Helix BT HD HEC vs AliExpress BT interface. Which one is better?

[@AKASHAXJ]

I for one, would be interested to see the differences between the atxpHD/Ldac. Even with it being an "unfair" comparison, it's one of the reasons we keep "upgrading".

[@sumitmalhotra7412]

Yes, considering this cheap chinese device has that built-in.

[@RAW-CAt]

I tried playing around with it, however apparently my Pixel has problems with LDAC. Need to find a different phone capable of LDAC.

[@Tomzuki.]

Good to know that there are high quality BT interfaces for DSP amps which don't support BT natively, say for example Helix M FOUR DSP and M SIX DSP

[@eugene9000pro]

Helix has priorities for sound sources. This if one of the things that is worth the price

[@LUCIOmedia]

Can you tell example with priorities?

[@ChrisPappas-d8q]

Nice gob very good video the only question that we dont know the answer yet is how better measurements can take with LDAC against APTX HD.And somethink else if you can answer if we use a SMSL PO 100 pro {Portable Audio Converter Digital Analog]from our phone with an optical or coaxial cable to DSP how better sound we can have using are phone compare to bluetooth connection ? Very nice knoledgeThanks for everythink.Regards CHRIS

[@RAW-CAt]

I have the SMSL and will be testing it next👍

[@bobgodd]

Good video. There are other BT receivers that are of higher quality, for example mine outputs a balanced signal of 4V. iFi zen blue cost about $100 USD and supports LDAC as well.

[@n.shiina8798]

it's surprisingly good, imo. i'd consider it to add BT to my desktop system

[@RAW-CAt]

For convenience it's a no brainer😄

[@chloeleedow7250]

Man is definitely an audiophile using poweramp android. Nothing comes close as a music player for your own files, ❤

[@mitkotoshkov]

How about Neutron?

[@digginglow]

Where can I get a replacement HEC antenna. I bought a used one and didn’t come with the antenna.

[@RAW-CAt]

All antennas have the same thread and diameter, you can put any and get it if ebay or aliexpress

[@rockapartyjd]

Another banger video, my guy! You are so doing videos i need! I swear im learning more yet i feel to green but i need to know this for my p6 ultimate. So, i just bought fiio m11 plus and i have new galaxy 23 ultra but from this video im thinking i didnt need to buy the DAP Regarding video i think its a wash cuz the tosh line would cost damn near the difference here in the states....

[@RAW-CAt]

Yeah, If you are going digital, there is no point of a DAP as a phone can do the same.

[@vaisakhmurali6918]

​​@@RAW-CAtBut source must be good right? Ok of course phone might be able to stream tidal, qobuz etc.. but still output of phone is not as good as DAP right? Im talking about losless streaming..mp3, Spotify etc is not gonna make any difference if im right.. correct me if im wrong

[@RAW-CAt]

@@vaisakhmurali6918 source material is digital. FLAC files stored on your phone and going digital straight to DSP avoids DA and AD conversions that a DAP introduces.

[@vaisakhmurali6918]

@@RAW-CAt Phone also contains a DAC inside it right but of very low quality than that inside a DAP.. then how come there won't be any conversion in phone as you said?

[@RAW-CAt]

@@vaisakhmurali6918 phone has a DAC, but it is used only if you are playing through 3.5mm jack - analogue signal. If you send digital si gla via USB that bypasses the DAC and no conversions are happening.

[@miguelcan1049]

Hello! excellent video! I also made the same measurements as you with the same devices. I would like to ask what is the name of the interface you use between the DSP Helix and your PC to use rew?I also have the SMSl Po100 pro and the Fiio bta30 pro to carry out the same measurements, which I will compare with yours. greetings! Thank you!!

[@RAW-CAt]

The AD converter is Cosmos E1DA.

[@AlexKubrinsky]

Does this a107 thing automatically starts up on power on?

[@RAW-CAt]

Yes it does👍

[@gonzoe123]

The main issue with HD Bluetooth is finding a phone that has a Qualcomm chipset that supports AptexHD. Developer options is not how you check what BT your phone supports. It has to have the correct chipset. You can select what ever form of BT in developer options. If the phone doesn’t support it, it will discreetly switch back to its standard BT format, which is usually SBC. The major reason for getting a BT module is simplifying the signal chain and removing multiple signal conversions.

[@gonzoe123]

Because of this BT shenanigans, I switched my focus from trying to use BT with my source to using wired Apple CarPlay. I switched from Android to Apple because every car audio manufacturer supports Apple, but not all support Android.

[@RAW-CAt]

Well from my experience, if a codec is not supported by the phone, the option will be greyed out and you won't be able to select it.

[@gonzoe123]

@@RAW-CAt my Samsung J7 only supported SBC and AAC codecs but nothing was “disabled” in developer options. Apple used to allow you to select a codec, but that menu has been removed. I did a lot of research a year ago because the BT module for my Audiocontrol D6.1200 supports AptxHD. I would have had to spend thousands of dollars on a Sony phone or get an LG from 2015-2016.

[@RAW-CAt]

@@gonzoe123 well, my Pixel supports LDAC, as well as newer Galaxy phones. It's just not advertised.

[@CosminCraiova]

@@RAW-CAt I have Samsung S23 and it only has SBC and AAC !

[@asdfasdfasdfae]

Not sure if this is a US thing but aliexpress is just as expensive as Amazon now. This thing is $32 and no RCA out so no DAC. I got a 1Mii B06Pro for $32 shipped in 2 days and its analog output is very good. .05 THD at the most. I only bought it to stream toslink out to Helix.

[@RAW-CAt]

0.05% for a DAC is really bad. Most quality car audio amps have lower distortion than that.

[@asdfasdfasdfae]

​@@RAW-CAt I think i did something wrong with my measuremnt. I measured the Apple 3.5 DAC dongle and it shows 1.5 THD. Make no sense cause all the review says this dongle have like 0.001% THD+N. Measured using UCA222 interface.

[@19rc69]

Another great video Nerijus. How far away do you think we are from BT catching up with digital inputs in terms of signal quality? Also how did you connect your phone to the Helix you had in your last system? I don’t remember if you mentioned your signal chain in any of your videos.

[@RAW-CAt]

In my opinion wireless signal will never be as good as wired. Mainly due to bandwidth. But for daily it's plenty enough. In my old system I had a Helix USB audio hec card, so it was a wired connection.

[@19rc69]

@@RAW-CAt Am I correct in assuming that the Helix USB hec card will have just as good, if not better, signal quality as the optical/digital coax inputs? It seems reasonable that since you don’t have to go through an additional conversion with devices such as Topping or SMSL acting as a digital bridge, the signal would be a cleaner signal. Also if you’re using an iPhone you have to use a camera kit to convert lightning to usb. I don’t know what devices are available for android that perform that same conversion.

[@RAW-CAt]

@@19rc69 optical on Helix is much better than BT, like 20-25dB better. Android has a lot of DAC options, like SMSL PO100pro.

[@elviscaragea4433]

Good bluetooth vs coax?

[@RAW-CAt]

Yes, same as via optical.

[@tk421tt]

i wish the iphone would do aptx

[@colbylaro9361]

Bluuutoooth

[@kdeep1690]

You ran chinses at full tilt. And helix at half. So harmonics has to be there

[@Tomzuki.]

He did as close to an apples to apples comparison he could. You may think it's not fair from the chinese interfaces view, but if he ran the Helix at full tilt and then lowered the level in REW to match it, that would be unfair for Helix, much more so in fact

[@BICEP69]

on iphone when you have this volume bar you can adjust it pressing on screen instead of using physical button to adjust the volume

[@sumitmalhotra7412]

It can be done on android too

[@RAW-CAt]

Ha, so true, just checked now and I can do that😄 Never used the on screen volume adjustment, only the buttons.