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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a plug-and-play USB-C dongle that turns a PS5, PS4 or PC into an aptX HD listening station for your own earbuds and headphones, choose Middle Rabbit D1; if you need a TV transmitter that pipes audio to hearing aids, headphones or a whole room of Auracast listeners over HDMI ARC, optical or AUX, choose 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast.
• Middle Rabbit D1 — biggest strength: a Qualcomm chip plus Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive, aptX LL, aptX HD, aptX and SBC, so a pair of aptX HD earbuds gets high-quality, low-latency audio from a console or computer over a single USB-C port.
• Middle Rabbit D1 — biggest trade-off: it is a transmitter only, it does not support Linux, and it will not work with Xbox or PlayStation Portal.
• 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast — biggest strength: Bluetooth 6.2 with Auracast broadcast, HDMI ARC, Optical/TOSLINK and 3.5mm AUX inputs, and a claimed range of roughly 100 ft from an external antenna.
• 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast — biggest trade-off: it is corded and built for a TV or projector shelf, so it is not a pocket dongle, and Auracast listening depends on your receiving devices supporting Auracast or LE Audio.
• Who each pick is for: the D1 is for a gamer or PC user who already owns good headphones; the NightPair TX is for a TV watcher, couple or hearing-aid user who wants shared or private living-room audio.
The Middle Rabbit D1 is a small black USB-C adapter with one job: get audio out of a device that has no Bluetooth of its own and into the headphones you already like. Plug it into a PS5, PS4, desktop or laptop, put your headphones in pairing mode, and pick "Middle Rabbit D1" as the output. No drivers, no software install, no menu diving. It supports Windows and macOS; Linux is not supported.
The interesting part for anyone shopping for aptX HD earbuds is the codec ladder. The D1 handles aptX Adaptive, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, plain aptX and SBC, and it automatically picks the highest codec your headphones can actually do. That matters because a pair of aptX HD earbuds is only worth the money if something upstream can feed it that stream. On the latency side, the numbers are concrete: as low as 40ms with aptX Adaptive or LL, roughly 60ms with standard aptX, and around 100ms with aptX HD. For music listening, aptX HD is the mode you want, and the adapter is described as delivering crisp highs and deep bass in that mode. For fast-paced games and video, dropping to Adaptive or LL is the smarter call.
There is one feature to understand before buying. Triple-pressing the button toggles call mode, which lets your headset's microphone work. The catch is honest and clearly stated: audio quality drops significantly in call mode, so it is not meant for gaming or movie playback. If you hear thin, poor sound, the first thing to check is whether call mode is switched on. Pairing a second set of headphones is equally simple, a three-second hold until the light blinks slowly, and the adapter otherwise reconnects to the last pair automatically. It ships with a one-year warranty.
1Mii NightPair TX Auracast: Who It's For
The 1Mii NightPair TX is a different animal. It is a plastic, corded TV transmitter measuring about 4.72 by 3.78 by 0.94 inches and weighing 8.8 ounces, designed to live beside a television, projector or media player. It runs Bluetooth 6.2 and works in two modes: a traditional Bluetooth transmitter for headphones, earbuds, speakers and receivers, and an Auracast transmitter that broadcasts one audio stream to multiple compatible receivers at once.
Connectivity is the headline. You can feed it TV audio through HDMI ARC with a single cable, or through Optical/TOSLINK, or through 3.5mm AUX, which covers most modern TVs, projectors and media players. Setup is a matter of power, an included cable, an input selection and a wireless mode, and the bundled remote keeps basic controls within reach from the sofa. The external antenna is rated for up to about 100 ft in open, unobstructed space, with the sensible caveat that walls, interference and the receiving device will cut into that.
Codec support is broad: LC3, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Low Latency, aptX Lossless and SBC, plus Bluetooth LE Audio. The company's framing is right, though: the benefit only shows up when the receiving hearing device, headphones or speakers support the matching codec. That is the same rule that applies to the D1, just pointed at a TV instead of a console.
The Auracast side is where this unit separates itself. In Auracast mode it broadcasts the same TV audio to multiple compatible receivers simultaneously, with a Hearing Aid Mode for Auracast hearing aids and a Standard Broadcast Mode for compatible headphones, earbuds, speakers and receivers. Receiving devices must support Auracast or LE Audio. That makes it a natural fit for couples who want one volume, families, classrooms, churches and group listening. It also does the quieter job well: sending dialogue straight to your ears so you can follow a show at night without raising the room volume and waking anyone. The warranty is two years.
Buy the NightPair TX if your audio problem is a television, a hard-of-hearing listener, or more than one person wanting the same stream. Skip it if you only need console or PC audio, since the D1 handles that with far less hardware.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for TV and home theater → 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast. HDMI ARC, Optical/TOSLINK and 3.5mm AUX inputs cover TVs, projectors and media players.
• Best for aptX HD earbuds on a computer → Middle Rabbit D1. It auto-selects the highest codec your earbuds support, up to aptX HD.
• Best for hearing aids and shared listening → 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast. Auracast broadcast with a dedicated Hearing Aid Mode and multi-listener support.
• Best for range and freedom of movement → 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast. An external antenna rated for roughly 100 ft in open space versus a short-range USB dongle.
• Best for portability → Middle Rabbit D1. A pocket-sized dongle with no remote and no separate power supply.
• Best for someone who wants a remote control → 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast. Button and touch controls on the unit, plus a remote you can keep at your seat.
• Best for a late-night private-listening setup → 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast. It moves TV audio to your ears so the room volume can stay low.
In my opinion, the choice comes down to what is making the sound. If your problem is a PlayStation or a computer with no Bluetooth and a pair of aptX HD earbuds you want to hear properly, I would buy the Middle Rabbit D1. It is cheaper in complexity, needs no cables beyond the USB-C port, and the codec list is exactly what aptX HD earbuds need to earn their keep. If your problem is a television, a partner who cannot hear the dialogue, or more than one person wanting the same audio, I would buy the 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast. The HDMI ARC and optical inputs, the Auracast broadcast and the 100 ft antenna are things the D1 simply does not attempt. Two different jobs, two different boxes.
which earbuds support aptx hd
The data sheets do not list specific earbud models, so there is no way to name brands here. What matters is that the receiving device supports the codec. Both the Middle Rabbit D1 and the 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast only deliver aptX HD when your headphones or earbuds support it, and both fall back to a lower codec otherwise.
do i need aptx hd for gaming
Not necessarily. On the Middle Rabbit D1, aptX HD runs at roughly 100ms of latency, while aptX Adaptive and aptX Low Latency can drop as low as 40ms. For games and video, the lower-latency modes are the better fit; aptX HD is the mode to use when you are listening to music rather than reacting to on-screen action.
can i use a tv transmitter with hearing aids
Yes, if the hearing aids support Auracast or LE Audio. The 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast has a dedicated Hearing Aid Mode for compatible Auracast hearing aids, and it sends TV audio directly to them so you can follow dialogue without turning up the room volume.
what is the difference between a usb dongle and a tv transmitter
A USB dongle like the Middle Rabbit D1 plugs into a PS5, PS4, PC or laptop and transmits to your own headphones over Bluetooth 5.4. A TV transmitter like the 1Mii NightPair TX Auracast is a corded box that takes HDMI ARC, Optical or AUX audio from a TV or projector and sends it to headphones, speakers or multiple Auracast receivers at once.
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