Bluetooth is a fantastic feature on mobile phones, but if you use it to listen to your favorite songs regularly, you may notice that it sometimes sounds dead, tinny, or just plain bad. The culprit could be the default codec your phone uses for Bluetooth.
Fortunately, there are some ways to improve it, which are usually available right on your device.
Bluetooth quality improvements start with codecs
Not all Bluetooth audio is the same
The media files you use every day requires a codec to play correctly. It is usually software (although occasionally it can be hardware). Basically data is needed, compresses it and encodes it. The codec decodes the file into a playable format at the end of the transmission.
Think of it as a translator that takes one language (music or video in this case) and converts it to another (music played via streaming or Bluetooth). It is an essential function for multimedia files, regardless of the device or format.
Bluetooth audio may vary depending on the bit rate the codec uses for transmission. Bluetooth uses the SBC (subband coding) codec like su default and alternativewhich happens to have the lowest bitrate. It’s lossy, like an MP3 file, which just means you lose some data when you compress the audio.
LDAC is a codec worth knowing
Developed by Sony, adopted by Android
Your Bluetooth settings are probably already set to SBC by default, although some devices may use AAC by default.
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) It is a good intermediate option, but LDAC (a format developed by Sony) is the setting to use for best audio. LHDC is another high resolution format found alongside LDAC as a high-quality alternative to SBC.
LDAC supports 990 Kbps at 32 bit/96 kHz. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, it simply means that it’s still high resolution, sounds good, and doesn’t lose as much data during compression. It’s definitely better than SBC in terms of details.
Of course, using LDAC with cheap, low-end headphones or a lousy speaker probably won’t make much difference.
If your device supports LDAC or LHDC, it is worth using
Enabling LDAC and LHDC is easier than you think
Many devices can be used as audio receivers, from speakers to headphones, to your laptop. Improving audio quality and tweaking settings is half the fun of using modern technology. Depending on your comfort level (and whether your device is supported), you can access and change the codec settings yourself through your device’s developer options. I am working with two Android phones, specifically one Motorola Moto G 2025 and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.
That said, here’s how to see if your device supports LDAC and enable it if it does:
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Look for an LDAC or LHDC logo or spec sheet in your device’s instructions.
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Check phone settings through developer options/settings
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Every phone has a different way to access developer options. For the Motorola Moto G, simply go to Settings – About – Device Identifiers and then tap “Build Number” eight times.
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“Developer Options” will appear under “System”
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Search for “Bluetooth Audio Codec” and make the setting. In this case, I have enabled “LHDC”
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a slightly different way of accessing developer options:
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Go to “Settings”
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Select “About phone” and go to “Software information.”
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Tap the “build number” about seven times
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Check the codec in “developer options”
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Repeat the same steps above.
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Audio sounds pretty good through an everyday pair of headphones, but your mileage may vary
Obviously, your specific device will vary, so be sure to look up (preferably through the manual or by asking for help) how to adjust these options for your device. LDAC should be supported on all Android Oreo phones and above, which is great.
But what if your device doesn’t support LDAC? Don’t worry, there are plenty of other codec options available, such as AAC, aptX, and aptX HD. Apple prefers the AAC codec, for example, and it works very well for its iOS devices. AptX and aptX HD are Qualcomm’s alternatives to SBC (they are usually better quality and most Android devices support them). Whatever your case, they all far outperform SBC, but I like LDAC better.
If you are interested in learning more about LDAC in a much more technical sense, the source code is available at TThe Android Open Source Project.
A configuration change can make a significant difference
Although everyone’s mileage with Bluetooth will vary, there are definitely advantages to changing the codec settings. Results will vary depending on the quality of the headphones and the original material, of course.
For me, LDAC will be my go-to on any new Android device and I’ll look to enable it whenever I configure my Bluetooth settings on future phones and devices.
