With the banishment of the good old headphone jack from the iPhone and a few of its competitors, Bluetooth receivers became a highly-relevant category, as they allowed you to use your favorite wired headphones without having to plug in to your music source. If you’re one of the people currently using one to listen to music on the go, you might want to consider upgrading to the Radsone EarStudio.
Like other Bluetooth receivers, the device pairs wirelessly with your phone while allowing you to plug in a wired pair of headphones, essentially giving your old cans a modern wireless update. Unlike them, it plays studio-quality 24-bit audio, ensuring you can enjoy your playlists with a sound quality that’s better than what you can get on a CD.
The Radsone EarStudio is a thumb-sized rectangular device that’s designed to be clipped to clothing when used on the go. Once secured on your shirt or jacket, just switch it on to pair with your phone and plug in your headphones to start listening. It supports Qualcomm’s aptX HD codec, so it’s capable of reproducing 24-bit high-resolution audio, ensuring you can enjoy your music the way it’s meant to be heard. Don’t have a phone that supports 24-bit streaming? Not a problem, as the device electronically upscales all incoming music to 24-bit, so you can hear your music at its best.
It comes with two AK4375a DACs, with a signal path that goes directly to the output jack to ensure the signal is delivered without any loss or distortion. They even threw in analog volume control for the DACs, allowing you to lower the sound without any loss in quality. That’s right, you don’t have to listen full-blast to hear your music in all its glory. It’s also the very first product in the world to be equipped with DCT Blue, a new version of DCT that’s specialized for Bluetooth streaming. To the unfamiliar, DCT (Distinctive Clear Technology) is a sound dithering technology that makes audio signals more detailed and precise, allowing users to enjoy a clearer listening experience.
Want to listen to lossless files? No need to pair the Radsone EarStudio to the Sony Walkman, as the device can serve as a player for lossless music on its own. Just put your favorite tracks on a thumb drive, insert it in the EarStudio’s USB slot, and enjoy. We’re not sure how long the battery can last when it’s serving as a player, although for standard Bluetooth streaming, the rechargeable battery can provide up to 14 hours of continuous playback.
It has a companion app that you don’t actually need to use, as the device can be used on its own without ever launching the software. However, if you ever want to experiment with the way your music is sounding, you can use to adjust a variety of sound settings for customizing the audio to your liking.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Radsone EarStudio. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $54.