LDAC is Sony's high-bitrate Bluetooth codec: 990 kbps maximum, switching automatically among 330, 660 and 990 kbps modes. It is a certified codec of the Hi-Res Audio Wireless program at 990 kbps, ships inside Android 8.0 and newer, and measures about 324 ms of lag in independent testing, so it is a quality-first codec; film and gaming want a low-latency chain. iOS and Windows do not encode it natively.
Figures on this page were checked September 2026. Every table row carries its source and access date.
Spec summary
LDAC is Sony's own Bluetooth transmission codec, documented on Sony's LDAC developer site and distributed as software, which is why Sony lists compatibility across so many device categories.
| Field | Value | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Sony | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
| Type | Software codec (broad device compatibility) | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
| Maximum bitrate | 990 kbps | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
| Bitrate modes | 330 / 660 / 990 kbps, automatic switching | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
| Certification | Certified codec of Hi-Res Audio Wireless; meets the logo requirement at 990 kbps | Sony LDAC site + JAS definition (logo in effect since 2018-11-28), 2026-09-21 |
| OS inclusion | Ships in the Android Open Source Project (libldac) | Sony LDAC site + AOSP repository, 2026-09-21 |
| Licensing | Free for phone makers through AOSP; product implementation requires a Sony license (SNK) | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
| Against typical SBC | About 3x the payload of a 328 kbps stream at 44.1 kHz | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
The Hi-Res Audio Wireless program defines its device requirements around 96 kHz/24-bit digital chains, and a codec earns the logo only after listing in the program; Sony states the 990 kbps mode is what satisfies that requirement.
Bitrate modes and real-world behavior
| Mode | Payload | Behavior | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|---|
| 990 kbps | Highest | Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification threshold at this mode | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
| 660 kbps | Middle | Middle step of the three-mode ladder | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
| 330 kbps | Low | Stability floor; comparable to a typical SBC payload | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
Switching is automatic. Sony's documentation describes the codec as controlling bitrate against network conditions to hold a stable connection in harsh radio environments, so a given link moves between modes on its own. Android's developer options expose a quality preference on many builds, but it works as a best-effort hint and the link still adapts; the fastest way to see what a link negotiated is to read that menu live. The cross-codec rate view is our bitrate bench. The practical consequence: a stream that starts at 990 kbps can drop modes when the air gets busy, and it climbs back when conditions allow.
Measured latency
| Metric | Measured | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| Phone-to-headphone lag | 324 ms average across four Android phones | SoundGuys (receiver + instrumentation rig), published 2021-03, accessed 2026-09-21 |
| Variance at 990 kbps | High; some devices swung widely at the top mode | SoundGuys, accessed 2026-09-21 |
| Device-to-device consistency | Consistent results across Sony WH-1000XM3/XM4/XM5 | RTINGS latency research, accessed 2026-09-21 |
The 324 ms figure comes from one measurement program, so read it as a magnitude and expect swing between devices. Its placement is unambiguous though: LDAC sits in the same lag class as SBC and aptX, far from the video-sync territory of low-latency chains. For film and gaming use, the low-latency picks in our Bluetooth audio delay guide beat any high-bitrate mode. The cross-codec view of these numbers lives in our latency bench.
Device and OS support
| Platform / device | LDAC support | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| Android phones | Yes; encoder ships in AOSP, in user hands since Android 8.0 (2017) | AOSP repository + Sony LDAC site; version per SoundGuys codec overview, 2026-09-21 |
| iPhone / iPad | No; Apple licenses SBC and AAC only | SoundGuys codec support article + our iPhone codec page, 2026-09-21 |
| Windows PCs | No native encoder; support depends on third-party drivers | Microsoft Learn Q&A on Windows 11 codec support, 2026-09-21 |
| Sony headphones, speakers/home theatre, automotive and smartphones | Yes; native categories on Sony's LDAC compatible-products list | Sony LDAC site, 2026-09-21 |
| Third-party Bluetooth transmitters | Varies by model; check the codec list of the specific unit | General guidance, 2026-09-21 |
Pairing behavior
A link runs LDAC only when both ends advertise it. The source picks among the codecs a receiver supports, so an LDAC-rated receiver paired to an iPhone lands on AAC, and paired to a Windows box without extra drivers it lands on SBC. Music streaming quality follows the negotiated pair, not the better device in it. Per-model phone support lives in our iPhone codec compatibility page.
FAQ
No lossless claim exists for it. The 990 kbps maximum sits below the 1.4 Mbps raw data rate of CD audio, so data reduction happens on every stream. Sony positions LDAC on the Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification; it makes no bit-perfect claim, and whether the reduction is audible at 990 kbps stays a topic in measurement communities.
No. iPhones negotiate SBC and AAC only, so an LDAC-rated headphone or receiver falls back the moment the source is an iPhone. Our iPhone codec compatibility page has the per-model detail.
The codec changes bitrate automatically with radio conditions, so congestion pushes a 990 kbps stream down to 660 or 330 kbps for stability. Moving the transmitter into line of sight and clearing the 2.4 GHz band usually stops the downshifts; our Bluetooth audio delay guide covers the radio-side fixes.
For music with a full LDAC chain, the payload is about three times a typical SBC stream at 44.1 kHz, and that headroom is the entire point of the codec. With an iPhone as the source the question is moot, and for video the latency cost matters more than the bitrate advantage.
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- Sony LDAC developer site: max 990 kbps, 330/660/990 automatic modes, Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification at 990 kbps, AOSP contribution and SNK license, 3x SBC comparison. sony.net/Products/LDAC/, accessed 2026-09-21
- Japan Audio Society, Hi-Res Audio logo definition (incl. Hi-Res Audio Wireless, in effect since 2018-11-28): 96 kHz/24-bit digital chain requirements; wireless transmission via designated codecs. jas-audio.or.jp/hi-res/definition, accessed 2026-09-21
- Android Open Source Project, external/libldac repository (LDAC encoder ships in AOSP). android.googlesource.com/platform/external/libldac/, accessed 2026-09-21
- SoundGuys, "Android's Bluetooth latency needs a serious overhaul": LDAC 324 ms average across four Android phones, high variance at the 990 kbps setting; measured with a Bluetooth receiver and instrumentation, not headphones. soundguys.com/android-bluetooth-latency-22732/, accessed 2026-09-21
- RTINGS, "Test Bench 1.6: Latency R&D Article": LDAC results consistent across Sony WH-1000XM3/XM4/XM5. rtings.com/headphones/learn/research/latency, accessed 2026-09-21
- SoundGuys, "Understanding Bluetooth codecs": Android codec inclusion (LDAC in Android 8.0). soundguys.com/understanding-bluetooth-codecs-15352/, accessed 2026-09-21
- SoundGuys, Bluetooth codec support for headphones: "iPhones only support the AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs." soundguys.com/bluetooth-codec-support-headphones-61989, accessed 2026-09-21
- Microsoft Learn Q&A, Bluetooth codecs supported in Windows 11: LDAC not natively supported, requires special drivers. learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5560825/, accessed 2026-09-21