For anyone in the US, the ARTTI R1 is available on Amazon Prime for $80.00 with a 20% off coupon. Also, available through prime shipping. I didn’t purchase it prior to this due to long shipping estimates through Volkchoi. Since I just bought the Trio I didn’t buy the R1. That is a lie.
Does everyone here look down upon bluetooth audio? I'm not sure how many would use android phones but LDAC/LHDC is about 80-90% of the hires audio, right?
Does everyone here look down upon bluetooth audio? I'm not sure how many would use android phones but LDAC/LHDC is about 80-90% of the hires audio, right?
Personally, I once in a while use wireless stuff when exercising or doing house work, for the convenience of no wires. But generally, there is a roll-off in the bass and treble sometimes, with less dynamics compared to a wired connection. Haha once you have heard the good stuff, it is quite hard to step down!
But, I think us hardcore folk who debate here on forums and lug about DAPs and dongles with wired IEMs are the vast minority. If you walk into subways or malls, 90% of people are using wireless products. Most of my friends and relatives refuse to try my wired stuff, they wanna stay with the consumer friendly BT wireless gear. I bought a few cheap-and-good $20ish CHIFI for Christmas for my relatives and sadly the people I gave them too didn't really like it haha.
The only issue with TWS stuff now is the potential obsolescence. Like if a new BT codec comes out, or the TWS battery dies with repeated charge cycles.
FWIW, LDAC is actually very decent, ya I think it can come quite close to a wired type sound. For BT fans, there's a new aptX Lossless codec, which hits a maximum bitrate of 1,200kbps. In contrast, the previous 2 high bitrate codecs of aptX Adaptive and LDAC can only reach a bitrate of 420kbps and 990kbps. So I think the BT technology is slowly evolving, maybe give it a few years, it might catch up with wired sound?
Personally, I once in a while use wireless stuff when exercising or doing house work, for the convenience of no wires. But generally, there is a roll-off in the bass and treble sometimes, with less dynamics compared to a wired connection. Haha once you have heard the good stuff, it is quite hard to step down!
But, I think us hardcore folk who debate here on forums and lug about DAPs and dongles with wired IEMs are the vast minority. If you walk into subways or malls, 90% of people are using wireless products. Most of my friends and relatives refuse to try my wired stuff, they wanna stay with the consumer friendly BT wireless gear. I bought a few cheap-and-good $20ish CHIFI for Christmas for my relatives and sadly the people I gave them too didn't really like it haha.
The only issue with TWS stuff now is the potential obsolescence. Like if a new BT codec comes out, or the TWS battery dies with repeated charge cycles.
FWIW, LDAC is actually very decent, ya I think it can come quite close to a wired type sound. For BT fans, there's a new aptX Lossless codec, which hits a maximum bitrate of 1,200kbps. In contrast, the previous 2 high bitrate codecs of aptX Adaptive and LDAC can only reach a bitrate of 420kbps and 990kbps. So I think the BT technology is slowly evolving, maybe give it a few years, it might catch up with wired sound?
That APTX Lossless (AKA "Snapdragon Sound") can do 16/44.1 wireless without any compression codec. So the digital signal would be bit perfect and have no roll off. But the dac and amp in any TWS hearphones is still a weak link to producting the best sound.
It probably won't be long before better low energy dac/amps are available; and then (even now) most people will be happy with the bluetooth wireless sound.
With TWS, when you are out and about where there are lots of background sounds/noise, Even AAC and MP3 @ 320Kbps sound pretty good. And LDAC (to my ears) is better than those Codecs. Have not had a phone that can send Aptx Lossless, or Any Device that can receive APTX lossless, so can't count say how it actually sounds yet.
That APTX Lossless (AKA "Snapdragon Sound") can do 16/44.1 wireless without any compression codec. So the digital signal would be bit perfect and have no roll off. But the dac and amp in any TWS hearphones is still a weak link to producting the best sound.
It probably won't be long before better low energy dac/amps are available; and then (even now) most people will be happy with the bluetooth wireless sound.
With TWS, when you are out and about where there are lots of background sounds/noise, Even AAC and MP3 @ 320Kbps sound pretty good. And LDAC (to my ears) is better than those Codecs. Have not had a phone that can send Aptx Lossless, or Any Device that can receive APTX lossless, so can't count say how it actually sounds yet.
I tried this new APTX lossless on a loaner unit of the iFi Diablo2. Have to say it sounds almost indistinguishable from a normal wired connection, especially when out on the go.
Does everyone here look down upon bluetooth audio? I'm not sure how many would use android phones but LDAC/LHDC is about 80-90% of the hires audio, right?
No no, not at all. But I have been trying to find a good and affordable bluetooth cable for ages myself and as a result know that most use the bluetooth chip as a dac. So the QCC5125 QCC5171 or QCC5181 straight the the earphones and that just doesn't have the output power a lot of the good IEMs thrive by. I see Takeda linked the cable he is using and that actually has a class A amp or so it says in the description so that will definitely help. But those Qualcomm bluetooth chips will still never beat a real dac, the 5171 based cable I had seemed to have quite the hiss.
I ended up going for a btr3K on a lanyard using a short cable and within a month already upgraded to the btr15. It might not be as portable and easy to use but the sound is much much better. So yeah I am definitely a bluetooth lover. Going full cable would be way too inconvenient for me at work.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/the-penon-renata-cable.27038/reviews#review-33017
Weighting in at 58 grams the RENATA is 2 grams less than the previous BETA RENATA review sample, but totally more well rounded as opposed to the first BETA edition. Wow this was a wild and fun review to do...........and it makes the SIMGOT EA1000 better than I have ever heard it?
Their website is a disgrace. I will avoid disclosing any unproven allegations, but I am certainly not ordering anything directly from there ever again.
Does everyone here look down upon bluetooth audio? I'm not sure how many would use android phones but LDAC/LHDC is about 80-90% of the hires audio, right?
That APTX Lossless (AKA "Snapdragon Sound") can do 16/44.1 wireless without any compression codec. So the digital signal would be bit perfect and have no roll off. But the dac and amp in any TWS hearphones is still a weak link to producting the best sound.
It probably won't be long before better low energy dac/amps are available; and then (even now) most people will be happy with the bluetooth wireless sound.
With TWS, when you are out and about where there are lots of background sounds/noise, Even AAC and MP3 @ 320Kbps sound pretty good. And LDAC (to my ears) is better than those Codecs. Have not had a phone that can send Aptx Lossless, or Any Device that can receive APTX lossless, so can't count say how it actually sounds yet.
I tried this new APTX lossless on a loaner unit of the iFi Diablo2. Have to say it sounds almost indistinguishable from a normal wired connection, especially when out on the go.
On SBC or AAC codec, yes they are inferior and distinguishable from wired, especially on bass depth and treble extension.
But with LDAC and APTX lossless, they are very close to CD FLAC quality since LDAC handles 990kbps while APTX handles up to 1200kbps like @baskingshark has pointed out.
What matter is, your receiver device. Does it have great DAC and decent amp to boost up the sound to your transducers?
Comparing proper wired DAP vs "weaker" BT receiver isn't fair because of the Chipset and the amp, not because of the wireless signal.
At around 1000kbps that is similar to FLAC CD quality which sometimes can have similar bitrate. While Hi res Flac over 3000kbps are superior definitely.
If you can find decent LDAC / Aptx lossless BT receiver, sound will be roughly similar to that CD quality.
I myself also like the convenience of wireless audio.
I have BTR7 for quite sometimes and I feel they are quite decent. But recently just slipped on my mind and I bought Sony WM1A for BT with LDAC purposes, it is really break the gap between wired and wireless. Streaming from my phone with LDAC 990kbps to the WM1A is a bliss, even watching movie with holding my phone without anything attached is a great moment. Same with my M17 with LDAC too, but the latter is too bulky to bring around the house.
On SBC or AAC codec, yes they are inferior and distinguishable from wired, especially on bass depth and treble extension.
But with LDAC and APTX lossless, they are very close to CD FLAC quality since LDAC handles 990kbps while APTX handles up to 1200kbps like @baskingshark has pointed out.
What matter is, your receiver device. Does it have great DAC and decent amp to boost up the sound to your transducers?
Comparing proper wired DAP vs "weaker" BT receiver isn't fair because of the Chipset and the amp, not because of the wireless signal.
At around 1000kbps that is similar to FLAC CD quality which sometimes can have similar bitrate. While Hi res Flac over 3000kbps are superior definitely.
If you can find decent LDAC / Aptx lossless BT receiver, sound will be roughly similar to that CD quality.
I myself also like the convenience of wireless audio.
I have BTR7 for quite sometimes and I feel they are quite decent. But recently just slipped on my mind and I bought Sony WM1A for BT with LDAC purposes, it is really break the gap between wired and wireless. Streaming from my phone with LDAC 990kbps to the WM1A is a bliss, even watching movie with holding my phone without anything attached is a great moment. Same with my M17 with LDAC too, but the latter is too bulky to bring around the house.
I have exactly same devices as you... I can confirm every of your points !!!
In the end => NW-WM1A + IER Z1R set in BT receiver mode at 990kps is the best SQ and most convenient combo with a good LDAC smartphone..
The BTR7 is not bad but rather limited with a poor battery playing time. M17 is far too bulky, particularly because you can't avoid at all to take your smartphone outdoor with you too (M17 has no 4G features for outdoor dlna server or qobuz access).
Direct comparison with AAC codec is perfectly clear => it has, by a big margin, more impact than any cables rolling or even any burning period...
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