Don't upgrade your handset, upgrade what it can do: these new cheap hi-fi Bluetooth dongles unlock hi-res music from your phone, and ping it to your wireless earbuds

Date:
Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:06:30 +0000

Description:
Three new hi-res USB-C audio dongles from class-leaders of the game: plug one in and get ready for LDAC and aptX, even from your iPhone

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter iFi unveils UP Play and UP Play Max dongles Questyle reveals Dongle Pro 2 All USB-C dongles for low or medium prices If you don't love the way your headphones sound, it's not necessarily
a sign to head to our list of the best headphones and pick up a brand-new pair. Maybe the problem isn't the cans, but how you cast your music to them.

A simple USB-C dongle plugged into your source might be all you need to get much better-sounding music. These small pieces of kit, generally designed for phones and games consoles, expand your source device's Bluetooth capabilities to allow for lower latencies, and improve bandwidth while allowing for advanced codecs, thus greatly improving your sound. Three new USB-C dongles have just been released, so you've got plenty of options. The new products come from well-known audio brands iFi and Questyle too, and they certainly won't eat into your budget like a new phone will Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Questyle's here in style (Image credit: Questyle)
Let's start with Questyle, because it's only releasing the one new product. This is the QCC Dongle Pro 2, which follows on from last year's QCC Dongle
Pro which we gave a near-perfect review to.

This Bluetooth transmitter is largely designed for iPhones, which typically don't allow for the kind of lossless wireless streaming that Androids get,
but the brand also lists various games consoles as particular uses too (no mention of Android, though). You may like iFi's newest hi-res headphone DAC squeezes into a tiny USB-C-to-earbuds cable just add IEMs These two budget hi-res music players evoke the best of the iPod era, but with modern features The 11 best hi-fi upgrades of 2026 so far top speakers, turntables and DACs based on real testing

The Dongle Pro 2 uses Bluetooth 6.1, for a more reliable connection than a phone has by default, and lets you stream in LDAC, various aptX, LHDC and LC3 codecs. It also supports Snapdragon Sound.

All this means that you can enjoy higher-res music streaming on the Dongle
Pro 2, and you can also connect multiple devies using Auracast. Questyle's
app also lets you change audio codecs and manage which devices are connected. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our
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This can be yours for the cost of $99 / 129 (roughly AU$230 Questyle's website does ship to Australia, but the price is still in USD). What's up
with iFi (Image credit: iFi) Then there's iFi's offerings, and the brand has two new devices: the UP Play ($59 / 59, about AU$110) and UP Play Max ($89 / 89, roughly AU$180).

Again, these seem primarily designed for Apple devices, and iFi says the Play "triples the level of detail in audio sent from Apple devices" which goes up to 4x for the Play Max. That seems to be the main distinction between the two devices. What to read next The best MP3 players and hi-res audio players I didn't need this DAC to get top-tier sound from my wired cans but here's why you likely still do The best wired earbuds, from cheap USB-C buds to audiophile monitors

They're also designed to offer noise suppression in calls, so they can be
used for clear calling on your phone, or impeccable audio when gaming. Like the Questyle, they offer Auracast compatibility, the codec list seems to
match with aptX and LDAC.

Unlike the Questyle, iFi specifies that Androids will also benefit from the Play and Play Max, as they're easier to use than fiddling around in your headphones settings to turn on codecs. The dongle also lets you pair multiple headphones at once, so you can listen with another person (or play games or watch videos).

iPhone owners are clearly the target here though. iFi calls AAC, which they use for wireless music, "ageing" and pitches its UP Play dongles as filling
in a needed void. The best headphone DACs for all budgets Our top picks,
based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best headphone DACs 1. Best budget USB-C portable DAC: iFi GO Link Max 2. Best budget desktop DAC: iFi Uno 3. Best premium portable DAC: iFi xDSD Gryphon 4. Best wireless DAC: Fiio BTR17 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/dont-upgrade-your-handset-upgrade-what-it-can- do-these-new-cheap-hi-fi-bluetooth-dongles-unlock-hi-res-music-from-your-phone -and-ping-it-to-your-wireless-earbuds


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