bartlett23

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Oct 29, 2008
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Evening guys, hope everyone is ok :) I have a relatively old Marantz Melody Maker (it’s crazy how things become obsolete). Want to add a Bluetooth receiver as Airplay is annoying and I mostly use Spotify. Anyone got any recommendations? Want one with aptx ideally. Thanks in advance!
 

Gray

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Evening guys, hope everyone is ok :) I have a relatively old Marantz Melody Maker (it’s crazy how things become obsolete). Want to add a Bluetooth receiver as Airplay is annoying and I mostly use Spotify. Anyone got any recommendations? Want one with aptx ideally. Thanks in advance!
I reckon this might take some beating for the price:
....and I say that as someone who bought one of these when it was about £21. Identical to a Logitech one, ideal for what I wanted (non-critical listening to speech radio, from tablet through hi-fi):
 
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DIB

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I recently bought myself one of these BluDento BLT-HD receivers off Amazon for £80.00 and can thoroughly recommend it.

It looks identical to the Audio Engine one which costs nearly twice as much. I bought it so that my wife and daughter could play stuff off their phones through my system without the need for Apps etc.

Just pair it up and away it goes. I think it's brilliant, I've listened to loads through it to test it and it's not missed a beat and not had the signal drop out once yet. Nothing fancy, it just works.
 
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Ian Betts

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Feb 23, 2020
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Evening All!

IMHO the ifi Zen Blue has blown all Bluetooth opposition out of the water! It's pricey at £130, but nothing compares. It supports all the latest HD audio Codecs, as well as the old favourites like aptX (now 30 years old?).
What HiFi have just awarded it 5 stars in their latest review, however I feel that they failed to cover all of its noteworthy features and qualities. I've just posted a reply to that review. Here's what I said:

"Nice review. I have been thinking of getting this unit ever since late last year as part of my quest for better wireless audio. I have now purchased one and been using for the last 2 weeks.

I'm disappointed, however, that you only tested this unit with Apple hardware (iPhone X and Mac). I'm connecting to mine with an Android phone (Samsung Note 10+). One of the beauties of this ifi Zen Blue is that it is Bluetooth 5 and also supports virtually every Codec currently available. While my Note 10 does not support aptX HD Codec, it does support LDAC (Sony's highest bit rate codec). The quality of the audio from the ifi Zen Blue when using a Bluetooth codec that can stream at above 600kbps is exceptional for Bluetooth transmission. I have the Zen Blue and my phone streaming using LDAC at 990kbps.

I output coaxial digital audio from the Zen Blue into and Arcam irDAC. The richness, clarity and presence of the sound is undeniable!

Furthermore, when using a lower bitrate codec such as aptX, the range is exceptional! I have my Zen Blue positioned close to the middle of my 5 bedroom house, but was easily able to maintain a stable stream in the far corner of my garden, some 30 metres away, through an internal wall and the rear cavity brick wall of the house! The signal strength there measured as 'very good'.

That the unit informs you of the codec being used in your connection and gives you information about the the sample rate of the file it is receiving, leaves you in no doubt as to what the unit is receiving and the quality of the established connection. It even verbally tells you the name of the codec when it makes the connection with your source device!

Your review missed all of these things. The Zen Blue has audio quality in abundance and has lifted Bluetooth into the realms of true hifi and the audiophile!"
 
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jjbomber

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I'm disappointed, however, that you only tested this unit with Apple hardware (iPhone X and Mac). I'm connecting to mine with an Android phone (Samsung Note 10+).

You'll get used to it! You may have noticed how the Samsung S20 barely lasted one day on the home page of the website, yet there has been an Cr-Apple product on there every day.

Consolation prize. Your review is much better.
 

iMark

Well-known member
What's actually wrong with Apple? I had an Airport Express that lasted over 10 years. I've only recently replaced it with a newer second hand model. AirPlay works fine and sounds better than bluetooth.
 

bartlett23

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Oct 29, 2008
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I reckon this might take some beating for the price:
....and I say that as someone who bought one of these when it was about £21. Identical to a Logitech one, ideal for what I wanted (non-critical listening to speech radio, from tablet through hi-fi):
Thanks mate. I found one on Amazon in the end which does the job. Wish I'd discovered the i
I reckon this might take some beating for the price:
....and I say that as someone who bought one of these when it was about £21. Identical to a Logitech one, ideal for what I wanted (non-critical listening to speech radio, from tablet through hi-fi):
Thanks mate. I found another one on Amazon in the end which seems to do the job. Wish I'd discovered the iFi Zen earlier though!
 
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