In ear option ideas.

[Shildondurham]

I’m looking at some new wireless buds. Listen to Tidal so want max res available via Bluetooth.

Option 1 Sony XM6 £250
Option 2 technics az100 £190
Option 3 airfun 4 £60
Option 4 Cambridge M100 £90

I use iPhone 15 for wireless buds so also considering the senheiser aptx dongle at £30ish I think?

So should I splash top end? Or go cheaper with the dongle?
Technics v Sony thoughts?
Dongle a must for all considering no aptx on the phone?
Any musings appreciated.

 

[Al ears]

I’m looking at some new wireless buds. Listen to Tidal so want max res available via Bluetooth.

Option 1 Sony XM6 £250
Option 2 technics az100 £190
Option 3 airfun 4 £60
Option 4 Cambridge M100 £90

I use iPhone 15 for wireless buds so also considering the senheiser aptx dongle at £30ish I think?

So should I splash top end? Or go cheaper with the dongle?
Technics v Sony thoughts?
Dongle a must for all considering no aptx on the phone?
Any musings appreciated.

I would avoid the Cambridge
The ones I bought my son for Christmas did not last long before losing most of the volume in left channel.
The others I know nothing about although I guess codecs they support and battery life are important.

 

[PieterG]

I use iPhone 15 for wireless buds so also considering the senheiser aptx dongle at £30ish I think?

Have you checked what's possible with Apple? I think wireless tops out at 256 kbps, assuming there is still no native support for aptX or LDAC. If so, there is no point in buying the best wireless IEMs unless you'll be using them with another player as well.

That Sennheiser dongle or another external DAC plugged into your phone should be able to give you significantly higher resolution. Depending on the source and codec, that signal should be either compressed 24/96 or lossless 16/44. Lossless aptX bluetooth exists on paper, but from what i've read it requires a perfectly stable wireless link, which is rarely achieved.