So after a few more weeks with the new firmware version and going back and forth between the Bluetooth cable, wired, and a true-wireless alternative I thought I should update my initial review. Working from home, I've been able to spend 6-8 hours a day time going between my Massdrop Plus and Audeze LCDi3 (wired and with the PS BT cable) and Airpod pros.
Some of my
personal thoughts and observations:
- I try to avoid switching between BT cable and my physically wired cables (since 2 pin weren't made to be interchanged frequently) so I really would prefer to just keep the BT cable on my IEMs. However, I find myself frustrated after an hour or two of listening where the hiss has just become so bothersome that I just swap to my physically wired cables again. The hiss makes it frustratingly difficult for me to distinguish between layers and instruments which are very easy to distinguish wired or even with Airpod pros. Something so minor really muddies the sound.
- Not having the hiss make Airpod pros now my preferred wireless option. With the price of the cable being the current cost of Airpod pros I'm just finding it harder to justify this BT Cable.
- I'm suspecting firmware seems to have primarily adjusted gain. Is this correct? Prior to the firmware update, I was around 20-30% volume level w/o EQ for my listening level. After firmware update, the hiss was slightly lower (even more apparent after a few more weeks of testing), but I now need to adjust volume to 40-50% to get to my listening level.
- Given the above, I'm a bit concerned future updates to reduce the hiss will just be further adjusting gain and making it more difficult to drive what should-require-less to drive IEMs. Note: I don't really understand the engineering for things like this (I'm software not hardware/electrical) but it's a bit sus to where I am now thinking this is just a very poor mismatch of hardware.
- If this is actually a hardware issue/limitation, no amount of software or firmware updates will ever resolve this. In this case I really feel like we paid a tremendous price (not just money, but also time) to beta test a product which should've never been released.
I really did want to like the bluetooth cable and believe they would've OK for traveling/flying where you always have some additional background noise. But I think I'm ready to shelve these unless this issue can be solved.
I hope my review helps anyone researching the cable since I would've loved this information when I was researching.