SBC vs AAC: Which Audio Codec Should You Use on Android?
If you use Bluetooth headphones, you've probably come across these two names: SBC and AAC. They're two of the most popular audio codecs and compete with alternatives like AptX and LDAC.
Nowadays, practically any decent TWS headphone supports both SBC and AAC, not to mention Android compatibility. However, you may wonder which one offers better sound quality. That’s what we’re going to tell you in this article, where we’ll clear up your doubts about the differences between SBC and AAC on Android, as well as tell you which one is better.
-What is Bluetooth audio codec?
Not to be too technical, a codec is basically a compression and decompression algorithm that the Bluetooth protocol uses when transmitting audio between two or more devices. Its goal? It tries to reduce the data size as much as possible, without losing much quality, in order to provide faster transmission over a protocol with a very limited bandwidth (although it is improving).
Data compression and transfer are especially important when we are talking about high-quality audio, when watching videos and when playing games (all with Bluetooth headphones). The reason? Simple: slow transfer will cause a delay between sound and images; in addition, if the compression is excessive, it can lead to noise or hearing impairment.
Now that you know that, let's move on to the next step: which is SBC and which is AAC, because each codec is different and has its own advantages and disadvantages, even the most popular and widespread.
Differences, advantages and disadvantages between SBC and SBC.
- SBC (Subband Codec) is the default audio codec for Bluetooth streaming, so all devices include it. It has a bit rate of 240 to 328 kbps and a quality of up to 16 bits at 48 kHz, but the latency is limited for certain uses.
- Features: Very high compatibility and sound quality suitable for casual listening.
Cons: It's an old standard, doesn't take advantage of modern hardware, the sound is flat, doesn't support lossless high-resolution audio, and has a high response time (especially when watching videos or playing games).
- For its part, AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is a newer compression codec, superior to SBC and the current standard for transmitting audio over the Internet. In fact, YouTube and Apple Music use it by default, and it is the same with all Apple devices. Its bitrate is variable (VBR), depending on the need of the moment, but it moves between 160 and 448 kbps. Finally, its quality revolves around 16 bits @ 48 kHz, like SBC, but it can go up to 96 kHz.
- Pros: Better sound quality and volume, with clearer and more pronounced treble, as well as better instrument separation. More efficient audio compression, resulting in smaller files with very little loss of quality.
- Cons: Still a lossy codec (although minimal), has a higher power demand due to the complexity of its algorithm, and its latency is not the best either (especially on Android).
- SBC and AAC, which is better on the system?
As you will see, AAC is a codec that outperforms the old SBC in almost every way, and the latter’s only strong point is its high compatibility. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind that you probably already know.
The first is the Bluetooth devices you use to listen to the audio. When using an old or cheap cell phone, speaker, or headset, you won’t notice any difference between SBC and AAC. The reason? The limitations of the hardware you’re using, so don’t expect much difference if you’re not using high-quality devices.