[monsieurfromag3]

That's a funny comparison since no one is using AAC on an Android device

I do! With my Nuforce Be6i iems at the gym. AAC is known to be preferable to aptX and it’s what my V30 defaults to given the choice (the Be6i support both). I’m surprised to hear of differing implementations of AAC

 

[Jearly410]

I’m trying to find the thread where I saw the differences, maybe earlier in this one? My google’fu is not working.

 

[smorgar]

I'll try doing some compairson on my own when time allows it. Have Google pixel2 and Samsung galaxy s9 both supports AAC.

 

[smorgar]

I do! With my Nuforce Be6i iems at the gym. AAC is known to be preferable to aptX and it’s what my V30 defaults to given the choice (the Be6i support both). I’m surprised to hear of differing implementations of AAC

Well yeah sure, if your phone does not support AtpxHD and/or LDAC i suppose AAC is a good option over SBC and Aptx.

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Well yeah sure, if your phone does not support AtpxHD and/or LDAC i suppose AAC is a good option over SBC and Aptx.

In most cases, with Android devices on a recent OS, the phone supports all manners of codecs (the V30 supports both aptX HD and LDAC) but it’s the iems /headphones that mostly lag behind. The licenses are expensive and while it’s easy to justify the spending for Samsung, LG, Huawei et al. on a flagship it's not comparatively the same deal for audio products. There is apparently a lot of politics involved too, and where a few boutique brands get to license both codecs the holders frown upon big names including both side by side, they apparently demand audio product designers pick a side. Cue Aëdle’s VK-X, which started shipping last week and supports aptX HD and LDAC - mine should arrive in the next few days

 

[hifi80sman]

In most cases, with Android devices on a recent OS, the phone supports all manners of codecs (the V30 supports both aptX HD and LDAC) but it’s the iems /headphones that mostly lag behind. The licenses are expensive and while it’s easy to justify the spending for Samsung, LG, Huawei et al. on a flagship it's not comparatively the same deal for audio products. There is apparently a lot of politics involved too, and where a few boutique brands get to license both codecs the holders frown upon big names including both side by side, they apparently demand audio product designers pick a side. Cue Aëdle’s VK-X, which started shipping last week and supports aptX HD and LDAC - mine should arrive in the next few days

FYI, Samsung does not support aptX HD, rather, they have their own "Samsung HD" codec in it's place, which is disappointing. They do, however, support LDAC (as well as aptX & AAC).

 

[monsieurfromag3]

FYI, Samsung does not support aptX HD, rather, they have their own "Samsung HD" codec in it's place, which is disappointing. They do, however, support LDAC (as well as aptX & AAC).

Thanks for the heads-up, I had no idea Samsung went for a proprietary HD codec like Huawei. Man do I hate their phone division - it’s now at the point where I don’t want to buy their washing machines because just seeing the same logo from the Galaxies makes my heart sink.

 

[hifi80sman]

Thanks for the heads-up, I had no idea Samsung went for a proprietary HD codec like Huawei. Man do I hate their phone division - it’s now at the point where I don’t want to buy their washing machines because just seeing the same logo from the Galaxies makes my heart sink.

Totally agree. I didn't find out until it was too late. I should have done more research, but I ASSumed a flagship would have aptX HD, just like LGs. I'm OK, because I can still connect via LDAC with the Radsone, but for something like the B&W PX, ATH-DSR9BT, aptX HD is fabulous.

From what I understand, it's already in the hardware, so Samsung can enable it if they want. I really don't think "Samsung HD" is going to take off, nor would any non-Samsung product want to claim they support "Samsung HD". Sony's LDAC is generic, so it doesn't "brand" the codec, which makes it attractive for others to use, plus the specs on LDAC are marvelous.

Samsung is just WAY over-branded.

 

[mhoopes]

Well yeah sure, if your phone does not support AtpxHD and/or LDAC i suppose AAC is a good option over SBC and Aptx.

For critical listening, AAC over BT has worked well for me. Note that I'm talking about AAC music sources (Apple Music); re-encoding of AAC has been found to be relatively transparent.

For movie watching over BT on the ES100, there's more latency than I like when using AAC. LDAC has worked much better for me in that use case. The 990 Kb/s (and probably the 660, too) LDAC does require a quieter RF environment, in my experience, to avoid stuttering. Turning off nearby unused BT radios, and keeping your Wi-Fi in the 5 GHz band, does help.

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Totally agree. I didn't find out until it was too late. I should have done more research, but I ASSumed a flagship would have aptX HD, just like LGs. I'm OK, because I can still connect via LDAC with the Radsone, but for something like the B&W PX, ATH-DSR9BT, aptX HD is fabulous.

From what I understand, it's already in the hardware, so Samsung can enable it if they want. I really don't think "Samsung HD" is going to take off, nor would any non-Samsung product want to claim they support "Samsung HD". Sony's LDAC is generic, so it doesn't "brand" the codec, which makes it attractive for others to use, plus the specs on LDAC are marvelous.

Samsung is just WAY over-branded.

Exactly! I mean the hubris on these guys! To launch a branded codec only compatible with a closed and restricted ecosystem, that just replicates something another codec already does as a universal standard... LDAC was a big Sony exclusive but the market clamored for it because it offered value no competitor matched. I’m glad Radsone isn’t trying to support these outliers, as they’re ultimately a disservice to the consumer.

I haven’t heard the PX, but I auditioned the ATH-DSR9BT at a show and was veeery tempted to buy it on the spot. aptX HD is a must given the way it works; I never could understand it properly but it’s the only BT implementation I’ve heard where the source actually matters. The headphones seemed bottlenecked when connected to an iPod, but dished out killer quality when reading from a Pioneer DAP. Reading the product page on Audio-Technica’s website just now I can’t understand why I noticed such a difference, since it’s supposed to be all digital. All I can say is my wife felt the same.

 

[smorgar]

For sure. With Aptx and LDAC there is no reason to use AAC on Android devices. I was surprised to see the different implementations of AAC encoding had such a drastic effect.

AAC "only" supports 16bit on Android it seems. Is it the same on Apple devices?

 

[RobinFood]

I just got the es100 and am kind of intimidated by all the scary messages. I pluged in my er4 with a balanced plug and realized music was playing when I plugged it in. How can I tell if anything "may have been damaged"?

 

[arbiter76]

I just got the es100 and am kind of intimidated by all the scary messages. I pluged in my er4 with a balanced plug and realized music was playing when I plugged it in. How can I tell if anything "may have been damaged"?

Listen?

 

[RobinFood]

Listen?

They both sound "fine"...actually they sound really good.
I had used the app to manually put it to 2.5mm output and locked it before putting in my earphones.
Would I know if they were damaged just by listening, or is it the kind of thing that would randomly get on my nerves over time?

Also what is the deal with switching from 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm? Do I have to go in the app and manually change it to 2.5mm or 3.5 mm before connecting my earphone in? Is it automatic?

 

[benoe]

They both sound "fine"...actually they sound really good.
I had used the app to manually put it to 2.5mm output and locked it before putting in my earphones.
Would I know if they were damaged just by listening, or is it the kind of thing that would randomly get on my nerves over time?

Also what is the deal with switching from 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm? Do I have to go in the app and manually change it to 2.5mm or 3.5 mm before connecting my earphone in? Is it automatic?

It is best to turn the ES100 off, change the plug, and turn back on. This way you can make sure that no music will play. ES100 will automatically switch to the new source, if it is not locked in the sw. Just don't unplug/plug when music or any sound is playing.