What Is Bluetooth LE Audio? Which Devices Support It?

Bluetooth is now over 20 years old. And in between, this wireless tech has seen many different versions and upgrades. One of the most exciting versions is Bluetooth LE Audio, which has recently entered the consumer audio space.

That said, Bluetooth LE is nothing new. LE, which stands for Low Energy, was launched all the way back in 2011. And as the name suggests, Bluetooth LE enables wireless data transmission at a much lower energy consumption than the regular version. And the case is pretty much the same for LE Audio.

In simpler words, with Bluetooth LE Audio, you can stream audio wirelessly to devices without needing to worry much about battery life. The tech is tuned to consume as little energy as possible, allowing you to get a prolonged runtime out of the compatible devices.

But is that everything LE Audio is about? Not really! There’s much more that you should know about this exciting wireless tech.

What is Bluetooth LE Audio?

As mentioned earlier, Bluetooth LE Audio is a power-efficient way of transmitting music wirelessly from one device to another. Generally, the transmission happens between a smartphone and a wireless speaker or pair of wireless headphones.

The tech came to light in 2020. However, Bluetooth SIG, the organization behind Bluetooth, confirmed the spec of the LE Audio in July 2022. According to Bluetooth SIG, this Bluetooth tech is the “largest specification development project in the history of the Bluetooth SIG.”

Like discussed before, Bluetooth LE Audio is based on Bluetooth LE, which has been around for a long time. But the standard Bluetooth LE is only best for operations where a wireless connection is needed for a brief amount of time. And it performs best when you are transferring a small amount of data wirelessly.

On the other hand, Bluetooth LE Audio is built with audio in mind. This makes the wireless tech best suited for playing music from a source to a compatible audio device.

The Benefits of Bluetooth LE Audio

Bluetooth LE Audio is a format and it requires a new audio codec. Meet the LC3 codec, which abbreviates to Low Complexity Communication Codec. This codec standardizes how the device should transmit audio signals through Bluetooth LE. But what are the benefits? Let’s go through them one by one.

Better Sound Than Regular Codec

The classic Bluetooth version utilizes SBC by default. In comparison, the LC3 codec that LE Audio brings offers better audio quality than the SBC. According to Bluetooth SIG, the SBC codec can encode 1.5 Mbps of audio stream to a 345 Kbps stream.

On the other hand, Bluetooth LE Audio can compress it even lower, at 160 Kbps. In other words, SBC takes higher bandwidth than LC3 codec. Now, this means that there will be lower bitrate too.

However, as Bluetooth SIG quotes, the listening test from LE Audio made the audio sound better than the classic Bluetooth codec.

Better Battery Life and Audio Latency

As Bluetooth LE Audio is more power efficient, it should help you get more runtime out of the audio devices. And that’s applicable for both the source and the audio device.

What’s more important is that LE Audio lowers the audio latency of the wireless stream. According to Bluetooth SIG, the latency is between 20 to 30ms. In comparison, the SBC codec operates between 170 to 270 ms. That’s a massive difference. But why does the audio latency matter?

Lower audio latency results in a better audio experience. When the latency is extremely low, you hear the sound right when the source is transmitting it.

As a result, there are fewer lip sync issues when you are watching a TV show, for example. It is also an important feature for gamers, as low audio latency is important for competitive games.

No Licensing Fees

There exist audio solutions that offer lower latency and better audio than classic Bluetooth. For example, you have aptX from Qualcomm. But to integrate those solutions, manufacturers need to pay licensing fees, which eventually translate to the final price tag of the product.

On the other hand, Bluetooth LE Audio doesn’t require any licensing fees. That means manufacturers can integrate it into their products without paying anything to Bluetooth SIG. As you can guess, this means that compatible devices have lower price tags than devices with aptX.

Multiple Synchronized Data Streams on Bluetooth LE Audio

Bluetooth LE Audio also brings multiple synchronized data streams. What does this mean? It means that both of your wireless earbuds can connect wirelessly to your phone, offering you a True Wireless Stereo (TWS) effect.

Having both earbuds connected will result in a more reliable connection. This feature will also eliminate any sync issues that may occur between the right and left earbuds.

Other than that, LE Audio makes it possible to connect different sets of audio devices to one source. This means you can keep a wireless speaker and a pair of wireless headphones connected to your smartphone at the same time.

Better Range and Stability

Bluetooth LE Audio utilizes something called Periodic Advertising Enhancement. This makes the wireless tech sound better over long distances. Without this feature, Bluetooth devices need to send the same data multiple times just to make sure it’s delivered.

But with Periodic Advertising Enhancement, devices can check whether the data has been received, potentially increasing the battery life further and reducing the skipping, cutouts, and disconnection issues.

Which Devices Have Support for Bluetooth LE Audio?

One of the first criteria for Bluetooth LE Audio is Bluetooth 5.2 or above. But not all devices with Bluetooth 5.2 or higher will support LE Audio. Some will stick with the regular Bluetooth audio. For example, the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Pro 2 don’t come with it even though they have a modern Bluetooth chipset.

Also, to enjoy all that LE Audio has to offer, both the source and the audio device need to support it. For example, the tech will not work if your smartphone supports it, but the headphones don’t.