A Japanese Audio Brand Just Solved Your iPhone’s Biggest Hi-Fi Flaw

Most of today’s best wireless headphones and earbuds now support LDAC, a proprietary Bluetooth codec that allows them to stream the highest-resolution audio currently possible over Bluetooth.

For context, LDAC audio files have a max bitrate of up to 990 kbps, which is significantly higher than all other popular Bluetooth codecs, including AAC (up to 320kbps), aptX Lossless (up to 420 kbps), aptX Adaptive (up to 420 kbps) and aptX HD (up to 576 kbps).

The problem? iPhones notoriously don’t support LDAC and instead are limited to Apple’s Bluetooth codec, AAC, which has a substantially lower bitrate. So, even if you buy the best noise-canceling headphones, they won’t sound as good as they could because you’re streaming music from an iPhone.

The good news? There are affordable gadgets that add LDAC support to iPhones. Like this one from Acoustune.

Acoustune

Superior Bluetooth

Acoustune is a Japanese hi-fi brand that’s best known for its high-end in-ear monitors (IEMs), which range from $120 to $3,300. But now the company is catering to fans of wireless audio with the ATX001.

The ATX001 is a simple Bluetooth transmitter that plugs into your iPhone’s USB-C and adds support for LDAC and aptX Lossless codecs, both of which the iPhone doesn’t natively support.

The ATX001 works with a companion app that, when plugged into your iPhone and paired to your wireless headphones, allows you to facilitate the Bluetooth codec while streaming. Basically, it’s a workaround that fixes one of the iPhone’s most notorious hi-fi flaws.

Acoustune

Additionally, located on the bottom of the ATX001 is a USB-C port that supports pass-through charging. This way, you can charge your iPhone while also enjoying the ATX001’s high-resolution streaming.

This same USB-C port doubles as an audio jack for wired headphones. The ATX001 is integrated with a DAC that supports wired audio up to 24-bit/96kHz, which is better than what iPhones natively support, which is up to 24-bit/48kHz.

So, even though the ATX001 is really designed for superior wireless audio, it can upgrade your wired audio experience, too.

Acoustune

Availability and pricing

The Acoustune ATX001 is available now from the company’s website.

It costs $75.

Acoustune

Acoustune ATX001

• $75 at Acoustune

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