Android Tablets with AptX HD support?

[plissken]

I have the SMSL SU-9 replacing my Emotiva DC-1 because I wanted something with integrated BlueTooth for the wife ( shoutout at @Superdad so you can slam my newest DAC ;-) ). It helps that it also has an easier to read display.

 

It supports Qualcomm's APTX-HD codec so I wanted to see what is out there in tablet format for her. 

 

Thx in advance.

 

[athegn]

This is my tablet:-

 

https://bluetoothcheck.com/d/samsung-galaxy-tab-a-10-5

[Maz]

Unfortunately the Galaxy Tab A 10.5 aptX HD support is NOT listed in the manufacturer's specs... see https://www.samsung.com/au/business/tablets/galaxy-taba-t590/sm-t590nzkaxsa/ and aptX (let alone aptx HD) is not mentioned anywhere. I went to a couple of shops to confirm and they knew nothing about it. :-(

[athegn]

Yes does not support aptx HD but does aptX

 

Settings > Developer Options > Bluetooth audio codec select aptX.

[Maz]

Where do you read that? I couldn’t find any mention of aptX for that model other than in  the bluetoothcheck site where it also incorrectly mentions aptx HD and LDAC...

[athegn]

I just opened up Developer Options and found aptX there. Same with my Galaxy A7 phone.

[athegn]

I knew I had aptX HD but it is on the receiving end; my Levin Bluetooth 5.0 headphones. So if I get an aptX HD transmitting device I am ready.

 

Mind you should I worry as I failed this test, 56% i.e. guessing:--

 

http://abx.digitalfeed.net/spotify-hq.html

 

If I have such poor hearing should I even worry about aptX let alone aptX HD.

[Maz]

Hi athegn,

Your point is valid. Personally after having done a lot of reading and testing ending up feeling more confused than when i was just listening to music with blissful ignorance, i have come to choose for audio equipment the same approach that i have with food: forget what the nutritionists say, i just go for the best food/tech specifications i can afford, which for the latter for me generally means 3-digit-figure components. I am currently in the market for a new tablet, and since i mostly listen to music from tidal hi fi sent to my system via Bluetooth, I was trying to get one that supports aptx HD. Now i have given up cause the only one seems to be the Sharp SH something which  exists only in Japan AFAICS. Ideally I’d want one with MQA, but it’s not supported by Bluetooth (yet).So what I’ll do is I’ll get a decent tablet and use whatever Bluetooth for convenience, but when i am in true listening mode i link the tablet to the zorloo ztella mqa dac which does an excellent job IMMO. 
Cheers

[athegn]

I only use Bluetooth when away from home, say on a walk or in a hotel bedroom, because of the limited range.

 

At home I use different technology for wireless listening.

 

I have Sennheiser RS185 headphones that work all over the house and garden. These are driven by either by a stand alone Chromecast Audio (CCA) *hard wired to my  house ethernet or from the headphone output of my Onkyo receiver with its built-in CCA**; that receiver is also hard wired to the house ethenet. The CCAs are fed by whatever tablet/phone is most convenient.

 

*the reason for hard wire is drop outs. When I got my stand alone CCA, to feed my old amp, it was wifi. This was very weak so I bought an adaptor to wire via ethenet; this ethernet was used to run my old laptop. As my house has cat 5 to many rooms and the outbuilding I have now added several WAPs, so have robust 5G wifi throughout the premises. I probably could rely on wifi to feed my CCA and receiver but as ethernet to hand I have used that.

 

**this was the setup I used for the listening test. The reason for two methods of driving the RS185 is convenience; stand alone CCA is normal. Getting at the headphone socket on the receiver is difficult, because of its location; wish that headphone to speaker switching had something like a software driven relay setup to change.