aptX Adaptive / aptX Lossless USB Transmitters

[helmutcheese]

All the answers are in this thread (I know it is a big read) but there is only so many times I am going to answer the same questions.

IMO and many others in reviews etc aptX is better than LDAC with both at 16/44.1, aptX HD is better than LDAC with both at 24/48, aptX Adaptive is better than LDAC with both at 24/48 & 24/96 that is better for the SQ, battery and distance.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

I was looking online for BT-W5/6 deals, but I found this fantastic deal on that UGREEN aptX Adaptive dongle!
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007663558831.html

Got one for this price >>

^^ You get what you pay for, not exactly comparable is it?

Dunno man, I watched this thread for like two weeks, but I don't have experience with these adapters. Just saw that the general consensus here is that Creative's are on top.
I was looking to get aptX Adaptive out of my Samsung S10e (old phone, I know..) and into my B&W Px8. Hopefully I will hear a difference vs vanilla aptX.

One thing is for sure - I won't experience buyer's remorse after spending 7 bucks on this Ugreen we'll see. Amazon reviews on this are pretty positive but they're not all audiophiles over there. BF deal on Amazon was $24, so when I saw $7 on Aliexpress, I just went for it.

Just curious what makes the BT-W5 better than this?

Thanks!

@helmutcheese

I received the $7 Ugreen dongle and I'm absolutely thrilled with it!

My Px8 sounds so much better with aptX Adaptive out of this dongle vs. vanilla aptX that I was using with my Galaxy S10e.

As others have mentioned in the PX8 thread, aptX Adaptive sounds audibly as good as connecting with USB cable.

The dongle is very stable and the codecs can be switched with the action button, led colors indicate each codec. Just works. Green light.

USB Audio Player Pro, treats it as external dac, even if it is just a BT transmitter and the dac is actually in the headphones. Shows 44.1 KHz and all.



So please spoil my enthusiasm what am I missing vs. say the Creative BT-W5 ?

 

[helmutcheese]

Again the answers are in this thread.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

Again the answers are in this thread.

First thing I did was searching the thread for "Ugreen" and I found some reference to other old non-aptx adaptive dongles but not Ugreen BT501.

Can you or others please point me to the page where I can read something relevant to my question?

Thank you for your time!

 

[helmutcheese]

I can only search the same as yourself so your going to have to read the thread like others do to learn about past topics.

 

[itchyears]

So does the above info mean that any device that is listed as being capable of AptX Adaptive is also capable of AptX lossless?

This is going to be a question probably asked a lot around here over the next year or 2.

So if future googlers and tech enthusiast are asking;

Is aptx lossless the same as aptx adaptive
or
If I have aptx adaptive can I use aptx lossless
or similar to above

Think off aptx adaptive as an all in one BT codec on a wheel which can go backwards and forwards, so if it wants to it can go back down to aptx classic or
aptx adaptive or aptx lossless and maybe in the future something else better like Xpan or whatever they call it.

But your device & source has to still support aptx lossless or any other codec that belongs in that all in one codec.

 

[tonyt76]

This is going to be a question probably asked a lot around here over the next year or 2.

Now I could get this wrong... but ill wait for others to correct me

Think off aptx adaptive as an all in one BT codec on a wheel which can go backwards and forwards, so if it wants to it can go back down to aptx standard or aptx hd or
aptx adaptive or aptx lossless and maybe in the future something else better like Xpan or whatever they call it.

But your device & source has to still support aptx lossless or any other codec that belongs in that all in one codec.

I didn't think aptX or aptX HD were part of aptX Adaptive, but I could be wrong. Reason being, on Android you have to manually select those 2 codecs.

 

[itchyears]

I didn't think aptX or aptX HD were part of aptX Adaptive, but I could be wrong. Reason being, on Android you have to manually select those 2 codecs.

Edit: Qualcomm's own website regarding aptx adaptive is incorrect even if they do state its backwards compatible with aptx hd etc

 

[O11111]

Yes, Qualcomm aptX Adaptive is backward compatible with aptX and aptX HD codecs.

In short, that's bs inaccurate. I won't go into much details here, but as far as I understand, it's not compatible in any way meaningful for end users.

 

[itchyears]

In short, that's bs inaccurate. I won't go into much details here, but as far as I understand, it's not compatible in any way meaningful for end users.

It does sound a bit funny I would have guessed at least aptx classic, I guess why would it need to anyhow, if adaptive in a sort off sweet spot between hd/lossless etc.

Qualcomm's own description of aptx adaptive at the bottom of their page, also says this about aptx adaptive, but it could be out of date or not telling the complete picture.

Technical Specifications​

Latency

• Low system latency approx. 80ms

Compatibility

• Backwards compatible with aptX & aptX HD in stereo headsets
• Backwards compatible with aptX in earbuds and stereo headsets

 

[itchyears]

I just scrolled down from that google Ai search

Spotted a head-fi post from Helmut saying back to aptX only, Am guessing that is aptx the original/classic

This is what happens when you let Ai try to replace human beings

 

[lennyr]

Yes, Qualcomm aptX Adaptive is backward compatible with aptX and aptX HD codecs. This means that aptX Adaptive can be used with older aptX and aptX HD products. However, aptX Adaptive is not backward compatible with aptX LL.

In theory, and it would be nice if true, but this is not the case. My Bose Ultra Open earbuds support AptX Adaptive (including Lossless), but they will not connect to my phone, a Galaxy S23 Ultra using AptX (OG AptX) and connect using AAC. There are other current generation Snapdragon Sound devices that don't connect to older devices that have only AptX classic.

 

[helmutcheese]

You will not get aptX HD on a pair of aptX HD headphones using an aptX Adaptive phone/dongle unless both devices have the standalone aptX HD included like some past B&W models did and most phones do, you will get plain old classic aptX as again it is not backward compatible in any shape of form.

It is the same in the other direction also (so both RX/TX).

It has been said enough times and the reason was 2 fold, QUALCOMMS misinformation at launch or a misinterpretation of the fact aptX Adaptive would later down the road have two modes, an LL mode and an HQ Mode but I do not think they meant the latter by the wording of the pre-launch info.

 

[streetbeat]

@helmutcheese

I received the $7 Ugreen dongle and I'm absolutely thrilled with it!

My Px8 sounds so much better with aptX Adaptive out of this dongle vs. vanilla aptX that I was using with my Galaxy S10e.

As others have mentioned in the PX8 thread, aptX Adaptive sounds audibly as good as connecting with USB cable.

The dongle is very stable and the codecs can be switched with the action button, led colors indicate each codec. Just works. Green light.

USB Audio Player Pro, treats it as external dac, even if it is just a BT transmitter and the dac is actually in the headphones. Shows 44.1 KHz and all.



So please spoil my enthusiasm what am I missing vs. say the Creative BT-W5 ?

Things may go north very quickly when you switch over latency-demanding content (video, gaming). So to spoil your enthusiasm , how's your new dongle performs in that area?

 

[itchyears]

First thing I did was searching the thread for "Ugreen" and I found some reference to other old non-aptx adaptive dongles but not Ugreen BT501.

Can you or others please point me to the page where I can read something relevant to my question?

Never used the Ugreen BT501 so have no idea regarding its features or if its any good but the general feeling around here is the
Creative BT dongles have:

-An actual Windows App/Software, so you can have better control of its features, functions, codecs, you can see what is going on
-Firmware upgrades which fix/adds and improve bugs on both the BT dongle and devices used like compatibility issues.
-Excellent Support which is key in any product, if you email them they listen and support their products unlike most of the other manufacturers
-BT-W6 supports all the latest and best BT standards and codecs ie BT 5.4, Snapdragon Suite and LE audios LC3 and LC3plus standards
-Creative BT dongles also tend to be reliable and stable (but its trial and error and down to devices sometimes)
-A button on the more recent dongles allowing you to switch easily to Low latency and then back to high quality mode so Music(high) & Games/Movies (low)
-Remembers and stores your last used Codec choice and setting < Very important so for example you use PC and set it to aptx adaptive, it stores this info even if you
remove the dongle and use it on your mobile phone. It also then stores your last used codec on the mobile phone, I think its 5 or 7 profiles something like that.


There are probably more important features and stuff, but I haven't used BT properly for over like 18 months and this is off the top off my head so might be off on stuff, you can also click on my link and see my BT guide, I have added a most asked questions section at bottom of it.