Will Bluetooth ever get any respect? It will if Audioengine has anything to say about it. Audioengine – known for dynamite speakers and DACs – have released their first Bluetooth product, the Audioengine B1 Premium Bluetooth Music Receiver. The B1 streams audio from any media player (iTunes, Amarra, Youtube, etc.) and connects to any music system using an analog or digital input. Audioengine wouldn’t settle for standard Bluetooth so they incorporated aptX (a high-quality audio converter), a built-in 24-bit upsampling AKM4396 digital audio converter (DAC) and an external antenna for extended wireless range.
Audioengine claims that the setup is easy and takes only seconds. There is no software to install; just plug and play. The B1 is housed in an aluminum case and visually matches other Audioengine products. The Gadgeteer will do a review soon. The Audioengine B1 sells for $189 US and is available now.
