What about Qualcomm aptX HD's status?

[DanielT]

How common is Qualcomm aptX HD together with Bluetooth 5? If it is possible to say something general about it that is?

In any case, it seems interesting, or what do you think?

Qualcomm® aptX™ HD | High Resolution Audio Technology

Discover how Qualcomm® aptX™ HD audio enables Bluetooth wireless devices to deliver high-resolution audio with no compromise on quality or sound distortion.

www.aptx.com

Bluetooth 5.0 and Others: Demystifying aptX HD, Low Latency Standards and MIDI Technology

soundsightheadphones.com

 

[staticV3]

Here's a website that'll allow you to upload an audio clip, then A/B it against an aptX HD en+decoded version of that clip:
https://btcodecs.valdikss.org.ru/sbc-encoder/

 

[vitalii427]

I’ve seen a lot such claims about different codecs. But is it really actual when aptX Lossless already released?

 

[DanielT]

Here's a website that'll allow you to upload an audio clip, then A/B it against an aptX HD en+decoded version of that clip:
https://btcodecs.valdikss.org.ru/sbc-encoder/

Thanks for the tip and that link. I'll have to test that later. At the moment, I only have the opportunity to listen to my tablet and it, with that speaker, is of course not sufficient for any sensible evaluation.

 

[DanielT]

Interesting though. Let's say you're listening to Spotify. In its current form, since Spotify didn't come with lossless (which Spotify said would come in 2021 by the way), the best quality on Spotify is 320 kbps and Qualcomm aptX HD 570 kbps or you can test 529 kbps in the link that staticV3 in #2 referred to:

Bluetooth A2DP SBC/aptX Online Encoder

Bluetooth A2DP SBC audio online encoder

btcodecs.valdikss.org.ru

Then Bluetooth 5.0 with Qualcomm aptX HD does not place limitations on Spotify's sound quality? If I got it all right?

Example. Streamed Spotify,..via signal from the computer that passes via/ through the best tested top performing DAC VS Spotify,..via Bluetooth 5.0 with Qualcomm aptX HD then there is no difference in the sound, right?

 

[staticV3]

Then Bluetooth 5.0 with Qualcomm aptX HD does not place limitations on Spotify's sound quality? If I got it all right?

No, doesn't work like that. You can't conclude that 320kbps fits into 570 and therefore the 320 will be transmitted in full.
In reality, Spotify will first compress the master to 320kbps mp3 equivalent Opus (320 isn't the actual bit rate), then Qualcomm will compress that file again.
In both steps, fidelity is lost, even if the bit rate increases from Opus to aptX HD.

 

[DanielT]

No, doesn't work like that. You can't conclude that 320kbps fits into 570 and therefore the 320 will be transmitted in full.
In reality, Spotify will first compress the master to 320kbps mp3 equivalent Opus (320 isn't the actual bit rate), then Qualcomm will compress that file again.
In both steps, fidelity is lost, even if the bit rate increases from Opus to aptX HD.

Perfect, not in itself what you just wrote, which on the contrary was a bit sad. Seemed a little too good to be true.

I mean perfect, it was exactly the kind of new (to me new) information, knowledge I was looking for. Thanks.

 

[DanielT]

It became a little more clear for me when I read #502, #505 in the thread I refer to below, which in and of itself is about the SMSL A300 and its Bluetooth functionality, but can be seen generally also for what is addressed in this thread:

New SMSL A300 BTL Class-d Power Amp

Forgive the ignorance of this question, with the amp being BT enabled, do I need a separate streamer or could I stream from my phone or PC directly to the amp? Thanks in advance. Yeah that works. But BT is about 1/3 of cd quality Yet, and correct me if I'm wrong because I'm bad at this with...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[Oso Polar]

Qualcomm-based phones do support AAC. They also usually support LDAC as well (it was open sourced by Sony and is included in Android by default). BTW, Qudelix-5K, which, obviously, is not a phone, is built around Qualcomm Bluetooth chipset and also supports both AAC and LDAC. So, "Qualcomm omitting AAC" is FUD.

 

[Pippo]

I have SMSL C200/A300 combo. A300 bt is turned off because the chip don't support Aptx HD. However, the C200 supports it. Automatically offers aptX HD when pairing.
Maybe one day on the A300 at a summer party will be turned on

 

[tomtoo]

Who tested poor aac against 16/44 as long receiver is near transmitter. And when you can hear a difference? How much attention is needet? Do you spend this kind of attention often? Who can tell a real live story? AAC vs. Ldac things like this? To be honest for me even aac vs. 44/16 is hard to hear and only if i spend a lot of attention. And even then i would be not sure. So if recv/trns conditions are perfect who hears a difference? Would you do in abx at least 80%?