How to enable apt-x playback on Windows?

[Tigrowski]

So I got myself a pair of HKs BT and so far it seems they sound terrible - I checked the LED below them and then consulted the manual to find that they're in the "paired with bluetooth device" mode rather than "apt-X mode play" or even "AAC mode play". How can I force my system to use apt-X? The bluetooth dongle supports it, I'm using Windows 7 so it should install automatically but it still doesn't try to use either AAC or apt-X... Any guesses?

 

[turbobb]

I encountered probs with trying to consistently connect via aptX on the HK BT's. I went through two of them before finally giving up and returning them. The second one while having better SQ than the first had an additional issue where it played back at about 1/2 speed of normal so everything was distorted in slow motion sound. It's a shame as they were pretty decent cans.
 
Which BT adapter do you have? I'm using an Orico BT 4.0 adapter w/CSR Harmony software and the HK BT is the only aptX cans I've encountered issues with trying to connect in aptX mode.

 

[Tigrowski]

I'm using LogiLink BT0015 adapter (http://www.logilink.com/showproduct/BT0015.htm?seticlanguage=en) with no additional software beside what Windows installed on its own. The cans have no problem running in apt-X with my phone (Galaxy S3) but there's no way to make them use apt-X with the PC. It's a shame cause from what it seems, I may have to return them cause the SQ is undisputably worse than with my 7-year-old wired Philipses SHP8900. I wasn't expecting miracles but I was sure I'd be able to at least maintain the same SQ as those old cans while going wireless

 

[turbobb]

Looks like that dongle uses CSR 8510 chipset so you should install the CSR Harmony Software (which will include the appropriate drivers, however you will need .NET 4.0 as well). Did it not include any software?

 

[Tigrowski]

Absolutely right you are - apt-X now working just like it should! Installing CSR Harmony (bundled with my BT adapter as well) was enough and it changed to apt-X instantaneously. The SQ is completely incomparable to what it was yesterday (a lot better). Thank you very much

 

[turbobb]

Cool, glad to see you got it all sorted. One thing to note - on the two sets I got, it would usually only connect in aptX the very first time I paired it and them only randomly thereafter (as confirmed by both the lack of the aptX message from the Harmony software as well as the blinks on the HK BT's). Not sure if you're encountering that but you may wish to check if you have the same prob with your set. Regardless that my adapter is Orico, it's using the same underlying CSR 8510 chipset and according to HK support, they feel there is a potential incompatibility issue with these.

 

[Tigrowski]

In my case it was consistently connecting to apt-X each time so far. Which doesn't change the fact that I'm going to return the cans cause the SQ is incomparably worse than on my old Philipses Not to mention problems with occasional drops when I slouch to much on the left side and frequent dysyncs with actors' lips on the movies (seems a frequent issue with apt-X in general).

 

[turbobb]

That's a shame as they are a pretty decent set of BT cans. Just one note though re: latency; it's inherent with BT in general and not just the aptX codec specifically. There is a low latency version of the aptX codec available but thus far, very few devices support it (as a matter of fact, the only one that comes to mind is the Avantree Saturn Pro which is both a receiver & transmitter).
 
Good luck on your hunt for new cans.