Bluetooth Codecs Explained: LDAC, aptX, AAC and LC3
What do all those Bluetooth audio codecs mean, and do they actually make your music sound better?
What is a codec?
A codec compresses audio so it can be sent wirelessly over Bluetooth. Better codecs keep more detail at higher bitrates.
AAC and SBC
SBC is the universal baseline. AAC is Apple's preferred codec and sounds great on iPhones.
LDAC and aptX Adaptive
These high-resolution codecs, supported on many Android phones, can transmit up to 990kbps for near-lossless audio.
LC3 and Auracast
The new LE Audio standard is more efficient and enables broadcasting to multiple headphones at once.
Final Thoughts
We will keep this article updated as new information becomes available. Have a question? Get in touch with our editors.