The Hi-Res Audio Wireless logo issued by the Japanese Audio Society (JAS) is an internationally recognized seal of quality. Products that receive the certification meet strict technical requirements. They guarantee that sound is reproduced as accurately as possible, even when listening over a wireless connection like Bluetooth. Only devices that rely on suitable codecs ensuring the exact transport of audio meet the demanding standards of the Hi-Res Audio Wireless logo. This makes it a certificate highly valued by wireless headphone and loudspeaker manufacturers as well as by discerning users.

The LC3plus codec was developed as an open standard and is published as ETSI TS 103 634. It features a dedicated High-Resolution mode, which provides best-in-class Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and Total Harmonic Distortion plus Noise (THD+N) performance. The codec operates in its sweet spot between 125 and 250 kbps per channel while allowing seamless bitrate adaptation up to 500 kbps per channel. Other solutions require at least twice the bitrate of LC3plus High-Resolution to achieve a similar performance. This does not only mean a noticeably lower energy consumption, but also that LC3plus makes products very robust and less prone to errors that can occur in wireless environments. In environments with a high density of Bluetooth devices, for example in a crowded subway, the codec can be operated in a fallback mode at bitrates down to 64 kbps per channel while maintaining very high audio quality. The reduced bitrate makes packet losses less likely, which ensures an uninterrupted connection.

Following an extensive objective and subjective testing process, the Japanese Audio Society recently certified LC3plus High-Resolution and included it in the list of certified codecs. This shows that LC3plus High-Resolution meets the criteria set by JAS, in particular the support of a 96 kHz sampling rate, at least 24 bits per audio sample, and the ability to reproduce frequencies of 40 kHz and above.

Implementing LC3plus High-Resolution as the codec of choice for wireless transmission opens the door for device manufacturers to receiving the valuable logo from the Japanese Audio Society. The Fraunhofer IIS technology combines best-in-class performance at extremely low energy consumption with the benefits of an open audio standard.

“We are happy that LC3plus is certified for the Hi-Res Audio Wireless logo by the Japanese Audio Society,” says Manfred Lutzky, Head of Audio for Communications at Fraunhofer IIS. “True wireless stereo earbuds that can now be marked with the Hi-Res Audio Wireless logo are perfectly adapted to the use in Bluetooth LE Audio thanks to the low bitrates of LC3plus.”