Ultima launched Aura with Sony LDAC certification: A big milestone for Nepal's audio industry

The Nepali wearables market has mostly been about affordable earbuds with decent sound, long battery life, and active noise cancellation. But now, things are about to get more interesting. Ultima Lifestyle brings the Ultima Aura TWS with Sony's LDAC codec support, making it the first Nepali audio brand to officially license Sony's premium wireless audio technology. In this article, I will talk about this TWS in detail, including the official Ultima Aura price in Nepal, specifications, and availability.

Ultima Aura Overview

Familar Design with Useful feature

Starting with the design of the Aura, it features a stem-style design with a clean and minimal look. The earbuds feature an in-ear fit and silicone ear tips, while the charging case maintains a compact form factor for easier portability. The standout design element is the rotating crown control, which gives the earbuds a more distinctive look while providing another way to control playback and other functions.

Additionally, the earbuds are designed for everyday use, with an ergonomic shape that provides a comfortable and secure fit. The lightweight construction should also make them suitable for extended listening sessions, while the included ear tips allow users to choose a size that fits their ears better.

Audio and Call Quality

Moving on, the Ultima Aura uses the 11mm titanium driver for handling the audio of the device. The most interesting part is that they are the first TWS in Nepal to get Sony certification and support LDAC and Hi-Res Audio. So, it should offer more detailed and higher-quality sound when paired with a compatible device. You also get 3D Audio, which is designed to create a wider and more immersive listening experience. I will explain the LDAC certification story of Ultima in the lower half of this article.

For calls, the earbuds feature a six-microphone setup that helps with voice pickup during calls. This should also help maintain clearer voice communication in everyday use. Ultima also said that this microphone system will work closely with noise-cancellation features.

ANC and App Compatibility

For noise cancellation, the Ultima Aura features hybrid ANC with up to 50dB of noise reduction. The earbuds use six microphones to detect surrounding sounds and reduce unwanted background noise, making them more suitable for listening in places such as public transport, offices, or busy streets. 

Besides, the Aura also supports the Ultima Link app, allowing users to manage different earbud settings and features through it. Along with ANC controls, the app provides a way to customize EQ, which should improve the overall listening experience.

Battery Life and Connectivity

In terms of battery life, the Ultima Aura offers up to 50 hours of total playback with the charging case, giving it enough endurance for several days of regular use before needing to recharge. Ultima also claims that with 10 minutes of charging, these earbuds could offer up to 180 minutes of playback. These earbuds aim at those of you who want longer listening sessions without having to frequently carry out charging. However, the actual playback time can vary depending on factors such as ANC usage, volume level, and connectivity features.

Apart from that, the Ultima Aura uses Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity for wireless pairing with compatible smartphones, tablets, and other devices. It also has dual-device connectivity and a Find My Device feature. They also said that this device supports 40ms Low-Latency gaming mode. 

First Nepali Brand to include Sony's LDAC certification

Getting Sony's LDAC certification wasn't easy

According to Amit Agarwal, Founder of Ultima Lifestyle, obtaining the LDAC license wasn't easy. The company says it had to invest around NPR 35 to 40 lakh for the licensing process, alongside annual renewal costs and additional licensing fees for every LDAC-certified product it sells.

Even more importantly, Sony doesn't simply hand out the LDAC logo. To qualify, manufacturers must use capable Bluetooth audio chipsets, typically from companies like Qualcomm or BES, instead of cheaper alternatives. Products also need to meet Sony's required wireless audio performance and tuning standards before receiving certification.

And yes, Ultima is now officially listed among Sony's LDAC partners alongside global brands like Sony, JBL, Edifier, UGREEN, TOZO, EarFun, boAt, and many others. That's quite an achievement for a Nepali brand.

So... what exactly is LDAC?

If you have been following wireless audio, you have probably heard names like SBC, AAC, aptX, or LHDC. These are all Bluetooth audio codecs responsible for compressing music before sending it wirelessly from your phone to your earbuds. Sony developed LDAC to transmit significantly more audio data than the standard SBC codec.

At its highest quality mode, LDAC can transmit audio at up to 990 kbps, roughly three times higher than standard Bluetooth audio. This allows compatible earbuds to preserve much more detail, especially when listening to high-quality music files.

Does LDAC mean "lossless"?

Not exactly. This is where many people get confused. LDAC is still a lossy Bluetooth codec. Bluetooth simply doesn't have enough bandwidth to send a completely uncompressed 24-bit/96kHz audio stream wirelessly.

Instead, LDAC uses a much higher bitrate and more advanced compression than traditional codecs, allowing it to retain considerably more detail while remaining wireless. That's why it has received the Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification from the Japan Audio Society.

• SBC: Basic Bluetooth quality
• AAC: Better quality, commonly used by Apple
• aptX: Higher-quality Bluetooth
• LDAC: One of the highest-quality Bluetooth codecs available on Android today

Will music actually sound better?

The answer is: it depends. You will notice the biggest improvement if:

• Your phone supports LDAC.
• Your earbuds support LDAC.
• You are listening to high-quality music files or high-resolution streaming services.
• The earbuds themselves have good drivers and proper tuning.

If you are streaming heavily compressed music, the difference becomes much smaller. So LDAC is not a magic switch that instantly transforms every song into studio-quality audio. It simply ensures the Bluetooth connection is no longer the biggest bottleneck.

• Also Read:
• Huawei FreeBuds Neo launched with 11mm drivers, ANC, and up to 40 hours of playback!
• Soundcore AeroClip 2 and AeroClip 2 Pro Launched With THUS AI Chip and Open-Ear Design!
• Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 debuts with Dolby Atmos and replaceable batteries!

Which streaming services actually support high-quality audio?

Most people in Nepal use Spotify or YouTube Music. And here's the sad reality: Spotify and YouTube Music do not currently offer Hi-Res audio streaming.

So if you are mainly listening through Spotify or YouTube Music, LDAC will not magically make everything sound like studio-quality audio. However, LDAC can still help because it reduces the amount of compression happening between your phone and earbuds. You may hear slightly cleaner vocals, better separation, and more detail, especially in a quiet room.

But to get the most out of LDAC, you will need better audio sources like FLAC files, Apple Music Lossless, TIDAL, Amazon Music Unlimited, or Qobuz. For true uncompromised lossless audio, wired headphones with a DAC still remain the best option.

Does my phone support LDAC?

If you own a relatively recent Android smartphone, chances are it already supports LDAC, especially if it runs Android 8 Oreo or newer.

To check:

• Pair your LDAC-compatible earbuds.
• Open Settings -> Bluetooth.
• Tap the connected earbuds.
• Look for HD Audio, LDAC, or Audio Codec.

Some phones also let you manually switch between SBC, AAC, aptX, and LDAC from Developer Options. Unfortunately, iPhones do not support LDAC and continue to rely primarily on AAC for Bluetooth audio.

Ultima Aura Specifications:

• Design: In-ear fit, stem-style earbuds, rotating dial in case
• Weight: Unspecified
• Water resistance: IPX6 for earbuds, unspecified for charging case
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4, dual connection, 40ms low-latency gaming mode
• Sound driver: 11mm titanium dynamic driver, 3D Audio
• Microphone: Six microphones, three on each earbud microphone
• Audio codecs: Sony LDAC Hi-Res, AAC, SBC
• Noise cancellation: Hybrid-ANC (Up to 50dB reduction), Transparency mode
• Battery:  Up to 50 hours of playback (with case) / Unspecified for buds
• Control: Touch controls on earbuds
• Colors: Black and White

See full specs

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Ultima Aura Price in Nepal and Availability

Ultima Aura arrives at the price of NPR 3,499 as the launch offer. It is available in the nearest Ultima lifestyle store or can also be purchased from the Ultima official website or Daraz Mall. You can also check our affiliated partner GBN Store to make a purchase this TWS.

Who should buy Ultima Aura in Nepal?

Ultima Aura is a kind of earbuds with long-lasting battery life and decent ANC performance, while the audio in it is just average. So, if you are someone who does not want to frequently charge your buds and works in busy, noisy areas, this could be an option you may like. For more insight on these earbuds, we will be publishing our detailed review very soon, so stay with us. 

• Meanwhile, you may like our video of BEST Budget TWS Earbuds in Nepal from NPR 1500-5000.