Bluetooth audio problems Catalina

It seems that after updating to 10.15.3 I'm now having this issue as well. I'm on a MacbookPro with Sony MDR-100ABN headset. I've tried all the above mentioned tricks and still running into this issue.

Replying to my own reply....

Further reading of what Apple may be trying to do with the various Codecs. This is a good thing, it just has a couple hiccups right now. When it's fixed it will be very advanced:

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/learn/sbc-aptx-which-bluetooth-codec-is-the-best

Hi Phill,

I tried your solution and unfortunately, it didn't solve it for me...

I tried so many solutions so far that I try them for 3-4 days afterwards to check if it's really working or if it's the fact of restarting the mac that postpones the next bug a bit...

did you get the bug ever-since?

OMG, if it is true, I can be suffered again after loading serveral app....

It's really critical issue. !!!

What kind of macbook (with ram size) are you using?

In my case, I'm using 2018 macbook pro touchbar 8gb ram model.

Thanks Virtustilus,

I set bluetooth explorer as you told.

But Airpod2 doesn't work at all when AAC is turned off,

so, I'm testing with Airpod 1 that is using SBC codec now.

I will update after 2~3days testing.

But still, I don't know why apple team doesn't deal with this problem.

It's already voted with almost 1000 votes.

Hi, CreateCheckInvalidUserName

Thanks for sharing your experience first.

I have both airpod generation 1 and 2.

I'm trying to handle codec with Virtustilus's help.

But in airpod second generation, if I turn off AAC, it doesn't work at all.

(Can't continue connected state)

How did you connect this without AAC codec?

I used bluetooth explorer (from apple developer site) and it is only able to control AAC, aptX, AAC CBR.

Do you have any other tools to use A2DP or SBC?

On the other hand, airpod 1 is working with SBC codec.

So, now I'm testing if that disconnection occurs again.

(If turn off AAC, it connect with SBC automatically)

Hi GF95,

That is correct. The SBC codec solution is indeed a work around for me. I did read in this list, someone else (en France) had the same computer and Katana setup as me and it also did not work. This work around will fix that.

That being said, AAC is definitely the preferred solution. There is no doubt it is better. I am confident Apple will eventually make it work.

Also my MacBook Pro has a lot of RAM so I have not seen the Coreaudiod issue. I use video conferencing extensively on a daily basis and it has never been a problem for me. Most of my work is however, carried out on a Linux workstation so the MacBook is usually lightly loaded and generally has plenty of free memory.

For the record.... I still love my MacBook Pro.

I really need the 10.15.4 to come out. Going insane with the drop-offs. Cannot work without my active noise-cancellation headsets and I have been forced to take calls on speaker - 40% of my job. AND I work remotely. I know I am ranting

That command line is basically the same as to restart the machine. I have told you before. There is no way that you can understand a solution that worked.

I have experienced prolonged dropout on PC, too (even with the mouse in a USB-port). I was completely stuck, but the solution was to connect the Bluetooth back on the iMac again, which has worked very fine the last four months, ironically.

I'm not saying I can explain why that command worked. I did multiple reboots, clearing NVRAM/PRAM, clearing the bluetooth settings, removing/reconnecting the AirPods and still the same issue until I issued that command and no problems since. Go figure...

Better than doing nothing. Glad it worked for you!

We have figured out that an update may have fixed this, and that your actions proved it, but not for all! There are so many cases with different disconnection issues, so I am only referring to this one particular case I am aware of.

I see Catalina 10.15.4 is GA (out of beta) now. Is the general consensus that this will resolve the bluetooth auto dropouts that most on this post were experiencing? Keen to hear people's experiences with 10.15.4 before upgrading again. (I previously rolled back to Mojave. It was a pain and I don't particularly want to do it again!)

Updated to 10.15.4, but the problem's actually gotten worse. Now embedded videos and some audio streams won't play in Safari unless I not only disconnect the bluetooth speakers -- I have to power the speakers off so that the computer can no longer see them. Then, on internal speakers only, the videos will run. Meanwhile, continued strange behavior when on audio such as Apple Music -- if I go to Sound Preferences and disconnect the bluetooth speakers that aren't delivering, they usually reconnect themselves and start playing.

Catalina has been a real bummer. I hardly ever saw the beach ball in Sierra or Mojave -- now I see it multiple times a day. It reminds me of Windows, which is not a good thing.

Hello guys,

Unfortunately, the bug is still there on 10.15.4 but it now disconnects and reconnects automatically.

for those of you who don’t experience the bug the first day or couple of days after updating, it’s due to the restart.

Just comment to inform I'm having the same issue as well.

I'm running Catalina 10.15.4 and the problem happens with my Bose QC35 II. The bluetooth still connected, but sound output changed to Internal Speakers. I can see the Bose QC35 II option but doesn't let me change to that audio output. I have no issue with my bluetooth mouse or keyboard (they are not all connected at the same time btw, only headphones and mouse or just the headphones themselves)