Can the iFi UP Play Max Improve Your Bluetooth Listening?

Wireless convenience is great for the traveling audiophile, but how good is the quality? Going for a direct connection ensures you're getting the best quality in your sound, but it can be a hassle to configure all those wires. So when you make the transition to Bluetooth, what are you losing in sound when you get rid of the wire? 

Luckily, this is a question you won't have to ask for much longer. A common product you'll see coming from different companies is USB-C Bluetooth dongles that give you up-to-date codecs and higher sound quality. Sennheiser, FiiO, and Noble Audio already have some contenders on the shelf, but now iFi Audio joins the race with the iFi UP Play Max. This dongle is advertised to be a great upgrade from just the standard Bluetooth, especially for iPhone users who are limited in their codecs. Is this really the next big thing for Bluetooth listening? 

Today, we take a look at the UP Play Max and see how it performs with the iPhone 18 Pro and a selection of Bluetooth devices. 

If you're expecting the iFi UP Play Max to be a big, clunky device, prepare to be mistaken. The UP Play Max is actually a compact, 3g device with two small buttons on the bottom. It weighs essentially the same as a double-A battery. It's a subtle design that doesn't protrude from the bottom of the phone very much, and you can easily walk around with it attached without it feeling bothersome. I liked the geometric design at the front, making it stylish and still functional all at once. For people who appreciate compactness in design and easy portability, the UP Play Max is already a standout device from the build alone. 

The main function of the UP Play Max is to provide higher-resolution Bluetooth audio. This is especially helpful if you have an iPhone that doesn't support aptX Lossless or LDAC. As someone who recently upgraded to the iPhone 18 Pro, I found this device to be extremely helpful in opening up a new world for my audiophile listening. All you have to do to set up the device is plug it into your phone and download the Nexis app. You do have to make an account, then you select the device you want to use. In this case, it would be the UP Play Max. From there, you have a screen with a lot of information regarding how the codecs are working and other technological specs that are useful to know while listening. 

The UP Play Max has some pretty basic functionality that depends mostly on the phone, but there are some physical buttons on the bottom of the dongle that allow you to cycle through paired devices and codecs without having to keep opening the app. You can pair two devices to this transmitter at the same time, and they are distinguished by being labeled Device A and Device B near the corresponding lights. You can use the other button to cycle through codecs and listen at the resolution of your choosing. There is a color code on the quick start instruction card that helps you know what you are using to listen. 

Inside the app, you can clearly see what devices are paired to the UP Play Max and the codecs that are being used. Depending on the capabilities of the headphones, you get access to certain codecs over others. Still, the UP Play Max makes this clear distinction and even provides some information on each of the codecs for you to read. 

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

What do your headphones sound like with the addition of the UP Play Max? The iFi UP Play Max doesn't really change the sound of your headphones or earbuds, which is a relief for those who may be concerned about a whole new sound profile to account for. When you upgrade the codecs, the sound does get a nice enhancement that makes people strive to get the highest quality. The soundstage opens up a bit more, and frequencies are sharper with richer detail. Using headphones like the Focal Bathys MG and the Dali IO-12 makes the upgrade stand out more, where you can appreciate the space as if you were listening to a wired closed-back headphone.

FREQUENCY RESPONSE

When we look at the specific frequency ranges, you can tell how the UP Play Max enhanced the sound very subtly but still effectively. It wasn't a crazy change in sound, but frequencies felt richer and fuller to be more engaging. You can tell how the bass becomes the slightest bit deeper and fuller in earbuds like the JVC WOOD Masterpiece or the Noble Audio Prestige Encore. Midrange elements were heard more clearly in the expansive soundstage, and bright details from the treble were pushed forward with more precision. I felt more immersed in my music with the addition of the UP Play Max, but I was still able to enjoy each pair of headphones and their unique signatures. 

Out of all the devices I used with the UP Play Max, my favorites had to be the portable DACs. Specifically, I liked the GR 2 MT with the iFi UP Play Max, connected with wired IEMs or headphones. This setup enhanced my listening greatly, so I could have wireless convenience as well as stellar quality. The GR 2 had the capability to use LDAC and be connected to earphones like the 64 Audio Ocean or the Abyss Diana MRx. I liked how the DAC sounded punchier and fuller, much like the way headphones and earbuds connected directly to the device did. 

If you're up to date on what iFi Audio has been releasing, then you may also see that iFi has a similar dongle called the UP Play. The iFi UP Play is a nearly identical Bluetooth dongle that operates the same way as the UP Play Max. The difference? Aside from being $30 cheaper, the UP Play only has Bluetooth 5.2 and doesn't include the aptX Lossless codec. Other than that, the form factor and user interface remain identical. Both include LDAC and aptX Adaptive, so you have the ability to upgrade your listening with either device. 

In terms of sound quality, you can hear a bit of a difference from one device to the next. The UP Play Max does have a bit more stability in its connection and thus a smoother sound profile, helping frequencies deliver more power in your listening. It opens up the profile for more layers of sound to be reproduced with more distinction and clarity. Below, there is a table to compare the UP Play Max to the standard UP Play, where the differences are clearer to see. 

Can the iFi UP Play Max improve your Bluetooth listening? From listening to it with multiple devices, I would answer a resounding yes. For iPhone users who are consistently being left behind in the hi-res codec game, the UP Play Max is a brilliant solution that doesn't cost that much. It has the versatility to be compatible with many brands and all their Bluetooth devices, so you'll be set to listen right out of the box. Even with Bluetooth DACs and amplifiers, you'll get an improvement in sound quality with a sub-$100 upgrade. 

You can get the UP Play Max at Audio46 today.