We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want one pair of headphones that carries the aptX Adaptive story from end to end — planar magnetic drivers, Snapdragon Sound, LDAC and LHDC on top — choose Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit; if you need a box that gets your TV's audio into whatever Bluetooth headphones or Auracast hearing aids you already own, choose Avantree Audikast 3.
• Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit — biggest strength: a genuinely high-end wireless headphone spec sheet, with planar magnetic drivers, Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless, LDAC and LHDC, up to 80 hours of playback and 89 ms end-to-end latency.
• Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit — biggest trade-off: it's a Renewed unit with a 90-day limited warranty rather than a new-in-box one, and the closed-back, cable-and-case kit is more gear to carry than a bare transmitter.
• Avantree Audikast 3 — biggest strength: it solves a problem headphones can't — it takes Optical or AUX audio out of your TV and beams it to Bluetooth headphones or Auracast-ready hearing aids, with a firmware-upgradable Qualcomm chipset.
• Avantree Audikast 3 — biggest trade-off: it is not a headphone at all. If you don't already own a Bluetooth headphone, earbud or compatible hearing aid, this box has nothing to send sound to.
• Pick Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit if you want the headphones themselves and care about codec quality, driver design and battery life.
• Pick Avantree Audikast 3 if the headphones already exist in your life and the missing piece is a clean, low-latency bridge from your TV.
The STAX Spirit S5 is a headphone built around a very specific idea: give a wireless listener the kind of driver architecture that usually lives in wired audiophile gear. Edifier uses planar magnetic drivers with an EqualMass diaphragm, and the point of that design is uniform driving force across the whole diaphragm surface — which the spec sheet ties to low distortion and fast response. A second-generation EqualMass wiring structure is described as improving diaphragm stability across all frequencies with a symmetric layout. In plain terms, this is a headphone whose whole pitch is accuracy and speed rather than a thick, bass-forward tuning.
The wireless side is where it earns the aptX Adaptive angle. Qualcomm's QCC5181 platform plus Snapdragon Sound support means the S5 handles LDAC, LHDC, and the full Snapdragon Sound codec suite including aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless. aptX Adaptive is the interesting middle ground here: it's the codec that flexes between quality and stability, and Edifier pairs it with a stated 89 ms end-to-end latency while holding up to 24-bit/96kHz. Add Bluetooth 5.4, Google Fast Pair, dual-device connection, and USB-C and 3.5 mm AUX cables, and you have a headphone that works wirelessly with a phone and wired with almost anything else.
Who should buy it: someone who wants one headphone to do serious listening at home, calls on the go, and long sessions without hunting for a charger. The dual-mic setup with Qualcomm cVc handles voice, the closed-back design keeps sound in, and 80 hours of playback with an 11-hour top-up from a 10-minute charge is the kind of number that changes how you travel. Genuine lambskin earpads, an adjustable headband and a foldable frame with a carry case round it out.
Who should skip it: anyone who wants a sealed, brand-new retail unit. This is a Renewed listing with a 90-day limited warranty, so if that makes you uneasy, this isn't your pick. Skip it too if your actual problem is getting TV audio to headphones — a headphone can't fix that on its own.
The Audikast 3 is a different category of product entirely, and it's worth being blunt about that. It's a TV audio transmitter — a 2-in-1 box in a bundle with the Audikast 4 — that takes sound from your television via Optical or AUX and sends it wirelessly to Bluetooth headphones or hearing aids. Avantree builds it on a Qualcomm chipset supporting Bluetooth 5.4 and Auracast, and the claimed benefits are the usual ones you want from that silicon: clearer sound, more stable connections and better battery life on the devices receiving the stream.
The most distinctive thing here is the hearing-aid angle. Avantree explicitly designed this for modern Auracast-capable hearing aids, naming GN Danalogic Extend, Jabra Enhance Pro 20 and ReSound Nexia, and noting that pairing needs a compatible source device such as a Galaxy S20 or newer, or the official hearing aid app. That's a real, specific use case: late-night TV without waking anyone, streamed straight into aids you already wear, with no headphone required.
For everyone else, it's the classic private-listening fix. Connect the transmitter to your TV, pair your AirPods, Bose or other Bluetooth headphones, and the TV audio goes to your ears instead of the room. Firmware is upgradable through Avantree's official support page, which matters for a device whose value depends on staying current with codec and Auracast behavior.
Who should buy it: households where someone needs TV audio privately — especially hearing-aid users — and anyone who wants their existing headphones to work with a TV that has no usable Bluetooth output. Who should skip it: anyone shopping for headphones. There's nothing to listen to here without a separate receiving device, and if your TV lacks Optical or AUX outputs, this isn't the bridge for you.
• Best for sound quality and codec flexibility → Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit. Planar magnetic drivers plus LDAC, LHDC, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless is a far deeper audio toolkit than a transmitter can offer.
• Best for low-latency gaming and video → Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit, on the strength of that stated 89 ms end-to-end figure with aptX Adaptive.
• Best for battery life → Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit. Up to 80 hours of playback, with a 10-minute charge returning 11 hours.
• Best for TV audio and private listening → Avantree Audikast 3. It's purpose-built to pull Optical or AUX audio off a TV and push it to headphones.
• Best for Auracast hearing-aid users → Avantree Audikast 3, which is explicitly designed around aids like GN Danalogic Extend, Jabra Enhance Pro 20 and ReSound Nexia.
• Best for future-proofing → a tie, in my view. The S5 has Bluetooth 5.4 and app-based EQ; the Audikast 3 has Bluetooth 5.4, Auracast and firmware upgrades.
• Best for travel and portability → Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit, thanks to the foldable frame and included carry case.
• Best for buyers who want a brand-new, sealed product → neither, strictly speaking. One is Renewed with a 90-day limited warranty; the other is a transmitter that needs a second device to be useful.
In my opinion, these two don't compete — they answer different questions, and the honest answer is that most people reading a comparison built around aptX Adaptive should buy the Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit. It's the product that actually delivers the codec story: aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless via Snapdragon Sound, planar magnetic drivers, 80 hours of playback, and dual wired and wireless connectivity. I'd only send you to the Avantree Audikast 3 if your headphones already exist and your real gap is getting TV sound into them — particularly if you or someone in your house wears Auracast-capable hearing aids. Buy the S5 for the listening; buy the Audikast 3 for the room.
FAQ
what is aptx adaptive headphones
aptX Adaptive is a Qualcomm Bluetooth codec that adjusts between audio quality and connection stability on the fly, and it also carries a low-latency mode for video and gaming. Headphones described as aptX Adaptive headphones support that codec, usually alongside others. The Amazon Renewed Edifier STAX Spirit supports aptX Adaptive within the Snapdragon Sound suite, with a stated 89 ms end-to-end latency and up to 24-bit/96kHz.
Not necessarily. The Edifier STAX Spirit S5 connects directly over Bluetooth 5.4 and also accepts USB-C and 3.5 mm AUX cables, so it can take audio straight from a phone, laptop or console. The Avantree Audikast 3 matters when your TV has no usable Bluetooth output and you want to route Optical or AUX audio to headphones or hearing aids.
It's a Renewed listing with a 90-day limited warranty, which is the factual coverage stated for this item. Renewed units are a way to get into higher-end hardware, but you should be comfortable with that warranty length before choosing it. If a full manufacturer warranty is a must for you, weigh that carefully.
For private TV listening, the Avantree Audikast 3 is the more direct tool: it's designed to take Optical or AUX audio from your TV and stream it to Bluetooth headphones or Auracast hearing aids. The Edifier STAX Spirit S5 is a headphone, so it can only receive audio your TV or another source already knows how to send wirelessly or over a cable.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Hello Kitty 2-in-1 vs APETOO 3.5mm: Aux Wired Headphones, KLIM K8 vs COMEXION Headset V5.3, JLab JBuddies Studio vs PROHEAR 032: Wireless Foldable, Jesebang Earbuds vs Gabba Goods Coca-Cola Bottle Shaped