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

[pgravili]

The AZ100s have the worst LDAC implementation I've ever used on headphones and earbuds.

I really don't understand why you say this. My AZ100 never miss a beat and are always perfectly connected in LDAC, and with a very high sound quality for me. Today I didn't realize that I no longer had my phone with me when I left the house. The sound started to cut out only after I had walked away for a good 100 meters. For me they are incredible!
I also remember last summer when I went swimming in the sea with my head out of the water and with my AZ80s, far from the beach (don't do it!) and from my Pixel 8 Pro, without the connection dropping...

 

[Sam L]

I really don't understand why you say this. My AZ100 never miss a beat and are always perfectly connected in LDAC, and with a very high sound quality for me. Today I didn't realize that I no longer had my phone with me when I left the house. The sound started to cut out only after I had walked away for a good 100 meters. For me they are incredible!

Agreed, but I'm on an android only 30 percent of the time. My az100 have no issues on LDAC.

 

[Ghisy]

Definitely not.

What I meant was: AAC is AAC, whoever uses it. It's still lossy and can only do up to 256 kbps while LDAC goes up to 990 and can be considered lossless.
Apple can't make AAC better, it's standardized and can't be lossless no matter how well they advertise it. This is what I meant by Apple gaslighting.

You can use whatever you want, I'm still using wired with a DAP anyway.

 

[TooFrank]

So this eartip thing is getting actually interesting The Dunu S&S sound soooooo good with the Beoplay Elevens and the ANC works well. I tried the Acoustune AEX70 on the Beoplay speakers, and they sound flat, but they sound terrific on the Rex5.

Ok, have now beaten this TWS project to death.

But a new existential challenge is now unlocked.
I'm deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem—iPhone, MacBook, AirDrop lifestyle, the whole holy trinity. There’s no world where I’m switching to Android… buuuut…

Everyone keeps whispering that LDAC sounds way better. Like, "you’ve never truly heard your music" better. And now I’m curious.

Luckily, I have an Android enabler: my 12-year-old nephew. This kid is a gadget savant and has been trying to convert me for years. I’ll be visiting him for Easter and guess what? Auntie is showing up with earbuds and an LDAC experiment. He’s going to lose his mind.

Am I switching? Absolutely not.

Am I about to dabble? Absolutely yes.

Let’s see if LDAC is all that.

Thanks for setting my mind at rest. Happy about the Dunu.
(As regards LDAC, I have an older DAP Sony NWZX2 that can play LDAC with the version valid many years ago ( was never possible to update android). However my Sony XM5 does sound some what better with LDAC)

 

[Not so fat head]

What I meant was: AAC is AAC, whoever uses it. It's still lossy and can only do up to 256 kbps while LDAC goes up to 990 and can be considered lossless.
Apple can't make AAC better, it's standardized and can't be lossless no matter how well they advertise it. This is what I meant by Apple gaslighting.

You can use whatever you want, I'm still using wired with a DAP anyway.

The sum is greater than its parts. How and to what level all the pieces are implemented makes all the difference..
Apple is simply the best at it…. Whole ecosystem based on it…

 

[seekay00]

I really don't understand why you say this. My AZ100 never miss a beat and are always perfectly connected in LDAC, and with a very high sound quality for me. Today I didn't realize that I no longer had my phone with me when I left the house. The sound started to cut out only after I had walked away for a good 100 meters. For me they are incredible!
I also remember last summer when I went swimming in the sea with my head out of the water and with my AZ80s, far from the beach (don't do it!) and from my Pixel 8 Pro, without the connection dropping...

I was one of the first users that reported the infamous LDAC stutterings. Also tried another 2 pairs, they both had these hiccups, pops in every 2-3 songs, and tried on 3 different devices with the same results. I own the AZ80s as well and they have zero issues on the same scenario.
I'm so glad to hear that your AZ100s are perfect. Make sure to take a good care of them because should you ever need a warranty replacement, there is a high chance to get a faulty unit.

 

[Ghisy]

The sum is greater than its parts. How and to what level all the pieces are implemented makes all the difference..
Apple is simply the best at it…. Whole ecosystem based on it…

The best at selling overpriced stuff that can only do lossy AAC. Gotcha.

 

[Not so fat head]

If you search this thread, I posted a white paper on the limitations and problems transmitting higher codec frequencies. If I remember correctly, I think the power needed to transmit LDAC the same distance as AAC is substantial. There are other transmissions issues and is why LDAC usually thunks down to a lower frequency automatically…

 

[dweaver]

Almost every earphone headphone i have with LDAC have issues going to 990. Until I upgraded to a S23 Ultra i essentially gave up trying. I have had a couple earbuds AZ60 and now M2, the latest JBL model with LDAC, some sound cores, that could go that high and more or less be stable. Even stable ones have occasional issues depending on where I am and EMF noise.

the WF-XM5 couldn't really use 990, my Svanar could not (this one actually struggles to use LDAC even on Adaptive), my Fiio earbud hooks stutter even on adaptive.

So long story short, LDAC is cool but flaky and prone to stutters due to EMF noise and trying to use all BT bandwidth available.

 

[galaxygrrl]

The best at selling overpriced stuff that can only do lossy AAC. Gotcha.

You’re seriously judging the entire Apple ecosystem, features, and benefits based on AAC? That’s like saying Italy sucks because of airplane pasta.

Yes, Apple is more expensive, but let’s talk about the actual experience in the eco system (which in the end is what I think you actually pay for with Apple)

• My iPhone unlocks my Mac like magic.
• I copy on my phone, paste on my Mac—no setup, no nonsense.
• Notes, Calendar, Safari tabs—instantly synced.
• AirDrop shoots files across devices in seconds, no cables or cloud dance.
• CarPlay? Flawless. Maps, texts, podcasts—zero effort, zero distractions.
• My dusty old Time Capsule still backs up like a champ because Apple doesn’t abandon its own.

Meanwhile on Android:

• Transferring files? Hope you like emailing them to yourself.
• No universal clipboard. No Handoff. No seamless continuity.
• Messaging? Broken group chats, no tapback reactions, green bubble shame.
• Car “integration”? More like Bluetooth roulette.
• And cloud sync? A Frankenstein of services duct-taped together.

So yeah, AAC isn’t LDAC. But I’ll take reliability and an ecosystem over a codec flex.

Feel free to take this on feature by feature.
.

 

[seekay00]

You’re seriously judging the entire Apple ecosystem, features, and benefits based on AAC? That’s like saying Italy sucks because of airplane pasta.

Yes, Apple is more expensive, but let’s talk about the actual experience in the eco system (which in the end is what I think you actually pay for with Apple)

• My iPhone unlocks my Mac like magic.
• I copy on my phone, paste on my Mac—no setup, no nonsense.
• Notes, Calendar, Safari tabs—instantly synced.
• AirDrop shoots files across devices in seconds, no cables or cloud dance.
• CarPlay? Flawless. Maps, texts, podcasts—zero effort, zero distractions.
• My dusty old Time Capsule still backs up like a champ because Apple doesn’t abandon its own.

Meanwhile on Android:

• Transferring files? Hope you like emailing them to yourself.
• No universal clipboard. No Handoff. No seamless continuity.
• Messaging? Broken group chats, no tapback reactions, green bubble shame.
• Car “integration”? More like Bluetooth roulette.
• And cloud sync? A Frankenstein of services duct-taped together.

So yeah, AAC isn’t LDAC. But I’ll take reliability and an ecosystem over a codec flex.

Feel free to take this on feature by feature.
.

Within a Samsung ecosystem I can do almost the exact same stuff...

 

[Ghisy]

Feel free to take this on feature by feature.

Oh, that's cute, an Apple fanboy (or fangirl?). Sure, let's go!

On Android:
- transferring files: plug in a USB C cable and boom! Full USB 3.2 speed and everything on your phone is accessible. Or I can use QuickShare if I want to go wireless,
- universal clipboard: use Pushbullet, works the same and is compatible with any OS,
- ahhh, the beloved iMessage that no one uses outside the US. Everywhere else, we use WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal. Works better and also across devices/OS. The green bubble thing is SO pathetic and so 12 year-old,
- I don't care about car integration, I don't drive,
- cloud sync: have you ever heard of Google Drive? OneDrive? Mega? Etc. There's plenty of cloud services available for syncing data.

Feel free to look outside your Apple ecosystem, you'll be surprised that they didn't invent anything and us not using it are perfectly fine. (btw, I work in I.T. so yup, I know what I'm talking about).

You're welcome. Wow, what a waste of 5 minutes putting this together...

Sorry guys for the OT, he/she asked for it.

 

[helmutcheese]

Not a stutter with the AZ100....I have really thinned the herd. I can't believe that is all I have left.

Your do not have the 4th setting set to the highest it is showing as Default.

 

[pgravili]

Let's say that beyond preferences, the Apple world has fallen behind and has remained a rather closed world if compared to that of Android which by its nature is not exactly closed.

 

[subguy812]

Your do not have the 4th setting set to the highest it is showing as Default.

Good catch thanks. I am not really sure what that is, maybe default is the highest.