Roadtest Thread for the Bluetooth LE Audio Development Kit

So, this after seeing this road test...

• I looked in Bluetooth LE audio - specifically the LC3 codec and Auracast.
• I wondered what commercial devices supported it - pretty much none.
• I heard that the upcoming Pixel 7 might support LC3.
• I checkout out the Pixel 7 launch.
• I spotted the pre-launch offer of a free Pixel watch with a Pixel 7 Pro.
• I ended up ordering a Pixel 7 Pro.

The road testers haven't even been announced and this road test has cost me £849! 

After some reading on this kit, i am wondering if this kit can be used to transmit stereo audio (it does have stereo line in on the dev kit) using Connected Isochronous Stream (CIS) to another receiver. in https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/applications/nrf5340_audio/README.html CIS is mentioned to be able to transmit stereo to one or more receivers . what i want to ask if one receiver can receive stereo stream from source device or not

and stereo is supported via Connected Isochronous Stream (CIS) also mentioned in the same article developer.nordicsemi.com/.../README.html

for the mono out, do you mean this line in developer.nordicsemi.com/.../README.html

• In the current version of the nRF5340 Audio application, the BIS mode offers only monophonic sound reproduction.

I'm answering my own question, but it seems that this pair of Sennheiser headphones is the only BLE Audio device around at the moment. There are some similar named products like the RS-120-II that aren't Bluetooth LE.

https://audioxpress.com/news/first-bluetooth-le-audio-product-on-the-market-is-from-sennheiser-and-is-a-tv-transmitter-solution
https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-UK/p/rs-120-w/

Whilst initially they look like some standard wireless headphones, they seem a bit niche and are marketed as "TV headphones". The idea is that the base pairs with multiple headphones so a few people can watch TV together. A good use case for Auracast, but they don't seem ideal for use as general purpose wireless headphones. If they had been, I might have been able to justify purchasing some to help with a road test. As they stand, not really.

Bluetooth LE Audio (and Auracast in particular) looks really interesting. I can't seems to find any devices that support it yet though. No dongles to transmit BLE Audio. No headphones ot receive it. Obviously this dev kit can be used to create either of those, but it would be nice to road test together with a commercial device to see if they work well together.

If anyone finds a commercial Bluetooth LE Audio product, maybe let us know in this thread.

Actually, I think I misunderstood the wording of the documentation. It seems to be Bluetooth LE only.

I spoke with the sponsor. Each roadtester will receive 2 kits.

A quick scan of the  documentation suggests that this can still use the older Bluetooth Classic SBC in addition to the newer Bluetooth LE LC3. I'm no Bluetooth expect, so could be wrong about this.

I also find it odd that the DSP included on the board has stereo in but only mono out. I understand that the one possible application is to work as a single earbud from a pair. However, it seems odd that the use case of being a complete stereo Bluetooth headset is not possible.

Thanks. I contacted the sponsor. I'll probably extend the enrollment time until I get an answer from them. Thanks for writing.

Randall