TWS Earbuds Rabbit hole

Hi-Fi Corner
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For a long time, i have enjoyed my Samsung Buds 2 Pro as a great on-the-go little compromise mainly using Qobuz and Tidal.

The Samsung Buds 3 Pro came along, and I just can’t get on with the fit, SQ is better, but ANC is pants.

I then picked up a BT 5.3 USB C to fit into my mobile, aiming to bypass Android codes which all stop at Adapative aptX or less, and then had to add the USB Audio Player Pro APP.

After all that drama, I realised the Samsung Buds 3 Pro will only work with Samsung codec a lossy version, so down the rabbit hole trying to find TWS Earbuds with Snapdragon Lossless support.

Short version I tried the Sony Quite Comfort Ultra (dreadful lifeless SQ), Soundpeats (bags of detail retrieval but harsh) and then Creative labs (all the details, but bloomy bass).

TWS earbuds aside I do feel the BT 5.3 USB C with USB APP bypasses all the OEM junk codecs to deliver the full Snapdragon AptX Lossless.

However, the search continues …

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If you buy a headphone with the LDAC codec then that will justr work your phone and you’ll have no need for the dongle. Something like a Sony WF-1000XM5 will work well, I had the XM4 and they were very good but didn’t quite fit my ears.

You can use the developer options in the phone settings to set the codec and avoid unnecessary transcoding.

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Thanks, i sold up my XM4s years ago (I use the developer BT settings to max SQ), in preference for the Samsung Buds2 Pro.

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FiiO have launched a device called the BTR17. I saw Snapdragon mentioned. Have a search for that, perhaps it’s what you need?

J

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LOL Morning - I just read that an hour ago, Darko review.
Problems are another thing to lug around, charge, and keep up to date.

Got a newer version of the Creative Labs BT-W6, can’t tell the difference so far, but the status lights are wrong, showing lossless as lossy and vice versa.

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What’s the deal with Snapdragon audio? I don’t quite follow :laughing:

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Snapdragon in this instance links to my choice of mobile (Samsung) which happens to use a Snapdragon chipset that is capable of aptX Lossless, but Android O/S and Samsung codec thinks otherwise, so whatever HiRes you think you are getting with Android you are not.

So i needed Snapdragon 3 things in the end to get proper wireless lossless.

  1. Mobile using Snapdragon, lossless capable chipset
  2. Earbuds capable of working with aptX Lossless
  3. USB Audio Player APP, to ensure Android/Samsung O/C and codecs are bypassed.
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Ah I see :+1:

I was happy enough with the LDAC connection, which was a good step up on all the other codec (at the time). HD music I ignored, but by your post it seems likes it’s slowly becoming a reality.

I must say my B&O E8 sound decent enough and more importantly, are more comfortable than the XM4’s.

I don’t do a commute but have a Mojo2/Poly for headphone listening. It’s amazing but idiosyncratic!