[k4syx]

Here it goes.

Sources: LG G3, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge + (both Apt-X capable) + Neutron Player, tracks: FLAC and MP3 320kbps, some 128kbps files and mkv movies in Archos.

Devices to compare:
AudioTechnica AT-PHA50BT, AudioQuest Dragonfly Red and Chord Mojo (last two just for fun).

Headphones: IE800.


Build quality vs AT
More or less the same, with slight edge for AudioTechnica - black and silver are looking more elegant. The clip on XB seems to be better but as I've found this morning its more or less as useless as one found in AT. Good clip should be working like the ones on Samsung devices (Link Level) or Soundblaster E3. Looks like I'll have to use some self adhesive velcro on the back of the XB10 same as I used on AudioTechnica. XB10 is a tad bit heavier - we'll see if that means better battery life.

Interface vs AT

As I've already found out the buttons placing is at least strange. IMHO the next/prev buttons should be placed on faceplate along with the volume controls. Placing them on the side and volumne on the front is not very handy. Also, volume control using buttons instead some rotary element is in my opinion not the best idea. In general, AT wins the interface part hands down, there is no way to press something by accident and if you intend to press something on purpose you can do this without looking at the device. I have big hands and I always have to look at the XB10 to see if I'm changing volume or pausing track. But if your fingers are smaller or I don't know, more "sensitive" - YMMV.

SQ
Bass: deep bass going strong and smooth to the sub level, really enyojable with IE800. No muddy midbass here, everything is audible and hummmms! (I'm a kind of basshead myself)
Mids: clear but a little distant, nothing good or bad to write here. Which should be taken as a kind of compliment really as there is nothing wrong with them.
Treble: clear, strong but without siblance - just the way I like them
Dynamics: good range, everything sounds engaging - no flat, dull tracks with this device.
Soundstage: OK. Not congested, not very wide. If I'd be forced to choose I'd say it is a little bit on the small side. Acceptable for my taste but I think that just barely. Definetely wider than the soundstage of Soundblaster E3 which was way to small for me to enjoy my music.
Others: No hiss whatsoever with 24ohms IE800 (them being very sensitive). Clear, black and empty background. Maximum volume levels with IE800 are ok, the max value is over my tolerance level but I was expecting it to be even higher. I will do some more testing here because I'm surprised that though they surpass my comfort zone I think that they still should be louder.


SQ vs AT
Bass: XB goes a tad bit lower than AT. Small difference but noticeable if your headphones are up to it.
Mids: AT mids, vocals especially, are closer and a bit more engaging.
Treble: more or less the same with slight edge to XB10
Dynamics: XB10 has more foot tapping effect, AT sometimes can get lost in congested parts of the track.
Soundstage: this one goes to the AT. This device has very, very wide soundstage, almost as wide as DACs like DragonFly or even Mojo. A winner here.
Others: AT hisses, just barely noticeable, on IE800. On IE8 hissing had to be supressed by 30ohm impedance adaptor. AT is also louder than XB10. Display - AT has a nice one, though I've never really used it. More like a eye catcher for strangers when commuting.




What I did not test:
balanced output, battery life (yet to be determined), BT range (as I wear the device on me when my phone is in my pocket), pairing with two devices (I dont expect any trouble here, as this is something that my 2009 mono HM1200 handles well)


Price:
AT-PHA50BT can be purchased on Amazon for ~100$ (new, unopened etc) while XB10 is available for 189$ (I will not comment on some amazon 240$ offers)
I think that if you already have AudioTechnica you may think twice about upgrading it as it has outstanding price to value ratio.
If you think about buying some portable headphone amp, consider Dragonfly Red - for almost the same price DragonFly's SQ is ubeatable, however, it is not wireless - but almost as portable as XB10.

But if you - like me - see that this kind of device is a must have, just try before you buy because like me you may end up with one in your pocket

I'm sure I forgot to write about a lot of things as this is my first try at a structured review - so feel free to ask me anything.

 

[slackerpo]

Here it goes.

Sources: LG G3, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge + (both Apt-X capable) + Neutron Player, tracks: FLAC and MP3 320kbps, some 128kbps files and mkv movies in Archos.

Devices to compare:
AudioTechnica AT-PHA50BT, AudioQuest Dragonfly Red and Chord Mojo (last two just for fun).

Headphones: IE800.


Build quality vs AT
More or less the same, with slight edge for AudioTechnica - black and silver are looking more elegant. The clip on XB seems to be better but as I've found this morning its more or less as useless as one found in AT. Good clip should be working like the ones on Samsung devices (Link Level) or Soundblaster E3. Looks like I'll have to use some self adhesive velcro on the back of the XB10 same as I used on AudioTechnica. XB10 is a tad bit heavier - we'll see if that means better battery life.

Interface vs AT

As I've already found out the buttons placing is at least strange. IMHO the next/prev buttons should be placed on faceplate along with the volume controls. Placing them on the side and volumne on the front is not very handy. Also, volume control using buttons instead some rotary element is in my opinion not the best idea. In general, AT wins the interface part hands down, there is no way to press something by accident and if you intend to press something on purpose you can do this without looking at the device. I have big hands and I always have to look at the XB10 to see if I'm changing volume or pausing track. But if your fingers are smaller or I don't know, more "sensitive" - YMMV.

SQ
Bass: deep bass going strong and smooth to the sub level, really enyojable with IE800. No muddy midbass here, everything is audible and hummmms! (I'm a kind of basshead myself)
Mids: clear but a little distant, nothing good or bad to write here. Which should be taken as a kind of compliment really as there is nothing wrong with them.
Treble: clear, strong but without siblance - just the way I like them
Dynamics: good range, everything sounds engaging - no flat, dull tracks with this device.
Soundstage: OK. Not congested, not very wide. If I'd be forced to choose I'd say it is a little bit on the small side. Acceptable for my taste but I think that just barely. Definetely wider than the soundstage of Soundblaster E3 which was way to small for me to enjoy my music.
Others: No hiss whatsoever with 24ohms IE800 (them being very sensitive). Clear, black and empty background. Maximum volume levels with IE800 are ok, the max value is over my tolerance level but I was expecting it to be even higher. I will do some more testing here because I'm surprised that though they surpass my comfort zone I think that they still should be louder.


SQ vs AT
Bass: XB goes a tad bit lower than AT. Small difference but noticeable if your headphones are up to it.
Mids: AT mids, vocals especially, are closer and a bit more engaging.
Treble: more or less the same with slight edge to XB10
Dynamics: XB10 has more foot tapping effect, AT sometimes can get lost in congested parts of the track.
Soundstage: this one goes to the AT. This device has very, very wide soundstage, almost as wide as DACs like DragonFly or even Mojo. A winner here.
Others: AT hisses, just barely noticeable, on IE800. On IE8 hissing had to be supressed by 30ohm impedance adaptor. AT is also louder than XB10. Display - AT has a nice one, though I've never really used it. More like a eye catcher for strangers when commuting.




What I did not test:
balanced output, battery life (yet to be determined), BT range (as I wear the device on me when my phone is in my pocket), pairing with two devices (I dont expect any trouble here, as this is something that my 2009 mono HM1200 handles well)


Price:
AT-PHA50BT can be purchased on Amazon for ~100$ (new, unopened etc) while XB10 is available for 189$ (I will not comment on some amazon 240$ offers)
I think that if you already have AudioTechnica you may think twice about upgrading it as it has outstanding price to value ratio.
If you think about buying some portable headphone amp, consider Dragonfly Red - for almost the same price DragonFly's SQ is ubeatable, however, it is not wireless - but almost as portable as XB10.

But if you - like me - see that this kind of device is a must have, just try before you buy because like me you may end up with one in your pocket

I'm sure I forgot to write about a lot of things as this is my first try at a structured review - so feel free to ask me anything.

great one. how substancial is SQ diference between the dragonfly red and the xb10? could you cuantify it percentange wise or with some other parameter?

i would be really helpfull some input about the difference in performance between aptx and non aptx devices, if you could.

 

[k4syx]

DragonFly sound is more detailed and comes effortless. If I'd have to use scale, then for DragonFly being 10/10 XB10 would be like 6.5/10.
But don't get me wrong - XB10 is the best Bluetooth amp I've ever heard and I heard or owned most of the devices from this class over the years. It is very, very good and leaves all phone outputs in the dust (maybe I should mention this clearly in the review).

The DragonFly Red is just also incredible device, easily worth twice the price or more so it's not really fair to compare them.

As for the SQ without AptX I can do some more testing connecting XB10 to my HP Revolve which AFAIK does not support AptX codec (unfortunately).

All non-AptX devices that I've heard over the years (A2DP,SBC) - even highly praised ones like one of Sony units recommended here on head-fi - sounded lifeless. AptX brings real dynamic range and without it music over bt sounds dull and flat. No details, no oomph, no engagement - no fun at all...

 

[cj3209]

DragonFly sound is more detailed and comes effortless. If I'd have to use scale, then for DragonFly being 10/10 XB10 would be like 6.5/10.
But don't get me wrong - XB10 is the best Bluetooth amp I've ever heard and I heard or owned most of the devices from this class over the years. It is very, very good and leaves all phone outputs in the dust (maybe I should mention this clearly in the review).

The DragonFly Red is just also incredible device, easily worth twice the price or more so it's not really fair to compare them.

As for the SQ without AptX I can do some more testing connecting XB10 to my HP Revolve which AFAIK does not support AptX codec (unfortunately).

All non-AptX devices that I've heard over the years (A2DP,SBC) - even highly praised ones like one of Sony units recommended here on heaf-fi - sounded lifeless. AptX brings real dynamic range and without it music over by sounds dull and flat. No details, no oomph, no engagement - no fun at all...

Wait till aptX HD comes out.  I expect significant improvement and competition to Dragonfly Red.
 
I've been listening for a few days now.  After comparing to 'regular' BT, I can't listen to it anymore.  As k4syx stated above, it's 'no fun at all...'
 

 

 

[lostman]

Is Mac OS capable of streaming with AptX HD? I know it supports AptX

 

[k4syx]

Last night I had some time to pair XB10 with my HP EliteBook 810 with Windows 10 Pro and there is nothing to write home about, really. Without AptX XB10 sounds dull and similiar to cheap 10$ bt receivers, maybe with a tad bit of bass more.

If you're not going to use XB10 with AptX capable device (I had no opportunity to check AAC) then dont even think on buying it, just invest the money in better headphones.

 

[ascl]

I received mine (via ebay) a couple of days ago, but haven't had much chance to listen yet. A quick test (using an iPhone 7 and AAC source material) was quite good, it is a little bass heavy, and there is maybe some clarity loss, but it is pretty small. 
 
It definitely sounds better than the elecom receiver I also have (but it is also twice the price).
 
Overall I am a little surprised actually, I think it is going to be okay, especially considering I'd use this on the move, which is hardly an ideal listening situation anyway. 

 

[k4syx]

Elecom AFAIR doesnt support AAC and XB10 does, this may explain the difference if it s big, but of course XB10 has better SQ than Elecom anyway even when both of them are using AptX.

 

[ascl]

The marketing paper suggests it does support AAC:
http://www2.elecom.co.jp/avd/cellphone/headphone/lbt-php500av/
 
The difference was not night and day, but it was noticeable.
 
EDIT: The build quality is very different. The Elecom feels cheap and plastic-y, the XB10 looks and feels higher quality.

 

[k4syx]

Ah, ok - my bad. I dont have an iphone freely available right now, though comparision between AAC and AptX sounds like something I'd like to do someday. Just out of pure curiosity.

 

[DDDYKI]

Gonna sub to this thread with a quick question: would something like this, paired with a phone (Samsung Galaxy S7) defeat the purpose of buying a DAP, like the Shanling M1 or even a more expensive one like the Pioneer XDP-100R? I already use the Momentum 2 wireless, but something like this might be useful for my Momentum in-ears or the Westone W30s I'm looking to purchase.

 

[ViperGeek]

  Gonna sub to this thread with a quick question: would something like this, paired with a phone (Samsung Galaxy S7) defeat the purpose of buying a DAP, like the Shanling M1 or even a more expensive one like the Pioneer XDP-100R? I already use the Momentum 2 wireless, but something like this might be useful for my Momentum in-ears or the Westone W30s I'm looking to purchase.

 
That's probably a very controversial question, but I'm going give it a qualified "kinda".
 
If the main purpose of considering a DAP is to drive challenging and/or balanced headphones, and the quality, quantity, and sources available on your GS7 is adequate, then one could consider front-ending your aptX-enabled smartphone with an XB10 as a "poor man's DAP" solution.  However, there are many more features and functionality in a DAP, and some might consider squeezing your high-res FLACs through a tight, lossy aptX wireless pipe as sacrilegious.
 
By means of an example, there's absolutely NO way my GS7 Edge can drive my LCD-4's, but the XB10 does an amazingly adequate job driving these challenging cans, and the sound via aptX Bluetooth is surprisingly satisfactory.
 
Personally, I own/love the XB10, but the AK70 is still at the top of my Wish/Christmas List.
 
- Dave

 

[DDDYKI]

   
That's probably a very controversial question, but I'm going give it a qualified "kinda".
 
If the main purpose of considering a DAP is to drive challenging and/or balanced headphones, and the quality, quantity, and sources available on your GS7 is adequate, then one could consider front-ending your aptX-enabled smartphone with an XB10 as a "poor man's DAP" solution.  However, there are many more features and functionality in a DAP, and some might consider squeezing your high-res FLACs through a tight, lossy aptX wireless pipe as sacrilegious.
 
By means of an example, there's absolutely NO way my GS7 Edge can drive my LCD-4's, but the XB10 does an amazingly adequate job driving these challenging cans, and the sound via aptX Bluetooth is surprisingly satisfactory.
 
Personally, I own/love the XB10, but the AK70 is still at the top of my Wish/Christmas List.
 
- Dave

Thanks for answering. I mostly have 320 MP3s, so between that and the consumer nature of my headphones, I don't see much of a challenge in driving anything. I still buy CDs and listen to 80s hair metal...no way will I find any obscure hair bands on HDTracks or elsewhere. I do prefer to listen via Bluetooth and really like how the Momentum 2 Wireless sounds over BT. I mostly prefer Bluetooth anyway, so I don't get my cord caught in anything or get wrapped up in my coat or something. However, my S7 is a bit finicky with volume (I have to boost it almost all the way up, or use my Sound Blaster E1), and Bluetooth performance can be a bit spotty depending on where I am outside. I do think the base aptX is a noticeable improvement over the standard codec; once I ditched the iPhone, my VModa Crossfade Wireless cans (AAC only) took a huge hit in quality & I couldn't get rid of them fast enough. After I move on from the S7, my next phone must have aptX or (preferably) aptX-HD.
 
I've been looking for DAPs with aptX Bluetooth, which led me to the aforementioned M1 and XDP-100R. The former is cheap, simple, and easy to carry, but not so flexible with UI (no touchscreen) and comes from a company without a US presence. The 100R is a few times more than the M1 and comes from a reputable brand, but offers features I'm not sure I would use much, if at all (Wi-Fi [at work]; balanced outputs; DSD; etc). The AK70 doesn't have aptX, I think. Nor does the AK Jr, which I was also looking at for a time.
 
I was looking at Westone's Bluetooth cable, which has aptX and an unobtrusive design (no cable running from my ears down to my pocket), but the reviews are so-so. The XB10 offers more features at a higher price. 

 

[gr8soundz]

Looks like apt-x HD is finally catching on.
 
A&K is releasing firmware to update its AK70 and AK300 series players to apt-x HD bluetooth.
per Jude's post here (scroll down a bit):
http://www.head-fi.org/t/812343/tidal-is-coming-to-astell-kern-players/60#post_12931454
 
Audio Technica will be releasing a pair of apt-x HD headphones soon.
link posted by head-fier @ljnew in the LG V20 thread:
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/139156-ditching-the-dac-audio-technica-dsr9bt-bluetooth-headphones-go-all-digital-with-pure-digital-drive-tech
 
EDIT:
A&K are also working on a Beyerdynamic Tesla based wireless headphone:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/821419/hd-bluetooth-tesla-headphones-from-ak-beyerdynamic-24-bit-aptx-hd-2016-ifa

 

[slackerpo]

  Thanks for answering. I mostly have 320 MP3s, so between that and the consumer nature of my headphones, I don't see much of a challenge in driving anything. I still buy CDs and listen to 80s hair metal...no way will I find any obscure hair bands on HDTracks or elsewhere. I do prefer to listen via Bluetooth and really like how the Momentum 2 Wireless sounds over BT. I mostly prefer Bluetooth anyway, so I don't get my cord caught in anything or get wrapped up in my coat or something. However, my S7 is a bit finicky with volume (I have to boost it almost all the way up, or use my Sound Blaster E1), and Bluetooth performance can be a bit spotty depending on where I am outside. I do think the base aptX is a noticeable improvement over the standard codec; once I ditched the iPhone, my VModa Crossfade Wireless cans (AAC only) took a huge hit in quality & I couldn't get rid of them fast enough. After I move on from the S7, my next phone must have aptX or (preferably) aptX-HD.
 
I've been looking for DAPs with aptX Bluetooth, which led me to the aforementioned M1 and XDP-100R. The former is cheap, simple, and easy to carry, but not so flexible with UI (no touchscreen) and comes from a company without a US presence. The 100R is a few times more than the M1 and comes from a reputable brand, but offers features I'm not sure I would use much, if at all (Wi-Fi [at work]; balanced outputs; DSD; etc). The AK70 doesn't have aptX, I think. Nor does the AK Jr, which I was also looking at for a time.
 
I was looking at Westone's Bluetooth cable, which has aptX and an unobtrusive design (no cable running from my ears down to my pocket), but the reviews are so-so. The XB10 offers more features at a higher price. 

 
i think you should definitly consider the xb10. it seems like a great match for your wired iems.
 

  Looks like apt-x HD is finally catching on.
 
A&K is releasing firmware to update its AK70 and AK300 series players to apt-x HD bluetooth.
per Jude's post here (scroll down a bit):
http://www.head-fi.org/t/812343/tidal-is-coming-to-astell-kern-players/60#post_12931454
 
Audio Technica will be releasing a pair of apt-x HD headphones soon.
link posted by head-fier @ljnew in the LG V20 thread:
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/139156-ditching-the-dac-audio-technica-dsr9bt-bluetooth-headphones-go-all-digital-with-pure-digital-drive-tech
 
EDIT:
A&K are also working on a Beyerdynamic Tesla based wireless headphone:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/821419/hd-bluetooth-tesla-headphones-from-ak-beyerdynamic-24-bit-aptx-hd-2016-ifa

 
yeah a&k seem to really be on top of their game. ill check the audio technica scoop.