When choosing a new phone, audiophiles worry about selecting a terminal with good audio equipment that reproduces audio with the highest quality and fidelity possible. In this choice there is a technology that plays a great role, aptX HD, as it intervenes for significantly improve the sound of the equipment when it is wireless.
Introduced by Qualcomm in 2018, aptX HD audio technology is already present in dozens of terminals on the market. In this guide we explain in depth what is aptx HD technology and what is it for, what are the differences between it and aptX and which phones you can currently buy with aptx HD. Let's go there!
What is aptX and what is it for?
aptX is a compression algorithm developed by Qualcomm to transmit audio in the best possible quality in the limited bandwidth of a Bluetooth connection, i.e. so that the audio quality is the best when it is transmitted wirelessly.
What aptX actually does is compress and then decompress the audio as it travels between a source device - mobile phone - and a receiving device - wireless headphones - so that audio can be transmitted via Bluetooth without being damaged, as explained on the aptX website.
AptX HD audio technology enhances the sound of your mobile.
In this way, aptX audio technology allows you to listen to music with your wireless headphones or speakers with the highest possible quality. This statement helps us confirm that no, it is not true that wireless headphones reduce sound quality.
Created in the early 90s at Queen's University in Belfast, this audio codec has received new variations throughout its history. So now we can talk about aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive and aptX Low Latency. We know the differences between the two most important types of aptX.
What are the differences between aptX HD and aptX?
AptX HD audio technology allows you to enjoy music in the best quality.
As we said, aptx technology was born in the early 90s. Specifically, this compression algorithm is able to transmit audio with a quality of 16 bit / 48 kHz, with a bit rate of 384 kbps.
Time has passed and Qualcomm researchers have continued to work on this codec to improve it. 2016 has arrived and we have learned of the existence of aptX HD technology, capable of transmitting audio with a quality of 24 bit / 48 kHz and a bit rate of 576 Kbit. This technology also manages to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, which results in a less background noise when transmitting audio.
Furthermore, aptX HD technology was developed with a lower total harmonic distortion (THD) to listen to music without interference. Ultimately, the aptX HD compression algorithm enables better quality wireless audio transmission, with less background noise and less interference than aptX technology.
Which phones have aptX HD?
There are more than one hundred mobile phones equipped with aptX HD technology to offer the user the best possible quality when listening to music with their wireless audio devices. We quote some of the most important models in the following list:
- ASUS Rog Phone 3
- One Plus 8 / One Plus 8 Pro
- OnePlus North
- Sony Xperia 1II
- Sony Xperia 5II
- Xiaomi Mi Note 10 / Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Pro
- Huawei P30 / Huawei P30 Pro
We see brands like Xiaomi, Huawei or OnePlus betting on aptX HD technology for some of their newest phones. To get to know the rest of smartphones with this compression algorithm created by Qualcomm, go to the aptX website.
How to enable aptX audio on compatible mobiles
Before saying goodbye, please activate this audio codec on your phone if it is compatible. To do this, follow these steps:
- Enter the settings of the mobile
- Enable Android Developer Options.
- In the developer menu, look for the section «Codec audio Bluetooth» e seleziona l'opzione «Qualcomm aptX HD Audio».
Ready, now you can enjoy the best sound quality when listening to music wirelessly.
