[michaelgordon]

i sort of hate Cayin a little now, could Red not have been available at launch.

 

[waynes world]

Just finished reading this entire thread (and the i5 thread AND the X5 iii thread) and I'm curious which would sound better - Spotify Premium direct from my iPhone 7 Plus or streamed via Bluetooth to N3 (iPhone doesn't support aptX). Thank you for your help!

That's a good question, and I have my own variants....

Which would sound better:
(1) Tidal direct from Samsung S7 Edge (exynos) versus streamed via Bluetooth to N3 (note that the S7 does support aptX, but I'm not sure how that impacts things)
(2) Tidal direct from Samsung S7 Edge + Zuperdac versus streamed via Bluetooth to N3

 

[Slater]

i sort of hate Cayin a little now, could Red not have been available at launch.

 

[BetterLate]

I don't know how to quote but Wayne's question is essentially the android version of mine. I understand that aptX will give you a much better Bluetooth experience. Any wisdom on this topic out there?

 

[Slater]

I don't know how to quote but Wayne's question is essentially the android version of mine. I understand that aptX will give you a much better Bluetooth experience. Any wisdom on this topic out there?

There's lots of info on aptX. It's not the do all solution, but it is good.

Here's some basic info that helps explain the details and some of the issues with aptX: https://www.cnet.com/news/can-aptx-give-you-better-sound-over-bluetooth/

 

[BetterLate]

Sorry not really interested in aptX. I was just saying iPhone doesn't have it, to frame my question. To wit, do the hardware advantages of the N3 over the iPhone 7 outweigh the signal degradation introduced by non-aptX Bluetooth?

 

[Slater]

Sorry not really interested in aptX. I was just saying iPhone doesn't have it, to frame my question. To wit, do the hardware advantages of the N3 over the iPhone 7 outweigh the signal degradation introduced by non-aptX Bluetooth?

If you're just listening to 128-320k MP3s, you'll be just fine.

When I stream MP3 from my iPod to my Bluetooth 4.1 headphones, they sound no different than when hard wired to the same headphones. Lossless files are a different story.

Now, if you're asking about the N3 vs iphone 7, I can't answer that because I don't own either. But I can say that I would take a purpose-built high-res DAP over a cell phone any day of the week. In almost every case, the dedicated DAP is going to have better components, lower noise, more power, and superior features. But again, if you're only listening to 128k MP3, just save your $ as you're not going to benefit from a high-res player.

 

[twister6]

Found this on FB, someone posted from Fujiya-Avic show:

 

[nmatheis]

For my part, I've got a OnePlus 3. Connecting via Bluetooth to stream Google Play Music sounds much better than simply listening through OP3 headphone out. No question!

 

[BetterLate]

Thank you Nic! That is exactly the answer I was looking for. I've got an AK Jr ( and a Fiio X3ii) so I know how much better they sound. Now I just have to wait until red is available in US!

 

[nmatheis]

For complete transparency, I should admit that my OnePlus 3 really doesn't set a high bar for audio quality. That said, the N3 does sound good!

 

[actorlife]

T6 your picture makes the N3 look Orange.

 

[twister6]

T6 your picture makes the N3 look Orange.

Not my picture , found it on FB by someone from S. Korea who visited the show in Japan and took that picture. Bad lighting for sure, I agree...

 

[Slater]

Thank you Nic! That is exactly the answer I was looking for. I've got an AK Jr ( and a Fiio X3ii) so I know how much better they sound. Now I just have to wait until red is available in US!

Since you have an iPhone 7, have you considered a high-res lightning decoder?

Like https://www.aliexpress.com/item/201...eadphone-Amplifier-for-Apple/32784567189.html

Or do you definitely want wireless streaming?

 

[BetterLate]

Ignorance on my part. Very much interested