[MrGrimble]

Hi

My current living room setup includes a PC (with no internal Bluetooth support) that's connected to my Denon avr x4200w receiver via HDMI. I want to stream music files from my pc to my sony wh-1000xm headphones & minirigs (Both support aptx), but I'm not 100% clear on the way that Bluetooth is transmitted, so I have a few question. I hope you could help me.

1) Does my Denon DAC has any influence on a Bluetooth receiver that is connected to a PC?
2) what are the pros and cons of connecting Bluetooth to my PC via USB dongle vs Cable connection? Is there any difference between them?
3) What is the best option for connecting my PC to a Bluetooth receiver in order to get the most quality audio signal?

 

[Roseval]

ad 1: no, how could it be?
ad 2: a USB dongle means the audio is transmitted digitally to the USB and is converted to Bluetooth. If you use a Bluetooth transmitter with a analog input then the DAC of the PC translates to analog, the ADC converter in the transmitter convertis it back to digital before it is send over the Bluetooth.
ad 3: a USB dongle. Check if it support APTx. The wh-1000x also support LDAC, a much higher bit rate than common in Bluetooth. Don't know if there is a dongle supporting this

 

[MrGrimble]

ad 1: no, how could it be?
ad 2: a USB dongle means the audio is transmitted digitally to the USB and is converted to Bluetooth. If you use a Bluetooth transmitter with a analog input then the DAC of the PC translates to analog, the ADC converter in the transmitter convertis it back to digital before it is send over the Bluetooth.
ad 3: a USB dongle. Check if it support APTx. The wh-1000x also support LDAC, a much higher bit rate than common in Bluetooth. Don't know if there is a dongle supporting this

Sorry, I'm still learning about BT audio technology.
regarding Q1 - I just thought that if the DAC on the receiver converts all my PC audio files then it will also impact the sound that is going out of the PC via Bluetooth dongle.
With analog cable, I can understand that the conversion will go through the crappy internal sound card and not through the receiver DAC.

So what you're basically telling me is that any DAC won't help in this situation because the Bluetooth does its own conversion?
Even if ill bypass the PC and transmit straight from the receiver via optical cable, the sound will be same. The only thing that matters is the BT conversion and which codec it uses (sbc, aptx, LDAC). correct?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Hi

My current living room setup includes a PC (with no internal Bluetooth support) that's connected to my Denon AVR-X4200W receiver via HDMI. I want to stream music files from my PC to my Sony WH-1000XM headphones & minirigs (Both support aptx), but I'm not 100% clear on the way that Bluetooth is transmitted, so I have a few question. I hope you could help me.
1) Does my Denon DAC has any influence on a Bluetooth receiver that is connected to a PC?
2) what are the pros and cons of connecting Bluetooth to my PC via USB dongle vs Cable connection? Is there any difference between them?
3) What is the best option for connecting my PC to a Bluetooth receiver in order to get the most quality audio signal?

Your Denon AVR-X4200W comes with Blue-Tooth, why not just use that to connect to the Sony X4200W headphones?
I would assume the Denon's remote could be used for volume control?
Or maybe it's better to set the Denon's volume to high (to send a strong signal) and use whatever volume control is built into the Sony's?

 

[MrGrimble]

Your Denon AVR-X4200W comes with Blue-Tooth, why not just use that to connect to the Sony X4200W headphones?
I would assume the Denon's remote could be used for volume control?
Or maybe it's better to set the Denon's volume to high (to send a strong signal) and use whatever volume control is built into the Sony's?

It doesn't support aptx or LDAC. Only sbc and AAC.
Also, all my files are on my PC and want to use them from my PC.

 

[Roseval]

So what you're basically telling me is that any DAC won't help in this situation because the Bluetooth does its own conversion?

Yep, the DAC is the final stage.

Maybe this helps.

File on a PC > Media player > HDMI > Receiver > DAC > amplification
From PC to DAC you have a digital path, then of course the conversion to analog takes place as amps don’t deal with bits but with analog signals only . Obvious converting to analog won’t impact the PC.

File on PC > Media player > Bluetooth sender > Bluetooth receiver > (DAC > amp = BT headphone)
Likewise if you use a USB BT dongle, the receiver is simply not used at all.

If you want a DAC to be of influence you get something like
File on a PC > Media player > DAC (onboard audio) > analog > ADC converter > Bluetooth sender> Bluetooth receiver > (DAC > amp = BT headphone)
As you already understood, not really an audiophile Valhalla

Clear enough?

 

[MrGrimble]

Yep, Thanks!

My 1000x's & minirigs are used mainly outdoors.
I just wanted to see what can I get from them indoors, without wires, but I now see that it doesn't worth the effort.

Thanks again.