Bluetooth HiFi/speakers recommendation (not single speaker)

[Faiakes]

Hi

I have an Android bluetooth 4.0 device on which I watch video and I want to get more substantial sound than what a single bluetooth speaker can provide.

I have figured out that any purchase needs to support Bluetooth v3.0 (preferaby v4) with A2DP and the Apt-X codec as a minimum. Apt-X.com lists such devices.

I have spent hours looking into this but I would also like some advice. The possible candidates must offer better sound than a Cambridge Audio Minx Go or a Bose SoulndLink Mini:

SPEAKERS

Blue Aura x30 @ £289 - Bluetooth v4.0 with Apt-X

Creative T4 @ £213 - Bluetooth v3.0 with Apt-X

NuForce S3-BT @ £250 - Bluetooth v4.0 with Apt-X - Review 1 - Review 2 - Review 3

Pioneer XW-BTS5 @ 181 -

Ruark Audio MR1 @ £270 - Bluetooth v3.0 with Apt-X (confirmed by Ruark Audio) - Review 1

Q Acoustics Q-BT3 @ £350 - Bluetooth v4.0 with Apt-X - Review 1 (What HiFi) -

SYSTEMS

Panasonic SC-PMX7DBEBS - Bluetooth v3.0 No Apt-X

(confirmed by Panasonic)

Panasonic SC-PMX9DBEBS - Bluetooth v3.0 No Apt-X

(confirmed by Panasonic)

Pioneer X-HM51DAB-K

Philips BTM5000/12

Sharp XLHF202PHBK

Sharp XLHF302PHT

Sony CMT SBT 100B @ £200 - Bluetooth v3.0 + AAC but no Apt-X

(confirmed by Sony)

 

[CarlDW]

Q Acoustics BT3 perhaps? I think they retail around £400.

 

[John Duncan]

Is this to improve the sound of video? Because you are going to need to worry about Bluetooth latency, otherwise the sound will be out of sync with the video...

EDIT - tbf AptX claims very low latency (sub ~50ms) but I'd want to try my device with any proposed solution before committing...

 

[matthewpiano]

Q Acoustics BT3 perhaps? I think they retail around £400.

Would have been my suggestion too.

 

[Faiakes]

@matthewpiano, @CarlDW

Nice find, thanks.

@John Duncan

To improve the audio. Hmmm, didn't think of that, though I haven't seen any comments regarding this issue.

 

[tino]

Worth checking out the Sony CMT‑BT60W

... includes NFC, DAB and a CD slot and is aptx.

 

[tino]

Worth checking out the Sony CMT‑BT60W

... includes NFC, DAB and a CD slot and is aptx. Price is around 190 - 220 pounds.

 

[matthewpiano]

@matthewpiano, @CarlDW

Nice find, thanks.

They got a very nice review in Hi-Fi Choice recently and I find Q Acoustics products to be of a consistently high standard.

 

[Faiakes]

@tino

Thanks for the reply.

However, it is more like a soundbar, while I'm looking for separate speakers, so that I can have a better stereo experience.

 

[Big Chris]

http://www.whathifi.com/review/ruark-audio-mr1

 

[Faiakes]

Excellent find, thanks Big Chris.

This is the first set, I can see as being recommended.
(When is this review from?)

 

[Big Chris]

Within the last 12 months or so.

 

[GS]

I have just got a Crystal Acoustics BluDAC which I am using with a pair of Epoz Mini Active speakers and am really pleased with the sound.

It is a combined Apt-x receiver and DAC that would give you the option of choosing any active speaker or system that doesn't have (high quality) bluetooth included

I see the Epoz Mini + speakers now come with a supplied Bluetooth adaptor that fits in the ipod doc. However it looks very much like a couple of cheap adaptors I tried before the BluDAC which were a big step down in performance (one claimed to be Apt-X but was actually worse than the A2DP version)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crystal-Acoustics-Blu-DAC-UK-Bluetooth-wirelessly/dp/B00D2WIM6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389368255&sr=8-1&keywords=crystal+acoustics+blu-dac-uk

 

[mooota1514]

http://www.whathifi.com/review/ruark-audio-mr1

You won't go wrong with these babies
ive had mine couple months now..

 

[Nintendologist]

+1 Ruarkaudio MR1s.

 

[Faiakes]

@GS

That looks like a worthy alternativer.

Thanks

 

[Faiakes]

@mooota1514

How would you compare their wireless sound to the wired one?

 

[catonas]

I am looking forward buying a pair of desktop speakers with as much as possible hi-fi stereo sound, since i am not very fond of the analytical sound of active monitors. That's why i am between Ruark Audio MR1and Q Acoustics Q-BT3. But because it is difficult for a Greek resident to demo those speakers i would like to know if anyone has heard them both and if the price difference is justified since i am able to get Ruark for about 100 pounds less than Q acoustics. Thank you in advance.

 

[Faiakes]

Is this to improve the sound of video? Because you are going to need to worry about Bluetooth latency, otherwise the sound will be out of sync with the video...

EDIT - tbf AptX claims very low latency (sub ~50ms) but I'd want to try my device with any proposed solution before committing...

That's excellent advice John

This being 2016, I'm surprised the Accoustics BT-3 did not win any WHAT-HiFi awards.