This tiny dongle brings AptX Lossless to any phone, and it’s fantastic

While AptX is standard on high-end phones, most manufacturers refuse to leverage Qualcomm’s entire suite of codecs. Case in point is the OnePlus 13; it has AptX and AptX HD alongside LDAC and LHDC, but you miss out on AptX Adaptive and AptX Lossless. This isn’t an issue most of the time, as an overwhelming majority of earbuds connect via standard AptX or LDAC anyway.

But if you bought earbuds or a headset that has AptX Lossless and want to get the best possible sound, you’ll ideally want to buy a phone that integrates the codec. There’s just one issue with that — not many phones have AptX Lossless, and outside of ASUS and select Xiaomi high-end devices, there aren’t many choices.

Thankfully, there’s an easier alternative — Fiio’s BT11. It is a Bluetooth 5.4 transmitter that you can use with your phone, tablet, PS5, Switch, and any other gaming handheld, and its key differentiator is that it includes all of Qualcomm’s high-res codes: AptX, AptX HD, AptX Lossless, AptX Adaptive, and AptX Low Latency.

The BT11 comes with LDAC as well, making it one of the most versatile transmitters you can get today. I’ve been using it for the better part of two months, and while Fiio had issues with the product at launch — it wouldn’t connect easily — those have been ironed out. The transmitter costs $44, and as of writing, it wasn’t listed on Amazon.

The BT11 is tiny, and it doesn’t take up much room at all. It connects via USB-C, and you can use it with just about any device that uses the standard. You get a USB-C to USB-A dongle in the box if you need to connect it to a Windows machine or older MacBook.

Before you pair buds to the BT11, you’ll need to ensure it is connectable; just plug in the dongle to your phone and launch Fiio Control. It should detect the BT11 once it’s plugged into your phone, and you’ll be able to see that it is in pairing mode.

Connecting earbuds to the BT11 will sound counter-intuitive, particularly if you’re using the transmitter with a phone. Basically, you don’t use your phone’s Bluetooth to connect to the buds, instead relying on the BT11. But as the transmitter doesn’t have an interface to connect, you’ll need to follow the flashing LED; it’s ready to pair to earbuds when it’s alternating between blue and red LEDs, and you then put the buds or headset you want to connect into pairing mode and bring it close to the BT11.

The buds should connect to the BT11 without any issues, and the transmitter changes color as soon as it pairs. It becomes a solid blue LED when using the standard SBC codec, purple with AptX and AptX Low Latency, yellow with AptX HD, and white if it’s using LDAC. I’m testing AptX Adaptive and AptX Lossless, and in this mode, the BT11 switches colors to green.

I didn’t see any issues connecting the BT11 with my Honor Magic 7 Pro and Vivo X200 Pro, nor did I run into problems pairing a multitude of buds to the device. It is confusing at the start to connect earbuds to the transmitter, but the LEDs on the BT11 act as a visual indicator, and connectivity itself wasn’t a hassle — it has Qualcomm’s QCC5181 module.

Sound quality is pretty decent, but your mileage will vary based on the music streaming service of choice. I tested it with Apple Music, and it just had too much interference to be usable. Switching to Spotify and YouTube Music sorted out the problems, so if you’re using Apple Music on your Android phone, I wouldn’t suggest using these until the bugs are ironed out.

Other than that, there aren’t any problems with the BT11. If you have earbuds or a headset that would benefit from AptX Lossless but don’t have a source device, the BT11 is a great way to rectify that problem.

Keep your phone secure and easily accessible in your car with the Miracase Phone Holder for Your Car! This Amazon Best Seller is designed for easy installation and holds your phone firmly in place, ensuring a safe and convenient driving experience.

With a 4.3/5-star rating from 29,710 reviews, it’s a top choice for drivers! Plus, over 10,000 units sold in the past month! Get it now for just $15.99 on Amazon.

Help Power Techcratic’s Future – Scan To Support

If Techcratic’s content and insights have helped you, consider giving back by supporting the platform with crypto. Every contribution makes a difference, whether it’s for high-quality content, server maintenance, or future updates. Techcratic is constantly evolving, and your support helps drive that progress.

As a solo operator who wears all the hats, creating content, managing the tech, and running the site, your support allows me to stay focused on delivering valuable resources. Your support keeps everything running smoothly and enables me to continue creating the content you love. I’m deeply grateful for your support, it truly means the world to me! Thank you!