Bluetooth audio bitrates (sort of)

So I'm doing some audio work on my car and my home and I know what I want for speakers and receivers and blah blah blah

My question is really more theory than anything else

First my assumption is that if I'm using an iPhone 6s for music stored on the device (such as FLAC albums) USB would be the PREFERRED connection for audio quality

My question is since I'm not going to be using cds or a computer is there any issue in audio quality loss over USB (I wouldn't think so as FLAC is supposed to be lossless and digital) but is bluetooth compression going to hurt the audio quality enough for me to require to run USB over using bluetooth?

I know this is kind of vague just let me know what I can clarify

xCWolf said:

So I'm doing some audio work on my car and my home and I know what I want for speakers and receivers and blah blah blah

My question is really more theory than anything else

First my assumption is that if I'm using an iPhone 6s for music stored on the device (such as FLAC albums) USB would be the PREFERRED connection for audio quality

My question is since I'm not going to be using cds or a computer is there any issue in audio quality loss over USB (I wouldn't think so as FLAC is supposed to be lossless and digital) but is bluetooth compression going to hurt the audio quality enough for me to require to run USB over using bluetooth?

I know this is kind of vague just let me know what I can clarify

Click to expand...

It's fairly simple to test it yourself. If you can't hear the difference it's no problem.

Most Bluetooth hardware nowadays and for maybe the past 4-5 years have utilized the aptX codec which pretty much covers everything in terms of the frequency response so, as B00nie just stated bitrates are not really what matters at all: if it sounds ok to you, then that's what counts.

Well, if you're going USB in to a dashboard receiver, USB is sending an all-digital signal (D/D) ... the dashboard is doing the D/A conversion. Depending on the company that made your unit, that DAC may not be nearly as good as the one in the iPhone. If that's the case, most dashboard units accept an AUX in, but this can be a problem as well, as there is a chance the unit will reconvert that analog signal so it can use DSP like EQ... the chain could be D/A/A/D, and then you are not only still using the unit's DAC you were trying to get away from, but also the unit's A/D conversion, which I will tell you right now is not going to be very good. If there's a way to find out the Aux is a direct A/A chain you can ignore this...

Really, though, listening is going to be your best bet. And since this is an automobile, its very much about convenience. My new Accord does USB, Bluetooth, and AUX, and I can say that the Aux is the best sounding to me on high quality source material (I even went iphone->iDSD DAC->Aux In), but the convenience of Bluetooth's auto-play handling and all that trumps those little gains. Also, I mostly just listen to HD radio, and the somewhat more prominent bass and rounding off of high frequencies that I hear the bluetooth doing actually makes the local channel more listenable, as there's way too much high-end with their feed in the first place.

I understand that listening to it would be the best course of action, the problem is I don't know what technology I'm going to set up the new stuff with as I don't have it yet and therefor cannot yet listen to it.

Tiberian said:

Most Bluetooth hardware nowadays and for maybe the past 4-5 years have utilized the aptX codec which pretty much covers everything in terms of the frequency response so, as B00nie just stated bitrates are not really what matters at all: if it sounds ok to you, then that's what counts.

Click to expand...

Except OP said using his iPhone 6s and iPhones do not support aptX.

Didn't catch that in the OP, my mistake. Apple's loss and their customers too I suppose but since Qualcomm owns aptX now that's probably part of the reason - Apple just doesn't want to have to rely on Qualcomm for anything at all anymore.

Some discussion on the subject: iPhone 6 & 6 Plus Audio Quality - Page 18

xCWolf said:

So I'm doing some audio work on my car and my home and I know what I want for speakers and receivers and blah blah blah

My question is really more theory than anything else

First my assumption is that if I'm using an iPhone 6s for music stored on the device (such as FLAC albums) USB would be the PREFERRED connection for audio quality

My question is since I'm not going to be using cds or a computer is there any issue in audio quality loss over USB (I wouldn't think so as FLAC is supposed to be lossless and digital) but is bluetooth compression going to hurt the audio quality enough for me to require to run USB over using bluetooth?

I know this is kind of vague just let me know what I can clarify

Click to expand...

Some of the Zapco amplifiers have Bluetooth receivers in them. Of course other manufacturers like RE Audio have them built into their amps also.

Pioneer makes a really nice headunit with Bluetooth called the DEH-80PRS. It has most of the average audiophile's checklist included. Fully active crossovers built into the unit are awesome. Amazon link.

Burr-Brown® 24-bit D/A Converters: Three Burr-Brown digital to analog converters are used - one each for the high, mid, and low frequency ranges - providing exceptional linear sound reproduction with wide dynamic range and faithful reproduction of the original source.

28-bit Binary Floating-Point DSP: Handling a wider range of complicated calculations than a standard fixed-point DSP, Pioneer's 28-bit binary floating-point DSP along with the use of advanced programming technology allows for highly precise sound processing and tuning without degrading the source's digital signal.

3-Way Digital Network: The DEH-80PRS features a 3-Way Digital Network, connecting (via three 5V RCA preouts) up to three external amplifiers, each dedicated to driving high-, mid- and low-frequency ranges, respectively. The result: more distinct separation of the three frequency ranges, for more full, natural sound realizing more of each speaker’s potential in a multi-speaker system.

L/R Independent 16-Band Digital Equalizer: The L/R Independent 16-Band Digital Equalizer is excellent at overcoming in-vehicle frequency response peaks and troughs. With fine tuning adjustments at 2/3 octave steps, tailoring the frequency curves to generate a flat response is possible in any type of car.

Auto Time Alignment and Auto EQ: Time alignment automatically estimates the delay from each speaker to the driver’s position and adjusts speaker sound output timing, so that sound from all speakers reaches the driver’s ears in perfect sync. Auto EQ tailors specific musical characteristics according to preference, uses a microphone to monitor and analyze acoustics, then automatically fine-tunes all frequency bandwidths and front and rear speaker digital parametric equalization. These processes occur in 399 seamless steps in just about 6 minutes and 30 seconds.

Time Alignment: Not only can this function precisely adjust each speaker’s output timing according to its distance from the listening position – it is also adaptable to a 3-way multi-amplifier and speaker system.

Then there is the iPad dash kits. Drop one into your dash. Lot more work though and you can just hide the radio in the cavity behind the iPad or elsewhere.
Soundman iPad Kits and Merch

I know you said that you picked your parts out already. Just thought you'd like to see some more products out there that you may have missed. Mind posting some of the stuff you are incorporating into your system? I think I like car stereo way more that I love a PC.

cageymaru

I haven't picked out too much yet though for the car I was looking at a DDIN like the avh-4200nex for apple carplay and kicker QS 6.5's for the car.
Subs I'm super torn about as I want good audio but I don't want to see any of the subs. Amps not sure what I'm getting yet but I have a ton of room to put those under the rear seats. (wish the subs would fit there)

Home theater I'm pretty sure I'm keeping the receiver I have (pioneer sc-25) and my rears (def tech bi-pole) and center channel (martin logan motion 8) and I'm going to replace my old polk bookshelves with motion 20/40 depending on how much of a difference there is If I can't really tell I'm not spending more on the 40's sub I have a def tech supercube but no idea if I'm keeping it yet.