I’m using Bose QuietComfort Ultra and its have capabilities to support multiple codecs. Connecting into Ubuntu, currently its only support for SBC-XQ and SBC. To unlock the lossless compression on AAC in Ubuntu 24.04 we need to do several things
- Install pipewire with AAC patch
- Switch from PulseAudio to Pipewire
- Enable it from the sound configuration
Lets do it
First, enable this PPA https://launchpad.net/%7Eaglasgall/+archive/ubuntu/pipewire-extra-bt-codecs
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:aglasgall/pipewire-extra-bt-codecs
sudo apt update
Then, re-install pipewire
sudo apt remove pulseaudio-module-bluetooth
sudo apt install --reinstall pipewire-audio-client-libraries libspa-0.2-bluetooth libspa-0.2-jack
Next, we configure it
sudo apt install pipewire-audio-client-libraries libspa-0.2-bluetooth libspa-0.2-jack
sudo apt install wireplumber pipewire-media-session-
systemctl --user --now enable wireplumber.service
sudo cp /usr/share/doc/pipewire/examples/alsa.conf.d/99-pipewire-default.conf /etc/alsa/conf.d/
sudo apt remove pulseaudio-module-bluetooth
sudo cp /usr/share/doc/pipewire/examples/ld.so.conf.d/pipewire-jack-*.conf /etc/ld.so.conf.d/
sudo ldconfig
Credit to https://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2022/04/pipewire-replace-pulseaudio-ubuntu-2204/
Now enable and verify
systemctl --user --now enable wireplumber.service
pactl info
Server String: /run/user/1000/pulse/native
Library Protocol Version: 35
Server Protocol Version: 35
....
Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 1.0.5) <------ HERE
Server Version: 15.0.0
Default Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Default Sink: bluez_output.AC_BF_71_CF_15_96.1
Default Source: alsa_input.usb-
Voila Done!