[XmarX]

So, I travel a lot on the breaks and for work. I also do travelling on flights too with its noisy engines.
I use android, ios and windows 10 for gaming and movie watching and it's impossible (for me) to find a wireless earbud/iem that does it all with low latency.
For PC, I'm going to get a Qualcomm Bluetooth transmitter for aptX LL (even though my PC have the Intel Bluetooth 5.0).

I have a Jade Audio IEM currently. I'm planning to go full planar with 7hz timeless and Sundara (both unbalanced I guess).
I'll get the Etymotic E2XR for the flight (for noise cancellation).
My budget is like 150 GBP and it should last ~8 hrs on a full charge.
So, need your suggestions on which solution to go for!

As of now, I'm leaning towards the FiiO BTR 5 2021 but there are a lot of interesting products from iFi and Xduoo. There are a lot of stuff from Hiby too.
So, a bit confused at the moment.

If you can, can you also suggest a Qualcomm Bluetooth adapter for PC with aptX LL?

Thank you.
Have a wonderful and prosperous new year!

 

[KittySneeze]

I own all the main Bluetooth portable DACs, and also travel 2/3 of the year for work, so I have some idea of your use-case. Likewise, I own the Timeless 7hz and ER2XR and have used them for a decent while with all four options. My choice is also the FiiO BTR5 2021.

The reason for my choice above the other options—Qudelix 5k, iFi Go Blue, and ES100–is as follows:

• iFI Go Blue is the most powerful of the options, but I find that much power unnecessary for running IEMs or portable headphones in a travel environment. However, it also has a higher noise floor, so can be prone to a small amount of hiss when using sensitive IEMs. It also suffers from relatively poor Bluetooth range, no multipoint pairing, and doesn’t have the features allowed by a companion smartphone app, like the others. The lack of multipoint pairing is annoying since you have to manually switch between your phone and computer if you need to take a call for example.
• Qudelix 5k has the best companion App of the option. It includes a ton of customization—especially for people that EQ—and easy wireless firmware updates. If you are big into EQ, I’d say this is another good choice.That said, its build quality is not as solid as the others, and it’s button layout is eternally frustrating to use. I’ve had it for a year and still can’t seem to use it intuitively.
• ES100, even the Mk2 version, has outdated features in almost every regard compared to the others. However, it is the cheapest and offers a “transparency” mode that pipes-in outside noise from its microphone into whatever audio you’re listening to. This is super helpful when traveling in an airport since you don’t have to constantly remove your IEMs to hear important announcements or interact with people. Instead, you can activate it from a button and clearly hear those around you. The Qudelix also has this feature.

The FiiO BTR5 does not have the best App, most power, or lowest price, but it comes 2nd in every category, which makes it the best overall option in my opinion.

As far as Bluetooth Transmitters go, I’d recommend something like this from Avantree. It is battery powered for easy of use while traveling, and supports AptX Low Latency for lower audio delay while making calls, video conferencing, or gaming. If you don’t need the internal battery the Avantree AudioKast is a more feature-rich option too.

P.S. I’d recommend buying something like this as well. It will allow you more flexibility in mounting your device so you aren’t restricted to attaching it via the included clip exclusively. I have mine attached to a small leather case so I can easily swap between either Mount as needed. Most usefully, it allows you to Mount to a T-Shirt without the clip stretching your collar.