Going fully Wireless IEMs. Too soon? Or are we there yet?

[scubaphish]

Noble FoKus Pro users. So, weird issue with this unit. I use these mainly on my PC. 1 out of 2 uses the right piece will have the noise of electronic interference. It lasts for about 15 seconds and then is fine. Does anyone have this issue when using on their phone?

Haven’t experienced that. Using mostly iPhone 13 pro or apple watch

 

[Bhelpoori]

Ahh, thank you! I guess I was a bit confused about what the deal was, because I do remember AAC files having a different format name (maybe it was .MP4) back in the day when I used to sail the high seas and pirate music, but it was known to be slightly better at lower bitrates IIRC.

I guess I was just mostly wondering if there was some sort of quality/resolution loss between a service that outputs AAC using earbuds on SBC, but I get that it doesn't really work that way in the end


Yeah I do, so that's good to hear! I'm not sure what sounds better though, it's so weird because I do feel like I am hearing a difference between SBC and AAC, and it's a bit strange, to me SBC retains the same type of character to the sound as LDAC but I can hear that the audio sounds compressed and has low resolution around the upper mids-ish. AAC I feel like sounds different to LDAC in sound, it feels like the higher frequencies get rolled back quite a bit, almost to the point where I would almost want to use a different EQ than on LDAC.
Maybe I'm just imagining things.

SBC is a simple encoder/decoder that was thrown into the original Bluetooth (A2DP) Standard in the early 2000s just for a free default. LDAC whilst unconnected and more sophisticated than SBC is (probably, since it is Sony proprietary) of a similar type. AAC is a perceptual codec so it works in a different way and quality much more dependent on the quality of encoding tools used with the family of AAC. This may explain the difference you hear, or it could just be the way the system works for that particular track…really hard to tell from an engineering view.

Normally, for the usual settings you find, AAC should be perceptually better than SBC, but so much depends on so many other factors too such as encoding, tuning, amplifier, speaker, that whether it is able to be heard is difficult to say

 

[Juturna]

SBC is a simple encoder/decoder that was thrown into the original Bluetooth (A2DP) Standard in the early 2000s just for a free default. LDAC whilst unconnected and more sophisticated than SBC is (probably, since it is Sony proprietary) of a similar type. AAC is a perceptual codec so it works in a different way and quality much more dependent on the quality of encoding tools used with the family of AAC. This may explain the difference you hear, or it could just be the way the system works for that particular track…really hard to tell from an engineering view.

Normally, for the usual settings you find, AAC should be perceptually better than SBC, but so much depends on so many other factors too such as encoding, tuning, amplifier, speaker, that whether it is able to be heard is difficult to say

Yeah, I think you might be right that AAC does sound slightly better. I realized after trying a different EQ setting on AAC that audio really did sound better than on AAC, it was just... different at first, and difficult to interpret the difference that I heard. It was more resolving, but highs were slightly rolled off on AAC compared to SBC to my ears. EQ fixed that. Still a faaar cry from LDAC but ultimately decent enough!

 

[Elvis Costello]

The Sony WF-C500 earbuds are currently available for under £60 on Amazon.

 

[Phaethon]

What on earth are these?

 

[helmutcheese]

Overpriced Boutique crap no doubt!

https://www.amazon.com/stores/ELLASEARS/主页/page/087B91D0-C63B-4F2A-B193-FF0C2791EB32

 

[Phaethon]

Overpriced Boutique crap no doubt!

https://www.amazon.com/stores/ELLASEARS/主页/page/087B91D0-C63B-4F2A-B193-FF0C2791EB32

I especially find it important to make “non-stop calls” with “continuous strong interference”

 

[jant71]

The list is growing as we now have a JLab offering in the open style TWS with a little gimmick to them...

14.2mm drivers are a little small for this type and, wait, you have the 3 EQ modes on most JLab TWS now and this is the one they only have 2 and leave out the bass one??? Only signature and balanced? You have to scratch your head sometimes. Must have distorted and clipped and they just decided to drop it than fix. Buuut leaving out the bass option with the model that is open and can't seal bass in is odd to me.

 

[Tenlow]

Firmware update for the Free Byrds (the first since I got them), version 1.1.3. - better ANC performance, better call/microphone performance and general bugfixes so they say. Let's see

 

[Caipirina]

n years ago?

I was alive in the stone age, before the Sony Walkman, when headphones were actually cans with drivers connected by wires. Now, have a look at what we are buying for under $200. This is insane.

It boggles my mind that by now TWS, this magic technology, can be had for as little as 10$ at dollar stores!

 

[Tenlow]

I think I can hear a bit of white noise (left bud) now with ANC activated on the Free Byrd after the firmware update when it is very quiet. Don't think that was there before. Anybody else?

 

[Caipirina]

Firmware update for the Free Byrds (the first since I got them), version 1.1.3. - better ANC performance, better call/microphone performance and general bugfixes so they say. Let's see

hear any difference yet? So far sounds the same to my old ears

 

[Tenlow]

hear any difference yet? So far sounds the same to my old ears

Just the white noise I've just mentioned in ANC mode...Could swear that this was not there for me before...

 

[Not so fat head]

Yeah, I think you might be right that AAC does sound slightly better. I realized after trying a different EQ setting on AAC that audio really did sound better than on AAC, it was just... different at first, and difficult to interpret the difference that I heard. It was more resolving, but highs were slightly rolled off on AAC compared to SBC to my ears. EQ fixed that. Still a faaar cry from LDAC but ultimately decent enough!

Hi Juturna,

I have a Sony A45 player with LDAC. I can get it to connect to my LDAC enabled TWS's, but the EQ doesn't work. On any of them.. EQ works with other codec's.. To me, it kind of defeats the purpose.. Strange..
Does EQ work for you?
Thank you..

 

[Not so fat head]

I especially find it important to make “non-stop calls” with “continuous strong interference”

If she comes with the headphones, I'm in...