Is high quality Bluetooth audio broken on the Pixel 4 / 4XL?

neil74

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I have a 4XL and have noticed that it is not possible to change the Bluetooth settings under developer settings. For example I have Sony WH1000 M3s and it defaults to system default for codec and ‘Best Effort’ for LDAC settings, when I change both settings it does not stick.

My understanding is that on Pixels (well for the Pixel 3 at least) that best effort results in a lower bitrate than SBC?

Anybody else noticed this?
 

neil74

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Set to LDAC and set to focus on AUD quality in the app.

Tried playing with the sample rate and bits per sample as per somebody else's suggestion but no change.
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jlp0209

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I have a 4XL and have noticed that it is not possible to change the Bluetooth settings under developer settings. For example I have Sony WH1000 M3s and it defaults to system default for codec and ‘Best Effort’ for LDAC settings, when I change both settings it does not stick.

My understanding is that on Pixels (well for the Pixel 3 at least) that best effort results in a lower bitrate than SBC?

Anybody else noticed this?

I experienced this on my Pixel 3a when I updated it to Android 10. I've since sold it, and sold my Sony M3's as well. I previously had a Samsung S10e and S10+, and the phones could not play LDAC at the highest quality setting (on Android Pie). It drove me nuts when I had those headphones. My M3's worked perfectly with a OnePlus 7 Pro at highest LDAC setting and always defaulted to that.

If someone can test this using headphones that default to AptX HD we should know whether it is an LDAC issue or Android issue. Could be both and impossible to figure out...

I've been using my AirPods Pro with my Pixel 4 XL and it defaults to AAC automatically, for what that's worth. My next over-ears will not be LDAC.
 

neil74

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I think the issue is slightly different on the pixel, on the Samsung you can change the codec and the quality but it resets back every time you disconnect. On the pixel you cannot change it at all.

I'd be interested to see some aptx-hd headphones too, would also be interested to know for sure if the pixel 4 drops to 330 on best effort like the 3 does. Does not seem to be a way to test
 

Mike Dee

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I think the issue is slightly different on the pixel, on the Samsung you can change the codec and the quality but it resets back every time you disconnect. On the pixel you cannot change it at all.

I'd be interested to see some aptx-hd headphones too, would also be interested to know for sure if the pixel 4 drops to 330 on best effort like the 3 does. Does not seem to be a way to test
On my Note10+ unlocked model I can select 990 and it stays until disconnected but its choppy and not useable. I can run 660 and it's fine which I assume it's doing under best effort. In event, I get decent sound with the WH1000XM3s but it would be nice if Sony and Google ironed out the issues.
 

mustang7757

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The only one I can change on my pixel 4xl is Bluetooth version the rest will stay on default after changing
 

SupraLB

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On my Note10+ unlocked model I can select 990 and it stays until disconnected but its choppy and not useable. I can run 660 and it's fine which I assume it's doing under best effort. In event, I get decent sound with the WH1000XM3s but it would be nice if Sony and Google ironed out the issues.

Same thing on my Samsung Tablet S6 on Android 9. But its not choppy, works fine. The LDAC resets after each connection to Best effort, but I notice the Sample rate and bits remain on highest setting. On my Pixel 3, those also get bumped down to lowest setting after disconnect.
 

Mike Dee

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Same thing on my Samsung Tablet S6 on Android 9. But its not choppy, works fine. The LDAC resets after each connection to Best effort, but I notice the Sample rate and bits remain on highest setting. On my Pixel 3, those also get bumped down to lowest setting after disconnect.
I also read somewhere that's LDAC is not as hi-res as Sony makes it out to be...surprise, surprise.....but overall I still think it's the best we can get. It's not quite wired sound but it's pretty damn good.
 

SupraLB

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I also read somewhere that's LDAC is not as hi-res as Sony makes it out to be...surprise, surprise.....but overall I still think it's the best we can get. It's not quite wired sound but it's pretty damn good.

I just figured out Spotify is 320kbs in its highest quality setting, so perhaps thats why it defaults to Best Effort. Both my devices just default to its source material I presume, which makes sense. I don't have any true high res sources to try. I have YouTube Music and Google Play but never use them, but I read they are even lower kbs.

But like you said its still very good quality. Especially with noise canceling.
 

Mike Dee

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I just figured out Spotify is 320kbs in its highest quality setting, so perhaps thats why it defaults to Best Effort. Both my devices just default to its source material I presume, which makes sense. I don't have any true high res sources to try. I have YouTube Music and Google Play but never use them, but I read they are even lower kbs.

But like you said its still very good quality. Especially with noise canceling.
I believe it does the same thing with FLAC files, but I'll have to double check.
 

Mike Dee

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If the pixel 4 best effort is the same as the 3 then soundguys tested it as worse than SBC, so this is not a good thing.
What do your ears tell you?
I dont know what Pixel 4 sounds like, but I had the 3XL when it first came out along with the WH1000XM3 and the sound was pretty good, not as good as my wired headset, but good considering it was bluetooth. I currently use the WH1000XM3s with the Note10+ and S10+ and the sound is excellent....I'll try them hardwired later because I don't have a dongle with me for a comparison.
 

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