The problem with Sony WF-1000XM5's LC3 codec... (Sound and Latency Test)
Written by Aaron - 2nd Dec 2023
I’ve finally got the chance to test LE Audio on the Sony WF-1000XM5. LE Audio runs on LC3 codec, and according to Bluetooth SIG it gives you benefits like lower latency, better power consumption, and comparable sound quality (or better) compared to the regular SBC audio codecs. But is that really the case?
The truth is, even now, actually having access to LC3 is a problem. Not many devices support it, and even if they do, they only limit LC3 to specific hardware. For example, in order to access LC3 on the Sony WF-1000XM5, you need to use a recent Sony Xperia phone, at least the Xperia 1 IV or newer, running Android 13 or later.
Here I’m using the Xperia 5 V, with Android 13. And to activate LC3 LE Audio you have to go into the Sony Headphones Connect app’s System tab, and select LE Audio Priority. If you don’t see this option, this means, unfortunately, your phone doesn’t support it, or won’t support it with the XM5 earbuds.
That’s not all! You’ll have to unpair, then reconnect the buds to your phone in order for LE Audio to take effect. Note that even then, if you check in Android’s Developer’s settings you won’t see LC3 audio being marked. That’s okay, because the earbuds are using the LE Audio module of LC3, and that is reflected at the top bar of the Headphones Connect app.
So great! Now you can sit back enjoy LE Audio seamlessly, right? RIGHT?
No…
Because at this moment, if you activate LE Audio priority, the XM5 will not support multipoint pairing even if multipoint was activated before. Voice Assistants and Quick Access is also, well, inaccessible. But if you connect to other devices that don’t support LC3, the XM5 will resume normal operations on AAC, or LDAC codec.
So is LE Audio really worth losing those features, especially multipoint? How does it compare to simply running on the usual codecs?
Sound Quality
In terms of sound quality, you don’t really get any big improvement over AAC, only that the bass is maybe a bit more thick. Apart from that it does seen like AAC does retain more midrange detail, and sounds a bit less compressed.
Compared to LDAC, there is definitely more detail in the mids and highs on LDAC. In other words, it sounds almost identical to the most basic high compression codec, SBC. Have a listen to the samples.
Lower Latency?
I think where LE Audio has the advantage is in terms of latency. This is more useful for gaming because video apps have their own latency correction anyway, and when using a game to test the latency between the different codecs there is a pretty significant improvement indeed. Have a look.
Is LE Audio really an upgrade?
So as far as the Sony WF-1000XM5 is concerned, the most tangible benefit LE Audio has is, not in terms of sound, but lower latency when gaming. For me, this really isn’t a strong enough reason to switch over from the regular codecs because there are things I have to give up, such as multipoint, and we’re not able to tap into the full benefits of LC3 yet which involves Auracast streaming. As somebody who experienced that firsthand, that is the future of audio I’m waiting for. If you don’t know what Auracast is, watch this video.
As for the supposed improvements in power consumption, if there really is an improvement there, I will come back with another article, so check back on this space regularly.
