100£ BT earbuds vs 50£ BT AptX earbuds ?

razorree · 28 Sep 2018 at 13:31

Hi,
Some time ago you could find AptX only in more expensive headphones, and tests were saying it improves quality a lot.
Nowadays i can see AptX in earbuds even in 30-40£ range.
So it's a bit theoretical question (with prices just for example). What's the point of buying expensive (like >100£) Bluetooth headphones without AptX ?

i have these thoughts, because i want to buy BT earbuds to listen to some music in a gym or during walks, so i guess i don't need super expensive stuff for that (not a perfect environment).

for listening at home or office i use my phone + Cyrus Soundkey DAC.

jpaul · 29 Sep 2018 at 11:29

Aptx chips are cheap now, and if anything represent additional power consumption for host device encoding.

Are better off getting a BT device that accepts high 256Kb/s aac sound, so can send original music without re-encoding from host device
(ie not via system sound mixer) and it would sound better.
eg. https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/79wsfr/google_is_adding_aac_bluetooth_audio_codec_for/

So APtx is not an important considertaion and, like a home DAC, would purchase on the basis of other criteria - dac quality and, most importantly for ear buds the bud design/drivers.

razorree · 1 Oct 2018 at 09:21

yes, maybe would be better even for AAC - but they cost even more (Sennheiser momentum free - 150£), that's why i wanted to talk about cheapr options.

So what's better? cheaper earbuds with AptX ? or more expensive but without?
and maybe what's the point in buying expensive ones without AptX/AAC if they're 'inherently poor'

jpaul · 1 Oct 2018 at 23:42

maybe go with suggestions here ? so neither aac nor aptx
https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/spec-me-some-good-earbuds-for-gym.18805152/page-3

razorree · 18 Oct 2018 at 12:32

it's not about aac or aptx.
it's a bit theoretical question.

is there a point of buying, let's say >100£ earbuds without aptx/aac if they are inherently worse than something with aptx/aac? (even for 50£ ? )

but i guess it looks like that, because you can still find a lot of old models (>2y old) on amazon etc., and most audio manufactures have new models with aptx/aac.

for example
Bose QuietControl 30 Noise bluetooth - 250£ ... no AptX/AAC
will earbuds for 100£ but with AAC/AptX (supported by phone) play better? (noise cancelling disabled)