Advance Paris WTX-Tubes
Bluetooth 5.0 receiver with two Raytheon 5703 tubes and a 24-bit/192 kHz Wolfson DAC, for adding wireless streaming to an existing amplifier.
Description
The WTX-Tubes from Advance Paris is a Bluetooth receiver combined with a tube-based digital-to-analogue converter. It connects upstream of an existing amplifier or preamplifier to bring it wireless reception, without replacing the electronics already in place.
The wireless link relies on Bluetooth 5.0 with support for the aptX HD, aptX, AAC and SBC codecs, allowing a signal close to CD quality to be transmitted from a compatible smartphone, tablet or computer. Digital-to-analogue conversion is handled by a Wolfson WM8740 DAC, operating at 24-bit / 192 kHz with a stated dynamic range of 117 dB. Two Raytheon 5703 sub-miniature tubes then come into play in the output stage, bringing the characteristic colouration of tube sound.
In terms of connectivity, the WTX-Tubes offers a stereo RCA output as well as coaxial and optical digital outputs, allowing it to be paired with an analogue amplifier as well as a DAC or a home cinema system with digital inputs.
This receiver is aimed at owners of an amplifier or hi-fi system lacking Bluetooth, who wish to stream wirelessly from their mobile devices while retaining a tube-flavoured sound rather than a purely transistor-based rendering.
Technical specifications
| Bluetooth | 5.0 |
| Codecs | aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC |
| DAC | 24-bit / 192 kHz (Wolfson WM8740) |
| Dynamic range | 117 dB |
| Tubes | 2 × Raytheon 5703 (sub-miniature) |
| Outputs | Stereo RCA, digital coaxial, digital optical |
| Dimensions (W × H × D) | 130 × 42 × 110 mm |
What to check before buying used
The two Raytheon 5703 tubes should be tested by listening on both channels, checking for crackling, humming or intermittent cutting out, which would indicate wear or a poor contact in their sockets. Also check Bluetooth pairing with several source devices and the stability of the aptX HD connection, as a faulty module can cause dropouts or loss of synchronisation. Finally, check that all three outputs (RCA, coaxial, optical) deliver a clean signal, without crackling at the connectors.
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