iFi launches the UP Play Max, a £89 USB-C transmitter that enables high-quality wireless audio with support for aptX Lossless and other codecs, aiming to enhance the listening experience for audiophiles and gamers alike.
Bluetooth audio remains an awkward compromise for many listeners, even those using expensive phones, premium headphones and lossless streaming services. The limitation is especially clear on Apple devices, where conventional Bluetooth audio still relies on AAC and SBC, leaving headphones that support higher-grade codecs unable to use them directly. iFi’s new UP Play Max is intended to bypass that constraint by acting as a USB-C transmitter for phones, tablets, computers and some gaming devices, while adding support for aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, LDAC, AAC and SBC.
The company says the £89 device is built around Qualcomm’s QCC5181 chipset and can transmit audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz, although aptX Lossless itself is aimed at CD-quality 16-bit/44.1kHz playback when both ends of the connection support it. According to iFi, the dongle weighs just 3 grams and is small enough to leave plugged into a portable source device. The package also includes K2 Technology, licensed from JVCKENWOOD, which iFi says can reconstruct some harmonic information lost during digital processing. That feature can be disabled through the iFi Nexis app.
iFi has also positioned the UP Play Max as more than a codec adapter. It includes a low-latency mode for gaming and television viewing, a built-in microphone with Qualcomm noise and echo suppression for calls and chat, and support for pairing two conventional Bluetooth headphones at once, albeit only over SBC. The company says Auracast will follow through a firmware update after launch, while the Nexis app will handle codec choice, paired devices, K2 controls, low-latency settings, Auracast and over-the-air updates. Manuals published online also indicate compatibility with iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2.
The device enters a small but increasingly competitive segment. Hifipig noted that FiiO’s BT1 uses the same Qualcomm chipset and also supports aptX Lossless, LDAC and aptX Adaptive, but at a lower launch price. Another rival, the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro2, adds LHDC, LC3, Bluetooth 6.1 and Auracast for $99. iFi’s argument is that the UP Play Max combines several useful functions in one unit, rather than solving only the codec problem. Even so, the underlying constraint remains: the receiving headphones, earbuds or Bluetooth DAC must also support aptX Lossless if users want to hear it.
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