Bluetooth audio device doesn't stay connected

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Level 1

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Bluetooth audio device doesn't stay connected

I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013), 16GB RAM and 512 GB storage. It's running Yosemite 10.10.3. I have a usb keyboard connected via cable and a bluetooth magic mouse. I just recently purchased some Bluetooth stereo headphones. I have not noticed the audio lag that others in the forum have encountered but I have ran into something slightly obnoxious and that is keeping them connected after being away for a time. Here's what happens. The headphones are paired and everything works just as expected until you have to be away from the computer for a while. Once the computer wakes from sleep and the headphones are powered on again. They will connect, the bluetooth menu item shows they are connected, but then after about 30 seconds they will disconnect. Here's a list of things I have tried to isolate the problem.

Removed the com.apple.BluetoothAudio.plist file from my home/Library/Preferences folder and restarted

Reset the PRAM

Unpaired the device and re-paired them.

Deselecting Bluetooth PAN from Sharing preferences

Closing all applications that might use sound, turning off the headphones and powering them on again

The above things are sometimes effective at getting the headphones to connect and work again until you have to leave your computer again and the same then happens again.

Looking at the console logs have not be too helpful. Here's what's in the logs when this happens:

5/12/15 10:47:14.000 AM kernel[0]: IOBluetoothHCIController::CallCreateDeviceReporter -- calling enqueueAction() -- device = 0xf800

5/12/15 10:47:14.000 AM kernel[0]: IOBluetoothHCIController::CreateDeviceReporterAction -- device = = 0xf800

5/12/15 10:47:14.000 AM kernel[0]: IOBluetoothHCIController::CreateDeviceReporterAction -- calling CreateDeviceReporter() device = = 0xf800

5/12/15 10:47:14.000 AM kernel[0]: IOBluetoothHCIController::CreateDeviceReporter -- device = = 0xf800

5/12/15 10:47:14.996 AM bluetoothaudiod[28255]: Logging disabled

5/12/15 10:47:30.000 AM kernel[0]: [0xffffff8064077c00][free]()

When the last line (free) shows up, the headphones are disconnected.

Last thing, the Headphones are TurtleBeach Elite 800's running Bluetooth 4 (HSP + A2DP). Not sure if this is a Yosemite or MacBookPro issue. The headphones also can pair to my iPhone6 Plus without any problems. However, in trying to isolate the issue with my MacBook, I removed the pairing from my iPhone completely. This issue continues to happen regardless.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on May 12, 2015 10:03 AM

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Answer 1

Eric Root

Level 10

684,069 points

May 12, 2015 10:42 AM in response to Aaron Barlow

Bluetooth devices become unresponsive

Bluetooth Interference Sources

Bluetooth Interference Sources (2)

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Answer 2

Aaron Barlow Author

Level 1

0 points

May 12, 2015 11:38 AM in response to Eric Root

I strongly doubt that this is an interference issue for the following reasons:

Once the headphones are paired, there is no audio choppiness from the audio source of the microphones. I'm listening to Pandora as I type this with the headphones connected.
My Bluetooth Magic mouse remains connected without any problems, albeit it isn't an audio device and may not need as strong a signal. If it was an interference source, I would expect the mouse to exhibit similar problems, but it does not.
This problem only occurs when reconnecting and the device connects to my Macbook Pro every time and then disconnects. An intermittent connection due to interference should also mean the device is unable to connect to my Macbook and vice-versa. This never happens. A connection is always made between the two devices and then dropped.

Eric, I'm sure the solution you've posted will work but is very ... Windows-esque ... and antithetical to the "Just works" tagline. It's disappointing that such a recommendation should come from Apple to solve these problems. But the real question is why should a restart be necessary? I mean, Apple built OS X on top of Unix (BSD for the pedantic) that used to power mainframes with uptime measured in years, but when it comes to Bluetooth it's recommendation is to turn everything off, disconnect all USB devices and hope for the best after two minutes? After all, I can close all of the sound related applications (Skype, Browsers, etc) and get my headphones to reconnect quicker than shutting everything down, disconnecting all USB devices and waiting for two minutes.

My opinion is that OS X is having trouble switching audio output/input sources when a Bluetooth device reconnects. Whether that trouble is due to software, or in the bluetooth hardware, or somewhere in between, I don't know. It could be a problem with just my Mac. Troubleshooting and debugging is hard. When the device finally connects, this extra line is added to the log file:

blued[89]: Trigger core audio to connect to bluetoothaudiod

This leads me to believe something gets messed up in the handoff when the device connects. Again, thank you for your help.

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Answer 3

Aaron Barlow Author

Level 1

0 points

May 15, 2015 11:07 AM in response to Aaron Barlow

One last item on this issue. The fastest way I've found to reconnect is to simple delete the device from Bluetooth preferences and re-pair. Seems to work every time and is faster than closing apps and trying to reconnect. It's still a bit of a pain, but it's the least painful solution so far.

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