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 pulseaudio-utils

Next, we configure it

sudo apt install pipewire-audio-client-libraries
sudo apt install pipewire-media-session- wireplumber
systemctl --user --now enable wireplumber.service

sudo apt install libldacbt-{abr,enc}2 libspa-0.2-bluetooth pulseaudio-module-bluetooth-

sudo cp /usr/share/doc/pipewire/examples/ld.so.conf.d/pipewire-jack-*.conf /etc/ld.so.conf.d/

sudo ldconfig

Follow the PPA gist : https://gist.github.com/the-spyke/2de98b22ff4f978ebf0650c90e82027e#gistcomment-4320194

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-

If Bluetooth re-connection has problem like its rejected or stop working after connected at fresh start, this is the solution

First un-pair the device then

sudo systemctl stop bluetooth
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/bluetooth/*
sudo systemctl start bluetooth
sudo reboot

Pair it again. Voila Done!