What you need to know about Bluetooth Audio

Bluetooth powers wireless headphones and speakers and allow you to link your stereo system or soundbar to your smartphone and its plethora of streaming services.

Despite its widespread use, Bluetooth remains the most misunderstood audio technology. Many different Bluetooth variants—or codecs—are available, and some individuals claim that using a specific codec can improve Bluetooth sound quality.

However, those distinctions are difficult to quantify and even more challenging to hear. Whether you’re not sure how (or if) different Bluetooth codecs should affect your headphone or speaker selection, keep reading. So visit the tech mod guide and learn why bluetooth audio devices are not supported by the ps4.

One thing to keep in mind right off the bat: the Bluetooth audio technology you’re hearing has a considerably smaller impact on sound quality than the device’s design.

You’ll notice significant differences if you use different wireless headphones or speakers. The difference between different Bluetooth codecs will be minor, if not inaudible. 

Bluetooth audio codecs explained

The fundamental difference in Bluetooth implementation in audio devices is the audio codec they utilize.

A codec is a complicated technique that reduces the size of audio data so that it may be sent over the Internet or wirelessly from your phone to your headphones.

SBC, AAC, aptX, and MP3 are just a few of the most commonly utilized codecs today. Because the less data Bluetooth needs to communicate, the more reliable the connection is—and the less likely it is that your headphones will lose the signal in the middle of Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” you’ll need to employ a codec.

They often reduce CD-quality audio’s data rate of 1,411 kilobits per second to roughly 300 kilobits per second.

The rejected data is audio that is less likely to be detected by the human ear, such as a faint sound in the presence of a similar but louder sound. Some codecs allow for faster data rates, resulting in less compression and the possibility of better sound.

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Many people believe that sending an audio signal through Bluetooth invariably degrades sound quality; however, this isn’t always the case.

When an audio signal is already compressed in a certain codec, and both the source and the “sink” (such as a wireless speaker or headphones) devices support that codec, Bluetooth transmits the encoded audio unchanged, giving you the same sound as you would without Bluetooth.

The most common examples are Apple Music, which uses AAC, and iPhones that support AAC. Bluetooth will not affect the sound quality if you utilize these two items with a wireless speaker or headphones supporting AAC. 

A few codecs claim “high clarity” because they can handle data with resolutions greater than the CD standard, 16 bits at 44.1 kHz.

On the other hand, high-resolution support is more of a marketing boast than a genuine feature in this case.

Only high-resolution files from a high-resolution streaming or download service would benefit you, and only if your headphones or speakers can reproduce the claimed extra fidelity—and when the codec is already discarding so much data, the benefit of giving it even more data to discard is questionable.

Latency is another feature that separates codecs. When you’re watching the video, the time it takes a digital signal processor to decode the encoded audio is typically enough to cause lip-sync issues—some codecs, such as aptX, needless math, and memory, result in lower latency. 

Bluetooth comes in a variety of versions, including 4.1, 5.0, and 5.1, but these mostly solve data-transfer difficulties and have no impact on audio quality.  

Bluetooth audio codecs compared

The audio codecs found in Bluetooth devices are listed below. You need to go into your phone’s audio settings to activate these codecs. Codec selection is usually found in the Developer Options menu on Android phones.

SBC:

SBC is present in all Bluetooth devices. The connection defaults to SBC if both your source and sink devices can’t support another codec.

This codec has a maximum data rate of 345 kilobits per second. The sound quality is difficult to discern from AAC or regular aptX if the source and sink equipment can both process the audio at a high data rate. It has a latency of roughly 200 milliseconds, whereas genuine.

MP3:

Although the MP3 codec is rarely utilized in Bluetooth, it can be found in a few products. In terms of audio quality, it’s somewhere between SBC and AAC, albeit the difference is minor or unnoticeable.

If your phone, headphones, or wireless speaker all support MP3, you may notice a little improvement in sound quality when using MP3 downloads or streaming services (such as some Internet radio stations).wireless earbuds have a latency of up to 300 milliseconds.

AAC:

AAC is essentially a more advanced form of MP3, with somewhat better sound quality at a given data rate than MP3 and SBC. AAC operates at a maximum of 250 kbps via Bluetooth, and while I haven’t had a chance to test its latency, it’s likely to be at least as terrible as SBC’s due to AAC’s complex coding algorithms, which require additional processing time.

Having AAC in your headphones if you have an iPhone or iPad can be a minor benefit for the reasons stated above.

Unlike the aptX codecs, AAC implementation isn’t regulated by a single manufacturer. Therefore, it may be inconsistent on Android phones.

aptX:

This codec, which is included in Qualcomm Bluetooth chips, is unique. It encodes the variation in level between one audio sample and the next, rather than a set level for each audio sample.

This method allows it to run more quickly and with less latency. My measurements reveal that its latency usually is around 120 ms, which means that it has a lower risk of lip-sync mistakes than SBC.

Unlike SBC, which may operate at a lower data rate than its maximum, aptX’s data rate is always 352 kbps, ensuring quality, but any audible difference between aptX and SBC is often minor or invisible. Although aptX has never been available on Apple devices, it is found on many Android smartphones.

aptX HD: 

This is a high-bandwidth of aptX version that operates at a data rate of 576 kbps, and the difference can be noticeable if you take my Bluetooth blind test.

aptX HD is good if you have high-quality headphones that can expose this difference and an Android phone that supports the codec. 

Low Latency aptX:

My measurements with aptX LL reveal latency < 40 ms, excluding the potential of lip-sync issues caused by the codec.

This codec was only generally available a year ago, and it is still not found in many audio devices. We’d want to see it make its way onto televisions, where it would be of obvious use.

It would be wonderful for tablets as well, but we’re unlikely to see it in iPads because it (like the other aptX variations) isn’t supported by Apple. It operates at a fixed data rate of 352 kbps, much as conventional aptX.

aptX Adaptive: 

In 2020, this new codec should begin to appear in products. It promises to optimize its operation automatically for the best combination of audio quality, minimum latency, and stable transmission. Its data rates range from 280 to 420 kbps, with a latency of 50 to 80 milliseconds.

LDAC:

Sony’s LDAC chip has the ability to deliver the highest Bluetooth sound quality. It has a bitrate of 330, 660, or 990 kbps; depending on your phone, you may be able to choose between sound quality (990 kbps) and connection dependability (660 kbps) (330 kbps).

Many Android phones support LDAC; however, Apple devices do not. I have yet to test its latency, and Sony does not provide specifications.

I’ve seen statements that LDAC has low latency because it’s a combination of the technology used in aptX and traditional codecs like AAC and MP3, but I can’t find any evidence to back up such assertions.

LC3:

LC3, also known as the Low Complexity Communications Codec, is a new Bluetooth LE Audio standard component, which was unveiled at the CES 2020 trade event.

It’s claimed to provide better sound quality than SBC, or at least comparable sound quality at lesser power, extending battery life. LE Audio-enabled products are projected to hit the market in late 2021 or early 2022.

The differences in sound quality between these codecs are, once again, minor at best. This is why we don’t consider the presence of certain codecs when evaluating Bluetooth headphones and speakers.

The acoustic tuning of the speaker or headphone drivers and enclosure, as well as the tuning of the device’s digital signal processor, have a much bigger impact on audio quality—and your day-to-day pleasure of your audio gear—than the Bluetooth codec.

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