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Level 2

300 points

Bluetooth audio quality concerns

OK, I'm opening a new thread with this one, since I would really like to gather opinions of people who are also facing bluetooth audio quality issues.

Since I got my iPhone 3G, and paired it with my bluetooth headsets, people have been complaining that the couldn't hear me well. My voice would crack up, or even not make it at all to the other side. I got a couple of new bluetooth headsets, only to find out that it wasn't the headsets' fault. That said, I would like to add, that all the headsets that seem to misbehave when paired to the iPhone, work great when in use with my older SE mobile phone.

I did some testing and found out that, the issue of my side cracking up or not sounding at all would only arise when the OTHER party was in a noisy environment (usually trying to talk to somebody in a Mall would do the trick). That said, I would also like to add that when talking through the iPhone itself (even on speakerphone), would work fine!

I am suspecting that there is an echo cancelation feature build-into the iPhone that revs up when talking through a bluetooth headset and seems to cut-off my headset's input level when strong noise it detected from the other side, presumably to avoid echo. Seems like this feature is badly tuned, in a way that communication can no longer work in an syncronous way.

What seems strange to me is that, after updating to v2.2 of iPhone software, the issue seemed to have gone away; however, it looks like it's back!

This whole situation could also be connected to various bluetooth quality issues many people are facing when using bluetooth car kits. I would suggest you try and connect such issues with the NOISE on the OTHER END.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. I will try and put together a Skype call that would hopefully demostrate what I am trying to say.

iPhone 3G v2.2

Posted on Nov 26, 2008 4:23 AM

359 replies

Thanar Author

Level 2

300 points

Jun 22, 2010 10:14 AM in response to Dave Hutch

Dave Hutch,

This topic is focused on the muting issue when talking through a bluetooth headset. There are indeed other topics in the discussions regarding A2DP and AVCRP issues, they are however irrelevant to the muting when talking through bluetooth.

As a sidenote, it seems like I have misplaced my BT530 yesterday (realised it when I was updating to iOS 4), so it will take sometime to report back with my findings, either once I find it, or when a new one arrives.

Dave Hutch

Level 4

1,491 points

Jun 22, 2010 11:20 AM in response to Thanar

No problem. I shall move along somewhere else with my findings

Jun 28, 2010 6:14 AM in response to Thanar

So, what is everyone seeing with the new OS4 with this issue? Last night was the first time I've had an opportunity to use it in the environment that creates the issue and had no complaints from other caller. I'll wait until we talk several times before deciding if they addressed the problem they say they never had. Just curious if others are still having the same issue.

It seems like people are kind of all over the board with the description, so I'll recap my findings which seem to correlate with what others have been experiencing. The iPhone when used with a Bluetooth headset AND in a quiet environment AND talking to someone else in an environment with ambient noise such as a mall or road noise, cuts out the voice of the person on the iPhone in the quiet environment to the remote caller. It seems to be something with the iPhone's noise cancellation that's built into the Bluetooth protocol, which you can't control like you can on Blackberry units and other phones. It's like the iphone cancels out your voice with the noise coming from the other end. In my case, the most common person I'm talking to is on a Blackberry Pearl on AT&T EDGE, but it does it on others too. I just don't talk to other people enough to find a marked consistency. I've tried every possible combination of with 3G/wifi on/off, EDGE, 6 different BT's, etc.

I would love to hear how some others are fairing with this issue on OS4.

Jul 6, 2010 11:11 PM in response to troyy0206

It just keeps getting better. Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!

Check out this discussion:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11831858&tstart=0

I am experience the problem described their now.

durancd

Level 1

4 points

Jul 16, 2010 11:39 AM in response to Thanar

Thanar. Any luck? I've been waiting to get this resolved for what seems an eternity. Hope you have had time to test.

Thanar Author

Level 2

300 points

Jul 16, 2010 12:13 PM in response to Thanar

From what I have experienced since I upgraded my iPhone 3G to iOS 4, I tend to believe that the issue discussed in this thread has eased a bit. People do not tell me to repeat anymore, I can even talk simultaneously with the person on the other end most of the time.

That said, I would also like to add that the bluetooth stack looks like it's been greatly enhanced, since my headset now plays the phone's ringtone when there's an incoming, and audio/video sync issues seem better dealt with iOS 4.

Apart from that, my iPhone 3G is sluggy as **** and I am thinking of downgrading.

Jul 18, 2010 2:12 AM in response to Thanar

My deal: callers complain of muffled sound and can't understand me, often but intermediate; bluetooth connection drops in 5' to 10' proximity or less, intermediate; calls drop often, often during a call there is an interrupting sound as if the connection drops with a strong initial static sound, then fading back to the phone call -- experiencing that frequently.

Jul 21, 2010 4:28 PM in response to Thanar

Success?!?

Some wonderful progress on this issue I didn't even realize I was dealing with!

I just received my replacement Bluetooth Headset, a SoundID 510 which was made with the iPhone almost exclusively in mind, to replace my old "dying" headset. Turns out the "dying" portion of it fits into these descriptions and the same symptoms showed up in my 4 hour old headset!

As part of some self reassuring diagnostics, I paired my headset to my laptop, and looped the audio. It sounds fantastic! The headset supports either Multipoint OR A2DP, so I decided to see what happens, just for the heck of it, if I paired it to my phone while still paired with the laptop.

Sorry this post is getting long, the good parts coming up

The headset paired to the phone (as per the flashing and then solid Bluetooth icon in the top right) but the call I was testing stayed on the iPhone's default mic or speaker phone. I went back to the PC, disabled the device, and told the iPhone to connect to the headset again (not disconnect, then reconnect, I just pressed the headset again). After the phone almost froze, it reconnected but under a different name. Instead of saying "Bluetooth Audio" when I'm in a call, it says "Sound ID 5 Series" and the soft muffled audio is crisp and loud on the other end!

So summary (or if you just skipped the long post) the phone can connect to some headsets in multiple ways, that might be why some people had luck unpairing and resetting, or exchanging their phones. If you have access to another Bluetooth enabled device, try switching back and forth until you find the sweet spot.

Good Luck!

Jul 22, 2010 7:59 AM in response to Thanar

Hi, is the Iphone capable of simultaneous bluetooth connections?
What I mean is:

1. Iphone connected through bluetooth to my in car headset

2. Iphone connected through bluetooth to a A2DP capable device so I can play music thorugh my car audio system

When a call comes in the music I am playing thorugh the A2DP adapter (connected to my Iphone) should fade out so I can answer the call with my in car headset (connected to Iphone).

Thanks

Jul 23, 2010 3:45 AM in response to TerenTino

I have been reading these threads with trepidation over the last few weeks as I use Bluetooth every day with my phone.

For the commute to work and hands-free calling I use the Sennheiser MM450 headset which is absolutely sensational. And I am pleased to report that after having my phone for a couple of days there appear to be no problems whatsoever with this set. The only slight flaw is that the talkthrough feature (where you can press a button on the headset to mute music and open the mikes to hear someone talking to you) seems to only work for ten seconds then the music cuts back in. Watching a movie last night, I was amazed to see that the lip-sync was perfect which was not the case on my iPod Touch. So chuffed about that too!

On the phone side, callers tell me that I am clearer than I was with my previous handset (non-Apple) and I love the fact that I can hear my ringtone instead of a generic tone.

I still haven't got round to running test on my car kits which are Parrot CK3100, but will update when I have.

I know that many have had problems after four or five days of use and I will certainly update everyone if I run into trouble, but so far so good and if you haven't already looked at the MM450, check them out. They are pricey but worth every penny.

Jul 24, 2010 12:52 AM in response to Thanar

I have a Jabra Stone, Aliph Icon, & Plantronics Pro (oldest of 3). I also stream via A2DP bluetooth in my car.
The plantronics pro worked fine with my 3gs phone, but has horrible sound on the other end to the point where a person can not hear me well. This same device works fine with other phones. But, I can no longer use it with my Iphone 4.
The Jabra Stone and the Aliph Icon both work well when using as a device for bluetooth phone. But, both seem to have a very low volume limit when attempting to use the devices to stream music but work fine during a conversation and still works just fine on my car.
My main issue with this right now is that I'd love to be able to get a louder stream coming from the iPhone when using my headsets.

Ibmoose

Level 1

4 points

Jul 24, 2010 7:41 AM in response to ciaobellaciao

I've had my Apple bluetooth headset since the original iPhone. I now have the 3gs and my headset still remains horrible for output and input. Just bought the Aliph Jawbone Icon, it's incredible!! It's apparently the first headset that can have os upgrades and software downloaded onto it. Aliph listened to the complaints of low volume and recently came out with a new platform including volume control on the headset as well. Time to ebay apple's headset. Considering the hundreds upon hundreds of pages regarding Apple's headset's issues, as much as I love my iPhone and Apple products, the headset ***** and is getting ebayed.

Thanar Author

Level 2

300 points

Aug 5, 2010 12:13 PM in response to Thanar

I had an awful bluetooth headset experience today. Was talking to people working in a cement factory for a few hours and I can assure everybody that under these conditions talking through my Jabra headset was a pain, since they could NOT hear me at all. Talking through the iPhone itself was working OK, as expected.

So... The issue is NOT RESOLVED on iOS 4. Unfortunately.

RZ500

Level 1

0 points

Aug 20, 2010 8:53 AM in response to Thanar

I notice, with the 4.0.1 Iphone 3GS my Bluetooth is working fine again, no more problems, anymore, I do not have my old Apple bluetooth anymore to try it, but with my Plantronics Discovery 925 es working, but til no voice control, but in my old BenQ I have voice control

bmwhd1

Level 1

0 points

Aug 22, 2010 12:46 PM in response to RZ500

The garbled audio over BT is fixed in iOS 4.1 beta 3. If you're a paid dev, you can test it out now. If not, hang on a bit until 4.1 is officially released.

Bluetooth audio quality concerns