iPhone's Hidden Audio Flaw Fixed by AU$59 Dongle

For years, iPhones have struggled with wireless audio quality, particularly high-resolution or lossless audio transmission, an area where some Android devices excel. Despite Apple Music offering hi-res lossless tracks at no extra cost, no native Apple headphones fully support this format wirelessly. While AirPods Max 2 and other Apple headphones can achieve lossless audio via USB-C, true high resolution remains unsupported.

This limitation means iPhone users miss out on the full sonic benefits of higher quality streams, even though many music services like Apple Music, Tidal, and Spotify now include these higher-res options. A straightforward solution comes from Sennheiser with its plug-in USB-C adapter, priced at AU$59, which allows iPhones to transmit high-resolution audio.

However, the Sennheiser adapter requires compatible headphones, and Apple's own AirPods are not among them. These Apple headphones will revert to inferior AAC or SBC codecs instead of receiving the high-resolution signal via aptX Adaptive. For those with compatible Snapdragon Sound cans, the Sennheiser adapter finally allows them to operate at their intended codec quality, offering a significant audio upgrade from an iPhone.

Lossless audio, theoretically delivering a bit-perfect CD-quality stream, relies on every component in the audio chain functioning optimally. This includes a capable recording, a compatible playback device, and headphones that support advanced codecs like aptX Adaptive or aptX Lossless. While wireless transmission can be susceptible to interference, the Sennheiser BTD 700 transmitter provides a genuine quality win for audiophiles using iPhones, especially when paired with suitable headphones.