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How to Enable the Optimal Audio Codec for Your Bluetooth Headphones in macOS

Hallo crax and other readers,

I’m from the „ennemmi-country“ (so called by DT) from the other side of the pond, so excuse my little english (us). But interested in bluetooth and the usage of the „Bluetooth Explorer“ from Apple, I tried to find any documentation for this usefull app, without any sucess, even on the Apple-Support-pages.

Is there such a documentation in the web? Can you send me this link?

If there is no documentation in the web: Using the „Audio Options“-window, there are several options to determine the BT-connection. What exactely is the use of „Minimum(Maximum bitpool“? I tried some changes, but there was no difference… Actuallly I entered „2“ for Minimum Bitpool and „64“ for Max. No idea, what it is doing.

Also the „Buffer a maximum of … packets“ is not clear to me. What happens changing the default „15“ to perhaps „80“?

You see, beeing a reader for a long time, I would like to read some informations, but didn’t find any. Can you help me?

Thanx in advance and all the best

BThörer
 
xnatex said:
It's because they're using the mic in your AirPods. The only way to get around it is to switch to a different mic. All of the bluetooth codecs that support microphones have terrible listening audio quality.

I use my bluetooth headphones with my MacBook Pro, and have to make sure to use the laptop's internal mic instead of the ones in the headphones. The mic quality is much better in the laptop, and also the headphones can then use a better bluetooth codec for audio, because they don't have to transmit a mic over bluetooth.
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That's really unfortunate; I need to use the mic as I'm not always in front of my mac. Is there hope of a future software update? Thanks
 
Just got my Mobius headphones which support LDAC but wasn't able to figure out how to enable that on my macbook pro? Currently they are using AAC via bluetooth but I was under the assumption LDAC was better?
 
groovyd said:
Just got my Mobius headphones which support LDAC but wasn't able to figure out how to enable that on my macbook pro? Currently they are using AAC via bluetooth but I was under the assumption LDAC was better?
Click to expand...


Can any one provide with some info does this still work? I cant seem to find in Apple Dev page BT app :(
 
xnatex said:
It's because they're using the mic in your AirPods. The only way to get around it is to switch to a different mic. All of the bluetooth codecs that support microphones have terrible listening audio quality.

I use my bluetooth headphones with my MacBook Pro, and have to make sure to use the laptop's internal mic instead of the ones in the headphones. The mic quality is much better in the laptop, and also the headphones can then use a better bluetooth codec for audio, because they don't have to transmit a mic over bluetooth.
Click to expand...

This is very informative and sheds some light on my own situation. I got a pair of pretty high-end bluetooth headphones (Grado GW100) and while they sound incredible even over bluetooth (and even better wired) and support APT-x, the sound quality on phone calls is totally abysmal, both incoming and outgoing.

Do you know if there's any way on an iPhone to do this trick -- using the device mic instead of the headphone's mic, thus allowing a higher-quality codec?
 
Hexoid said:
This method seems to be not working in Mojave
Click to expand...

UPDATE: I'm now getting aptX after deticking everything and also selecting "Reset audio default" in Bluetooth Explorer.

Next I ticked "Force use of aptX", ticked "Enable AAC", and also maxed out AAC Bitrate. then restarted.

Now I'm streaming using aptX, but interestingly when I went back to Bluetooth Explorer only "Force use of aptX" is ticked. AAC Bitrate is back on the second tick mark, and Enable AAC is unticked.

ORIGINAL POST:

My Dali Katch is using SBC, not aptX. I went through the process of installing Bluetooth Explorer and "Force use of aptX" was already ticked.

"Enable AAC" was not ticked, so I ticked that and left "Force use of aptX" ticked and restarted my Mac, but no love. Still playing via SBC.

Any ideas on other options to try?
 
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It's a pity Apple doesn't support LDAC considering some devices only support this and SBC. There is no licensing situation which prevents LDAC adoption. In fact there is a free LDAC encoder on github which is Apache licensed which, had I all the time in the world, could probably use to make an LDAC driver for MacOS.
 
Not to revive an old thread...
I have Sony WH1000-xm3 -followed the article and it's still playing in SBC - it's not "TERRIBLE" but when you're using this calibre of headphone, you obviously want every bit of benefit from them.

Is there a way to gain LDAC or the AAC/aptX - using catalina, and also switched to internal mic instead of headphone mic.

CHEERS!
 
honglong1976 said:
9to5mac.com

Mac: How to force aptX/AAC on supported Bluetooth headphones - 9to5Mac

While iOS won’t support the standard, macOS officially supports aptX (not to be confused with aptX HD) as a Bluetooth...
9to5mac.com 9to5mac.com
Click to expand...
I done this already, It still has SBC.
I read in the thread it's due to the mic, but I've changed to the internal mic instead of headphones, repeat the process and still, SBC

UPDATE - Macbook pro Late 2013 retina... apparently this is too old to support AAC, ah well.
 
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UUilliam said:
I done this already, It still has SBC.
I read in the thread it's due to the mic, but I've changed to the internal mic instead of headphones, repeat the process and still, SBC

UPDATE - Macbook pro Late 2013 retina... apparently this is too old to support AAC, ah well.
Click to expand...
Too old to support AAC? I have a Macbook Pro Mid 2009 model that supports AAC (Latest Mac OS X though, via the unsupported install).

In my experience, if you can't pick AAC, it usually because of the headphones.
 
Anyone know if there is a way to verify which codec us being used in big sur? The option click on blueooth does not bring up the codec option like it used to in previous versions of mac OS.
 
Lasermoon said:
Yes. I had to use bluetooth explorer > Audio Graphs
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is that a seperate app? The only one I can see online is not included in the devopment tools for Big Sur. Thanks :)

Edit: Got it in last years delveioper tools! Thanks for the tip :D
 
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robotica said:
is that a seperate app? The only one I can see online is not included in the devopment tool for Big Sur. Thanks :)
Click to expand...
Screen Shot 2020-12-19 at 8.31.23 AM.png

Unauthorized - Apple Developer

download.developer.apple.com download.developer.apple.com
 
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fitbunny said:
I have read in multiple sources that all audio is reencoded to AAC whether it comes from itunes as AAC or not. However, all the sources say that this reencoding does not cause much of a quality loss because AAC as a codec is transparent even after 100 reencodings. I use beoplay e8 and the sound is the best I have ever listened to with Bluetooth headsets that I have used so far and I have used quite a few aptx headsets by Sennheiser. The only problem with the above tutorial is that the setting are lost when reconnect your beoplay e8. I used sudo and normal user to change the plist instead of using the gui and the settings seem to be saved now. here is the commands that I used:
Code: 
defaults write bluetoothaudiod "Enable AAC codec" -bool true

defaults write bluetoothaudiod "AAC Bitrate" 320

sudo defaults write bluetoothaudiod "Enable AAC codec" -bool true

sudo defaults write bluetoothaudiod "AAC Bitrate" 320
Click to expand...
Hey! I saw in your comment that you're using the Beoplay E8. I used to work with B&O and have a huge love for their products! I have the second-gen H9s and thought I might recommend some Mac software to you- Boom3D. That software has taken an already outstanding set of headphones (wired and via Bluetooth) to another level; same with an Echo Input to our aging audio receiver from my MacBook (also via Bluetooth). [Boom 3D- Direct Link] they have an iOS app, but you must be streaming the audio content in order for it to work (ie no offline content from Apple Music, Spotify, Qobuz, etc.)
 
Hey guys, one quick question: if I enable AAC codec on my MBP, will my entire mp3 collection in my iTunes library benefit from improved sound quality over Bluetooth or only the .aac/.mp4 files?

Most of my iTunes library has been ripped from my own CD collection into 320 kbps and/or highest possible VBR mp3s...
 
jon08 said:
Hey guys, one quick question: if I enable AAC codec on my MBP, will my entire mp3 collection in my iTunes library benefit from improved sound quality over Bluetooth or only the .aac/.mp4 files?

Most of my iTunes library has been ripped from my own CD collection into 320 kbps and/or highest possible VBR mp3s...
Click to expand...
All, because the wireless data is being encoded in a better format.
 
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Suckfest 9001 said:
All, because the wireless data is being encoded in a better format.
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Thanks. Do you perhaps know how I can check via Terminal which bitrate is supported? I'd like to have the best possible sound quality...

EDIT: ok, I actually downloaded the developer tools so now I can tweak the settings from within the app. Under "AAC bitrate", the slider is by default on the 2nd bar from the left. Should I move it all the way to the right though?
 

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MacRumors said:




Bluetooth-Utility-codec-enable-800x447.jpg
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Can sb please tell me what is Current/Initial bitpool in the above settings? Should I keep it at 40 and what would happen if I decreased/increased it?

Also, how come AAC bitrate is only selected at the second bar from the left? Why not increase it all the way to the right? Are there any caveats to it?
 
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