It seems that everyone is concerned about better Bluetooth devices. It is no wonder that if the problem of sound quality is solved, who will refuse the convenience of Bluetooth wireless?
Everyone also asked some questions. I have summarized some of the areas that everyone is interested in and misunderstood and replied together. It may not be completely accurate and is for reference only;
1. Based on Android 8.0 devices do not automatically support aptX, aptX HD, LDAC and other Bluetooth encoding formats;
There is news that Android 8.0 will support Sony's own Bluetooth encoding LDAC, as well as Qualcomm's aptX HD. But based on what we know about applying for LDAC certification and aptX, aptX HD, LDAC/aptX/aptX HD still requires certification and payment of patent fees. Devices based on Android 8.0 are not meant to automatically support these Bluetooth audio encoding formats.
Just like aptX is now a patent of Qualcomm, it does not mean that using Qualcomm’s main control will automatically support aptX.
2. Why are there many devices that support aptX reception, such as Bluetooth speakers and Bluetooth headsets, but only few mobile phones?
According to the current popularity of aptX, the bottleneck is not at the receiving end but at the transmitting end. Currently, because Qualcomm’s CSR Bluetooth receiving chip has better performance in all aspects, many Bluetooth headsets use it for signal and stability. For other reasons, I chose Qualcomm's CSR series Bluetooth chips, and I was automatically forced to support aptX. Qualcomm collects aptX's patent money through chip sales. Of course, if you want to achieve the best results, it is best to be aptX certified.
As a Bluetooth transmitter, the most common one is a mobile phone. Unfortunately, due to the issue of patent fees (it is not expensive in fact, there should be room for negotiation depending on the quantity of a device). ), mobile phone manufacturers have sales in the tens of millions. Therefore, very few mid- to low-end mobile phones support aptX. I can't figure out why Apple phones don't support it, because MAC laptops do.
3. For those products that claim to support aptX, but there is no certification on the aptX official website, and the aptX authorization mark cannot be seen on the product packaging box, will the sound quality not be affected?
Equipments that can transmit aptX may not necessarily achieve the effect of aptX. All of our aptX-enabled devices must be sent to Qualcomm for testing. Only when all test items pass and meet the standards can aptX certification be granted. Go to the product catalog on the aptX official website. In addition, some netizens also reported that some front-ends/players that claim to support aptX, when connected to aptX Bluetooth headsets, have poor sound quality as compared to the X5 third generation with aptX certification.
So, it is better to choose products with Qualcomm aptX certification. You can go online to check whether a product supports aptX.
The aptX authorization logo printed on the BTR1 color box
4. Everyone is very concerned about Bluetooth sound quality. So, which one has better sound quality if the phone is directly plugged into the headset, or if the headset is directly plugged into the BTR1?
The sound quality that people hear actually depends on a system. Let’s compare the entire sound playback process of the two modes
Mobile phone direct push:
Song file - decoded into PCM digital audio signal - DAC converter is responsible for converting into analog signal - filtering and amplification -Power amplification-headphones
Bluetooth connection:
Song files-decoded into PCM digital audio signals-Bluetooth encoding and transmitting-Bluetooth receiving and decoding-DAC converter is responsible for converting into analog signals-filtering Amplification - Power Amplification - Headphones
So, if the difference between the two is only the transmission method, and the DAC, op amp, and headphones are the same, then the mobile phone is still better. However, if the DAC and op amp used in the mobile phone are average, the connected headphones will also be different. Then it is very normal for a mobile phone to be connected to BTR1 and paired with good headphones, and the sound quality will be better than that of a mobile phone to be connected to ordinary headphones.
5. Should I buy a Bluetooth headset or a Bluetooth receiver?
For most consumers, a Bluetooth headset is definitely a better and more convenient experience. Products like BTR1 are only suitable for a small number of users who have good headphones, want good sound quality, and want the convenience of Bluetooth.
Of course, especially as mobile phones now cancel the 3.5mm headphone jack, if you have a good pair of headphones, instead of dragging one around, it is unsightly, cumbersome, and consumes the battery of your phone. For wiring, it is more convenient to buy a BTR1 and the sound quality is better.
6. Will FiiO produce a better Bluetooth headphone amplifier receiver?
We are a commercial company, so we will follow commercial practices. If the sales of BTR1 meet our internal expectations, we will start the actual development of BTR3, a higher-level Bluetooth headphone amplifier receiver. Otherwise, our valuable R&D resources will be invested in other products with higher returns.
For BTR3, the core function will be to add support for aptX HD and LDAC, two better Bluetooth codecs. At the same time, support for the 2.5 balanced port may be added. Product performance will also be further optimized. The appearance will be a qualitative leap based on BTR1.
Of course, taking into account the increase in functions, the increase in various patent fees, and the increase in material and process costs, the price of BTR3 will also be higher. Of course, compared with competing products, we not only have richer functions, support more formats, and are more convenient to use and wear. The price will also be more advantageous.
In fact, the appearance design of BTR3 has been completed, and everyone who has seen it is very satisfied! I believe I won't let you down.
However, considering our miserable product development cycle, if BTR3 really wants to be launched, it will not be launched until mid-2018.
However, even aptX is not popular yet, so BTR1 is enough to meet everyone's needs.
7. How to improve the sound quality of Bluetooth devices?
As can be seen from the previous article 4, if the impact of headphones on sound quality is excluded, there are several ways to improve the sound quality of Bluetooth audio devices.
A. Try to choose the best Bluetooth encoding format, preferably aptX HD and LDAC. It should be noted here that Bluetooth is only responsible for wireless transmission, and transmission and reception must be equal. In other words, if you want to use LDAC mode, both the transmitter and the receiver must support it.
B, choose a better DAC chip. The DAC chip is responsible for converting the digital audio signal transmitted by Bluetooth into an analog signal, so the DAC chip has a great impact on the sound quality.
Common Bluetooth audio receiving devices, such as Bluetooth headsets. Due to power consumption, volume, and cost considerations. Generally, a single-chip solution is chosen. DAC, Bluetooth receiving amplification, and Bluetooth decoding are all integrated into one chip, so the performance cannot be the best, which also limits the performance of the manufacturer.
So, choosing a Bluetooth receiving device equipped with a better independent DAC will greatly improve the sound quality. This is also an important reason why FiiO BTR1 can achieve good sound quality.
C. Choose a better analog amplifier circuit design. For example, you can use some fever audio op amps to increase the output power to further obtain better sound quality.
For example, the Q5 portable decoder and headphone amplifier that FiiO will launch at the end of the year has a Bluetooth aptX input function and is equipped with a professional dual-channel DAC and a high-performance audio op amp. Pass filtering, voltage amplification, power amplification and other complex circuits.