Bluetooth audio is my least favorite part of using Linux and it seems like my coworkers agree. I hear a lot of praise for pipewire, but it doesn’t match what I experience. Does any system work well for anyone?
To clarify, it can work. But it’s a harsh experience compared to say Android. I’ve used Ubuntu, Fedora, and PopOS. I’ve tried a few different headphones, using Galaxy Buds 2 current. Pulseaudio tends to “do as it’s told” but doesn’t automatically switch to the right (confusingly named) profile. With Ubuntu 23.10, using pipewire, it does automatic switch profiles. Sometimes this works great. But very often, it gets stuck on on a profile or just stops working. I have to reconnect bluetooth to fix it.
Is there some magic combination of things that works or is this just how it is for everyone?
Pretty good. I use Nothing ear 2s with a lenovo thinkpad on arch linux and it works just as well as with my ipad and my android smartphone.
Only bad thing, it set the codec to a worse sounding one once for some reason, but changing it back solved it.
This usually happens when you use the earphones’ microphone. It lowers the audio quality to be able to send the microphone’s data.
Very good point. I was in a discord call in that moment. Discord probably tried to use my headphones mic instead of the built-in.
exactly. I disabled mono profile in bluez config and I could recomend that to everyone else as well
Wait, you can keep the audio quality while using the microphone?
Not exactly. You loose microphone in the headset. I use the built in microphone in the laptop instead.
Upon further researching, there seems to be a a configuration that provides acceptable audio quality while using the device’s microphone.
It’s called HSP/HFP with mSBC codec.