With just about every smartphone dropping the headphone jack in 2023, getting a good pair of wireless earphones is important. But it isn't an easy job, especially with the dozens of codecs and Bluetooth versions out there.
However, two of the most common standards, Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE, are still going strong. But which one's better when it comes to streaming audio?
What Is Bluetooth Classic?
Bluetooth Classic is the original version of Bluetooth technology that was announced all the way back in 1999. It was originally designed for high-bandwidth, wireless data transfer applications, including streaming audio.
Bluetooth uses the 2.4GHz ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) band with a maximum data transfer rate of 3Mbps. In terms of range, you can expect up to 100 meters given a clear line of sight.
When it comes to audio streaming, Bluetooth Classic uses a codec called SBC (low complexity Subband Codec). It supports mono and stereo streams and sampling frequencies up to 48kHz. The maximum bitrate on the SBC codec is 320kbps for mono and 512kbps for stereo streams.
Overall, SBC is a stable codec supported on every device using the A2DP standard. If you have a pair of Bluetooth headphones and the manufacturer didn't specify a codec or Bluetooth version, chances are they're using SBC.
What Is Bluetooth LE?
In 2013, the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) adopted Bluetooth 4.0 while also introducing an optional LE (Low Energy) version which went on to be known as Bluetooth LE or BLE. It's a low-powered version of Bluetooth designed for devices where battery life is at a premium.
It also runs on the 2.4GHz spectrum, and while it maintains roughly the same range as Bluetooth Classic, it does drop the data transfer rate to a maximum of 1Mbps. Now while that might not sound like much when compared to Bluetooth Classic, this is where LC3 (Low Complexity Communication Codec) steps in to save the day.
It's important not to confuse Bluetooth LE and Bluetooth LE Audio. Since we're talking about audio streaming, we'll deal with the latter. Bluetooth LE Audio was announced at CES 2020 alongside LC3, which brought major improvements to audio quality, connectivity, and functionality.
These advantages arise from the technical properties of LC3. For example, it supports a wide range of usable bitrates, bit depths of 16, 24, and 32 bits, unlimited channels, and sampling rates of 8, 16, 24, 32, 44.1, and 48 kHz.
Should You Pick Bluetooth Classic or LE?
When it comes to audio, we're more concerned with the codec instead of the Bluetooth version. Since modern versions support better, more optimized codecs, they result in wireless devices that sound better.
As mentioned, Bluetooth LE uses the LC3 codec compared to Bluetooth Classic's SBC. LC3 is the superior codec and is meant to succeed SBC as the default Bluetooth codec, thanks to its numerous advantages. In terms of perceived difference, Bluetooth SIG claims that LC3 sounds perceivably better than SBC at the same or even lower data rates.
Bluetooth Classic vs. Bluetooth LE: Which Has Better Audio Quality?
As the name suggests, Bluetooth LE Audio provides better battery life and longer standby times. That said, it can also produce better audio quality using the same data rate as SBC.
To put it in numbers, Bluetooth Classic's SBC codec usually encodes a 1.5Mbps audio stream to a 345Kbps stream. Bluetooth LE Audio and, by extension, LC3, can compress the same stream at 160Kbps, claiming better audio quality.
Bluetooth LE Audio can send multiple audio streams to and from an audio source. This has an obvious advantage for truly wireless earbuds. When using Bluetooth LE Audio, truly wireless earbuds can connect individually to your phone and receive audio simultaneously, instead of your phone connecting to one bud, which then relays the audio signal to another.
This has two major benefits resulting in better stereo imaging and less latency, roughly 20 to 30 ms, as compared to Bluetooth Classic's usual 100 to 200 ms. Further benefits include making voice assistants and switching between audio sources more seamless.
What About Quality of Life Improvements?
Strangely enough, the quality of life improvements and additional features that Bluetooth LE Audio brings to the table make it better for audio streaming.
A major benefit of using Bluetooth LE Audio is its better packet loss handling. This means audio sounds better when receiving a shoddy signal due to distance from the source device or external interference.
Another useful feature that you get with Bluetooth LE Audio is a feature called Auracast. Auracast gives audio source devices the ability to send multiple streams to an unlimited number of audio receiver devices. So, for example, you can share Bluetooth audio with a nearby friend, connect to the TV in your gym without affecting other connections or even play audio in a theatre straight into the moviegoers' headphones.
The battery life improvements that Bluetooth LE Audio brings will also be massively helpful for budget devices, which often have much worse battery lives than higher-end wireless audio products.
Finally, Bluetooth LE Audio also adds support for hearing aids and implants for better quality hearing aids that last longer per charge and deliver better audio with lower latencies. These hearing aids can also double up as wireless headsets powered by all the advantages that LC3 offers.
Pricing Differences Between Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth LE Audio
Before Bluetooth LE Audio hit the market, vendors had to either pay a licensing fee or use proprietary tech to provide Bluetooth audio that would qualify as Hi-Res audio, that is, greater than 48kHz with a bit depth greater than 16 bit.
While these proprietary codecs do make wireless headphones and earbuds sound better and introduce additional features such as lower latency, they come at a cost that is often passed down to the buyer. It's for this reason that Certified Hi-Res Audio equipment is often priced higher.
Bluetooth LE Audio gives manufacturers access to up to 48kHz, 32-bit audio at bit rates ranging between 16 to 425Kbps without paying licensing fees. This means better-sounding wireless headphones and earbuds become cheaper as the cost reduction is passed down to the shoppers.
Wireless Is the Future
In a world where portless phones might end up being a reality, Bluetooth LE Audio aims to make wireless audio devices sound better, last longer, be more accessible, and be cheaper, all at the same time.
While Bluetooth Classic and the SBC codec had their days in the spotlight and did lay a solid foundation for Bluetooth standards going forward, Bluetooth LE Audio and LC3 are the future when it comes to wireless Bluetooth audio devices.
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