Major phone makers are knocking off the headphone jack, and that’s why wireless earphones are ‘the’ thing now. Over the years, Bluetooth technology has emerged with new advances to deliver immersive music experience, and one such example is aptX HD support for headphones.
The aptX HD compatible headphones provide two important elements: high-quality audio streaming and low latency. Add a high-quality music file to the mix, and you can truly immerse yourself singing the lyrics of your favorite songs.
If you are in the market looking for a pair of quality aptX HD headphones, you have come to the right place. In our post today, we have listed some of the best ones in the market.
Do note that we have not collected headphones that are not just aptX HD compatible but are also comfortable to wear and look good at the same time. But before we begin, let’s quickly go through the differences between aptX and aptX HD.
What’s the Difference Between aptX and aptX HD
As you may already know, codecs are basically encoding and decoding frameworks that are responsible for compressing audio into small data packets. And the quality of an audio track is determined by how this audio data is compressed. Thus a codec with lower bitrate means low quality while a codec with high bitrate translates into better audio.
SBC, the basic coding standard for most Bluetooth devices, has a maximum bit rate of around 328 kbps and a sampling rate of up to 48 kHz. Qualcomm’s aptX plays an altogether different game.
The aptX LL (lower latency) codec has a bit rate of 352 kbps, and aptX HD goes a step higher with a bit rate of 576 kbps. That allows more data to be moved thus raising the audio quality.
Now, that we have established the basics, let’s check out some of the best aptX HD headphones.
Note
: aptX HD compatible headphones shine better when paired with aptX HD supported device.
1. Sony WH-1000XM2 Noise Cancelling Headphones
Sony’s WH-1000XM2 over-ear headphones made their debut almost two years ago, and till date, they are considered one of the best headphones with aptX HD. The earcups are soft, and the headphones are comfortable to wear even when you have them on for a long time. Also, the outer cover has a neat control interface for track navigation for which you’ll have to spend some time to get familiar with the functions.
At the same time, the WH-1000XM2 has an excellent battery life of 30 hours with noise canceling. Plus, the noise cancellation is hits the right spot.
However, the Sony WH-1000XM2 headphones have a micro-USB port for charging. So, if your phone has a USB Type-C port, you’ll have to carry different cables for powering both your devices when traveling.
The Sony WH-1000XM2 costs $348 on Amazon, and are available in Gold and Black.
2. Sony WH-1000XM3 Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you are looking for an upgrade over the WH-1000XM2, you may want to check out the Sony WH-1000XM3. This new pair arrives with some cool features like Google Assistant integration, noise cancellation, and Quick Charge mode. Apart from the aptX HD support, these also support Sony’s proprietary LDAC Bluetooth codec. It comes with a USB-C charging port with fast charge capabilities.
The Sony WH-1000XM3 has received some rave of accolades both from users and professional reviewers. SoundGuys gave these headphones a rating of 8.9 out of 10 stars and went on to praise the good sound quality, battery life, and the Bluetooth connectivity.
As per them, these easily last around 24 hours of continuous playback. And as per Sony’s claims, these over-ear headphones can give you 5 hours playback time after charging for just 10 minutes. Cool, right?
And as far as the Amazon user reviews are concerned, the WH-1000XM3 has managed to rake in a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5 and have more than 65% positive rating. Most users have praised the pair for their excellent sound quality and the top-notch noise cancellation, thanks to the QN1 processor.
The WH-1000XM3 has managed to rake in a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5
Compared to its predecessor, the WH-1000XM3 comes with slimmer cups and spacious earpads, which makes them incredibly comfortable to wear. At the same time, they help seal the ears to ward off the ambient noises better.
And since these also work with any LDAC-supported device, you can have the best of both worlds. As it is with most headphones with quality sound output, these are a little expensive and costs around $348. With the same price as the WH-1000XM2, the WH-1000XM3 is undoubtedly a recommended upgrade.
3. Audio Technica ATH-DSR9BT
Another pair of great over-head headphones with aptX HD support is the Audio Technica ATH-DSR9BT. Weighing around 310g, these headphones have built-in controllers on the cups and 15-hour long battery life. However, at $495, they cost a little more than the above mentioned Sony products.
The major highlight of the ATH-DSR9BT is its detailed sound output, and as per the folks at Trusted Reviews, these are one of the best sounding wireless earphones. Several users on Amazon echo the same in their reviews.
As far as the user reviews are concerned, the ATH-DSR9BT have a 39% 5-star rating and around 35% 4-star rating. The only issue with the ATH-DSR9BT headphones is that they are a bit bulky. Plus, the external noise cancellation is not up to the mark (for the price).
So, if you often listen to songs in noisy environments or during a commute, the poor isolation can wreck your experience.
4. Nuraphone
Nura bundles many good things in the Nuraphone. With a sleek industrial look, long battery life and active noise cancellation features, these new-age headphones bring a lot to the plate. Also, they’re not your usual run-of-the-mill headphones. Nuraphone includes a set of earbuds that sit inside the ear canal. Such design allows using the in-ear and over-ear acoustic driver in parallel, which undoubtedly will give you one of the best aural experience.
The aptX HD Bluetooth codec is just the tip of the iceberg. For one, the maker claims that the Nuraphone is capable of automatically adapting to your listening habits.
Users have praised these headphones for its noise cancellation and good sound quality. The only thing you might want to consider is that there are not many buttons on the body.
The Nuraphone costs $399.
Did You Know
: The Nuraphone was awarded the Best of Innovation Award at CES 2018.
Grab the Best Wireless Headphones
Yeah, headphones are a dime-a-dozen in the market. However, add a particular specification to the mix, and the number goes down as it the case with aptX HD supporting headphones. Íf you’re looking for aptX HD supporting wireless earphones, then check out the OnePlus Bullets Wireless. Note that the OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 is set to launch sometime later this month.
The sound experience is great on these earphones, and at the same time, they look great. Of course, the noise cancellation won’t be at par with the ones above.
Next up: Intrigued by the Jabra Elite 65T and the Samsung Galaxy Buds? Find out the difference between these two wireless earphones in the post below.
Last updated on 02 February, 2022
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
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DID YOU KNOW
Bluetooth 5.0, the latest Bluetooth standard, is backward-compatible.
