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I had no problems for months until i did a kernel update around christmas 2025. Ever since, i get various failures when connecting, such as timeout, low RSSI and authentication failure. I wrote a script that somehow fixed the issue temporarily, but now that one doesn't even work anymore. Here's the script, if that matters:
#!/bin/bash
bluetoothctl <<EOF
scan off
disconnect 1C:6E:4C:AD:33:ED
remove 1C:6E:4C:AD:33:ED
EOF
echo "Perform a factory reset on the Major IV headphones"
read
sudo systemctl restart bluetooth
systemctl restart --user pipewire
systemctl restart --user pipewire-pulse
systemctl restart --user wireplumber
bluetoothctl <<EOF
power on
discoverable on
pairable on
agent KeyboardDisplay
default-agent
scan on
connect 1C:6E:4C:AD:33:ED
EOF`1C:6E:4C:AD:33:ED` is the ID of my bluetooth headset (Marshall Major IV). For those who want to try the script, change the bluetooth-ID to whatever your device has. The script kinda fails at the connect step, but i remember it worked once when i wrote it the first time. For those with similar problems, it might be worth trying.
It seems to occasionally perform the first step or so of the connection process, but tends to fail at some point, where the computer and the headset tend to disagree on whether or not they are connected, and then a timeout occurs. Something like that. If not, i get a low RSSI error, authentication failure, or br-connection-key-missing. I'm not entirely sure why.
Apparently this thing's firmware can be updated. I need an app for that on my phone, which doesn't even work. The app doesn't find the headset, so i guess that's out of the question. (unless someone knows a solution. I don't know.)
I've tried resetting my `/etc/bluetooth` configuration, but it didn't help. Now i really don't know what to do. This is a major source of frustration. At least it supports a headphone jack.
My laptop is an old HP Elitebook 8560w. Maybe the old hardware is a cause? I've heard others have had problems with bluetooth around the same time, so i'm wondering if there was a breaking change in the firmware or bluez or something along those lines at that point. Or maybe not. Does anyone know? Any help/advice appreciated.
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For the record, the headphones work fine with my android phone. No problems, except for the Marshall bluetooth app, which is supposed to be able to update its firmware (but it won't find the headset even if i'm connected to it through bluetooth). Anyways, the headphones seem to work fine with my phone. Not my laptop running arch-linux. It used to work for a bout a year until it suddenly stopped working after i did an update.
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I also suspect the issue might be related to pipewire. Sometimes i'm able to connect, but pipewire seems to be confused about what audio output to assign the device. Then it stays connected for a few seconds, and then times out after a while with no audio sink created.
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