Alpha Delta Bluetooth Receiver: Transform anything into Bluetooth!

ALPHA & DELTA BLUETOOTH RECEIVER REVIEW :

SOUND: 7/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8/10
DESIGN: 8.5/10
FEATURES: 8/10
VALUE: 9/10

As i’m not a big bluetooth earphones fan, lately I search alternative solution to use bluetooth feature of my DAP and phone.

My revelation begin with Radsone ES100, here it was especially for sound quality potential as well as portability. But I was curious about smaller device too, and this is where the cheap 18$ Alpha & Delta BT receiver became interesting.

It is a very small device that have volume and tracks control, as well as a basic 4.1 bluetooth chip. At this price, my expectation are low, very low. This is why i’m not disapointed by this practical tool that can transform your sound system or any earphones into Bluetooth audio gear.

ALPHA & DELTA is a Singapore audio company, more known for their earphones like the excellent A&D D6, but they make as well Bluetooth wireless earphone like the A&D JAAP.

You can buy this product for 17.64$ at LEND ME UR EARS

SPECS & INFO :

Features:

• Give your audiophile earphones the power of bluetooth functionality
• Turn your favorite speakers into a Bluetooth speaker
• Retains the excellent sound quality of your favorite earphones with no loss of quality

Accessories:

• 1 micro usb charging cable
• 1 3.5mm to 3.5mm adapter
• 1 Bluetooth receiver

Specification:

• Bluetooth Chipset: Bluetooth 4.1 Chipset
• Battery capacity: 90 mah
• Playback time: 4 hours
• Charging port: Micro USB Type B
• Build in microphone: Yes
• Battery status on iOS devices: Yes

 

CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & ACCESSORIES :

UNBOXING is nothing to wow about, you have your BT device, a USB to micro USB cable for charge and particular 3.5mm to 3.5mm adapter for your sound system or amp.

CONSTRUCTION is all plastic and very basic.

Its very small with a 5.5cm lenght, 1.4cm wideness and 1.1cm thickness

It have 3 buttons, 2 for changing tracks or volume and one for power on or play-pause.

DESIGN is well thinked and minimalist, the plastic being not slippy is great idea, otherwise you can drop it easily. Buttons are rightly responsive and not prompt to unwanted pressing.

CONNECTION is effortless and work well, signal go up to around 10 meter like all other bluetooth device or earphone I try.

BATTERY is very average, it can go up to 4H at moderate to low volume, but if used at high volume (wich is mandatory with near all iem with the exception of very sensible one) it will hold about 2-3H.

AMPING is not powerfull, and this device is either think for use with amplify soundsystem or ultra easy to drive iem. I do not suggest to use this with headphones or earbuds or above 32ohm earphones as it will make the sound feel closed and lacking in dynamic impact.

 

SOUND :

Overall sound impressions is quite positive, especially when I plug it to my Solid State amp or to Xduoo XD-05. It can sound okay with 16ohm iem with high sensitivity too, especially bassy or warm earphones like the Superlux HD381. AD receiver sound little bright and fowards, with average widness in soundstage, near no deepness, very average imaging and some dryness in treble. Background noise is present but minimal. We have a very neutral sound approach, a hint dark, but well balanced.

BASS is not emphased and due to low amping will not give extra body to your earphones, it is a little dry and grainy, but do well with bassy earphones and can even give extra texture to it. Separation of lower and mid bass is not very clear.

MIDS are balanced, linear, thick and have enough clarity but not the greatest separation and timbre. In some sens we can consider this device as mid centric due to extra energy and presence in this region.

TREBLE is slightly roll off, do not give extra sparkle or details to your gear, is quite flat and linear.

Background noise floor have some subtle hissing and is far from being completely black.

COMPARAISON with Xduoo XP2 DAC-AMP Bluetooth receiver (110$):

So this is very different BT receiver, and one is 3 times cheaper than the other, but as I do not have a big collection of this type of device, I think it’s interesting to compare it for consumer thinking about doing an upgrade for higher priced receiver.

Well, if you just have very sensible IEM that are very easy to drive and offer tremendous sound (aka, no cheap immature IEM), I think perhaps you don’t need to buy a powerfull DAC-AMP BT receiver Plus Stand alone AMP. But if you have any demanding iem or a pair of headphones (whatever the impendance), yeah, must certainly you will benifit from a BT receiver that have some amping power to it, because no, the Alpha Delta do not have lot of amping power, in fact, perhaps your phone have more.

Alpha & Delta BT receiver is an ultra small portable device, wich is perfect to transform your iem in wired BT one, for that, I suggest you buy a extra small mmcx cable and begin this budget iem collection with detachable cable because 90% of BT earphones have….wire.

Being way smaller, it really cannot compare to amping power of XP2, and we don’t talk about high gain here. Just the fact XP2 is a standalone portable amp too justify the price jump, but the sound is suppose to be better as well due to an independant dac chip, aren’t it??
To be honnest the sound paired with easy to drive IEM is quite similar, the soundstage of Xduoo being wider but warmer, weightier too, while the Alpha Delta receiver is more analytical and cold sounding. But, when you use any less easy or capricious to drive iem , earbuds or headphones, the A&D begin to struggle and sound thin, lacking in power, while the XP2 begin to shine even more expanding soundstage and give extra weight and presence to bass and mids, and being able to drive near anything up to 300ohm….this IS the big difference,

So, this is a 20$ device against a 110$ one…and XP2 win everywhere but for ultra portability, as well as tracks changing buttons, wich even a cheap device have, hum.

Sound improvment is sure there, but biggest plus is the amping power and extra feature like usb dac and amp with audio input etc.

PAIRING :

With Takstar PRO82 :

I was surprise that this device can drive properly the PRO82 and make them quite listenable in fact…wich proof that PRO82 is very versatile and imprevisible about pairing.

Overall presentation is a little dryier but it calm down the upper mids and trebly approach of PRO82. Soundstage became more intimate and less deep to lack of cleanest but still is very energic. BASS loose some sub, but gain in control in the sens its less fowards. MIDS are now softer keeping great presence. TREBLE is smoothed wich make the PRO82 less harsh. Great imaging of PRO82 mix well with the AD receiver and even if I need to listen at max volume, the sound is well balanced and do not create distortion even if background isn’t the cleanest one.

With Superlux HD381 :

This is a good pairing due to the fact HD381 is easy to drive, have pumped up bass but clear mids and open soundstage. Soundstage isn’t as airy than with good clear DAP but have good wideness nonetheless. BASS is a little more boomy but have good body and slam. MIDS are still quite clear and well centered, but lack a little finess. TREBLE is more grainy and less sparkly.

 

With Final Audio E1000 :

Soundstage isn’t fully open as it should be due to lack of amping power. BASS is dryier and less extended, mid bass is more emphased and grainy. MIDS are still clear and fowards but lack some transparency. TREBLE is darker and less detailed.

 

CONCLUSION :

For 20$, there nothing to complaint about the A&D Bluetooth receiver, as it do its basic job well even if the use of 4.1 bluetooth isn’t last word of nowadays technology. The fact that BT tech is still evolving explain in part why this type of device tend to lower in price fast. At 20$, we still are in very good price value as the sound that it produce can be compare to entry level DAP or phone, but unlike these two, you can transform you sounds system, headphones or earphones into Bluetooth system that can receive signal from up to 10 meter distance. I tremendously enjoy this feature for my speakers, playing spotify from my phone is quite fun in fact! So, if you want to transform everything you have into bluetooth audio gear for non critical audiophile use, just for praticality and care free fun, I suggest you give this device a try!