Audioengine B1 5.3 Bluetooth Receiver for Older Classic Stereo Speakers and Sound Systems - Long Range HiFi Adaptive Wireless Up to 32 Bit Audio Music Streamer

One week after initial use it got an oscillating thermal defective IC inside. Returned for new one.Replacement B1 is quiet and perfect after a week burn in. Any noise is so far in background it doesnt matter.INITIAL REVIEW:Nice packaging and the front LED is soft orange instead of blinding blue.Unit is solid and well built. Paired instantly. Always reconnects, stays put and follows orders with no hijacking.Using APTX codec from Galaxy phone thru B1 device driving a stock Douk Audio V3 headphone amp with AKG K270 phones.Powered setup as follows:Douk Audio amplifier is directly powered by 12.6 volt agm RV battery.B1 also wired to the 12.6 volt agm RV battery thru a 7805 ic regulator at 5.04 volts.Only at dangerously high listening levels are DAC sampling artifacts barely audible. Thier level above silence is completely inaudible at normal to high volume. I have to place my Galaxy phone within 7" of B1 to hear any phone RF noise. Metal case is good. Silence is golden.The sound quality of the B1 is as superb as all these reviews glowingly share. This is one of those audio products deserving of the term musical. With a B1 bluetooth is a musical option.I even tried this B1 into my RVs Kenwood KDC X305 aux input. It blows the Kenwoods onboard bluetooth away completely for sound quality. Night and day difference.This B1 sounds absolutely spectacular in std APTX codec. I never imagined being barely able to pry these K 270 phones off my head after 3 hours using Bluetooth. Time for a new phone with APTX HD.

The sound quality is incredible. I toggled back and forth between Audioengine B1 and Esinkin on my Mac 4100 and it’s not even close. Massive improvement.

This Bluetooth hook up is great. Pluged it in to my old stereo system works great. Listening to ITunes, Xm, and online radio. Full sound. If you have an old stereo system that does not Bluetooth this is the way to go. Highly recommend.

I'm grateful that this model can play a wide variety of music without needing different eq for music genres or instruments. That is particular important at church, where there may be some songs on piano or guitar or pipe organ, and this bluetooth dac works just as well regardless of the type of instrument (nicely even harmonics on this dac). It is wonderful to be able to practice wherever convenient and then connect to the bluetooth dac Sunday morning with very good and predictable results.

---------------------------OVERVIEW---------------------------Audioengine's B1 Bluetooth Music Receiver is the affordable, simple wireless home audio solution we've been waiting for. When Apple's AirPlay debuted, with its relatively high-fidelity wireless audio, it was exciting. Bluetooth, which lagged behind in sound quality, eventually caught up and arguably surpassed AirPlay, which would sometimes stutter from network hiccups. Bluetooth, not needing any extra hardware (like a router), is far less likely to stutter, so the final piece of the home audio puzzle is a Bluetooth receiver for high-end musical tastes.The aluminum case of the B1 reflects traditional Audioengine design and the high-quality components and audio fidelity are typical of Audioengine's commitment to great sound at affordable prices. The Audioengine B1 continues to close the gap between your computer music and home hi-fi and even if you're not an audio enthusiast we guarantee your music will sound better!The audio quality of most Bluetooth products isn't usually very inspiring and their limited range can be frustrating. The B1 solves these problems by implementing the aptX codec, which is a high-quality audio converter designed specifically for audio. The B1 also has special circuitry and a precision-tuned antenna to extend the wireless range, providing much more versatility than other Bluetooth receivers.Upgrade your Bluetooth and breathe new life into your audio system. You already have Bluetooth on your tablet, computer, or iDevice, so get more out of it and experience stunning audio with the Audioengine B1 Bluetooth Receiver including aptX, 24-bit upsampling DAC, and extended range.---------------------------WHAT'S IN THE BOX?---------------------------- (1) B1 Receiver- (1) RCA audio cable (3ft/1m)- (1) Power adapter with detachable cable- (1) Microfiber bag- (1) Setup guide---------------------------FEATURES---------------------------- Easy setup, connects in seconds- Plug-n-play, no software to install- Superior sound and extended range- Streams audio from any media player (iTunes, Amarra, Youtube, etc.)- Connects to any music system with an audio input---------------------------SETUP---------------------------1. Connect the included (or your own) audio cables from the B1 rear panel to your music system.2. Connect the included power adapter to B1 and plug into an AC outlet. B1 will automatically go into pair mode.3. On your device, turn on Bluetooth and select "Audioengine B1" to pair and connect.4. Play your music. Setup is really this easy!A well written instruction guide is also included.---------------------------SOUND QUALITY---------------------------Due to the fact the AudioEngine has a built-in 24-bit DAC it will upsample the audio while supporting APT-X is a HUGE bonus. Wireless audio has improved by leaps and bounds in the short space of a few years, and the Audioengine B1 Premium Bluetooth Music Receiver is possibly my favorite device to come out of this high-fidelity revolution thus far. It solves the problem of shaky wireless home audio streaming, and it never degrades (and often improves) audio quality. Improvement in Bluetooth technology is the real hero here, but Audioengine takes it a step further and adds a top-notch DAC, which results in a top notch audio accessory worthy of our Editors' Choice designation. While it's expensive compared with the Apple AirPort Express, it does exactly the job it's supposed to do, with solid, reliable resultsThis thing performs exceptionally and is just bliss for wireless music.---------------------------VERDICT---------------------------After using the Audioengine B1 for several weeks, I didn't find anything wrong about the product. I didn't encounter any hiccups or degradation of sound quality even when the receiver is farther from the source. This small aluminum box is simply a "magical instrument" that would easily replace those long audio cables, connecting your source and speakers, without any loss in audio quality. This is simply a great wireless Bluetooth DAC, and you really can't complain about its price. I've seen wired DACs from other companies that are priced higher than the B1, and they probably offer the same audio quality.Here is how I rank the adapters I test, from best to worst;BEST:Audioengine B1 Premium Bluetooth Music Receiver - $189GOOD:Philips AEA2000/37 Bluetooth Hi-Fi Adapter/Receiver (Discontinued) - $28.99Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter - $29.99OK:HomeSpot NFC-Enabled Bluetooth Audio Receiver - $29.00WORST:Amped Wireless Long Range Bluetooth Speaker Adapter - $55

Oh, this little gadget sounds so sweet on my stereo system. I absolutely love the sound quality! However… Why, oh why there’s no power switch on this device?!! It’s always on. The thing is, your phone or whatever device you paired it with is always connected to it. So if you need to use some other device with your phone it’s not going to connect. You either have to unplug this thing every time or plug it into an extension cord that has a power switch.

I hadn't used my old stereo receiver and speakers in years, but this little device gave them new life. Now I can stream music, podcasts, or radio stations from my phone or iPad through my good amplifier and speakers. It's extremely easy to set up, literally plug and play. It has a long Bluetooth range. If you have an old home stereo that's going to waste, this will revive it. Now I use mine again almost every day.