Bluetooth audio adapter

ARCHEER Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver review

The ARCHEER Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver can transmit Bluetooth signals from non-Bluetooth audio sources and receive Bluetooth radio and generate a wired output signal. Items like this have become fairly common, but this one has audio controls and S/PDIF. Read on to see what I think!

What is it?

The ARCHEER Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver is a battery powered gadget that operates in two ways. As a transmitter, it streams audio that it is connected to by RCA connection, 3.5mm audio cable or TOSLINK over Bluetooth. The transmitter may mute or adjust the volume of the transmitted signal. Also, the transmitter may connect with two Bluetooth headphones or speakers at once two allow two sets of headphones or speakers to play the music. As a receiver, it converts a Bluetooth audio signal into a signal which may be conveyed to audio equipment using RCA connection, 3.5mm audio cable or TOSLINK. The receiver includes the AVRCP service, which allows the unit to communicate with the transmitting equipment to adjust volume, play or pause the music signal, and skip to the next and previous song. The unit can operate using the aptx and aptx Low Latency standards if both source and sink equipment support this protocol.

What’s in the box?

ARCHEER Bluetooth 4.1 Transmitter and Receiver
3.5mm Audio Cable
Optical Digital Cable
USB Charging Cable
3.5mm Female to 2 RCA Male Cable
User Manual

Design and features

Specifications

Bluetooth Version: V4.1
Playing Time: 19 hours
Bluetooth transmission range: up to 10 meters (33 feet).
Battery Capacity: 450mAh
Operating Voltage: DC 5.0V
Size: 2 3/8″ x 2 3/8″ x about 7/8″
Weight: 43 gm

Unboxing

The BT-07 comes in a fairly standard black corrugated cardboard box. It had a hastily applied barcode sticker on the side. I’m unsure if this is from Amazon or from the manufacturer but it definitely detracts from the overall first impression. The inclusion of all three cables: a 3.5mm cable, RCA cables, and TOSLINK is a definite plus. The package also includes a micro USB cable for charging the unit but no AC adapter. The included instructions are in the English language only.

Design

The BT-07 is bigger than some other gadgets that perform a similar function, but the other types of units do not have the AVRCP capabilities that this unit has and also do not have the larger TOSLINK ports. The size of the TOSLINK port increases the minimum thickness of the unit and creating a device with an acceptable UI also adds to the units dimensions. The aesthetic of the top of the unit creates some confusion since it so closely resembles the style of the iPod. The ringed area on the top of the unit is fixed and not a button. The area inside of the ring is a button as is the area to the front, left and right. At first i was pressing the front left and right of the ring and wondering why the unit was not responding.

All of the input/output jacks and power supply are on the rear. On the left side is the AUX/SPDIF switch and on the right side is the RX/TX selector switch. Once the unit is set up the switches on either side shouldn’t need to be routinely operated. The frequently used operating functions are accessible from the top and makes this easy to use and position with the rest of the audio/video equipment that it is connected to as a transmitter, or place close by if it is a receiver going to a set of wired headphones.

The bottom has a ring of rubber to act as a foot and keeps the unit from moving around when presses to the top are made.

Operation

The unit is actually 4 items in one: A 3.5mm audio receiver, 3.5mm audio transmitter, SPDIF receiver, and SPDIF transmitter. The selection of what functions you prefer need to be made before powering on the unit. The unit is powered on and off by a long press of the center of the top (where it is labeled ARCHEER). The LED in front will glow blue for a receiver and green for a transmitter. Most buttons have separate short and long press functions that will cause the LED in front to behave in different ways. I have included the operating manual here for explanation of the various functions. It would be more convenient if the LED was on top of the unit. There is audio feedback output to the connected device if the unit is operating as a receiver. A series of tones and beeps indicate what mode the unit is operating in. It would be better still if there was a small speaker inside the unit so this same feedback could be provided when the unit is operating as a transmitter.

The unit functioned as intended in each operating mode. As a 3.5mm receiver I used it to send a signal transmitted from by phone by Bluetooth to my headphones using a 3.5mm cable. I wasn’t able to test the unit as a SPDIF receiver as I have no digital inputs i can connect the unit to. As a 3.5mm and SPDIF transmitter I was able to connect the unit to the TV and listen with my headphones over Bluetooth. I was also able to connect to two headphones simultaneously and listen to the TV.

Performance

There was more latency with the ARCHEER than with the wired connection to earbuds or with a native Bluetooth connection to the laptop but this is barely noticable if not paying specific attention to the way that speech syncs with an actors lips. The latency with two headphones connected is a bit longer and noticeable but it’s still not uncomfortable to watch. The signal to each of the two headphones was slightly out of phase, so while this could be used to power two Bluetooth loudspeakers, this may not give the best audio quality.

The claimed range of the unit is 10 meters and It worked to about 100 ft when acting as a transmitter to my Plantronics B8200 headphones and about 70 ft when working as a receiver to my (wired) headphones from a Dell Latitude E7240 outside and line-of-sight. In both cases the range exceeds the stated tolerance.

The battery lasted for about 19 hours playing the radio at a reasonable volume and took about three and a half hours to charge from a self-imposed low power shut down to full.

What I like

S/PDIF ports
AVRCP capable
aptx compliant
Long lasting battery
Excellent range
Low latency in single pair mode (aptx Low Latency)

What needs to be improved

User interface feedback
Indication on unit of what each long/short button press achieves
better location for LED indicator

Final thoughts

The ARCHEER BT-07 is a feature rich Bluetooth audio receiver/transmitter. With the large variety of input and output options it should be able to meet any Bluetooth challenge it faces.

Price: $32.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by ARCHEER.

Miccus Home RTX 2.0 Long Range Wireless Audio Transmitter or Receiver review

Back in May, I reviewed the Miccus Home TX Pro long-range wireless audio transmitter which allows you to transmit a Bluetooth signal up to 160ft. Pairing it with their SR-71 Stealth low latency headphones made it perfect for my late night TV viewing. Fast forward five months and Miccus has a new product, the Home RTX 2.0 Long Range Wireless Audio Transmitter or Receiver. The RTX 2.0 is similar to the TX Pro but as the name implies it also acts as a Bluetooth receiver. I had the chance to review a unit for the Gadgeteer.

In the box

Miccus Home RTX 2.0
Dipole Antenna
Optical / TOSHLINK digital audio cable
3.5mm male to 3.5mm male audio cable
Micro USB charging cable
USB power supply
Users Manual

Specifications

Bluetooth v4.2 (compatible with Bluetooth v2.0 or higher), Profiles – A2DP, AVRCP
Audio codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX-LL, (NOTE aptX-LL use requires both devices in a pairing to support the aptX-Low Latency codec).
3.5mm Stereo Audio Input and Output, TOSLINK Digital Optical Input and Output.
Operating range: up to 160ft (50M), Operating Frequency: 2.4 GHz.
Optical Support: Sample Rate <=48KHz, Formats PCM / LPCM, Dolby Digital 2.0 (Format changes are accessed thru your TV’s audio settings menu)

What is it?

The Miccus Home RTX 2.0 is the first dual-link, long-range wireless transmitter or receiver featuring Bluetooth v4.2 and two simultaneous aptX Low Latency audio streams. Basically, the Home RTX Pro 2.0 acts as a hub for all your wireless home audio. With the 2-in-1 flexibility of a Transmitter or Receiver, the Home RTX 2.0 makes it easy to add multiple long-range Bluetooth audio links to your home setup. It has two different modes, Transmit (TX), and Receive Mode (RX) and features Dual-Link Pairing and Optical Audio Pass-Through.

Transmit Mode (TX)

With the Home RTX 2.0 powered off, select TX mode by pressing and latching the RX/TX switch (located on the back left of the Home RTX 2.0) to the in position. TX mode requires a wired audio source connection, to either the 3.5mm audio input or the TOSLINK/optical audio input. You can use an audio input source like a computer, tablet, smartphone, television or stereo system. For my purposes, I connected the RTX 2.0 to my TV using the TOSHLINK digital optical cable. I chose to power the unit using the provided Micro USB charging cable and one of my TV’s vacant USB ports. When connected via USB the Home RTX 2.0 will automatically power on. If powered off you can power it back on by holding the multi-function/power button for 5 seconds until the LED indicators power on.

Connecting the Home RTX 2.0 to my TV allows me to use it as a wireless audio hub for my living room. Using Transmit Mode (TX) I can listen to video audio sound or music from my TV and connected 4K Apple TV through my Bluetooth headphones; great for my late night TV viewing or listening to music from my iTunes library. With the RTX 2.0’s long-range transmitter connection is never a problem. The manual states that the operating range of the Home RTX 2.0 is up to 160ft. In my testing, I was able to walk 215ft outside my house before I started losing the Bluetooth signal and had great connection throughout my entire house.

I also connected my Amazon Echo Dot to the Home RTX 2.0 and with the unit in RX mode I was able to use the Dot to play music and news through my TV’s soundbar. With the unit in TX mode, I was able to use my Dot as a Bluetooth speaker and stream audio from my TV and connected devices to whatever room the Dot was in.

Note: If television or video audio is your primary use, then I would recommend using Bluetooth headphones/speakers that support the aptX Low Latency codec. I use a pair of Miccus SR-71 Stealth low latency headphones I reviewed earlier and they work great for watching movies, shows, and sports without any lip sync issues.

Receive Mode (RX)

With the Home RTX 2.0 powered off, Select RX mode by depressing and unlatching the RX/TX switch to the out position. RX mode is designed for use with an audio device such as a stereo system or powered stereo speakers connected to either the 3.5mm audio output or the TOSLINK optical audio output on the Home RTX 2.0. In RX mode the Home RTX 2.0 can be used with any device capable of transmitting a Bluetooth wireless audio signal. Including phones, tablets, laptops, and PCs. I used RX mode to play music from my iPhone through my TV’s sound bar and it worked flawlessly. There’s even a friendly voice prompt that tells you when the unit is powered on, when it’s in pairing mode, when it’s connected/disconnected to or from a device, and when it’s powered off.

In RX mode two smartphones or tablets can be simultaneously paired with the Home RTX 2.0. Both devices can also simultaneously stream music to the Home RTX 2.0. To hear audio from only one of the two devices, pause the audio, or use muting or adjust volume. To test this feature I paired both my iPhone and iPad Pro to the unit. I was able to stream audio from both devices to my sound bar and it worked surprisingly well. I’m not sure that I would use this feature very often, but it could come in handy if I ever wanted to try my hand at DeeJaying a party or family get together.

Dual-Link Pairing

Dual-link pairing allows for two Bluetooth receiving or transmitting devices to pair with the Miccus Home RTX 2.0 simultaneously. Pair with two Bluetooth speakers, headphones or 2 phones at the same time. Pairing is quick and easy. To Engage pairing mode on the Home RTX 2.0, press and hold the multifunction/power button for 3 seconds until the CH light begins fast flashing. I won’t bore you with the rest of the details here, however, if you want to learn more I provided a link to the Users Manual.

The Home RTX 2.0 also has an automatic re-connect feature. If left powered on, or if powered back on it will automatically reconnect to the last paired device when within range.

Optical Audio Pass-Through

Most televisions and stereo systems feature only one optical audio output. The Home RTX 2.0 allows you to receive an optical audio feed from a television or stereo system and transmit and stream that audio feed to two pairs of headphones or Bluetooth speakers simultaneously. The Home RTX 2.0 can then pass that same audio onto a soundbar. You can also use it to link to two or more Home RTX 2.0’s together to double, or triple the amount of low latency audio streams available for use. This is my favorite feature of the Home RTX 2.0. Digital-pass through allows me to listen to my TV through either the soundbar or my Bluetooth headphones without having to switch cables or use an optical audio splitter. It even allows for one person to use headphones while the other listens to audio through the soundbar.

Conclusion

I’m not surprised that I like the Miccus Home RTX 2.0. I use the Home TX Pro that I reviewed earlier on an almost nightly basis. With the added feature of being both a long-range transmitter and receiver along with Optical Audio Pass through this device is a nice upgrade. And with its small size and discreet black case, it blends in nicely on my TV stand.

Whether you want to Transmit or Receive wireless audio throughout your home or to the patio, pool or backyard the Miccus Home RTX 2.0, which is priced at $59.99, is the perfect compliment to any home AV system. Miccus also offers a 2-year No-Hassle Replacement Warranty.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Miccus. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to purchase.

Product Information

Price:	$59.99
Manufacturer:	Miccus
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Acts as both receiver and transmitter Long range up to 160ft Easy to set up and use Dual-link pairing
Cons:	None

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Audio gear, Bluetooth audio adapter

Miccus Home RTX 2.0 Long Range Wireless Audio Transmitter or Receiver review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 30, 2017 at 10:07 am.

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iClever F56 Bluetooth transmitter and receiver review

Most of us listen to some form of audio to get us through part of our day; maybe you enjoy listening to podcasts while working or streaming a specific playlist to pump you up at the gym.

I personally enjoy listening to music while driving in my patrol car at work. Unfortunately, the vehicle isn’t equipped with Bluetooth so I can’t stream audio from my phone. I imagine I’m not the only person who has run into this issue.

Fortunately, there are plenty of gadgets that can act as a bridge between your phone and your vehicle. I’ve recently reviewed one such device, the iClever F56 Bluetooth receiver, and transmitter.

In the box

1 x IC-F56 Bluetooth Transmitter/Receiver
1 x 3.5mm Audio Cable
1 x Micro USB Cable
1 x User Manual

Specifications

Bluetooth Version: 4.1
Bluetooth Profile: HFP/HSP/A2DP/AVRCP
Bluetooth Range: up to 30ft
Power Supply : Li-Poly 180mAh
Working Current: 22mA (Max)
Charging Voltage: DC 5V

Design

The F56 is a rather small device; at its widest points it measures approximately 2 inches and is about 1/4 inch thick. It actually looks like an over-sized guitar pick.

The front of the device has the power button and an indicator light. The power button also doubles as the play/pause and answer/hang-up button.

The edge of the device contains the charging port, the 3.5mm port, the receiver/transmitter switch, pairing button, microphone, and track/volume controls.

That’s all there is to the design of the F56. It’s a compact device that is travel friendly.

Performance

The F56 is extremely easy to use.

First, you have to decide whether you want to use the device to transmit or receive Bluetooth audio. I elected to use it to receive audio and placed the selector switch to “RX”.

The first time you use the device it enters into pairing mode; I only had to open my phone’s Bluetooth menu and select “IC-F56” from the available devices.

Next I placed one end of the 3.5mm audio cable into the device’s jack and the other end into my vehicle’s aux port.

I turned on the radio and began streaming music.

The sound quality was great; I didn’t hear any background static or any distortion.

I was able to pause, skip tracks, and adjust volume directly from the F56. My only complaint is the buttons are very tiny and I can’t imagine being able to use them without taking my eyes off the road.

I also made a phone call while using the F56. The audio from the caller played through my car speakers; it was clear, although the volume was lower than the music that was earlier playing.

The person I was speaking with didn’t appear to have any idea I was speaking through the F56 and didn’t make any complaints about the audio quality.

I next decided to test the F56 in transmit mode.

I switched the selector from “RX” to “TX” and paired the device with one of my Bluetooth speakers. I inserted the audio cable into my phone and the F56 and began streaming audio.

As with my car stereo, the sound quality was great and free of any issues.

Conclusion

The F56 is a pretty nifty gadget and easy to use.

You can stream music to a non-Bluetooth device, or you can transmit music from any device with an auxiliary port to a Bluetooth device. It’s a very versatile device.

At only $29.99 the device is relatively inexpensive. If you’re in the market for a multi-faceted Bluetooth device, consider the F56.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by iClever. Please visit their site for more information and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$29.99
Manufacturer:	iClever
Retailer:	Amazon
Requirements:	Bluetooth capable device
Pros:	Small Easy to use
Cons:	Buttons very tiny

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth audio adapter

iClever F56 Bluetooth transmitter and receiver review originally appeared on on May 6, 2017 at 8:51 am.

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Miccus Home TX Pro long range wireless audio Transmitter and SR-71 Stealth low latency headphones review

I’m a self-admitted night owl and most of my television viewing is done after 8:00 pm. This wouldn’t be a problem if I were living alone but unfortunately for me, that’s not the case. My roommate is not a night owl and usually goes to bed around 10 o’clock. This is where me watching TV well into the wee hours of the morning becomes a problem. I’m a very contentious person and turn the volume way down once my roommate turns in for the night but this makes my viewing experience less than optimal. I was then given an opportunity to review the Miccus Home TX pro audio transmitter along with a pair of their SR-71 Stealth headphones. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance. Do these two devices solve my late night viewing problems? Let’s take a look.

What’s in the box?

Miccus Home TX Pro
RCA to 3.5mm audio cable
RCA to RCA audio cable
Toshlink audio cable
Micro USB charging cable
USB power supply
Antenna
User manual

Specifications:

Bluetooth 4.2 (compatible with all available Bluetooth versions)
Bluetooth profile: A2DP; Audio Codecs: APT-X LL, APT-X, SBC
Operating Range: up to 150ft (50m), Operating Frequency: 2.402 GHz to 2.480 GHz
Digital: Toshlink optical; Analog: 3.5mm stereo input
USB Power: DC 5V @ 500mA or higher
Size: 3″ x 51/2″ x 1″ Weight 5oz
One Year Limited Warranty

The Home TX Pro transmitter is small in size and very light weight, perfect for sitting next to your TV. Setup is pretty simple. First, you must attach the supplied small antenna to the antenna terminal. Before powering the unit on you must decide the audio source. They’re two choices: digital or analog. Select the source by sliding the slider switch (located on the back right of the TX Pro) left for digital and right for analog. Then connect the appropriately included cable (optical, RCA to 3.5mm or RCA to RCA) to the appropriate audio input on the back of the unit. I connected the unit to my TV using the provided Toshlink digital audio cable.

The unit can be powered two ways either by connecting the provided Micro USB charging cable to the provided USB power supply or by plugging it into any USB port. For me the USB port option was convenient, I just plugged the unit into one of my TV’s USB ports. Powering the unit on is done by holding down the Multi – function/power button for 3.5 seconds. Turning it off is done the same way.

Pairing:

To pair the Home TX Pro with your Bluetooth device place the selected device into pairing mode. Then press and hold the units Multi – function/power button for 8.5 seconds until the indicator light changes from a slow flashing red to a fast flashing red and blue. When pairing is successful the far LEFT (channel 1) indicator light will turn a solid blue. The unit can be used with any Bluetooth headphones that support A2DP profile.

The Home TX Pro also offers Dual – Link pairing which allows you to connect two separate Bluetooth devices at the same time. Once you’ve paired your first set of headphones to the Home TX Pro power it and the headphones down. Repeat the pairing process for the second pair of headphones, once they’re connected to the unit the far LEFT (Channel 1) blue indicator light will turn solid blue. Turn on the first pair of headphones and they will automatically connect to the Home TX Pro, and the far RIGHT(channel 2) indicator will turn solid blue. Both headphones are now connected to the Home TX Pro. Personally, I don’t have much use for this feature but tried it out for the purpose of this review and it worked flawlessly. I was able to quickly pair 2 separate pairs of headphones and both sounded crystal clear with no audio delay or lip sync issues.

I also received a pair of Miccus SR-71 Stealth low latency headphones to review. They use the aptX Low Latency codec which means they clock in at 32ms of latency so there is no noticeable lip sync or audio delay when watching TV, movies or playing video games. I was very excited to try these headphones in conjunction with the Home TX Pro transmitter for my late night TV viewing.

Package Contents:

Headphones
USB charging cable
3.5mm Detachable Aux cable
Hard Shell Case
User Manual

Specifications:

Bluetooth 4.2 (compatible with all available Bluetooth versions)
Bluetooth profile: HFP (hands-free) A2DP, AVRCP
Audio Codecs: aptX LL, aptX, SBC
Operating Range: up to 33ft (10m), Operating Frequency: 2.4GHz
3.5 mm stereo input for wired operation
Audio Impedance: 32 Ohm
Frequency Response 20Hz-20KHz
Normal charging time: 3 hours
Music Play Time: Up to 15 hours
Standby time: up to 180 hours

The SR-71 Stealth headphones feature a comfortable, lightweight design and ergonomic construction. They’re very well padded with a soft leather covering, both on the ear cups and on the easily adjustable headband.

The function buttons are located on the right earpiece. There are 3 buttons the Multi – Function button or (MFB) and a volume up (+) and volume down (-) buttons. The MFB is used to perform several functions, power on and off, make/answer/end/reject calls/play & pause music and voice dialing. Besides raising and lowering volume the (+) button is used for the previous track when listening to music and the (-) button is used for next track. There is also a LED indicator light located on the side of the right earpiece. And there is a 3.5mm audio jack so you can connect the provided detachable 3.5mm Aux cable and use the headphones with a none Bluetooth device. The headphones can be used with the 3.5mm Aux cable even when the battery is not charged.

Pairing:

Pairing the SR-71’s is done by holding the MFB down until the LED indicator light flashes red and blue. Select the headphones from your device’s Bluetooth settings menu, when the headphones are connected the LED indicator light will turn solid blue.

The SR-71’s connect using Bluetooth 4.1. The manual states that the operating range is up to 33ft. I was able to walk around my entire house and even did some laundry without once losing connection to the Home TX Pro. I was even able to listen to my TV while out on my front porch while letting my dog out.

The SR-71’s Dual – Link Pairing feature allows for them to connect to two devices at the same time. I paired them with my phone and the Home TX Pro transmitter. This allowed me to answer an incoming phone call while listening to my TV. A single press of the MFB answered the call and when I finished another press of the MFB returned me to the TV audio.

I really like that Miccus provides a nice hard shell case for these headphones. It just makes it so much easier to store them inside my TV stand. Each earpiece on the headphones pivots which allows for them to lay flat inside the case. There is also a small mesh zipper pocket that holds the Micro USB charging cable and 3.5mm Aux cable that attaches to the inside of the case using velcro. So you can detach it to easily access the cables. A small thing but I like it.

One of the most impressive features of these headphones is the battery. They fully charge in 3 hours and have a listening time of a whopping 15 hours. This is awesome especially if you’re going to use them on a daily basis. The SR-71’s are charged using a Micro USB cable that plugs into the port located on the bottom left earpiece. When charging the LED indicator light glows red and turns off when fully charged.

For my review, I paired the headphones to the Home TX Pro Transmitter so that I could use them to listen to my TV. However, I did pair them with my iPhone to see how they sounded while listening to some tunes. I wasn’t disappointed. The headphones handled music very well and it was a pleasant listening experience. I also tried out the calling feature and again the SR-71’s performed solidly. My call was clean and clear on both ends and making and receiving the calls using the MFB button and Hands-Free Calling was easy and worked flawlessly. To activate Hands-Free Calling you simply press and hold the MFB button for 3 seconds, once you hear a “beep” release the button and use voice command to dial a number.

Time to find out how SR-71’s handled watching movies and sporting events through my TV using the Home TX Pro transmitter. Pairing the headphones with the Home TX Pro Transmitter was simple following the instructions I detailed earlier. Once paired in order to get the TV’s audio through the headphones I had to go into my TV’s audio settings and select PCM as the Digital Audio Out Source. The sound was great, there was absolutely no delay or lip sync problems with the audio what so ever. Even pausing, rewinding and fast-forwarding using my DVR caused no lip sync issues. The audio synced up perfectly each time. I watched a baseball game and I was very impressed by the sound quality. The announcers’ voices were very clear and were separate from the crowd noise. Almost a virtual surround sound. A definite ambiance I didn’t get while listening through my 5.1 sound bar at a very low volume. I really enjoyed watching the game using the SR-71’s, and the best thing was I didn’t have to worry about how loud the volume was.

So watching sporting events on these headphones was great, now the only question that remained is how well these bad boys performed while watching a movie. I chose to watch Mad Max Fury Road because I wanted a movie that had a lot of action and explosions. All the dialogue was very clear, the explosions and movies soundtrack sounded great, with no lip sync issues, or audio delays. I didn’t get the room rumbling bass (something my roommate and dog really love BTW) with the headphones that I get from my 5.1 sound bar but I was very happy with the overall listening experience. I did get some intermittent static or chirping during some of the action scenes, not sure what the cause was, however, it’s something I can live with. Mad Max is just over 2 hours long and I didn’t have to constantly fuss with the headphones as they remained comfortable the whole time. And I really like that they fit over my ears, this helps block outside noise and the sound feels more immersive.

I even had my 72-year-old mother, who pretty much hates technology try these headphones. She often has trouble understanding dialogue while watching TV. I thought that the headphones would help with that and she agreed to be my guinea pig for the experiment. She wore them for about an hour and I asked her how she liked them. She liked that she could clearly understand the dialogue and really liked the overall sound. Her only complaint was that she felt she could only stand to wear them for about an hour, after that they began to hurt her ears, which she attributed more to her age then the headphones being uncomfortable.

Together the Miccus Home TX Pro long range wireless audio transmitter and the SR-71 Stealth low latency headphones are a powerful duo. They definitely solved my late night TV listening problems. If you already own a nice pair of Bluetooth headphones you can purchase the Home TX Pro on its own for $79.99. The SR-71 Stealth Headphones sell for $59.99. So if you’re looking for a way to listen to movies, sporting events or TV shows without bothering others in your house, live in an apartment or have hearing problems, the Home TX Pro transmitter and SR-71 Stealth headphones from Miccus are definitely a worthwhile investment.

Source: The samples for this review provided by Miccus. Please visit their website for more info and Amazon to purchase.

Product Information

Price:	$79.99 & $59.99
Manufacturer:	Miccus
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Easy to use Headphones are comfortable Very good sound
Cons:	Cables to connect transmitter could be longer

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth, Bluetooth audio adapter, Bluetooth headphones

Miccus Home TX Pro long range wireless audio Transmitter and SR-71 Stealth low latency headphones review originally appeared on on May 5, 2017 at 8:30 am.

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Brightech DoublePlay HD Bluetooth 4.0 transmitter / splitter review

This is the Brightech – DoublePlay HD Bluetooth 4.0 Transmitter / Splitter. This little wonder lets you pair two wireless headphones to it, enabling both people to watch TV as long as they want, and as loud as they want, without disturbing anyone else in the house.

The Brightech BPX2 has A2DP technology, and CSR apt-X Low Latency codecs. Why is this important? It effectively enables consumers to watch video while listening to wireless audio in a synchronized fashion. It means there is little noticeable delay in what you see on the TV compared to what your ears are hearing. It’s much faster than older Bluetooth technology: 40 milliseconds compared to (up to) 200 milliseconds. Bluetooth 3.x (and older) made it seem like you were watching an old Kung-Fu movie with poor audio dubbing.

This baby easily takes care of that problem. You can still pair Bluetooth 3.x wireless headphones to it, but you’ll be in Kung-Fu territory. I’ve paired to it using both Bluetooth 3.0 headphones and Bluetooth 4.1 headphones. The Bluetooth 3.0 isn’t terrible, but it’s not as good as watching TV live, which is what the 4.1’s sound like. So make sure your earbuds or headphones are Bluetooth 4.x compatible for best results.

Connection is super-simple. The attached USB cable is for power to the unit. The unit also comes with a 3.5mm male-to-male connector, and an RCA to stereo Y-cable, both of which can be used to connect to the audio source. You can connect it directly to your TV, the back of your cable box, even to the remote of your ROKU (if your ROKU remote has a 3.5mm headphone jack)! The unit must be plugged into a USB port for power.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the function, operation, quality, and size of this unit. It pairs easily with the push of a button, operates well, and most importantly, keeps the peace between the sleepy-heads and night-owls in the family.

The sample for this review was purchased with my own funds. Please visit Brightech for more information and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$27.99
Manufacturer:	Brightech
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Small Lightweight Easy to hide next to your other electronics Convenient Maintenance free Works well
Cons:	Pairing two Bluetooth headsets the first time is fairly easy, but re-connecting both of them later on is confusing and sometimes aggravating Transmitting range is not very far (20-30 feet)

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV, Bluetooth Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth audio adapter

Brightech DoublePlay HD Bluetooth 4.0 transmitter / splitter review originally appeared on on February 23, 2017 at 8:25 am.

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