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Bluetooth issues

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Bluetooth issues

How 3.5mm Jack Rejection Caused A Complete Disaster With Wireless Sound

In 2016, Apple shocked the world once again with the release of the iPhone 7 without our usual 3.5mm audio jack. The company then explained its move to the fact that it interfered with the creation of normal water protection. Whether it is true or not, you can argue for a long time, but with that step, Apple pushed the development of wireless headphones, actively participating in this, launching various AirPods.

As a result, at the moment, the absence of a 3.5mm jack on a smartphone no longer seems to be unusual, as does the dominance of various wireless headphones of all shapes and sizes on the market. You can buy both models for a conditional thousand rubles, such as Xiaomi AirDots, with minimal features and mediocre workmanship, and the flagship Sony WH-1000XM4 at the price of some of the best smartphones, which have excellent noise control and many configurations.

However, with the transition to Bluetooth sound, a new problem has arisen: When connecting wireless headphones to any device, the only thing you can know for sure is what the sound will be. But its quality and latency can be questionable, and to fix this you’ll have to dive into the hell of Bluetooth codecs, which I’ve been boiling over on my own for a couple of years. So you are welcome.

SBC is a good standard codec that drivers have drowned out

Of course, when creating any data transmission standard, in our case sound, you need to make it a basic and accessible implementation for everyone – this is how the SBC Bluetooth codec, or SubBand Codec, appeared. It has minimal hardware requirements and even simple button phones can work with it. It has a basic psychoacoustic model and extensive customization options. It’s free and open source and available to everyone for over 15 years. All of this should have made the rest of the codecs just unnecessary, if not for one thing.

In 99% of devices, this codec has a 328 kbps bit rate. Just for comparison: Standard 16-bit 44.1 kHz CD audio has a 4 times higher bit rate, slightly over 1.4 Mbps. As a result, even when listening to music from streaming services, the rate bit rate is no longer enough and psychoacoustics can start to turn off the upper frequency ranges, above 16-18 kHz, so that the lower ones, which everyone hears, get more space at the “narrow” bit rate. As a result, when listening to multiple compositions with a wide stage (for example, with female voices), the sound quality can drop significantly, which is why the SBC codec is traditionally considered unsuitable for transferring high-quality music.

Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that many headphone manufacturers simply do not configure DSP (Digital Signal Processing) for this codec. Headphones have a processor of the same name, which is responsible for preparing the sound before its direct output, and it can be made to do many useful things, for example, it is the DSP processor that is responsible for noise cancellation. You can also fix codec glitches by working with an equalizer. And if for several AACs or AptX the makers of the headphones still go off and “tweak” the sound, then even Sony doesn’t do anything with SBCs in their WH-1000XM line of overhead audiophile solutions, let alone simpler headphones.

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Sound via Bluetooth: versions and codecs, do they affect the sound quality?

Sound via Bluetooth: versions and codecs, do they affect the sound quality?

Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows, among other things, to connect headphones or portable speakers, stereo systems or sound bars to your smartphone or laptop.

There are many devices on the market today with different versions of the Bluetooth protocol and with support for different codecs. What does all of this mean, which version is the latest, we need to understand all of this, and most importantly for us, does this somehow affect the sound quality? Let’s see.

One important thing to keep in mind up front is that the Bluetooth sound technology you hear has much less impact on sound quality than the design of the device itself. If you try to test multiple wireless headphones or speakers, you will hear the obvious differences between the devices. If you test the same device, but connected with different codecs or versions of Bluetooth, the difference may not be so obvious, maybe even subtle.

Simply put, you should not base your choice solely on the Bluetooth technologies and codecs supported by the device, this is neither the first nor the second most important criteria.

Bluetooth versions

Bluetooth has improved dramatically over the years since the turn of the century, and audio compression isn’t as brutal today as it was in the days of Bluetooth 1.1 or 2.0 (when wireless headphones and earphones first hit the market). ). Let’s highlight the main technical differences between the Bluetooth versions, devices with which they can be found for sale today.

Bluetooth 3.0: The data transfer rate has increased significantly (up to 24 Mbps vs. 2.1 Mbps in Bluetooth 2.0), but the power consumption has increased.

Bluetooth 4.0: reduced power consumption while maintaining a speed of 24 Mbps.

Bluetooth 4.1: added anti-crosstalk protection when working with LTE modules installed on all 4G smartphones.

Bluetooth 4.2: higher speed and improved data transmission security.

Bluetooth 5.0: range increased 4 times, speed increased 2 times.

Bluetooth 5.1: it was possible to determine the location and direction with the utmost precision.

As you can see, the new versions primarily address data rate and power efficiency issues, which rarely directly affect sound quality. However, newer versions can improve data transfer reliability, which can allow a heavier codec, such as aptX HD or LDAC, to run at higher data rates.

So to summarize:

The Bluetooth version generally does not directly affect the sound quality.

Both devices must support the Bluetooth version and specific codec.

The difference between different codecs on the same device can be subtle.

AAC is only meaningful to Apple, not of interest to Android.

aptX and other codecs, on the other hand, are not supported by Apple devices.

Wireless technology shouldn’t be an important consideration when choosing an audio device. Don’t automatically rule out headphones without the latest Bluetooth version or with SBC only, they may sound better or be more comfortable than their competitors.

What you need to know about listening on Bluetooth headphones

What you need to know about listening on Bluetooth headphones

Harald Bluetooth IBluetooth is the wireless transmission of data between two devices in a short distance. This is done using radio waves (WPAN).

Few know that the name of Bluetooth technology comes from the name of the Danish king Harald Bluetooth I (958 AD). It was he who brought together parts of Norway and Denmark. And the Bluetooth symbol itself denotes the Scandinavian runes B and H.

So to transfer music via Bluetooth 3 factors are required:

Sampling frequency (kHz): the higher the sampling frequency, the clearer the sound can be transmitted (closer to digital). Distortion in sound is reduced and the audible frequency range is widened.

Sampling depth (bits): The higher the sampling depth, the higher the resolution of the music. Dynamics increases as the range between soft and loud sounds increases. In this way, it is possible to obtain more subtle sound levels and tonal nuances.

Bit rate (kbps) – This is the connection speed at which music audio data is transmitted from the device to the headphones. However this is not entirely true. More precisely, this value indicates the possible size of the amount of data transmitted at a given time. The higher the baud rate with the Bluetooth headset, the more data (at the same time) the device can transfer. Therefore, the audible sound is greatly improved.Better Bluetooth audio: what aptX, aptX HD and LDAC are all about

What do the abbreviations aptX, pptx HD, and LDAC mean?
These abbreviations are for Bluetooth codecs and mainly describe various transmission parameters. They differ in sample rate, sample depth, and bit rate. Android 8.0 devices support these audio codecs and you can enjoy better sound quality.

atpX is the slowest option for wireless music streaming. This technology provides a maximum bit rate of 352 kilobits per second at a sample rate of 48 kHz and a sample depth of 16 bits. The analog signal is read 48,000 times per second and stored with 16 bits. In principle, these are solid numbers. In comparison, a CD is read and stored with identical parameters. However, relatively slow streaming results in a nearly 50% loss in audio quality. So the sampling depth is only 8 bit, which is related to the resolution of the music.

The AtpX HD also has a sample rate of 48 kHz, but the digital signal is stored at 24 bits. The dynamic range is increased, resulting in higher quality sound. The use of LPCM (Linear Pulse Code Modulation) results in lossless data transmission from analog to digital signal. The sound is thus clearer.

PCM is a modulation technique that converts an analog signal into digital. The CD receives the analog sound waves from the music recording.

Best Bluetooth audio: what aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC are all about
Sony H. EAR on wireless
It is not yet known to what extent the bit rate in this codec is adapted only for the best sound transmission in headphones.

Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec is the best and fastest of the three wireless audio capabilities.

At data rates of less than 1 Mbps at a sampling rate (96 kHz) and a sampling depth of 24 bits, almost CD quality is achieved.

headphones – Practical guide for choosing headphones

We know that the search for the perfect headphones is an arduous task. The offer is very wide and it is essential to know all the details to select the type of headset that best suits our specific needs. Therefore, we have compiled this small informative guide that we hope will be useful in the search for those perfect headphones.

Types and forms: In-Ear vs. Over-Ear vs. On-Ear

From the point of view of physical appearance, there are basically three types of headphones, each of which is characterized by its size and shape in relation to the ear (ear pin) and the way it interacts physically and acoustically with our hearing. We all have different earbuds, so there are different designs of headphones. Some of them may be very comfortable for certain people; while for others they can be very uncomfortable. The use we are going to give them will be a determining factor when making the right choice.

In-ear

In-Ear headphones are the ones that are inserted into the ear. These headphones isolate from outside sound, improve audio quality, and are small in size. It should be noted that there are two types of intraural headphones: the classic button type and the intraural insert. The former are placed inside the entrance of the ear canal, and have no way of sealing; All headphones of this type are considered open. On the other hand, the intraural insertion, are introduced into the atrial canal, so they are considered closed.

Over-Ear and On-Ear

Over-Ear and On-Ear headphones have many similarities. The main difference is that the Over-Ear rest on the head, while the On-Ear rest on the ear. The latter isolate less from outside noise, and have less deep bass. On the other hand, they are smaller, and perhaps more comfortable. Probably, if we look for professional sound of the highest level, Over-Ears are one of the best options.

In-Ear vs Over-Ear vs On-Ear headphones

The circumaural headphones (Over-Ear) completely surround the ear, and when closed, allow sound isolation almost completely. They generate a greater natural sensation of the stereo field and a reproduction of more linear and precise sound frequencies.

Because the circumaural headphones rest around the ears with the transducer positioned near the ear, but without touching it, they provide the closest facsimile (compared to other types of hearing aids) to the way in which we naturally hear the sound. These types of headphones are used in the professional field; audio mastering, editing, recording in closed environments, etc. They are also used to edit sound when there is no total isolation of the editing room, such as in a domestic studio, and, of course, they are also suitable for DJs.

The supraural (On-Ear) headphones have pads that rest on the outside of the ear (ear) pavilion. They are smaller, lighter and therefore easier to transport, and are very suitable for use with mobile devices. Because this type of headphones is supported by the folds and ridges of the auditory pavilion, the acoustic isolation is less than with a circumaural hearing aid, and there is greater variability in the response to serious frequencies.