Enable AAC A2DP codec Ubuntu 24.04

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

1. Install pipewire with AAC patch
2. Switch from PulseAudio to Pipewire
3. 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!