Integrate LDAC Codec into Bluesound Players and Amps

Hello Bluesound Team,

I am proposing a technical enhancement for Bluesound players: integrating Sony's LDAC codec. This aims to improve wireless audio performance for both reception and transmission capabilities.

Part 1: High-Resolution Audio Reception via LDAC (Optional Add-on)

Current Bluetooth codecs (SBC, AAC, aptX) can limit bandwidth for high-resolution audio streams from mobile devices.

• Technical Benefit: LDAC supports audio transmission up to 24-bit/96 kHz at 990 kbps via Bluetooth. This would enable Bluesound systems to receive high-resolution audio streams directly from LDAC-compatible sources (e.g., Android smartphones).

• Licensing Consideration: The LDAC decoder requires a license from Sony. To address this, I suggest offering this functionality as an optional, paid software add-on. This approach would allow users who require this specific capability to access it, without impacting the base cost of devices for all users.

Part 2: Audio Transmission to Compatible Headphones via LDAC

Bluesound players currently transmit Bluetooth audio to headphones. Integrating LDAC for this transmission function would enhance this existing capability.

• Technical Detail: The LDAC encoder is open-source (integrated into Android AOSP). This means there are no licensing costs associated with transmitting LDAC streams.

• Expected Implementation: Transmitting audio to an LDAC-compatible headset via a Bluesound player would provide higher audio fidelity compared to standard Bluetooth codecs. For scenarios such as TV audio listening, this would optimize the transmitted audio quality to the headset, aligning with the performance expectations of a high-fidelity device.

Conclusion

Integrating LDAC, encompassing both licensed decoding and direct encoding implementation, represents a relevant technical evolution for Bluesound players. This would further support Bluesound's position in high-fidelity audio within wireless ecosystems.

I would appreciate your technical evaluation of this proposal.