Artistic BT-W5 evaluation: A worthwhile audio improve

As I wrote back in December, certainly one of my favourite methods to play the Nintendo Change 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 Change OLED’s fantastic screen.

Once I play the Change handheld, I take advantage of my Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones. It is a win-win for all concerned. My companion is not subjected to noise bleed from my open-back Sennheiser HD 58X headphones, and I can not hear the TV. However I not too long ago observed there was one thing lacking.

If you realize something concerning the Change, you most likely know the place that is going. Nintendo’s handheld has had Bluetooth support since 2021, however that assist is proscribed to SBC. Even should you’ve by no means heard of SBC, you’ve got used it. When individuals affiliate Bluetooth with subpar audio high quality, SBC is nearly at all times the offender.

Consider it this manner, SBC is to Bluetooth codecs what SMS is to messaging. Each Bluetooth system works with SBC. And if the 2 gadgets you are attempting to pair collectively do not assist the identical set of protocols, they may 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 info your supply system sends is preserved throughout transmission. For gaming, SBC may also undergo from latency points.

Within the final decade, there’s been quite a lot of innovation within the area, with a lot of it coming from Qualcomm. In 2024, the corporate has a number of totally different codecs to its identify, however all them primarily supply 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 Change is proscribed to SBC, my Sony headphones sound a shade worse once they’re linked to the Change, then say the iPhone. It is not an enormous distinction, however sufficient that I’ve at instances thought to myself sure background tracks or audio cues felt flat whereas taking part in a sport.

Fortunately, I’ve discovered a straightforward and reasonably priced solution to make the Change — and practically each different system I personal — sound higher over Bluetooth: the Artistic BT-W5.

Beneficial

BT-W5

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

Execs

• Small, straightforward to make use of
• aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive assist
• Change, PlayStation, Home windows and Mac suitable

Cons

• USB-A adapter not included
• A bit dear

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Value, availability, and specs

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

If you wish to lower your expenses, Artistic additionally affords the BT-W3X, which affords every little thing the BT-W5 does except for aptX Adaptive compatibility. In consequence, it usually prices $10 much less.

What I appreciated concerning the Artistic BT-W5

A virtually good package deal

Artistic’s pitch for the BT-W5 is straightforward. It is a thumb-sized dongle you insert into your Change, Home windows PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 or PS5 to increase the Bluetooth capabilities of these gadgets. With out the necessity for any extra software program, the system will transmit the audio sign your laptop or console produces over the perfect 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 possibly can 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 Change, Home windows and macOS, the expertise of utilizing the accent is seamless. For example, after I plugged the W5 into my Change, the console instantly acknowledged the system and switched to its built-in USB DAC mode. At that time, I may proceed to make use of the Change’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, Artistic has made the W5 about as user-friendly as attainable, and it really works as promised.

It doesn’t matter what system 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 Change, the place the W5 allowed my headphones to connect with the console over aptX HD. Taking part in 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 straightforward solution to acquire higher Bluetooth audio from my gadgets, I’d advocate it to individuals, however this system does a lot greater than that. To start out, it smooths over one of many extra annoying features of utilizing older Bluetooth headphones.

Within the case of my Sony cans, they do not assist Bluetooth multipoint, which means each time I need to join them to my iPhone, Change or Mac, I have to first disconnect them from no matter system I used to be utilizing them with beforehand. With the W5, there isn’t any want to try this. As a substitute, I merely plug the dongle into the system I need to use my headphones with, energy them on, and the W5 does the remaining. It might bear in mind 4 connections without delay, and switching between these is as straightforward as urgent the one and solely button on the accent. In my testing, the W5 was additionally sooner at connecting with the WH-1000XM3, and did a greater job of sustaining a strong connection.

I am additionally a fan of the Artistic app. You needn’t set up it in your laptop 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 crucial for making a bass ahead pair of headphones just like the WH-1000XM3 sound their greatest. I additionally appreciated the very 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 Artistic BT-W5

Not a lot

My solely criticism 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 truth you do not get one contained in the field is price contemplating because the W5 is without doubt one of the pricier aptX dongles in the marketplace.

Do you have to purchase the Artistic 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 can not advocate this system sufficient.

Individually, I feel it is a good 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 attributable to simply how annoying it had develop into to change between connections. Between the W5 and a recent set of earpads, I do know really feel like I will get a decade of use out of my Bluetooth headphones. I like devices that permit you to try this.

Beneficial

BT-W5