Tasting the "Dark Side"

[Mr Onion]

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PARENTAL ADVICE WARNING
Contains information of a shocking nature

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I am fed up of having to run a cable from the Laptop to the PreAmp each time I watch a live Bandcamp/Patreon gig. Its untidy and a right royal faff to do.

What did I decide? After some research and reading reviews I decided to be a cheapskate and go for one of these to give it a try

bluetooth.jpg

Linky Thingie

Guess what? It sound far better than one might expect for £35. The sound is very digital BUT (and heres the big thing) its very easy to hear the difference between the source files. mp3's generally sound crap except for the very high bitrates which sound OK. FLAC is acceptable and WAV obviously the best of the bunch. If its that easy then its doing something right. Mrs O agrees with me not knowing what the source was, its that transparent.

The sound is a bit bright (maybe it will settle with running in, or perhaps its the SMPS wall wart PS) but its fine for casual listening and no worse then the mini jack lead I was using before.

So there you are, I'll book my padded cell now.

[Coyote Jim]

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PARENTAL ADVICE WARNING
Contains information of a shocking nature

---

I am fed up of having to run a cable from the Laptop to the PreAmp each time I watch a live Bandcamp/Patreon gig. Its untidy and a right royal faff to do.

What did I decide? After some research and reading reviews I decided to be a cheapskate and go for one of these to give it a try





Guess what? It sound far better than one might expect for £35. The sound is very digital BUT (and heres the big thing) its very easy to hear the difference between the source files. mp3's generally sound crap except for the very high bitrates which sound OK. FLAC is acceptable and WAV obviously the best of the bunch. If its that easy then its doing something right. Mrs O agrees with me not knowing what the source was, its that transparent.

The sound is a bit bright (maybe it will settle with running in, or perhaps its the SMPS wall wart PS) but its fine for casual listening and no worse then the mini jack lead I was using before.

So there you are, I'll book my padded cell now.

I don’t even know what it is.

[Mr Onion]

I don’t even know what it is.

Bluetooth Audio Receiver that links to the laptop. Handshake the two together and any sound played on the laptop broadcast to the receiver.

Linky Thingie (also added to first post)

[Coyote Jim]

I don’t even know what it is.

Bluetooth Audio Receiver that links to the laptop. Handshake the two together and any sound played on the laptop broadcast to the receiver.

Linky Thingie (also added to first post)

I thought I was on the dark side having an iPod touch on a dock connected with silvers.
But you wireless.

[Mr Onion]

But you wireless.

I am suitably ashamed

[LD100]

I've always had good results with Logitech equipment...I am using their mouse and their wireless keyboard as we speak.

[Mr Onion]

I've always had good results with Logitech equipment

Me too, and that was one of the deciding factors.

[Wenge1]

But you wireless.

I am suitably ashamed

Now where is my pitchfork and burning torch? As I must go and find the Witch Finder General

[Coyote Jim]

But you wireless.

I am suitably ashamed

Now where is my pitchfork and burning torch? As I must go and find the Witch Finder General

The next name on my list is James Onion.

[Mr Onion]

*wonders if there is time to build a Priests Hole to hide in*

[Lanark]

I wonder how it compares to an Apple Airport Express? (which does much the same thing)

[Mr Onion]

It would be an interesting comparison, but as I don't own an Apple Airport Express* ...


*nor do I know anyone local that does

[Mr Onion]

10 days in of 24/7 power and occasional use/testing.

Well, if you had told me that it cost 10x what it did I would not be surprised. No its not as good as the CD 5si let alone the LP12 (and nor did I expect it to be) but its good, assuming that the source is good. Very lossy MP3's sound terrible, 320's sound not too bad, FLAC's are OK and WAV's the best (so exactly the same as it was from turn on) but the overall sound is not at all bad. Limited bandwidth at the lower end and a bit flat overall, but it doesn't offend the ears on non critical listening. Most errors are that of omission and I can live with that for the purpose I bought it for.

The shrill/harshness has gone (so it needs burning in) and will probably benefit from a better power supply, but its not worth going too mad on a £35 item. Maybe I'll knock up a 5v linear supply for it, I should have most bits knocking around the odds and sods box if I can be bothered to find them.

Oh, and dump the cheapo interconnect that comes with it. It deserves (and benefits) from something better. I had some Kimber PBJ lying around which I made into an interconnect and even without any burning in its an obvious improvement.

You need to be careful about positioning as there is no external aerial, so although its small enough to tuck out of sight maybe behind the Power Amp is not the best place (lots of dropouts due to the shielding effect of the Power Amps bulk)

£35? Absolute bargain.

[Wenge1]

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What has happened to you 'Luke' .........

'Tis but the end of the thin wedge embarked upon you have'

[Mr Onion]

.
What has happened to you 'Luke' .........

'Tis but the end of the thin Wenge embarked upon you have'

Don't worry, I still play LPs (and CD's) when I really want to listen. I can't be arsed with all this music server malarkey anyway.

Plus I'll miss out on all the fun of trying to find where I misfiled the LP I want to play

[Wenge1]

.
What has happened to you 'Luke' .........

'Tis but the end of the thin Wenge embarked upon you have'

Don't worry, I still play LPs (and CD's) when I really want to listen. I can't be arsed with all this music server malarkey anyway.

Plus I'll miss out on all the fun of trying to find where I misfiled the LP I want to play

Aye, for me a music server is the great lad who runs the local vinyl and cd shop ............