[ruthieandjohn]

Somewhere, either on this thread or the "Monstrous Bluetooth Headphone Comparison" thread, someone posted a link to a crowd-funded campaign to develop a blue tooth receiver. It was small, like an IEM, and fit into the jack for a removable headphone cable.  It came in both a 3.5mm and a 2.5mm jack size and it cost $60, and was due to come out in April.
 
I can't find it -- anyone know.where / what it is?  Thanks!

 

[Giogio]

  Somewhere, either on this thread or the "Monstrous Bluetooth Headphone Comparison" thread, someone posted a link to a crowd-funded campaign to develop a blue tooth receiver. It was small, like an IEM, and fit into the jack for a removable headphone cable.  It came in both a 3.5mm and a 2.5mm jack size and it cost $60, and was due to come out in April.
 
I can't find it -- anyone know.where / what it is?  Thanks!

I think it was @Kelleytoons in the Huge Comparison Thread.
Kelley? Do you remember the link?

 

[Kelleytoons]

Here's the link to the current site for BTunes (the portable BT solution for nearly all headphones):
 
http://www.thebtunes.com/
 
I have not received mine yet but have gotten updates from the developer regularly and everything seems to be on schedule.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Thanks so much for the link.
 
I LOVED the drama of "The Interruption Of The Cord" documented in their video, where the person gets up, puts on his headphones plugged into his iPhone, sets the iPhone on the counter to make coffee, turns from the coffee pot to the sink, pulls his iPhone off the counter and in crashes to the floor, his wife still in bed wakes up yelling "Honey, Are you OK??"  Then several similar scenarios in an exercise gym and on a bus.
 
I plan to get them.  I assume that they do Apt-X, though I haven't found that statement yet.
 
I had already been looking at a BT receiver that is cheaper than its $69 here:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N1IK9U4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=303CCWR6VRRCA&coliid=I17HI8U87TFA3P
 
It is also small, and though it has only the 3.5mm jack, you can then add a $6 3.5mm-to-2.5mm converter and plug it into the cable plug of your headphone earpiece (for those like Sennheiser, Bose, Beats, V-Moda, and NAD that have removeable headphone cords... unfortunately not my beloved Grados, which don't!).
 
Hence you can keep the acoustic nature of your favorite headphones while streaming lossless Apt-X BT (assuming your source has that, which my iPhone does not, but BTunes also sells a tiny Apt-X transmitter).
 
Thanks again!
 


BTunes plugs into headphone jack, adding BT receive capability.

 

[Kelleytoons]

They do Apt-x.
 
I've used a TON of other small BT receivers (I currently have three different ones I use with my headphones) but the BTunes one is the only one I've ever seen that's completely integrated (the plug is part of the receiver).  It's also the only one that can be purchased with a 2.5mm plug (there are no 3.5mm to 2.5mm plug converters you can buy that are just a plug -- believe me, I've tried about five different ones that were supposed to work and none did.  The best you can do is add another cord.  However, it's worse than that because at least two different 2.5mm headphones, the Bose and the Sennheiser, need such a narrow 2.5mm plug that you can't even buy a CABLE that will work.  Again, been there, tried that, and after weeks of different options could get nothing to work.  The absolute best you can do in those cases is to use the supplied cable from the maker and butcher it to make a converter attachment.  The BTunes is the ONLY solution for these headphones).
 
I think if you have a favorite set of headphones it's about the best option out there but as I said I haven't received mine yet (although I was an early Kickstarter contributor).  I'm still a tiny bit concerned about skipping issues with iOS devices, since it appears as if one issue with said devices is the supporting of multiple simultaneous connections (which BTunes does).  If this also skips then I give up <g>.

 

[Giogio]

http://www.miccus.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MMJAX-04
I think this is kind of kicking the ass of the btune.
It is smaller, and with low latency Aptx.
And the jack can be moved to adjust the position to different needs.
 
They make also a transmitter version of it:
http://www.miccus.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MMJTX-04
So that people who want to stream music from their Hi Fi, or with Notebooks and PC without BT (or without Aptx, or people who want the Low Latency to watch movies) or TV (Low Latency = essential) can be covered.
 
How much costs the btune?

 

[ruthieandjohn]

$69.00.

I have been using a similar Miccus product (non Apt-X BT transmitter) in my car for two years with no issue. Works flawlessly. It sits in a little pocket in my glove compartment, puts its signal into the AUX jack of the car there, and is constantly charged via a USB port in the glove compartment. It has been in my car, parked outside in Michigan winters, operating at temperatures from below 0 deg F to above 100 deg, flawlessly.

It costs $29.99.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HHLOWC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1



However, it only has the 3.5mm jack. The BTunes has either that or the smaller 2.5.mm, which is required for the earpiece cable connect of many headphones, including the Sennheiser HD 598. You CAN get a 3.5mm to 2.5mm converter for about $6.00, but it adds another inch or so to the length.

But the BTunes won't actually be out until June, at current estimate.

 

[Giogio]

And which one do you like the look the most, this or the btune?
And you, Kelleytoons?
 
I find the btune somehow more sexy, this thing here looks too cheap.
But on the other hand this is smaller. The btune is longer.
And this one you can change the angle of the jack to adapt to the form of your headphone.
And this is cheaper...

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  And which one do you like the look the most, this or the btune?
And you, Kelleytoons?
 
I find the btune somehow more sexy, this thing here looks too cheap.
But on the other hand this is smaller. The btune is longer.
And this one you can change the angle of the jack to adapt to the form of your headphone.
And this is cheaper...

...and the Miccus is here now!
 
I like the look of the BTunes, particularly when I realize that with the Miccus, I would for my particular Sennheiser HD 598 have to add the 2.5mm to 3.5mm converter plug, which Kelleytoons cautions doesn't really work and a corded connector is really required, the jack of which does not fit some headphones (too fat an enclosure).
 

 
 
I have not tried my Miccus on my headphones (still in the car), but I am confident that it would work.  I'm just awaiting my BTunes.
 
Here's the one I was going to buy ($29.99) to go with the 2.5mm to 3.5mm converter above, until I decided to just buy the BTunes and wait...
 
 

 
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N1IK9U4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=303CCWR6VRRCA&coliid=I17HI8U87TFA3P

 

[Giogio]

Hmmm, I see now that the btunes is multipoint, this is cool.
But I wonder once they make this effort of the multipoint and use "watching tv" as example, why don't they put low latency aptx?
I cannot understand why people must make things always in half.
 
But, where do you see that it is possible to use it with 2.5 jack?
In the video there is nothing about it and although I read a very short mention to that on the website, there is no explication of how. The site if very poor.

 

[Kelleytoons]

The BTunes can come with either the 2.5 or the 3.5 jack (and, no, folks you can't use a converter -- there's no converter on the market that is narrow enough on the entire plug length to fit any headphone with a 2.5mm jack, as the opening is just too deep.  Trust me, been there, not done that :>).  So at least in that case BTunes is the only game in town.
 
However, I didn't order the 2.5 Btunes and would still have ordered the 3.5 (the one I do have coming) in the place of this thing.  It seems much better designed than this thing, for one, but of course that remains to be seen.  And while I paid $50 I have little to no doubt that the Amazon price for BTunes (when it finally does come out) will be at or below this.  Don't confuse retail with street price.
 
But, in any case, I do believe in these kinds of approaches to converting headphones to BT rather than trying to wait for the makers to come up with the ultimate solution (I do think the ultimate solution is coming, I just am not sure I'll see it in my lifetime <g>).

 

[Yappadappadu]

$69.00.

I have been using a similar Miccus product (non Apt-X BT transmitter) in my car for two years with no issue. Works flawlessly. It sits in a little pocket in my glove compartment, puts its signal into the AUX jack of the car there, and is constantly charged via a USB port in the glove compartment. It has been in my car, parked outside in Michigan winters, operating at temperatures from below 0 deg F to above 100 deg, flawlessly.

It costs $29.99.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HHLOWC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


 

Interesting, I am currently looking for a transmitter for my non-bluetooth car. German Amazon has it, but for 102 Euro.
From my past experience, if I order at amazon.com, german customs will get in the way and force me to send it back, haha.

 

[Giogio]

  The BTunes can come with either the 2.5 or the 3.5 jack (and, no, folks you can't use a converter -- there's no converter on the market that is narrow enough on the entire plug length to fit any headphone with a 2.5mm jack, as the opening is just too deep.  Trust me, been there, not done that :>).  So at least in that case BTunes is the only game in town.
 
However, I didn't order the 2.5 Btunes and would still have ordered the 3.5 (the one I do have coming) in the place of this thing.  It seems much better designed than this thing, for one, but of course that remains to be seen.  And while I paid $50 I have little to no doubt that the Amazon price for BTunes (when it finally does come out) will be at or below this.  Don't confuse retail with street price.
 
But, in any case, I do believe in these kinds of approaches to converting headphones to BT rather than trying to wait for the makers to come up with the ultimate solution (I do think the ultimate solution is coming, I just am not sure I'll see it in my lifetime <g>).

Man, you are so dramatic Don't make me worry, it seems like you are gonna go in any moment.
I think you still have lot of headphones to try before you.
Anyway, 2.5 OR 3.5? Disappointing.
In this case, well, I think that on the 3.5 category the Miccus win, for being smaller, with many angles, and low latency. Apart for the slightly cheaper look, which anyway for me is not a problem because if I would ever use this thing instead of a bluetooth headphone it would only be for BIG high quality wired cans for home use, so, comfort is important (weight, form, dimensions) but aspect not necessarily.
For when I go out, I would not use this thing because it is a bit ridiculous and also because for going out I need portable headphones, where this thing would be even more ridiculous, and also because I am pretty sure that in the portable range a very good bt headphone has enough quality.
But I do believe you, that this approach can be the best solution for those who own a very very good wired can with detachable cable.
Because although a part of the sound quality will be taken away in the conversion to BT, a huge part of the quality of headphones is hardware.
I just am not ready to expand my world to wired cans.
Maybe one day.
 

Interesting, I am currently looking for a transmitter for my non-bluetooth car. German Amazon has it, but for 102 Euro.
From my past experience, if I order at amazon.com, german customs will get in the way and force me to send it back, haha.

I think you were just unlucky.
My ATH passed the Custom. I just had to go there and pay the taxes.
Maybe in your city the Custom is more difficult.
Or maybe THAT guy was an *******.
Anyway, I think that for such small things is not a problem.
By the way, was your problem with something bought in Amazon.com?
Because in my case it was not. The thing bought in Amazon.com in my case comes directly at home because amazon includes in the price for international shippings also a plus for Custom Taxes.
Same story for something I have purchased in Ebay.com with a special global shipping program where the shipping costs were more expensive than the product itself (the Azio dongle).
 
Btw, maybe you meant receiver? Or do you want to use BT headphones in your car?

 

[Yappadappadu]

Yeah, of course, I meant the receiver in order to hook up my iPhone by BT to the AUX port of the car radio.
 
Regarding the MDR-1RBT MK2 that I had to send back, I got them on ebay from Southkorea.
 
Still having the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless here (along with my Plantronics Backbeat Pro). Will probably send back the Momentum next week due to the piss poor BT connection. Though to be fair, even with a more stable BT connection, at that price they would have needed to absolutely blow me away, and sadly they don't.
 
Very well possible that I'll give them another try once the Sony MDR-1ABT are out in May. For comparisons sake and should hopefully be cheaper by then. The Plantronics are a good placeholder until then. Maybe even more.

 

[Giogio]

  Yeah, of course, I meant the receiver in order to hook up my iPhone by BT to the AUX port of the car radio.
 
Regarding the MDR-1RBT MK2 that I had to send back, I got them on ebay from Southkorea.
 
Still having the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless here (along with my Plantronics Backbeat Pro). Will probably send back the Momentum next week due to the piss poor BT connection. Though to be fair, even with a more stable BT connection, at that price they would have needed to absolutely blow me away, and sadly they don't.
 
Very well possible that I'll give them another try once the Sony MDR-1ABT are out in May. For comparisons sake and should hopefully be cheaper by then. The Plantronics are a good placeholder until then. Maybe even more.

My opinion? I think that Sennheiser is lazy and conservative.
I am also not sure, but somehow I have the impression that they are few and old people there, because every single time, believe me, every single time that I call or write, the SAME guy answer me. And I mean, Sennheiser maybe does not sell as much as Beats and does not need 500 Customer Care representatives, but, ONE?
I mean, when I called, when I wrote to the support, and when I wrote a suggestion in the online form in the "feedback" section, the SAME guy answered.
Whatever.
What I wanted to say is that from how he spook to me of BT, I had the impression that Sennheiser just hate BT.
They do it just to please people and gain a bit of market more but they see it as something bad for the sound.
Which, I mean, everybody know that BT is not as good as wired, but there are people who need BT, and those people deserve good headphones too, so if you produce headphones, and you can make people happy by doing better BT headphones, why not?
But I think they are lazy and do not want to invest time in the BT research, and so they still have the SAME bt hardware and put it in just every new headphone.
Look, the prehistoric MM550-X had already Noise Gard. And it already sucked.
They KNOW that people are craving for good ANC, and they use the same ****ty Noise Gard in their new models.
They know that the range is not good, even their USB adapter sucks, but they do NOTHING to change that.
If I am wrong, I apologize with Sennheiser, but if I am right, they should apologize with us, because the cost of the Momentum (new model) wired is 319 and the BT version is 449, and you can NOT make people pay 130 Euro more just to put there the same old crappy bt technology which you use since the MM series.
 
But maybe I am wrong, because he somehow told me that since the MM they had be making research and improvements.
Or maybe they should have made more improvements, if people still complain about the same (poor range, poor anc).
I mean, for me the ANC of the BeoPlay H8 sucks, and people say it is better than the Momentum (apart for the hiss).
So...
 
Tell me, when do you have range problems? I suppose that not outdoors with the source (phone) in your pockets?
Probably at home, while walking around far from the source?
In that case, what is the source? A USB dongle? Or what?
Because a guy in another thread posted this:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%B5%E3%83%B3%E3%83%AF%E3%82%B5%E3%83%97%E3%83%A9%E3%82%A4-Bluetooth-USB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%80%E3%83%97%E3%82%BF-class1-MM-BTUD43/dp/B00HX64XUM/ref=pd_sim_computers_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1BZSCPHH9FTQRSVJF7YT
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B007PVKOO4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AN1VRQENFRJN5
They are class 1 dongle with aptx.
For now there still is no class 1 3.5 adapter, in case that is what you need, but Avantree is making one which can or not be class 1, but will have an antenna and a wonderful range, and have 3.5 and optical connections. And low latency.
But, still in to do.
So, yes, the momentum are class 2, so paired with a class 1 dongle you still have class 1, but I kind of think (cannot bet my life on it though) that still even that the class 1 dongle would put some more range in the game.
I mean. if you absolutely want the Momentum...
But, you are right. For what they cost, they should amaze you more.
 
And for what the BBP cost, they are probably more than a peaceholder :=)
 
May I know where and for what do you use the headphones? Outdoor or at home? Also for calls?
Because now the Pendulumic Stance S1+ are available in Amazon UK (and soon also in DE), and they are said to be very good in sound (I will confirm next week).
But, they do not seem very portable, so, They kind of are to me more a home thing.
Also because IF it is true (I have only read it from one guy) they have a "closed mic" which means that when you call you do not hear your voice through the headphone. Which must not be so bad, considering that apparently they do not isolate sound very much according to the same person. So you can hear your voice from outside of the headphones
but... consider them?