Windows 10 Bluetooth: What DAC is used?

[bassman12345]

On Windows 10, I am trying to optimize my Bluetooth connection to my Bluetooth headphones, and understand for future purposes where my "weak links" might be.

Question: What DAC is used, when I connect Windows 10 Bluetooth to Bluetooth headphones?

I would ass-u-me that the only DAC used is in my headphones, but I do not know. My PC has a Realtek audio chip, but I do not know if it is in the audio chain. I was hoping to find a tool that would show me the active audio/driver chain, but I don't think that is so easy in Windows 10.

 

[silent-circuit]

Yeah, with any Bluetooth source, apart from determining what codec is used, the source really doesn't matter. The DAC is always in the endpoint (receiver, headphones, whatever). As long as the transmitter / software supports the best codec for your headphones, be that AptX, LDAC, or whatever, and there's not a lot of interference (bringing the bitrate down) the transmitter really doesn't 'matter' for Bluetooth sound quality.

 

[bassman12345]

Yeah, with any Bluetooth source, apart from determining what codec is used, the source really doesn't matter. The DAC is always in the endpoint (receiver, headphones, whatever). As long as the transmitter / software supports the best codec for your headphones, be that AptX, LDAC, or whatever, and there's not a lot of interference (bringing the bitrate down) the transmitter really doesn't 'matter' for Bluetooth sound quality.

My laptop is only "middle of the road" (Windows 10, Realtek audio, Intel AC-7265). In reading through another thread on Head-fi, I see some people talking about USB "dongles" that provide Aptx-HD, etc. I wonder if they help much?

 

[silent-circuit]

If your headphones support AptX HD or LDAC and your current setup won't allow them (stuck on SBC for example -- sorry, I don't know the first thing about integrated Bluetooth in laptops and such) then yes, using an external transmitter / dongle that supports those codecs will make a substantial difference.

 

[Roseval]

You might try your hand on proprietary codec e.g. apt-X or LDAC but it always take 2 to tango.
First check if your Bluetooth headphones support any of these non-mandatory codecs.

If they do, perhaps you have means to try it out.
If you have a Android phone, you can probably force the codec used.
https://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Android/Android_Bluetooth.htm
Try this by transmitting the same tune using SBC and ATP-x or what ever higher bitrate codec your phone supports.
It might very well be that you won’t hear a difference.
Just like a lot of people don’t hear the difference between high bitrate MP3 and CD quality.
SBC, the standard codec is very much like 320 kbs MP3.

As others already mentioned, a Bluetooth headphone is
- Bluetooth receiver
- DAC
- Amp
- Headphone
I do think is likely that you can get a better performance not by swapping codecs but by swapping headphones.

 

[bassman12345]

Android really is pretty cool! I "sold out" and went with Windows & iOS, but I do have a Moto G6 that I use as an MP3 player, that has surprisingly good sound. Good to know about the developer mode "switches"!

 

[silent-circuit]

I personally notice a /huge/ difference between SBC and Apt-X, and a smaller but still noticeable and preferable difference between Apt-X and LDAC.

SBC sounds thin and sibilant to me, I can't listen to it long or it will give me a headache. AptX sounds better but is still noticeably inferior to a wired connection. LDAC sounds almost as good as wired to me.

 

[Roseval]

SBC sounds thin and sibilant to me

Might very well be the case.
This happens when the bitpool it to low at either the sender or the sink.
Older gear often suffers from this limitation

https://habr.com/en/post/456182/