Inventive BT-W5 evaluation: A worthwhile audio improve

As I wrote back in December, one in all my favourite methods to play the Nintendo Swap is on the sofa, subsequent to my girlfriend. She will watch TV whereas I attempt to make a dent in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Even when we’re not doing the identical factor, we’re nonetheless spending time collectively. And I get to play my favourite video games on the Swap OLED’s fantastic screen.

After I play the Swap handheld, I take advantage of my Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones. It is a win-win for all concerned. My associate is not subjected to noise bleed from my open-back Sennheiser HD 58X headphones, and I am unable to hear the TV. However I lately observed there was one thing lacking.

If you recognize something concerning the Swap, you in all probability know the place that is going. Nintendo’s handheld has had Bluetooth support since 2021, however that assist is proscribed to SBC. Even in the event you’ve by no means heard of SBC, you have used it. When individuals affiliate Bluetooth with subpar audio high quality, SBC is sort of at all times the wrongdoer.

Consider it this fashion, SBC is to Bluetooth codecs what SMS is to messaging. Each Bluetooth machine works with SBC. And if the 2 gadgets you are attempting to pair collectively do not assist the identical set of protocols, they are going to default to SBC for audio playback. That is nice for interoperability, however the issue with SBC is that it would not sound notably good. It is a lossy format, which means not each little bit of audio data your supply machine sends is preserved throughout transmission. For gaming, SBC may also endure from latency points.

Within the final decade, there’s been a whole lot of innovation within the house, with a lot of it coming from Qualcomm. In 2024, the corporate has a number of totally different codecs to its title, however all them primarily provide a greater expertise than SBC. Once more, the issue is interoperability.

Take my WH-1000XM3 headphones for example. Outdoors SBC, they assist AAC, Qualcomm’s aptX and aptX HD codecs, in addition to Sony’s proprietary LDAC protocol. Because the Swap is proscribed to SBC, my Sony headphones sound a shade worse once they’re linked to the Swap, then say the iPhone. It is not an enormous distinction, however sufficient that I’ve at occasions thought to myself sure background tracks or audio cues felt flat whereas enjoying a recreation.

Fortunately, I’ve discovered a simple and reasonably priced technique to make the Swap — and practically each different machine I personal — sound higher over Bluetooth: the Inventive BT-W5.

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BT-W5

The Inventive BT-W5 is a USB-C dongle that extends the Bluetooth capabilities of Nintendo Swap, Sony PlayStation, Mac, and PC gadgets to permit them to transmit Bluetooth audio over Qualcomm aptX codecs.

Execs

• Small, simple to make use of
• aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive assist
• Swap, PlayStation, Home windows and Mac appropriate

Cons

• USB-A adapter not included
• A bit expensive

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Worth, availability, and specs

The BT-W5 is accessible to buy on Amazon and the Inventive web site for $50.

If you wish to lower your expenses, Inventive additionally gives the BT-W3X, which gives every part the BT-W5 does apart from aptX Adaptive compatibility. Because of this, it usually prices $10 much less.

What I appreciated concerning the Inventive BT-W5

An almost good bundle

Inventive’s pitch for the BT-W5 is easy. It is a thumb-sized dongle you insert into your Swap, Home windows PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 or PS5 to increase the Bluetooth capabilities of these gadgets. With out the necessity for any further software program, the machine will transmit the audio sign your pc or console produces over one of the best aptX codec supported by your Bluetooth headphones. So as from greatest to worst, the W5 helps aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX and SBC. Within the case of Qualcomm’s newest protocol, you’ll be able to configure the W5 to default to both the codec’s Excessive High quality or Latency mode.

I did not get an opportunity to check the W5 with Sony consoles, however on Swap, Home windows and macOS, the expertise of utilizing the accent is seamless. For example, once I plugged the W5 into my Swap, the console instantly acknowledged the machine and switched to its built-in USB DAC mode. At that time, I may proceed to make use of the Swap’s bodily controls to regulate the amount. Over on PC and Mac, the method of utilizing the W5 was solely barely extra difficult. On these platforms, I needed to first change the sound output, which meant digging into the respective fast settings of every working system. In any case, Inventive has made the W5 about as user-friendly as doable, and it really works as promised.

It doesn’t matter what machine I used the dongle to attach my headphones to, I instantly observed a distinction in audio high quality and latency. It was particularly noticeable on Swap, the place the W5 allowed my headphones to hook up with the console over aptX HD. Enjoying Hole Knight, for example, Christopher Larkin’s haunting soundtrack felt fuller and extra nuanced, with higher separation between devices. In the meantime, audio cues just like the Knight’s nail strikes sounded extra impactful. I used to be already an enormous fan of Hole Knight’s audio design, however after experiencing the sport with higher sound, I ended up appreciating it much more.

Now, if all of the W5 did was give me a simple technique to get hold of higher Bluetooth audio from my gadgets, I’d suggest it to individuals, however this machine does a lot greater than that. To begin, it smooths over one of many extra annoying points of utilizing older Bluetooth headphones.

Within the case of my Sony cans, they do not assist Bluetooth multipoint, which means every time I wish to join them to my iPhone, Swap or Mac, I must first disconnect them from no matter machine I used to be utilizing them with beforehand. With the W5, there is no want to do this. As an alternative, I merely plug the dongle into the machine I wish to use my headphones with, energy them on, and the W5 does the remainder. It could actually keep in mind 4 connections without delay, and switching between these is as simple as urgent the one and solely button on the accent. In my testing, the W5 was additionally quicker at connecting with the WH-1000XM3, and did a greater job of sustaining a strong connection.

I am additionally a fan of the Inventive app. You needn’t set up it in your pc to make use of the W5 with Home windows or Mac, however the software program allowed me to set a custom EQ, which I discover is important for making a bass ahead pair of headphones just like the WH-1000XM3 sound their greatest. I additionally appreciated the actual fact I may change the order the W5 cycles between paired gadgets.

Associated

How the aptX HD codec boosts Bluetooth performance

Bluetooth know-how is not fairly the identical as wired audio high quality, however aptX HD helps bridge the hole.

What I did not like concerning the Inventive BT-W5

Not a lot

My solely grievance concerning the BT-W5 is that does not include a USB-C to USB-A adapter. A number of competing aptX dongles, most notably the Sennheiser BTD 600, do. Fortunately, I had a spare adapter, however the reality you do not get one contained in the field is value contemplating because the W5 is likely one of the pricier aptX dongles available on the market.

Do you have to purchase the Inventive BT-W5?

Sure, if you wish to improve your PC or console’s audio, and also you personal a pair of headphones that may reap the benefits of the W5’s aptX connectivity, I am unable to suggest this machine sufficient.

Individually, I feel it is an effective way to increase the lifetime of an older pair of Bluetooth headphones. After six years of use, I used to be pondering of changing my Sony WH-1000XM3 resulting from simply how annoying it had turn out to be to change between connections. Between the W5 and a contemporary set of earpads, I do know really feel like I am going to get a decade of use out of my Bluetooth headphones. I like devices that assist you to try this.

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BT-W5