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Vintage Audio (record players, hi-fi etc) Amplifiers, speakers, gramophones and other audio equipment.

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Old 22nd Sep 2019, 2:29 pm   #1
stevehertz
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Default Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

I have a variety of vintage hifi components that I listen to/through. Having just used them for the first time in ages and realised just how good they are, I want to start using my Yamaha Orthodynamic HP-1 headphones more. However, my listening position is probably 12ft away from the hifi. Ok, I could use an extension lead (any views on that?) but I'm thinking about using Bluetooth (BT). Obviously I'd need to connect the output of my amp to a BT transmitter and I'd need a receiver at the other end to connect my phones to. Or would I be better off using BT headphones? The Yamahas are incredibly good and I'm wondering how much I would have to pay to get the same quality with a set of BT ones?

Your views and advice on my 'problem' and please feel free to identify actual hardware. As most of you who read my threads and post will be aware, I'm not conned by expensive audiophile stuff, but equally if the cheaper BT transmitter/receivers are noticeably poor, then obviously I won't go in that direction. TBH, I don't think there'd be much signal degradation down a long lead of decent quality ie forget BT. I could hide the lead behind furniture to pop up behind my listening chair. So I'd still be using a lead just the same as if I was plugging my headphones into a BT receiver. But then I wouldn't be able to freely walk around, change a CD, record etc. Your views please?
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Old 22nd Sep 2019, 3:01 pm   #2
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

The Sony WH1000-XM3 are currently amongst the best available, but I can't say how they would compare to your Yamahas. They do have the bass boosted a bit for the yoof market so possibly your Yamahas are better.

There is more to Bluetooth audio than meets the eye, sound quality is dependant on the Codecs actually in use. Read this for more background: https://darko.audio/2019/03/tangled-...-aptx-and-aac/

If you want to go the Bluetooth route I would recommend you make sure both your transmitter and receiver support Aptx HD. There are plenty of units on Amazon etc that do. Harder to answer is how much power your Yamahas need, but there are plenty of headphone receivers out there. Transmitters are rarer and some units can do both functions.

For instance https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inateck-Blu...dp/B078MYLL46/

However, for convenience you'll probably want a receiver with volume buttons so you can adjust this from the comfort of your chair.
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Old 22nd Sep 2019, 3:08 pm   #3
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

I would just use an extension cable. I typically listen on headphones from about 8' away from the amp and use one. There are lots of straight and curly leads available, or you can make up your own. A BT solution is possible, but will be clunky and cost money.
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Old 22nd Sep 2019, 4:51 pm   #4
Ted Kendall
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

Why put decent phones on decent hi fi and then introduce a lossy quality bottleneck? Good old copper for me.
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Old 22nd Sep 2019, 5:42 pm   #5
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Kendall View Post
Why put decent phones on decent hi fi and then introduce a lossy quality bottleneck? Good old copper for me.
So you mean a standard cable link?
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Old 22nd Sep 2019, 5:56 pm   #6
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

I use a bog standard curly extension cable that I've owned for decades. I can't remember where it came from now, but it wasn't expensive. I'm sure you can buy audiophool grade cables that cost thousands though, if you like that sort of thing
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Old 22nd Sep 2019, 6:05 pm   #7
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

I use good old copper wire for my motorcycle headphones, no latency (lag), no batteries to charge, light weight etc. etc., and an instantaneous connexion. For headphones, anything less than a few hundred yards won't affect quality.
 
Old 22nd Sep 2019, 6:18 pm   #8
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

I've got a really-long (5-metre unstretched) curly-cable here, with a stereo 1/4-inch plug one end/socket the other. It works just fine, and the free-end socket is sufficiently loose that it provides an automatic 'snatch' quick-disconnect function if I need it to.

Bluetooth has the disadvantage that you'll invariably be introducing quantisation/encoding-artifacts in the transmitter/receiver - you don't have any control over the embedded algorithms used, so you can't do anything about optimising them to best handle your 'preferred' listening-content. [the algorithms used for best encoding/decoding Heavy Metal being somewhat different to those for solo classical vocal].
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Old 22nd Sep 2019, 6:21 pm   #9
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

I'm getting a picture here..
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Old 24th Sep 2019, 11:35 am   #10
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehertz View Post
So you mean a standard cable link?
Exactly.
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Old 24th Sep 2019, 10:20 pm   #11
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

A cable is going to give you the best sound quality but, if you really want a radio link, you could take a look at the sort of thing used for musician's in ear monitors although even the cheapest system is likely to set you back over £100.
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Old 3rd Oct 2019, 5:58 pm   #12
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

My daughter has bought some Bose Bluetooth headphones and wants to use them with the Armstrong 521 amplifier I fixed up for her a while ago. I know that the better solution would be wired 'phones, but the purchase having been made already, I wondered if anyone could recommend a transmitter that could be plugged into the headphone jack or possibly the the tape output?
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Old 4th Oct 2019, 10:20 am   #13
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

Plenty on Amazon, the unit I bought has shot up in price so disinclined to recommend that. For best results with Bose you'll need a unit which supports the AAC codec, although any unit will also work with the default SBC.

Tape output is the way to go as the volume will be controlled from the headphones.
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Old 4th Oct 2019, 1:34 pm   #14
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

Thanks for the details about the codec requirement. I'd still be interested in knowing which transmitter you bought - if only to compare specifications with any alternatives.
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Old 4th Oct 2019, 3:31 pm   #15
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Default Re: Connect vintage headphones using Bluetooth

see post #2 of this thread!
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