Q: Bluetooth audio lag

Just wanted to jump in since I am new to the party. I have Bose Mini Soundlink and mid-2014 MBP w/Retina. I experience horrible lag since the "upgrade" to Yosemite, random disconnects, when I disconnect my speaker iTunes randomly opens or starts playing if it is open, and Spotify randomly just stops playing music. I use my speaker all the time. I spent alot of money on an Apple device because I expected great QA on their hardware/software - if I wanted to deal with issues like this I would have bought a lenovo and saved my money. At least when Windows machines have issues work arounds crop up after a few weeks. This is ridiculous, can't even use my stuff on which I spent mucho dinero. I hope the 10.10.2 update fixes it. If not I will seriously consider selling the MBP.

Just want to add to the discussion.

I've also experienced problems with BT audio since I upgraded to Yosemite (10.10). Sometimes it seems as if audio is 'repeated' partly, which means that get something like thi-this, and i-it's REALLY annoying! I'm not sure if there is a an actual lag in the audio.

Initially I thought it might be related to my audio device (Jawbone Jambox), but now I'm also experiencing the same problems with a BT headphone (Philips SHB4000). It's also not really related to specific Mac hardware, as I'm experiencing the problems with both my macBook Air (13" Mid 2013)  and an older iMac (21" Spring 2010).

The upgrade to Yosemite 10.10.1 didn't bring any improvements, and now I'm hoping that the 1010.2 update will solve this issue.

Finally, a more technical remark on the issue: So currently I'm experiencing this 'doubling' (don't know how to call it otherwise) of short parts of audio, but I don't experience a real lag. Also not something like an increase in lag after some time. This brings me to believe that there's a problem with the communication stack itself in the way that audio packets may be lost, and then retransmitted, and re-amplified; or something like that.

It can't be that the macBook's transfer rate has increased, so it is (a little bit) higher than the audio device's receiving rate? Maybe stupid thought, but might be worthwhile to check...

The storage of the Bluetooth audio values have been changed in Mavericks / Yosemite the defaults are now with a process called “Bluetoothaudiod”, you can change the defaults by using the following example:

Sudo defaults write bluetoothaudiod "Apple Bitpool Min" 50

Please see below all the parameters I have changed, to read the defaults please enter the following command in terminal:

sudo defaults read bluetoothaudiod

enter your password:

MacBook-Pro:~ Ciaran$ sudo defaults read bluetoothaudiod

{

    "AAC Bitrate" = 320;

    "AAC CBR" = 1;

    "Apple Bitpool Max" = 64;

    "Apple Bitpool Min" = 50;

    "Apple Initial Bitpool" = 50;

    "Disable AAC codec" = 0;

    "Disable AptX codec" = 0;

    "Disable HFP" = 0;

    "Enable AptX codec" = 1;

These setting work well with my Bose Soundink OE headphones, please be careful entering the values as they are case sensitive, I really hope this helps some of you out there.

Cheers.

Hmm.... Before attempting the change, I tried to read the BluetoothAudioD file, I get this:

{

    "LastAudioAgentError_Context" = "CONNECTION_ERROR";

    "LastAudioAgentError_Status" = 4;

}

Those lines were in my readout before also, I wouldn't worry about it as they only show the last errors with BluetoothaudioD, hope this helps.

Okay, I've done the sudo write and then the read. Still having the delay. This is the read result:

{

    "Apple Bitpool Min" = 50;

    "LastAudioAgentError_Context" = "CONNECTION_ERROR";

    "LastAudioAgentError_Status" = 4;

}

Try rebooting your computer after making the the changes and you can also add the rest of the values but the bitpool Min should make the most difference.

Well... now my Sound Preferences won't see my Bluetooth headphones at all. I even removed them from the Bluetooth pane and re-connected them, but they still don't show in the Sound Preferences.

Sounds like the bitpool Min might be to high can you try the following;

Sudo defaults write bluetoothaudiod "Apple Bitpool Min" 40

Nope. The thing is, the Bluetooth pane sees it no problem. It connects and the computer sees it fine. Just the Sound pane doesn't see it. The Bluetooth pane even shows that it's an external sound item. However, if I use the option key on the Bluetooth menu item, the Active Code shows as not active.

Either way, these settings haven't helped and now I can't hear anything through my bluetooth headphones. Can't find the file, otherwise I'd delete it and see if that would fix it.

Also, when I had done the bitrate to 50 but none of the other settings, it was still lagging, but the sound pane saw the headphones. Something in the other settings has disabled the headphones from the sound pane.

I am sorry to hear it didn't work I will have a look later to see if I can replicate the problem, to remove the settings you made us the following command:

Sudo defaults delete bluetoothaudiod "Apple Bitpool Min"

I'm also having this issue with my bose sound link mini, all started after upgrading to Yosemite. I've even tried a complete clean install of yosemite, have nothing else installed on the laptop and only itunes and safari open.

When i move the safari page the speaker lags out and crackles.

yeah me too mac book pro 2010 with wireless dre beats and a thompson sound bar both lag. lag gets worst over time. it works best with vlc, and worst with safari espically youtube. im very disappointed after spending so much i cant even listen to a song or watch a youtube video im gutted its the holidays i wanted to zone out and watch some movies i cant even do that im absolutly gutted. I would have expect the great god in the sky apple to fix it as its been about 4 weeks since i upgraded. i dont want to take this junk to cash converts but whats the point in having stuff that dont work i would have brought a windows computer if i wanted that kind of unfunctioning rubbish

Not able to use Bluetooth anymore. big audio lag!!! no fix yet?!?!?!?

Upgrading to Yosemite 10.10.2 Beta release helped. My problem was with Logitech bluetooth receiver. Now it is not lagging anymore. Release isn't pubic yet, but it should be soon. I got it as I signed to beta program on the apple developer portal.

So what I can recommend is to wait for the next Yosemite update (10.10.2) or if you really need it now, sign in for beta release. Do not use any torrent links as suggested before in this forum thread or third party updates.