We are on the cusp of the new, better generation of Bluetooth audio. Bluetooth LE Audio promises to use less power, but can also dramatically increase audio quality, including support for Hi-Res Audio (or close to it). There’s one catch: while more and more headphones are appearing that support LE Audio (like the Technics EAH-AZ80 and Earfun Air Pro 3), few devices can actually ship it.
But Creative has a solution for that: the company will be launching a number of Bluetooth LE Audio USB-C adapters in the near future that can connect to devices like laptops to enable the higher-quality and more reliable wireless technology on those devices.
The adapters are already available in bundles with Creative’s new wireless headphones, which tend to be more focused on gaming, as is usual with Creative. But Creative has confirmed that the adapters will be sold separately, but there’s no price or exact release date.
The one to keep an eye on is the miniature Creative BT-L3 – this is available in a bundle with the Creative Zen Hybrid Pro cans, plus a boom microphone. That bundle costs $129 / £119 (about AU$230), while the Zen Hybrid Pro headphones alone cost $99 / £89, so we can assume a price of around $30-40 for the adapter alone.
There’s also the BT-L4, which is slightly larger, but the main difference here seems to be the support for Creative’s SXFI spatial audio technology, which is obviously only relevant to other Creative products.
These are the first publicly available Bluetooth LE Audio dongles that I know of (Qualcomm previously showed off a concept version), and they solve the big problem that LE Audio enthusiasts (me) have had: the severe lack of support.
I want my… I want my LC3
Bluetooth LE Audio and the LC3 codec that powers it are designed to do three things: use less power with the same audio quality we have today, connect more reliably even during interference, and provide the possibility of much higher quality music streaming, more like aptX or LDAC.
Slowly but surely, the best wireless headphones and best wireless earbuds are starting to support Bluetooth LE Audio. I already mentioned options from Earfun and Technics, and the Sony WF-1000XM5, a notable addition to the selection. And many more earbuds have the right equipment and may be able to add support via a software update.
But it’s all pointless if nothing LE Audio can actually ship to them. Again, many phones have the right hardware, but it’s not enabled. Android technically supports it, but it’s hidden in a developer menu, meaning no one turns it on. And Apple didn’t say anything about it coming in iOS 17, so we might have to wait until late 2024 at the earliest before we get it on iPhones.
Windows has only just added support for LE Audio, so it depends on whether your Bluetooth hardware supports it, and there’s predictably nothing to say about it on the Mac.
So the arrival of this USB-C connection will be fantastic for those who want to take advantage of the next generation of wireless technology and improved audio quality from the best music streaming services.