What the Advance Paris X-FTB02 Is
The Advance Paris X-FTB02 is a Bluetooth Direct Digital module. It is not a standalone receiver you can add to any hi-fi. It plugs into the proprietary module port that Advance Paris builds into its own amplifiers and streamers, and it turns that host unit into a Bluetooth endpoint.
That distinction is the first thing to get right. If your amplifier is not an Advance Paris unit with that port, the X-FTB02 has nothing to plug into.
Which Units It Fits
Advance Paris lists the module port on models including the A10 Classic, A12 Classic, MyConnect 250, PlayStream A7 and the WTX-StreamTubes. If you own one of those, the X-FTB02 is the intended way to add Bluetooth. If you are unsure about your specific unit or its production year, ask us and we will check before you buy.
Design and Features
The module is tiny, 55 x 13 x 28 mm and 10 grams, and it draws power from an external adapter rather than the host. It handles AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX-HD and SBC, which is a broader codec set than most amplifier Bluetooth implementations offer.
aptX-HD is the one worth noting. It carries more data than standard aptX, so on a source that supports it the wireless link stops being the obvious weak point in the chain. aptX LL reduces latency, which matters if you ever watch video through the system. SBC is the fallback every Bluetooth device supports.
Digital Output Only, and Why That Is the Point
The X-FTB02 performs no digital to analogue conversion. It hands a digital signal to the host unit and lets the converter already in your amplifier do the work. That is the right architecture: you paid for the DAC in your Advance Paris unit, and this keeps the signal in the digital domain until it reaches it, rather than converting twice.
It also means the module does not impose a sound of its own. What you hear is your amplifier, fed wirelessly.
If Your Amplifier Has No Module Port
Then this is not the product. Advance Paris also makes standalone Bluetooth receivers that connect to any system through a normal output, such as the WTX-Tubes. Those work with any amplifier, at the cost of an extra box and its own power supply.
Who It Suits
An Advance Paris owner who wants Bluetooth handled inside the unit rather than bolted on beside it. It is the tidiest way to do it, there is no second box on the rack, and the codec support is better than most built in implementations. If you stream mostly from a phone and want your existing Advance Paris amplifier to receive it directly, this is the part.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the X-FTB02 work with any amplifier?
No. It is a module that plugs into the proprietary port on Advance Paris units. It cannot be connected to a general amplifier or DAC.
Which Advance Paris models take it?
Advance Paris lists models including the A10 Classic, A12 Classic, MyConnect 250, PlayStream A7 and WTX-StreamTubes. Send us your model and we will confirm.
Which Bluetooth codecs does it support?
AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX-HD and SBC.
Does it have a digital to analogue converter?
No. It outputs digital only and uses the converter already in the host unit, so the signal is converted once rather than twice.
Does it need its own power?
Yes, it uses an external adapter.
How big is it?
55 x 13 x 28 mm and 10 grams, so it disappears into the back of the unit.
What if my amplifier has no module port?
Use a standalone Bluetooth receiver instead, such as the Advance Paris WTX-Tubes, which connects to any system through a normal output.
Is aptX-HD worth having?
If your phone or laptop supports it, yes. It carries more data than standard aptX, so the wireless link stops being the limiting factor in the chain.
Come Have a Listen
If you are unsure whether your Advance Paris unit has the module port, send us the model and we will confirm it before you order. Our Timonium showroom has Advance Paris on the floor, and we are happy to show you how the module fits and how it sounds through a system you can compare against.