Thank you for dismantling the units! At first I assumed they were both from the same OEM but it appears its just the enclosures that are most likely sourced from the same factory.
Great video. It was a suggestion on my feed, glad I saw it. I have the audioengine B1, great little unit. I used it for a good 2 years until I could upgrade my main audio system. Still works great and I sometimes use it on another system I have.
The audioengine has Tiffany style rca connections. Those are signs of a top of the line product too. But I went with the bludento because I just can't justify the price difference
IMO the BD was the way to go. The "upgraded RCAs are just fluff. They only cost a dozen pennys more than PC mounted RCAs and have zero impact on audio quality. Enjoy your HiRes BT.... Cheers
I just received my BleDento BLT-HD to replace a cheap $15 unit I was using. Although I do notice some improvement with sound quality, I've got to be honest, it wasn't night and day, and I was a little underwhelmed. I even hooked up both (one through AUX and one through Tape1) so I could switch between them to compare, again, not a night and day difference.
Hmmm interesting as I hear more of a difference. Well we all have different hearing. NOTE.... I like how you did the A&B comp, that is a great way to comp and add an extra input. Cheers
Great review. I think there are a couple of details that are important that you missed. From what I can gather, the Audioengine comes with all the cables, the power supply, and has switches for pairing and power. Little things, but they mean it's all in the box.
You're right though the bludento does come with USB, toslink cable and RCA cable the only thing it's missing is the USB plug socket that's so it can be connected to most power connection
Thanks breakerbroke23, I am an old guy and was wondering how tp do this. I have some old vintage systems and gving one with a turntable to daughter -in- law and knowing they listen to music through their phone she will appreciate the extra option. ordering 2 of the BluDentoto now. One for me. Great vidio. Thanks.
Great review. I have the B1 on my system. As we speak, it delivers such amazing sound from my Tidal app to my C52..... thanks so much for the great Video.
Having tried arcam iblink and the crystal acoustics Bluetooth,I wasn't completely satisfied, poor range with ok sound,just recently got myself a blu dento receiver,the first word was wow,im running roksan gear with dynaudio,this thing sounds so so good,I really appreciate my cd player,but the blu dento is not be dismissed as a cheap or substandard bit of kit,as we all now each of us has various taste,but based on my wide range in musical taste,the blu dento is a winner,my neighbour has the audioengine version,this weekend duel is on for the laugh.....
I living with these devices for a year now, I think you will be surprised by the BluDento/B1 shootout. I mean I would like to think the b1 is better?.... Let us know how your "duel" goes. Cheers.
I thought these had an optical In-Put but they don't. I need that for a project. The BluDento supports LDAC. The Audioengnine B1 does't. It's odd that the BluDento is 32-bit and the Audioengine is 24-bit (not 28-bit). It's a negligable difference but I would think the Audioengine would spec out higher than the BluDento in everything. How do you think these compare to the Topping BC3? What do you think of the Audioengine B-FI? You do great work. Thank you.
I have not looked at the Topping unit, I have seen a few of them returned on my amazon shoppers page so Iam not sure about buying any of their product. (I could be very wrong on this) The B Fi looks interesting, WiFi streaming is something I have not gotten into, looks cool but I like to keep things simple. I also don't subscribe to any music services so for me, using my own music files and pandora works for me. I am cheap and I don't believe in paying for music that I can't physically hold in my hand. Like CDs.... I know, Im old. Thank you for watching..... Cheers.
@@breakerbroke23 Thanks for the reply. I'm with you. Let's not say old. Let's say old-ish. I'd hate to see CD/DVD/LP disappear. I'm looking for rock solid BT. The RU-vid reviews on the BC3 love it, say it's got the best BT and it's one of the few with LDAC and it's cheap-ish, under $100 with a very good DAC at any cost. I'd like an input but could do without it. I can find the BC3, Audioengine B1, BluDento BLT-HD and BluDento BLT-2 for between $65 and $70. I'm at the point of buying the BC3 or BluDento BLT-HD which every you'd recommend over the other unless you'd recommend better for the same or not a lot more money. Thank you.
I have the b1 and it's great, but I might get the bluenode next to see if I can hear the difference. The cost difference isn't always the parts, half the time it is in r&d which is quite an expense. I've seen this in camera flash products, where a profoto flash is 3 times more and the china product is almost as good but they didn't need to do the r&d. Nothing wrong with going with the cheaper product.
I agree, in the case of these two units I very much like both of them but use each unit in a different installation based on their sound qualities. That R&D can be quite costly. Thanks for commenting... Cheers.
The Audio Engine appears to have tried to isolate the Blue tooth module which should provide ever so slightly less noise, and a little more range. Also as Bluetooth 5.0 they should outrange older units.
Can anyone answer this? Supposedly AirPlay 2 supports fully uncompressed audio and is superior to Bluetooth 5.0. The audioengine claims to support AirPlay 2. What about the BLT-HD? I want to get the best possible sound from from a recent iPhone to my old but great NAD stereo receiver.
I own both of these also / I would recommend that if you can spend a few dollars more to get the Audioengine B1 / it is better with better output volumes (better electronics inside and a safety relay inside) and these days you can pick them up for about $130 on ebay.
Great review. My only real question that wasn't addressed here is output volume. Are they similar in volume, or does the b1 have a bit more gain. Thanks again. I'm enjoying your videos!
I'm assuming these both are a significant upgrade from the Logitech? I have a Logitech unit paired to my 2252B, and it doesn't sound like properly enabling my receiver. If I spend the money on either of these, it's safe to assume either of these are worth the upgrade from my Logitech? And how would these compare with wifi streaming?
I don't WiFi Stream so I can't answer that question. However I can tell you that either of the two devices shown will sound MUCH better on your Marantz VS the Logitech. IMHO I like the BluDento the best out of these two devices. Night and day diff from the Logi. Cheers
@@breakerbroke23 Yeah. I've got the Audioengine B1, and I know it's quality because it tends to make very inexpensive speakers sound like high end. Don't know if you've ever heard or seen the Logitech Z120 portable speakers, but when I hook up the B1 to them, my God, the speakers sound big, full and beautiful and they're only about 10 to 15 dollars. That's the B1's audio quality proven right there.
Great real-world review bro. I have 2 Audioengine B1s and they ARE a "nice piece of kit" and work very well, just as you describe. For my 2 cents, (and as a retired graphic designer) the appearance graphics on the Audioengine are superior, plain and simple. Good typography, pro job. The BlueDento (we could even obsess about the strange word; and BLT? don't get me started) is second rate; good design vs. meh design.
Great comparison info with these BT receivers, really helpful - Thank you. If I want to transmit to blue tooth speakers along with wired, is this possible? If yes, should I use the Miccus Transmitter/ Receiver that you showed in a previous segment? I would like to utilize the BlueDento BLT as the receiver? Can you tell me the best way to do this? I would like to be able to utilize my whole house wired speaker system along with blue tooth speakers if possible???
You could maybe use a tape monitor out to the Miccus to get signal. I would warn you of latency / delay between the wired speakers and the bluetooth speakers. May not work well. Good luck.
Hi I have outdoor speakers that are not Bluetooth and are plugged into a stereo indoors. I have to plug in my phone inside to play the music from my phone to the speakers outside. I want to be able to control my outdoor speakers without having to plug in it indoors. Will this do that for me? If not what would you recommend? Thanks
Neither of these units will do what you want to do. You would have to either buy a set of BT outdoor speakers or IMHO do the most cost effective thing by using one of these ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yvHltdHyXYE.html I am setting up a system on our patio and I am using this little amp and a set of speakers mounted in the rafters of the patio awning. A very CHEAP and easy way to go. Hope this helps. (stay tuned for a video on this setup) Cheers
I’m assuming you’re planning to plug in your Audioengine B1 or your BluDento HD to your indoor receiver. If so, I would say that if your phone (outside) is within about 100 ft of either unit, you’d be okay. This is a radio signal. It will pass through most exterior sidings, including bricks unless there are unusual circumstances. I own both of these units and I agree with the reviewer - they’re both outstanding. The nice thing about Amazon is that you can return the unit if it doesn’t work for you. I would also opine that the BluDento is the way to go although it appears they’ve jacked up the price on the HD version.
Hello, this is my need as well; older Bose surround system with separate zone and amp for outdoor speakers. I was thinking of getting the BluDento BLT-HD and if range remains an issue, perhaps move the BluDento receiver closer to outside and get a 50' RCA cord to connect it to the Bose unit. @breakerbroke23 , what do you think?
Ok, so it seems as though the Audioengine is built with more 'Bells and whistles', for lack of a better term...it's up for debate on which one is better from a sound quality standpoint, but does that enhanced build improve long term durability on electronics such as this??? Also, if I connect both the rca's and a digital connection, which one will it default to?...the reason I would do that is because my processor requires an analog source for the remote zones, such as my outdoor deck speakers.
Great review. I have a vintage integrated amp which I want to stream music to from my iPhone but am torn what to get. I can get a second hand Sonos connect (wifi streamer) for $100 Aud. Do I get that or a new Bluetooth receiver such as these?
Are you still running the PAC LD-10 with either of these. Have the BluDento on my 2270, works great, just wondering if I should be adding the PAC unit??? thanks
I know nothing about the B-Fi or the Songbird, I can tell you the new Zen V2 is the best device in this category I have used to date. I will look into the other units and may review later on.
I'm shopping online for a bluetooth, was checking into the Audioengine but ran across these BluDento's on ebay for $60 and $80 for their 5.0 version. Looks like I'm going with one of them. What model is that Marantz you have there?
Get the BT 5.0 version. The Receiver is a Marantz 2250B. BTW I just posted a video using the BluDento. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EQJRmv65B5E.html Cheers.
The BluDento has one BIG Fault - There is no On/Off Switch! That means a flashing blue light unless you disconnect the power cable ! A simple on/off switch would have saved this annoying feature.
I own the BTA30 and use it mostly as a transmitter. The 30 is a great receiver as well however not as good sounding as the BLT-HD. I A/B comp them in RX usage. Cheers
I have not done a review on a 2020 model transmitter of any real quality. I do however still use the RTX quite often and it has been going for years. This video may help. Thanks for watching. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-wt3_pedSlrA.html For watching tv this unit might have less latency.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VYz2tEEUK-4.html
Hi, I come across 1Mii B03 as a bluetooth transmitter receiver, I like the product but I wanna ask if this unit would improve the sound quality of my Sony SRS-XB30 bluetooth speakers if playback from Samsung Note 9 via bluetooth? Right now I connect directly via bluetooth but the sound is not hifi. Do you think the aptX can help improve the sound quality to hifi? Would appreciate your comment. Tq.
I looked at your 1Mii B03, I see the "pro" version has the new BT5.0 and aptX. ( your model is aptX as well )As you know Im a Amazon "influencer" meaning I only link to stuff I use and trust to suggest to other people. That being said I look at my sales every day, I see a lot of returns on a few products the 1 Mii brand has a high return rate compared to other BT products. Long story short.... Step up and try either of the units Bluedento / Audioengine, IMHO you will be upgrading in a big audio way. Cheers.
@@breakerbroke23 Thank you for your prompt reply. I believe the pro version should be a better unit, however my set up is a little different from what you have mentioned in your reply, well I guess a real set up can only tell you the outcome. 😃
Hi i have ordered and just received the Blue Dento HD and so far Im not impressed my bluetooth keeps dropping off the range is far less than a Ultimate Ears Wonderboom speaker that i have even when place in the same spot the wonderboom wont drop the audio while the Blue dento keeps cutting off I think Ill send it back.
Check and make sure the Bludento is not near a WiFi unit, another BT device and also try another device to stream to the bludento. After you rule out any interference you should see in you can send it back. Defective product happens, not often but sometimes QC at the factory can miss things. I honestly would not give up on bludento, I use mine quite often and have had zero issues, same with the Audioengine b1. I refuse to recommend junk.
Do you have a stereo receiver that sounds good now? if so then I would just buy a good BT Receiver. If you are starting from scratch then I would buy a stereo receiver with Bluetooth or better yet find a vintage receiver then add Bluetooth, this would give you the best sound. IMHO.
I have a Mac preamp and B&W speaker’s and based on your review I would buy Audioengine. I was wondering if you had a chance to review the ifi zen blue and what you think?
i have both blt hd by bluedento and xduoo xq 50 pro . the xduoo uses ldac codec and i listen on a high end system with a high end dac . well the xduoo xq 50 pro is the best sounding bletooth .better than most cd transports in my opinion u should test it . thank you for the video.
Which is best for home theater 7.1 or / and 7.2 with 3 speakers and 4 Surround speakers using an optical cable? Do those both have Optical output, are OPT different between Digital audio out?
They both have optical out and the BluDento has coax out as well. As far as the Surround stuff goes, I must say I have almost no knowledge of Home Theater, just has never been my thing. (strictly a 2 channel guy) One thing for sure, if you have a DAC you like then try either one of these receivers going through it, you might be impressed. Thanks for watching and Cheers.
Probably not but a lot depends on the quality of the DAC in the CD player. Both of these units have pretty good DACs and they sound great, especially when they’re outputting AptX, AptX-HD, FLAC or other high end CODEC. I’ve done A/B testing CD player vs these Bluetooth units and they’re very, very close to my ears. And in both cases, the quality of the recording itself is a huge issue.
I have a BLT from amazon being delivered today. But after watching your bid, I'm about to find one of Audioengine B1 units online...since i too prefer Montovani, Jackie Gleason, 1950/60s classic vinyl with my 1959 Sherwood s5000 tuber and Heresy gen one spkrs. Can i connect this to AUX only? Or is tape in jacks okay as well? (On my tube amp) Great channel. Thx
Hi..hope you are well. Our (Apple) iPad was usually in the kitchen and connected wirelessly to a Bowers & Wilkins A7 Self Powered Speaker 10 ft away. All fine for 7 years or so until this Saturday when Apple decides to discontinue the App..so now iPad will nor pair to the Speaker. So to do the job it always did for free (or the cost of an iPad) I have to get one of these ? These plug into the wall to stay charged yes ? Has anything come out as well made since you made this video for the use we need it for ? Maybe for less cost..or more cost ? Thanks
@@breakerbroke23 Wife called B&W and he told her Apple has removed the App so she will need to get a "Bluetooth adapter with 3.5 headphone jack" I looked at those and I see 2-4 hr battery life which is no good for constant use all day.
Okay then, My suggestion it to get the BluDento-BLT HD, you will need to get a RCA (male) amzn.to/3GXc8fV to Male 3.5mm plug. I suggest the BLT-HD because of its RCA Pre amp output level, sound quality, price. It is very durable and will last for many years. Cheers
Are you considering what codecs it supports? Fiio and topping both have Bluetooth. Everyone has there own preferences, but I would never use the on board dac. Wonder how that audioquest beetle junk holds up, will watch some reviews
@@breakerbroke23 hard to tell they are really close. The onkyo has a 24bit dac so the bludento is better on paper being 32bit but the onkyo has quite a wider sound stage. Hard to choose
Currently Iam using the Bluedento on my Technics SA404 receiver with my Paradigm Speakers (dome tweeters) perfect match. Iam doing this because the Bludento is a tad brighter than the B1. The B1 is on the Marantz and Klipsch Forte speakers, IMHO the B1 sounds a bit flat compared to the Bludento and so the B on my horn loaded speakers sounds fantastic!. Jazz and Sinatra just punches me in the face. I have switched receivers around on all of my sound systems and this was what I ended up sticking with, I don't want to tell you what to buy, I think you should base your decision on your system, forget price tag, your more than likely going to own your BT Receiver for a long time:) Long story short, they (so far) are 2 of the best BT receivers I have used. Hope this helps in your decision.
@@breakerbroke23 would you say that the bludento has a similar sound to the Logitech you reviewed only higher quality? That's what I'm currently using and like that sound just looking for higher quality receiver.
@@breakerbroke23 it would definitely help me and possibly a few others who have the Logitech and want to upgrade but who are looking for a similar sound. If in fact does have a similar sound.
@@breakerbroke23 maybe a video comparison of all 3 giving examples if differences and similarities in sound quality and signature. If the audioengine sounded more like the Logitech I would be inclined to get that one,but if the bludento sounded more like the Logitech I would probably be more inclined to get that one instead. I think considering how many people own the Logitech and like myself may be looking for an upgrade, a video comparison with all 3 would be quit useful. Thank you for all the hard work you put in making these videos for us.
Hello, Can you use two B1s on 2 different/separate audio systems on 2 different floors but within 100 feet of each other and the B1 to send the same music from one device/phone (ie,pandora) to the two different B1s? Thank you
Yes if you have two different phones and pair each one of them to each of the B1s. You can only pair one at the same time, hence pair, lol. Also, you can only use one Pandora account, unless you have 2, like me, lol. Don't ask me why I have 2.
These two units are so similar in sound and connectivity. I can tell you that the B1 sounds a bit flat, more of an audiophile delight. But honestly it comes down to the extra $ for the B1. The sound difference is literally equal to ONE CLICK of a treble control either + or -. The outboard DAC does not help one way or another IMHO.
@@breakerbroke23 Just got my B03Pro tday and it's amazing! Haven't been so impressed since mp3's. Don't know wut is wrong with those people...maybe not tech savy, have crap systems and phones, etc...but mine is working flawlessly. Steraming Flac ffom my server with no issue. I just plug 3.5mm to RCA into 2003 Pany for som 130wpc gudness. No more streaming mp3's for me! It doesn't get any easier than this...
@@tigerbalm666 Winamp has gone to the dogs. Unless you listen to music from eastern Europe, very few stations stream in this format anymore. AAC was great for DSL on older computers. I miss the, "Tuner 2 - your ears will know" website.
I think you will like the BO3 PRO3 which I also have. I prefer the Bludento HD but both are much better than the Mii BO6+ which was very disappointing in comparison. Be sure to put your device into best quality rather than most stable. It makes a big difference.
Hi , may i know if i were to use either of them with my yamaha music keyboard to the amp, do you think there will be lesser lag like when i hit the keys and the sound will be like instantly be coming out of the amp? Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the review. I’m thinking of buying one of the two to use my Sony WM1A as a source on my old, non digital preamplifier. But don’t know how is the audio quality of the DAC, I don’t think it’s better than the DAC on my DAP. What would sound better, connecting my DAP to this via Bluetooth, and then analog to the preamplifier? Or just plugging the DAP to the preamplifier via the headphone out?
I think you could play around with different configurations to see what sounds better to YOU. You may be surprised just how good these new BT units sound. IMHO stay away from using any headphone output for any kind of signal source. Thanks for watching and Cheers.
The B1 is a totally different device, it is a receiver only. The BTA 30 is a TX/RX device and from what I have seen it has many flaws and has just not interested me.
@@breakerbroke23 It is an open-source design. You can create your own BT DAC... just send your design (open-source) to one of those PCB manufacturers in China and they take care of the rest. You just need to come up with a logo
IMHO...They are both top notch sounding, 2and3 in my top BT receiver ratings. (Number one being the iFi Zen Blue V2) This is all subjective and never take some reviewers description of how good or bad a device sounds. Most are full of BS anyway:) again... IMHO Cheers.