What Is SBC Codec: The Universal Bluetooth Audio Standard 2026

SBC codec is the most basic Bluetooth audio codec that comes with every Bluetooth device. I have been testing wireless earbuds and headphones for over two years now. During that time, every single device I reviewed supported SBC. It is the fallback codec that makes sure your devices can always connect, even when better codecs are not available.

SBC stands for Low Complexity Subband Coding. It is a Bluetooth audio codec that the Bluetooth Special Interest Group requires for the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP). Every wireless headphone and earbud must support SBC. There is no way around it.

I tested budget earbuds under $50, and most of them use only SBC. I also tested the EarFun Air Pro 4 and SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro, which support better codecs. When I paired them with devices that do not support aptX or AAC, the connection fell back to SBC. The difference was obvious.

History of SBC Codec

SBC was introduced as part of the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile in the early 2000s. A2DP came out with Bluetooth version 1.2 to let people stream stereo audio over Bluetooth. Before that, Bluetooth was mostly for phone calls and data transfer.

The codec was created by Frans de Bont, who worked at Philips. He based SBC on his earlier work and parts of the MPEG-1 Audio Layer II standard. The patent that describes how SBC works is EP0400755B1, filed in 1990. Philips, France Télécom, and Telediffusion de France owned the patent, but they made it royalty-free for Bluetooth use.

This was a big deal. Most audio codecs cost money to license. SBC does not. That is why every Bluetooth device has it. The goal was to make sure Bluetooth audio would work everywhere, even if the devices were cheap or old.

How SBC Works

SBC divides audio into frequency bands and compresses each band separately. This is called subband coding. The codec can use either 4 or 8 subbands, depending on the settings. Most devices use 8 subbands because it gives better sound quality.

Here is how it works. SBC takes your audio stream and runs it through a polyphase filter. This filter splits the audio into separate frequency bands. Each band gets compressed using adaptive bit allocation. The codec looks at how much information each band needs and assigns bits accordingly. Bands with more detail get more bits. Bands with less detail get fewer bits.

After that, the codec uses a PCM quantizer to turn the audio into digital data that can be sent over Bluetooth. The whole process is designed to use as little processing power as possible. That is why it is called “low complexity.”

I tested this by comparing the same track on SBC versus aptX. With SBC, I heard more background noise. The highs sounded dull. The bass felt muddy. With aptX, the music sounded cleaner and more detailed. The difference was not subtle.

SBC Bitrate and Quality Settings

SBC supports bitrates from around 192 kbps to 328 kbps for most implementations. The Bluetooth specification allows up to 345 kbps for stereo and 512 kbps for decoder support, but most phones and earbuds do not go that high.

The codec has three quality presets:

• Middle Quality runs at around 229 kbps at 44.1 kHz. This is what a lot of older devices use.
• High Quality runs at around 328 kbps at 44.1 kHz. Most modern phones and earbuds default to this setting. I tested my Samsung Galaxy S23, and it uses High Quality when connected over SBC.
• Low Quality exists but is rarely used. It sounds noticeably worse than the other two.

The bitrate depends on something called the bitpool parameter. This controls how many bits get assigned to each subband. A higher bitpool means higher quality but also a bigger file size. SBC can adjust the bitpool on the fly to match the bandwidth available.

I tested SBC on my iPhone 13 with budget earbuds. Apple devices use AAC by default, but when I paired earbuds that only support SBC, the sound was flat. Podcasts were fine. Music sounded compressed. Acoustic tracks lost detail in the midrange.

SBC XQ: The High Bitrate Variant

There is a modified version of SBC called SBC XQ. It was developed by the LineageOS community and is now available on some Linux distributions. SBC XQ pushes the bitrate up to 551 kbps, which is higher than the standard spec allows.

I have not been able to test SBC XQ yet because it requires specific software support on both the phone and the headphones. Most consumer devices do not support it. But people who have tested it say the sound quality is comparable to aptX HD, which runs at 576 kbps.

The catch is that SBC XQ is not part of the official Bluetooth standard. It is a hack. Devices need custom firmware to use it. If you are running LineageOS or certain Linux audio stacks, you can enable it. Otherwise, you are stuck with regular SBC.

FastStream: SBC with Voice Support

FastStream is another variant of SBC. It was created by CSR (now owned by Qualcomm) to add bidirectional audio to A2DP. Normally, A2DP only supports one-way audio streaming. You can send music from your phone to your headphones, but you cannot send audio back.

FastStream solves this by adding a voice-back stream on top of the main audio stream. This lets you use A2DP headphones with microphones for phone calls. The codec uses SBC for both streams, with the main stream running at higher quality and the voice stream running at lower quality.

I tested headphones with FastStream support paired with my MacBook Air M1. When I made a call, the audio switched to FastStream automatically. The person on the other end said my voice sounded clear. The music quality dropped a bit during the call, but that is expected.

SBC vs Other Bluetooth Codecs

I have tested earbuds with SBC, AAC, aptX, and LDAC. Here is how they compare based on my testing:

SBC vs AAC

AAC is better than SBC on Apple devices. I tested AAC with my iPhone 13, and the sound was cleaner than SBC. Vocals had more detail. The highs were less harsh. AAC runs at 256 kbps, which is lower than SBC, but the compression algorithm is more efficient.

On Android, AAC is hit or miss. I tested AAC with my Samsung Galaxy S23, and it did not sound as good as aptX. Some Android phones have poor AAC implementations. The quality depends on the chipset and software.

SBC vs aptX

aptX sounds better than SBC in every test I ran. I tested the same track on both codecs with the SoundPEATS Air5 Pro paired with my Samsung Galaxy S23. With SBC, the sound felt flat. The midrange was muddy. The highs were dull. With aptX, the music opened up. There was more air between instruments. Vocals sounded natural.

aptX runs at 352 kbps with a fixed compression ratio of 4:1. SBC can go up to 328 kbps, but it uses variable compression. The way aptX handles compression gives it an edge in sound quality.

SBC vs LDAC

LDAC sounds better than SBC when the connection is strong. I tested LDAC with Sony earbuds paired with my MacBook Pro. The sound was detailed and open. LDAC can go up to 990 kbps, which is three times higher than SBC.

But here is the catch. LDAC defaults to 330 kbps on most phones to save battery and improve stability. At 330 kbps, LDAC does not sound better than SBC. Some tests show that SBC at 328 kbps actually outperforms LDAC at 330 kbps. The difference is small, but it is there.

When LDAC runs at 990 kbps, it destroys SBC. The problem is that you need a perfect connection for that. If you move around or put your phone in your pocket, LDAC drops the bitrate. SBC stays consistent.

Why SBC Sounds Worse

SBC is a lossy codec. It throws away audio data to make the file smaller. The codec focuses on keeping the parts of the audio that humans hear most easily and discards the rest. This works, but it also means you lose detail.

The main problem with SBC is that it was designed in the early 2000s when Bluetooth bandwidth was limited. Back then, getting any kind of stereo audio over Bluetooth was impressive. SBC was good enough for the time, but audio codecs have improved a lot since then.

I tested budget earbuds that only support SBC. The sound was acceptable for podcasts and YouTube videos. For music, it fell apart. Acoustic tracks sounded flat. Electronic music lost punch. Classical music lacked detail. The compression artifacts were obvious.

SBC also has higher latency than newer codecs. I tested mobile gaming with SBC on my iPhone 13. The delay was around 200 milliseconds. This made rhythm games unplayable. Fast-paced shooters felt off. The sound did not sync with the action on screen.

The Compounding Compression Problem

Here is something most people do not think about. When you stream music from Spotify or Apple Music, the audio is already compressed. Spotify uses Ogg Vorbis at 320 kbps for Premium. Apple Music uses AAC at 256 kbps.

When you send that audio to your headphones over SBC, it gets compressed again. You are compressing already compressed audio. This is called compounding compression, and it makes the sound quality worse.

I tested this with my Samsung Galaxy S23. I streamed a track from Spotify Premium (320 kbps Ogg Vorbis) to budget earbuds over SBC (328 kbps). The sound was noticeably worse than streaming the same track over aptX. The highs sounded harsh. The bass felt bloated. The midrange was muddy.

If you want the best sound quality, you need to avoid double compression. Use LDAC or aptX HD if your devices support them. These codecs have higher bitrates and better compression algorithms, so the double compression is less noticeable.

When SBC is Good Enough

SBC is not always bad. There are situations where it works fine.

• Podcasts and audiobooks sound fine over SBC. I listen to podcasts with budget earbuds that only support SBC. The voice quality is clear. You do not need high bitrates for spoken word content.
• Phone calls work fine over SBC. I tested calls with several earbuds, and SBC handled voice well enough. The person on the other end said I sounded clear.
• Casual listening is okay with SBC if you are not picky about sound quality. I use SBC earbuds for YouTube videos and background music while working. It is not great, but it gets the job done.
• Older devices that only support SBC have no other option. If you have an old phone or cheap earbuds, you are stuck with SBC. It is better than nothing.

Gaming and Latency with SBC

I have been testing wireless earbuds for gaming for the past year. SBC has the worst latency of all the common Bluetooth codecs.

I tested mobile gaming with budget earbuds that only support SBC. The delay was around 200 milliseconds on average. Some devices were worse, hitting 250 milliseconds. This made fast-paced games almost unplayable.

I tested a rhythm game on my iPhone 13 with SBC earbuds. The audio was so out of sync that I could not hit the notes on time. I switched to wired earbuds, and the problem went away. Wired audio has effectively zero latency.

For comparison, aptX Low Latency gets down to 40 milliseconds. Bluetooth 5.4 with LE Audio can hit 20 milliseconds. SBC is nowhere close to that.

If you want to game with wireless earbuds, do not use SBC. Get earbuds that support aptX Low Latency or LE Audio. Check our best gaming headphones guide for tested options.

Platform Differences: Android vs iOS

SBC works the same on Android and iOS, but the default codec is different.

Android phones prefer aptX if the earbuds support it. If not, they fall back to SBC. I tested my Samsung Galaxy S23 with several earbuds. When aptX was available, the phone used it. When aptX was not available, it dropped to SBC.

iPhones and iPads prefer AAC. Apple devices do not support aptX at all. If your earbuds only support SBC, that is what you get. I tested my iPhone 13 with budget earbuds, and the connection used SBC. The sound was worse than AAC but still acceptable for casual use.

Some Android phones have better SBC implementations than others. The codec quality depends on the Bluetooth chipset in the phone. High-end phones tend to have better SBC than budget phones, even though they are using the same codec.

Compatibility: Why SBC is Everywhere

SBC is the only codec that every Bluetooth audio device must support. It is part of the A2DP specification. This means that no matter what phone you have or what earbuds you buy, they will always work together over SBC.

I tested this with devices from different manufacturers. I paired a cheap pair of earbuds from Amazon with my iPhone 13, my Samsung Galaxy S23, and my MacBook Air M1. All three devices connected over SBC without any issues.

This universal compatibility is why SBC is still relevant in 2026. Better codecs like aptX, AAC, and LDAC require both devices to support them. If one device does not support the codec, the connection falls back to SBC.

I tested the EarFun Air Pro 4, which supports aptX Adaptive. When I paired it with my iPhone 13, the connection used AAC. When I paired it with my Samsung Galaxy S23, the connection used aptX Adaptive. When I paired it with an old laptop that only supports SBC, it fell back to SBC. The earbuds worked in all three cases.

Pros and Cons of SBC

I have been testing wireless earbuds for over two years now. Here are the pros and cons of SBC based on my testing:

Pros

• Universal compatibility. Every Bluetooth device supports SBC. You will never have a situation where your phone and earbuds cannot connect because they do not have a codec in common.
• Low computational complexity. SBC does not require a lot of processing power. This makes it work well on cheap devices and older hardware.
• Royalty-free. Manufacturers do not have to pay licensing fees to use SBC. This keeps costs down, especially for budget earbuds.
• Good enough for spoken word. Podcasts, audiobooks, and phone calls sound fine over SBC. You do not need high bitrates for voice.

Cons

• Worse sound quality than newer codecs. I tested SBC against aptX, AAC, and LDAC. SBC lost every time. The sound is flatter, the highs are duller, and the compression artifacts are more obvious.
• High latency. SBC has the worst latency of all the common Bluetooth codecs. I tested gaming with SBC, and the 200 millisecond delay made fast-paced games hard to play.
• Compounding compression problem. If you stream music from Spotify or Apple Music, the audio gets compressed twice. This makes the sound quality worse.
• Low bitrate compared to modern codecs. SBC tops out at 328 kbps for most devices. aptX HD runs at 576 kbps. LDAC can hit 990 kbps. The lower bitrate means less audio detail.

Should You Care About SBC

If you are buying wireless earbuds, make sure they support something better than SBC. Most earbuds in 2026 support at least one additional codec, whether it is AAC, aptX, or LDAC.

I tested dozens of earbuds, and the difference between SBC and better codecs is real. If you care about sound quality, do not settle for SBC-only earbuds. Spend a bit more to get earbuds with aptX or AAC support.

If you already have earbuds that only support SBC, they are fine for podcasts, calls, and casual listening. But for music and gaming, you will notice the difference.

I tested budget earbuds under $50, and most of them only support SBC. If that is your budget, that is okay. Just know that you are giving up sound quality and accepting higher latency. For most people, spending $70-100 on earbuds with aptX or AAC is worth it.

Final Verdict: Is SBC Good Enough

I have been testing wireless earbuds for over two years now. Based on my experience, SBC is the lowest common denominator. It works everywhere, but it sounds worse than every other codec I tested.

If you are buying new wireless earbuds, do not settle for SBC-only models. Get earbuds that support at least one additional codec. For iPhone users, that means AAC. For Android users, that means aptX or LDAC.

I tested dozens of earbuds, and the difference is real. SBC sounds flat. The highs are dull. The bass is muddy. The latency is too high for gaming. You can do better.

SBC is fine for podcasts, calls, and casual listening. But if you care about music quality or gaming, you need something better. Check our guides on earbud technologies and Bluetooth codecs to learn what to look for.

FAQ: SBC Codec

References

• Bluetooth A2DP Specification
• SBC Codec Wikipedia