What are head-fi members views on apt-x lossless codec (over bluetooth)?

[Giogio]

Oxymoron may be, but I meant "not more compressed", which means that aptx should let 320 pass without compressing it more.
Right?

Aptx is not really audio codec. No music in aptx, but i know what you mean.

 

[james444]

Aptx is not really audio codec. No music in aptx, but i know what you mean.

 
You bet!
 
 

 

[Giogio]

James, Chinese on (that was the automatic correction of my handy. I meant, come on...).
You know what I mean.
There is no music in aptx format, or in sbc. And no mp3 bt codec.
Precise OK, finicky, hmm...
Pity that aptx is not in that comparison...

So. Can aptx reproduce 320 without bottleneck effect?
I knew that even the best sbc can.
So I'm not sure why the CEO of V-Moda says that only AAC+ can...

 

[SparkOnShore]

Well, you can still walk around your house and play stuff from your Mac, and use a BT headphone, and APTX, for that.
OSX supports Aptx natively.
I only use headphones lately, no speakers. Because I moved a lot in the last years.
And the freedom of BT headphones is a bliss. Never EVER again wires for me.

Now, if there were AirPlay headphones, this would be nice.
I suppose it is not possible or people would have done this already, at least, wifi headphones...

I just need to comment on your remark "never ever again wires for me"! Unless you speak about full size headphones only, about which you are right that there is no cable at all, but on the other hand they are so bulky and "on your head " anyway, speaking about convenience of Bluetooth iems is really funny imho. When I see these so long, non folding necklaces with the wires hanging down on your chest, I really wonder where the convenience exists...A wired iem has a lot smaller form factor, being able to get tangled around your phone and put in your pocket! How can you put those necklaces in your inside pocket together with your phone??? Do I have to always go around and talk to people with wires hanging from my neck??? And I need to charge one more device everyday, with the always existing latency on watching videos...

It's a good idea, but still has a long way to go in order to present real convenience over high quality wired iems...

 

[Jazic]

AptX vs SBC?
 
I've been messing around with BT amps over the past few days... Specifically I'm using the "Audio-Technica AT-PHA50BT" and having great results! 
 
I currently have a Nexus 6 with Viper4Android (EQ over BT?! WOOT!) and Tidal Hifi audio as my source. I'm getting absolutely awesome sound from bluetooth and is 95% as good as wired. I barely barely notice some cymbal compression but it's like the difference between 44.1Khz/16bit (1440mbps) CD quality and 320kbps. The difference is there but it's so damn close it's hard to hear. 
 
The Audio-Technica receiver/amp absolutely rocks in quality over a Soundblaster E5 and even my *gasp* Chord Hugo via BT. I'm guessing it's that the ATH amp processes the SBC codec while the E5 and Hugo do not. There is a very noticeable difference in quality between those two and the ATH amp as I say. 
 
Now to the point.. the Nexus 6 does not have AptX and only uses A2DP-SBC for stereo BT. I tested it with an old Samsung S4 that has AptX support and shows on the ATH amp but for the life of me I cannot hear a difference. I've listened to song that I know backwards and forwards and can't hear any difference. If anything all there is a very minor reduction in the compression sound on the high end of the spectrum (cymbals) with the AptX vs the A2DP.
 
For now I feel as though I'm not missing anything by not having AptX and when/if I end up with another AptX phone I'll be happy especially now that I can use the Hugo and E5 more often. 
 
 
Am I the only one who's experienced this or am I the only one? /shrug
 
 
EDIT: Forgot to mention that on the ATH and another BT Amp I've tried they have very high passive noise levels compared to the E5 and Hugo. That said this is using a pair of SE846's which are extremely sensitive. MORE IMPORTANTLY, going back to the quality differences between AptX and SBC being very minor and hardly noticeable, much like the white noise levels it goes away when any outside noise is introduced. If I'm traveling or using my SE846's anywhere besides a dead silent location (which is very seldom) I'm barely going to notice the background noise and quality difference at all.

 

[SparkOnShore]

AptX vs SBC?

I've been messing around with BT amps over the past few days... Specifically I'm using the "Audio-Technica AT-PHA50BT" and having great results! 

I currently have a Nexus 6 with Viper4Android (EQ over BT?! WOOT!) and Tidal Hifi audio as my source. I'm getting absolutely awesome sound from bluetooth and is 95% as good as wired. I barely barely notice some cymbal compression but it's like the difference between 44.1Khz/16bit (1440mbps) CD quality and 320kbps. The difference is there but it's so damn close it's hard to hear. 

The Audio-Technica receiver/amp absolutely rocks in quality over a Soundblaster E5 and even my *gasp* Chord Hugo via BT. I'm guessing it's that the ATH amp processes the SBC codec while the E5 and Hugo do not. There is a very noticeable difference in quality between those two and the ATH amp as I say. 

Now to the point.. the Nexus 6 does not have AptX and only uses A2DP-SBC for stereo BT. I tested it with an old Samsung S4 that has AptX support and shows on the ATH amp but for the life of me I cannot hear a difference. I've listened to song that I know backwards and forwards and can't hear any difference. If anything all there is a very minor reduction in the compression sound on the high end of the spectrum (cymbals) with the AptX vs the A2DP.

For now I feel as though I'm not missing anything by not having AptX and when/if I end up with another AptX phone I'll be happy especially now that I can use the Hugo and E5 more often. 


Am I the only one who's experienced this or am I the only one? /shrug


EDIT: Forgot to mention that on the ATH and another BT Amp I've tried they have very high passive noise levels compared to the E5 and Hugo. That said this is using a pair of SE846's which are extremely sensitive. MORE IMPORTANTLY, going back to the quality differences between AptX and SBC being very minor and hardly noticeable, much like the white noise levels it goes away when any outside noise is introduced. If I'm traveling or using my SE846's anywhere besides a dead silent location (which is very seldom) I'm barely going to notice the background noise and quality difference at all.

Is there delay via SBC when watching a video between audio and visual information?

 

[Jazic]

Is there delay via SBC when watching a video between audio and visual information?

With my nexus 6 and Netflix I'm noticing a microscopic amount of delay/lag. If I had to put a number on it I'd have to say at absolute worst it's 50ms if that. I honestly can't see any lag with lip sync.

On a large screen it might be a much bigger issue but on a 6" screen it's not an issue at all. As for games that depend on timing... Can't speak for that.

Maybe certain companies have synced video and audio somewhat to better help with lag. I know my Samsung s4 was horrible for lag with well over 500ms if not one full second delay and that is with AptX.

 

[castleofargh]

I'm an android noob, but I bet there are video players that allows to enter a resync timing for audio. but for utube and such, don't know if there is a method.

 

[apaar123]

If my headphones have aptx then should my phone also have aptx ??

 

[StanD]

If my headphones have aptx then should my phone also have aptx ??

If you want aptx to function it should be supported at both ends.

 

[Partlys4int]

Any opinions on asynchronous bluetooth (Audioquest Beetle) vs Aptx? I'm trying to decide whether to buy the Audioengine B1 or to wait for the Audioquest Beetle.

 

[Denon2010]

What Aptx vs SBC? what kinda of real world blind test difference is there with 320k MP3 on a $73 Sony Bluetooth Headphone?

 

[Jazic]

  What Aptx vs SBC? what kinda of real world blind test difference is there with 320k MP3 on a $73 Sony Bluetooth Headphone?

 
I use an older $100 Audio Technica BT amp with my IEM's (Earsonics S-EM9, Custom JH Angie, SE846, etc) with my Nexus 6 which doesn't support SBC.
 
That said streaming Tidal with my setup via BT sounds freaking amazing. It sounds better than the headphone out jack on my Nexus 6 by a bit.
 
Even though the Audio Technica amp supports APTx and all but the most bleeding new technologies SBC works perfectly fine for me. For on the go it's about as good as I can get without having to lug around a huge Mojo or the like when to me being completely wireless is better.
 
Honestly, use your ears. If it sounds right and not artifacty and slurry sounding like a compressed MP3 then you're good. I've tested SBC on my Nexus 6 and Aptx on my Samsung S4 and I can not hear a difference to save my life. Both sound amazing.

 

[Denon2010]

   
I use an older $100 Audio Technica BT amp with my IEM's (Earsonics S-EM9, Custom JH Angie, SE846, etc) with my Nexus 6 which doesn't support SBC.
 
That said streaming Tidal with my setup via BT sounds freaking amazing. It sounds better than the headphone out jack on my Nexus 6 by a bit.
 
Even though the Audio Technica amp supports APTx and all but the most bleeding new technologies SBC works perfectly fine for me. For on the go it's about as good as I can get without having to lug around a huge Mojo or the like when to me being completely wireless is better.
 
Honestly, use your ears. If it sounds right and not artifacty and slurry sounding like a compressed MP3 then you're good. I've tested SBC on my Nexus 6 and Aptx on my Samsung S4 and I can not hear a difference to save my life. Both sound amazing.

 
Hey this is good news.
 
Here is the thing I bought this headphones it should arrive next week
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TA4HRMQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
^ Got it for $44 refurbished. Now I have a generic CSR 4.0 bluetooth USB Dongle that I had bought last year to connect a PS4 controller to my PC.
 
What are your thoughts on this? should I stick to this USB device? I paid $8 US for it do you think it has SBC? it is simply one of the countless mini gold plated Generic CSR Bluetooth 4.0 USB adapters on Amazon. But I have absolutely no idea if it supports Aptx or what.
 
I am assuming it has SBC? what do you think? whats the worst case scenario? I would prefer not waste anymore money on another bluetooth dongle.

 

[Jazic]

   
Hey this is good news.
 
Here is the thing I bought this headphones it should arrive next week
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TA4HRMQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
^ Got it for $44 refurbished. Now I have a generic CSR 4.0 bluetooth USB Dongle that I had bought last year to connect a PS4 controller to my PC.
 
What are your thoughts on this? should I stick to this USB device? I paid $8 US for it do you think it has SBC? it is simply one of the countless mini gold plated Generic CSR Bluetooth 4.0 USB adapters on Amazon. But I have absolutely no idea if it supports Aptx or what.
 
I am assuming it has SBC? what do you think? whats the worst case scenario? I would prefer not waste anymore money on another bluetooth dongle.

 
 
If it was a cheap USB dongle then it probably wont support Aptx since it probably has a licensing fee to use. SBC if I'm not mistaken is like MP3 and pretty difficult to protect as easily. 
 
That said, just hope it sounds decent. Be sure to tweak the settings with the adapter to get the best quality possible.
 
At the very worst you have a decent pair of BT headphones for your phone. 
 
I personally have a $30ish BT amp I got from Amazon and some Koss KSC75's for $15 and I use it with my FireTV at night when my wife is sleeping to watch TV or whatever. There's a slight delay by a few hundred milliseconds but it's not a huge deal considering I'm completely wireless.
 
At the end of the day if it sounds good then who cares if it has the newest technology... I'd rather have it than not but my Nexus 6 doesn't support aptx and I'm not crying. Not that it'd matter even if I did.