SNACK: 3-line summary
- iFi announced UP Travel Max, a portable Bluetooth audio adapter with transmitter and receiver modes.
- It sends wired audio to Bluetooth headphones, or receives a phone’s Bluetooth audio for a car stereo’s AUX input.
- aptX Lossless requires compatible equipment and suitable connection conditions; Auracast listeners need Auracast-capable devices.
An old iPod or a compatible aircraft seatback system can supply the audio while your Bluetooth headphones handle the listening. Announced on October 29, 2026, iFi’s UP Travel Max connects those wired sources to wireless headphones—and can be switched to receive a phone’s Bluetooth audio for a car stereo with an AUX input.
Snackgirls react
Red I’d love to give an old MP3 player a second life with wireless headphones. There’s something appealing about picking up a device that’s only there to play music.
Nea I like the idea of watching the same in-flight film with someone, each using our own headphones. We could catch each other’s reaction at the same scene.
Send from a headphone socket, receive for a car stereo
A physical switch selects TX, or transmitter mode, which sends sound from a wired source to Bluetooth headphones. Pressing the power button releases the fold-out 3.5mm plug, ready to connect to a classic iPod, MP3 player or a compatible, accessible in-flight entertainment output.
For a car stereo with an AUX input, select RX, or receiver mode. Your phone sends audio over Bluetooth to UP Travel Max, which passes it into the stereo through the 3.5mm connection. You choose the direction with the switch; it does not relay audio both ways simultaneously.
Supported Bluetooth formats include aptX Lossless, LDAC and aptX Adaptive. Lossless transmission over the Bluetooth link requires compatible headphones in TX mode, or a compatible source device in RX mode, plus suitable connection conditions. The adapter alone does not give ordinary Bluetooth headphones lossless support.
Two pairs of headphones, or an Auracast broadcast
UP Travel Max can pair with two sets of Bluetooth headphones at once, letting two people follow the same in-flight film without sharing earbuds.
Auracast offers a separate way to share audio with multiple headphones or speakers after enabling it in the iFi Nexis app. Each receiving device must support Auracast: this is a broadcast feature, not unlimited pairing with ordinary Bluetooth headphones.
A 25.7g adapter with up to 10 hours of battery life
UP Travel Max weighs 25.7g, and iFi quotes up to 10 hours of battery life. That is the manufacturer’s rating, not a guarantee for every mode or codec.
The official UK storefront lists it at £129. Before choosing it for a trip, check the aircraft’s accessible audio connection and the formats supported by the headphones you plan to bring.
Sources and checked date: 2026-10-31 (KST)
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