Earhook Bluetooth Adapters? TN BT20 and other options?

[jrm27]

Hello all,
I'm looking for an adapter to use my Westone ES5 IEM's in a "true wireless" manner. I've seen the BT20 talked about here, and that sounds interesting. I wish they were more widely available! Are there other options I should be looking at?

 

[robertjwarren]

I haven't come across BT earhooks, but have experience with BT adaptor cables for IEM's. I have the Earsonics ES3 IEM and the Weston E2C CIEM both have 2-pin connectors.

Plussound has been taking orders for a custom BT cable (I think you can specify which connector you need) since November. I've ordered but have not received. Supposed to have latest BT codec.

I bought the Lear and TRN BT adaptor cables with 2 pin connectors. Both seem to work/sound fine using my iPhone 11. The Lear battery does not last as long as the TRN but YMMV. The distance/range on both before dropping out seems about the same.

Hoping the Plussound performs better in every way. I did consider the Westone and the Shure BT adaptor cables before making the Plussound commitment but since I already had the two others I thought the wait was doable for the Plussound.

 

[Infoseeker]

Hello all,
I'm looking for an adapter to use my Westone ES5 IEM's in a "true wireless" manner. I've seen the BT20 talked about here, and that sounds interesting. I wish they were more widely available! Are there other options I should be looking at?

They are available but from AliExpress.

Also FiiO released a similar model. The FiiO uTWS1

 

[assassin10000]

I've had 2 of each TRN BT20 & BT20S.



The BT20 has a lower noise floor, but this is because it has a lower gain (overall volume). It also only has SBC & AAC, if that matters to you as it did for me on my old phone that did not have AAC. It has no protection from water or sweat, other members had theirs die due to it. I killed one pair by putting them through the wash lol. Battery life averaged around 6 hours.


Note: I broke the original mmcx ends and had to re-cable this pair of BT20S.


The BT20S has APT-X, AAC and SBC. It also has some kind of nano coating/sweat proofing, though no true IPX rating afaik. It has a higher noise floor with sensitive iems but also achieves much louder volume levels as the gain is higher. For me it has a stronger connection and better battery life. I get around 7.5-8.5 hours if I don't turn them off briefly. If I do turn them off briefly they switch 'master' sides and I get 8.5-9.5 hours.


From what I can tell the Fiio UTWS1 is a slightly updated TRN that adds volume control.


There is also the Fostex TM2. Much pricier though.

Shure is also coming out with a TWS solution but it looks terrible and is much larger.

 

[HAMS]

Bt20 is pretty uncomfortable though, first 5 minutes is okay more than that its unbearable to wear, Without modding the clamp I would throw it away.

 

[assassin10000]

Bt20 is pretty uncomfortable though, first 5 minutes is okay more than that its unbearable to wear, Without modding the clamp I would throw it away.

Yeah, if you don't flex the crap out of the spring steel inside the arms they can be uncomfortable. Work it back and forth and it'll 'open' up and be much more comfortable.

You can see it here on the ends I broke and removed.