 24/192 flac files and and 24/96 or 16/44.1 320mbps MP3 downsamples of the same songs. (Not trying to start any argument. This what I personally can hear--or not.)
• I prefer the form factor of the T10p sans antenna to this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004650524024.html although it is not a deal breaker
• I can't see any reason to pay more for the Ayino one at https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002342830048.html

Given the info above, does anyone disagree about the T10P 24 bit or know of an important consideration I missed? As far as i can tell, I might be just as well off with an old aptX HD dongle, but at these prices I might as well get one with Adaptive.

And in an attempt to actually contribute some value with my first post, I wanted to mention that the European version of the Apple dongle only outputs 0.5v, and this cannot be overridden by software or firmware. It is due to EU safety regulations and technically all dongles sold with a phone there are supposed to observe the same limit. After-market dongles are exempted but Apple has apparently decided not sell the 1v international version even as a standalone replacement in the EU. So when someone reports an Apple dongle either being fine or underpowered, it is important to know where they are located (or at least where they bought their phone). I am not sure what version is being sold in Great Britain post-Brexxit.

 

[helmutcheese]

I thought it had to be the Gen2 Chip to support Lossless.

 

[imagpie]

I thought it had to be the Gen2 Chip to support Lossless.

I think anything from Gen1 on can technically support 16/44 Lossless should the manufacturer choose. From 8 Gen 2 on, it's both 44 and 48khz Lossless at 16 bit, if enabled. Very big if's! Don't think any TWS even support the latter yet.

 

[splode]

• I don't game. At all. (Yeah, I know I'm weird but I even sold my last dedicated graphics card and CPU and bought a Ryzen 5600G with integrated graphics and was very happy about the noise reduction and lack of interference with USB audio).
• I use Linux Mint, although I do have a Windows laptop available that I can reluctantly fire up to install/configure firmware if necessary.
• Usage will be Google Meet and Zoom, locally stored videos, locally stored audio, and an extremely small amount of YouTube. No other streaming.

The T10P should work out of the box for your use case, although you will have to fire up that windows laptop to use the BT Dongle Assistant to configure it (which codecs to turn on/off, latency vs quality preference for adaptive, see which codec is active, etc)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10sE_3wv-6WoC1j2gky55YZOM7FKpPCLq/view

However, I don't think anyone has dumped the firmware for the T10P though, these are the firmware files I've seen in the thread so far
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/wm0nsvo31p4jq/KB8_KB8P_KB9_KB9P

 

[betaphase1]

I'd like to thank @mcnaugha for starting this thread and everyone else who has posted in it. While I have occasionally used this site as a reference over the years, I joined specifically because of this thread. I am pretty sure I have now read every post, although I jumped around a bit so Imight have missed a page or two. I have not used Bluetooth for years, but I just bought a phone with no 3.5mm port, and a pair of EarFun Air Pro 3, which use the QCC3071. As I spend a fair amount of time on video calls and have been finding the wires on my IEMs annoying, I want to buy a dongle to use on my desktop for that purpose and, if the sound quality is high enough, music and video when for some reason I'm unable to use my speakers. I can't find any adapters that use the QCC3071, and I am not going to spend more on a transmitter than I did on the earbuds. I am guessing the chip is just too new, but if there is one that I don't know about that is worthwhile, by all means let me know. I came across the various Vaorlo adapters on AliExpress, which lead to the search which found this thread. It does not seem as if there is a quite a consensus on the one dongle to rule them all, but it seems as if the T10P 24bit is probably the best choice for me. Here are my details.

• My desk is in the middle of a wall of a 4m x 4m room, and I don't need the Bluetooth to extend beyond 2-2.5m max. Probably best if it doesn't actually, as I have 4 teens in the same house with mobile phones, although they are mostly asleep when I am working.
• I don't game. At all. (Yeah, I know I'm weird but I even sold my last dedicated graphics card and CPU and bought a Ryzen 5600G with integrated graphics and was very happy about the noise reduction and lack of interference with USB audio).
• I use Linux Mint, although I do have a Windows laptop available that I can reluctantly fire up to install/configure firmware if necessary.
• Usage will be Google Meet and Zoom, locally stored videos, locally stored audio, and an extremely small amount of YouTube. No other streaming.
• My audio files are 99% 16/44.1 rips in either flac or mp3 format.
• I can easily enough upsample all audio to 24/96 as it is played if there is value to doing so.
• I can easily enough configure my video player software with any latency values I need for sync.
• I EQ all sound output using Pulse Effects to match my preferred listening curve, and I will be creating one for the Air Pro 3 when they arrive.
• I care a lot about audio quality but I can't hear above 14kHz and I have verified through multiple blind tests that I can't hear a difference between 24/192 flac files and and 24/96 or 16/44.1 320mbps MP3 downsamples of the same songs. (Not trying to start any argument. This what I personally can hear--or not.)
• I prefer the form factor of the T10p sans antenna to this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004650524024.html although it is not a deal breaker
• I can't see any reason to pay more for the Ayino one at https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002342830048.html

Given the info above, does anyone disagree about the T10P 24 bit or know of an important consideration I missed? As far as i can tell, I might be just as well off with an old aptX HD dongle, but at these prices I might as well get one with Adaptive.

And in an attempt to actually contribute some value with my first post, I wanted to mention that the European version of the Apple dongle only outputs 0.5v, and this cannot be overridden by software or firmware. It is due to EU safety regulations and technically all dongles sold with a phone there are supposed to observe the same limit. After-market dongles are exempted but Apple has apparently decided not sell the 1v international version even as a standalone replacement in the EU. So when someone reports an Apple dongle either being fine or underpowered, it is important to know where they are located (or at least where they bought their phone). I am not sure what version is being sold in Great Britain post-Brexxit.

T10p 24bit is the way to go. i actually stop using the kb8p anymore at home. i also bought a smaller 3db antenna to make the dongle more like a dongle xD

 

[betaphase1]

yes all the third party lightning otg cable can support all dongles mentioned in this thread (without addtional power supply). only the original apple adapter you need to connect to the power and only with original lightning charging cable

And with your cable it works with and without connecting the power?

 

[Arcturus]

Since aptX LL and HD are older, you can find a large number of usb-c adapters that aren't in the KB8/9/P series that will work with your headphones (the Creative BT-W3 for example).
They won't be compatible with the BT Dongle Assistant, but they shouldn't need it anyway since many of those tend to have multi-function buttons that let you switch between codecs.

Thank you very much Dear Splode! Appreciated. I'd seen it mentioned but wasn't sure if it was up to the job as I'd been digging into the Chinese ones, as it seemed most focused on them and didn't go for the Creative for some reason, but it does exactly what I need it appears.
I also see the PX8 supports aptX adaptive (and not LL contrary to what I thought before!) so may as well get the BT-W4 instead. From what I have read, adaptive offers similar to LL and HD without the hassle of switching. But looking at the spec LL specifically can be a little better on some adaptors.

Thanks so much!

 

[splode]

I also see the PX8 supports aptX adaptive (and not LL contrary to what I thought before!) so may as well get the BT-W4 instead. From what I have read, adaptive offers similar to LL and HD without the hassle of switching. But looking at the spec LL specifically can be a little better on some adaptors.

Thanks so much!

No problem! The only downside to the Creative BT-W4 (the aptX adaptive one) is that it caps the sample rate at 48kHz instead of the full 96kHz that adaptive can handle (although the BT-W4 does come with a mic attachment, which is pretty cool).

If you get a KB9P, it goes up to 96kHz at the highest (I got this one and can confirm it goes up to 24bit 96kHz) https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804387344963.html]

Additionally, the KB9P allows for LL, HD, and adaptive, whereas the BT-W4 only does adaptive, but again adaptive is the preferred one for most devices anyway, since it has lower latency than HD and higher a sample rate ceiling than HD.

 

[helmutcheese]

Nobody has ever proved the Chinese dongle outputs 24/96 over BT that is only the USB side we can select/view same as the Creative one (I own both).

I have no clue why Creative chose to cripple it before launch as it was to be 24/96 originally but at least they say so in the specs.

 

[Fargeg]

So I ordered the KB8 a year ago and wrote up impressions of it here. I've moved to and have been living under a rock since then.

I was not too impressed with the KB8's audio quality. Is AptX Adaptive like SBC or AAC where audio quality can vary greatly based on device configuration, or is it more like AptX proper where the standard is designed to minimize variance? I'd like to know whether trying a different transmitter would be worth it if I found one of the early ones lacking.

 

[helmutcheese]

It is dynamic so can drop off and I think that is what makes that metallic sound the Creative dongle does at times and may be reason they crippled it to 24/48 over BT.

I also think the Chinese dongles are better at avoiding this as you are locked to either a Low Latency mode or a High-Quality mode (your choice).

To me the KB9P sounded better than the KB8 but one was 16bit and other 24bit with no 16/44.1 option (AFAIR it started at 16/48 which no doubt is an oversight in the Firmware as other QCC3040 models have the whole range).

 

[kohaeyo]

I have purchased both KB9P and T10P after looking at this post. Is there a way to choose aptX adaptive low-latency/High-Quality mode for T10P without assistant software? It seems like KB9P and T10P are made by differenct manufactures and only KB9P dongle assistant software is available.

 

[Buscador]

Thanks for the replies. T10P ordered. From comments that have been made, it rather sounds as if it is defaulting to High Quality mode already, which is what I would prefer, so lack of software is not a major issue for me.

 

[SLaYeRKiNG]

You need to perform the firmware update under "KB9P Firmware 2.11".


When dongle is connected to USB you normally can find three HID devices with "VID 0A12" and "PID 1238", and also one sound device 'HaiSenKeji' in Device Manager.
Try to switch off Power Management for USB Input Device with "VID 0A12" and "PID 1238" like I showed on screenshots. It had to prevent switch off the power of the dongle on idle.
The next string should be device's firmware version like on the screenshot.

I did exactly same instructions as you specified below but i couldn't be able to update my bluetooth dongle's firmware.. is there any other suggestions?

It's stock on ms-dos command screen without any progress.. I tried it with 3 different pc's and results didn't change...

Problem solved. I didn't notice that there were 2 different update file for KB9 2.11 and i picked wrong one..

 

[LoryWiv]

Thanks for the replies. T10P ordered. From comments that have been made, it rather sounds as if it is defaulting to High Quality mode already, which is what I would prefer, so lack of software is not a major issue for me.

Can anyone comment as to whether the addition of antenna on T10P confers better "real world" range than KB9P?