Arch Linux

fopdudel

Member

Registered: 2021-02-12

Posts: 17

Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

So I have managed to get audio working for my laptop speakers, and I've managed to connect to my bluetooth headphones with blueman. However audio still plays through my laptop speakers when I've connected the headphones. pavucontrol does not list the bluetooth headphones as an audio output. Any ideas how I can get audio to output through my headphones?

Any help/advice is appreciated, thanks

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 22,387

Re: Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

Post

pacman -Qs 'pipewire|pulse'
pactl list cards
pactl list sinks

in code tags

fopdudel

Member

Registered: 2021-02-12

Posts: 17

Re: Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

Post

pacman -Qs 'pipewire|pulse'
pactl list cards
pactl list sinks

in code tags

$ pacman -Qs 'pipewire | pulse`
local/libcanberra 1:0.30+r2+gc0620e4-3
    A small and lightweight implementation of
    the XDG Sound Theme Specification
local/libpipewire 1:1.0.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and
    processor - client library
local/libpulse 17.0-3
    A featureful, general-purpose sound server
    (client library)
local/libwireplumber 0.4.17-1
    Session / policy manager implementation for
    PipeWire - client library
local/pavucontrol 1:5.0+r64+geba9ca6-1
    PulseAudio Volume Control
local/pipewire 1:1.0.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and
    processor
local/pipewire-alsa 1:1.0.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and
    processor - ALSA configuration
local/pipewire-audio 1:1.0.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and
    processor - Audio support
local/pipewire-pulse 1:1.0.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and
    processor - PulseAudio replacement
local/wireplumber 0.4.17-1
    Session / policy manager implementation for
    PipeWire

$ pactl list cards
pactl list cards
Card #46
	Name: alsa_card.pci-0000_03_00.1
	Driver: alsa
	Owner Module: n/a
	Properties:
		api.acp.auto-port = "false"
		api.acp.auto-profile = "false"
		api.alsa.card = "0"
		api.alsa.card.longname = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xc05c8000 irq 71"
		api.alsa.card.name = "HD-Audio Generic"
		api.alsa.path = "hw:0"
		api.alsa.use-acp = "true"
		api.dbus.ReserveDevice1 = "Audio0"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:03:00.1"
		device.description = "Raven/Raven2/Fenghuang HDMI/DP Audio Controller"
		device.enum.api = "udev"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-analog-pci"
		device.name = "alsa_card.pci-0000_03_00.1"
		device.nick = "HD-Audio Generic"
		device.plugged.usec = "18102097"
		device.product.id = "0x15de"
		device.product.name = "Raven/Raven2/Fenghuang HDMI/DP Audio Controller"
		device.subsystem = "sound"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:03:00.1/sound/card0"
		device.vendor.id = "0x1002"
		device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]"
		media.class = "Audio/Device"
		factory.id = "14"
		client.id = "33"
		object.id = "46"
		object.serial = "46"
		object.path = "alsa:pcm:0"
		alsa.card = "0"
		alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xc05c8000 irq 71"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.string = "0"
	Profiles:
		off: Off (sinks: 0, sources: 0, priority: 0, available: yes)
		output:hdmi-stereo: Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 5900, available: no)
		output:hdmi-surround: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI) Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 800, available: no)
		output:hdmi-surround71: Digital Surround 7.1 (HDMI) Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 800, available: no)
		pro-audio: Pro Audio (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 1, available: yes)
	Active Profile: off
	Ports:
		hdmi-output-0: HDMI / DisplayPort (type: HDMI, priority: 5900, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 1, not available)
			Properties:
				port.type = "hdmi"
				port.availability-group = "Legacy 1"
				device.icon_name = "video-display"
				card.profile.port = "0"
			Part of profile(s): output:hdmi-stereo, output:hdmi-surround, output:hdmi-surround71

Card #47
	Name: alsa_card.pci-0000_03_00.6
	Driver: alsa
	Owner Module: n/a
	Properties:
		api.acp.auto-port = "false"
		api.acp.auto-profile = "false"
		api.alsa.card = "1"
		api.alsa.card.longname = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xc05c0000 irq 72"
		api.alsa.card.name = "HD-Audio Generic"
		api.alsa.path = "hw:1"
		api.alsa.use-acp = "true"
		api.dbus.ReserveDevice1 = "Audio1"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:03:00.6"
		device.description = "Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller"
		device.enum.api = "udev"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-analog-pci"
		device.name = "alsa_card.pci-0000_03_00.6"
		device.nick = "HD-Audio Generic"
		device.plugged.usec = "18175037"
		device.product.id = "0x15e3"
		device.product.name = "Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller"
		device.subsystem = "sound"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:03:00.6/sound/card1"
		device.vendor.id = "0x1022"
		device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD]"
		media.class = "Audio/Device"
		factory.id = "14"
		client.id = "33"
		object.id = "47"
		object.serial = "47"
		object.path = "alsa:pcm:1"
		alsa.card = "1"
		alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xc05c0000 irq 72"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.string = "1"
	Profiles:
		off: Off (sinks: 0, sources: 0, priority: 0, available: yes)
		output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Duplex (sinks: 1, sources: 1, priority: 6565, available: yes)
		output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 6500, available: yes)
		input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Input (sinks: 0, sources: 1, priority: 65, available: yes)
		pro-audio: Pro Audio (sinks: 1, sources: 1, priority: 1, available: yes)
	Active Profile: output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
	Ports:
		analog-input-mic: Microphone (type: Mic, priority: 8700, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 1, availability unknown)
			Properties:
				port.type = "mic"
				port.availability-group = "Legacy 1"
				device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
				card.profile.port = "0"
			Part of profile(s): input:analog-stereo, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
		analog-output-speaker: Speakers (type: Speaker, priority: 10000, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 2, availability unknown)
			Properties:
				port.type = "speaker"
				port.availability-group = "Legacy 2"
				device.icon_name = "audio-speakers"
				card.profile.port = "1"
			Part of profile(s): output:analog-stereo, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
		analog-output-headphones: Headphones (type: Headphones, priority: 9900, latency offset: 0 usec, availability group: Legacy 3, not available)
			Properties:
				port.type = "headphones"
				port.availability-group = "Legacy 3"
				device.icon_name = "audio-headphones"
				card.profile.port = "2"
			Part of profile(s): output:analog-stereo, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo

$ pactl list sinks
Sink #56
	State: SUSPENDED
	Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_03_00.6.analog-stereo
	Description: Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo
	Driver: PipeWire
	Sample Specification: s32le 2ch 48000Hz
	Channel Map: front-left,front-right
	Owner Module: 4294967295
	Mute: no
	Volume: front-left: 32768 /  50% / -18.06 dB,   front-right: 32768 /  50% / -18.06 dB
	        balance 0.00
	Base Volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	Monitor Source: alsa_output.pci-0000_03_00.6.analog-stereo.monitor
	Latency: 0 usec, configured 0 usec
	Flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY
	Properties:
		alsa.card = "1"
		alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.device = "0"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		alsa.id = "ALC256 Analog"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xc05c0000 irq 72"
		alsa.name = "ALC256 Analog"
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		api.alsa.card.longname = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xc05c0000 irq 72"
		api.alsa.card.name = "HD-Audio Generic"
		api.alsa.path = "front:1"
		api.alsa.pcm.card = "1"
		api.alsa.pcm.stream = "playback"
		audio.channels = "2"
		audio.position = "FL,FR"
		card.profile.device = "3"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		device.id = "47"
		device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
		device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
		device.routes = "2"
		factory.name = "api.alsa.pcm.sink"
		media.class = "Audio/Sink"
		device.description = "Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller"
		node.name = "alsa_output.pci-0000_03_00.6.analog-stereo"
		node.nick = "ALC256 Analog"
		node.pause-on-idle = "false"
		object.path = "alsa:pcm:1:front:1:playback"
		priority.driver = "1009"
		priority.session = "1009"
		factory.id = "18"
		clock.quantum-limit = "8192"
		client.id = "33"
		node.driver = "true"
		factory.mode = "merge"
		audio.adapt.follower = ""
		library.name = "audioconvert/libspa-audioconvert"
		object.id = "56"
		object.serial = "56"
		api.acp.auto-port = "false"
		api.acp.auto-profile = "false"
		api.alsa.card = "1"
		api.alsa.use-acp = "true"
		api.dbus.ReserveDevice1 = "Audio1"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:03:00.6"
		device.enum.api = "udev"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-analog-pci"
		device.name = "alsa_card.pci-0000_03_00.6"
		device.nick = "HD-Audio Generic"
		device.plugged.usec = "18175037"
		device.product.id = "0x15e3"
		device.product.name = "Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller"
		device.subsystem = "sound"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:03:00.6/sound/card1"
		device.vendor.id = "0x1022"
		device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD]"
		device.string = "1"
	Ports:
		analog-output-speaker: Speakers (type: Speaker, priority: 10000, availability group: Legacy 2, availability unknown)
		analog-output-headphones: Headphones (type: Headphones, priority: 9900, availability group: Legacy 3, not available)
	Active Port: analog-output-speaker
	Formats:
		pcm

It is also possibly a problem with bluetooth because when I try to connect to the headphones with blueman, I get a "connected" notification and a "disconnected" notification right after that, and then blueman says:

Connection Failed: br-connection-canceled

However, the bluetooth module of Waybar still shows my headphones are connected until I put them back in their case/disconnect them, and blueman also sends me a "disconnected" notification when that happens. So I am not sure whether or not my headphones are actually connected, or what's going on with that.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,008

Re: Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

Are there any nearby devices that could also be paired with the headphones?

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

fopdudel

Member

Registered: 2021-02-12

Posts: 17

Re: Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

Are there any nearby devices that could also be paired with the headphones?

The headphones were last paired with my phone but I disabled bluetooth on my phone and forgot the pairing on my phone so the headphones shouldn't be connecting to them. The only other device the headphones have ever been paired with is the same laptop before I installed Arch on it; I was previously on Manjaro Linux on the same laptop and used the same headphones just fine on the Manjaro install, using the bluetooth and audio software that was installed with Manjaro. That Manjaro install obviously no longer exists so it can't be pairing with that either. Other than the old Manjaro install and my phone, there's no other devices my headphones have ever been paired with.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,008

Re: Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

Good.  I have found that headphones may connect to multiple devices, but each 'endpoint' can only be clained by one device at a time.  I have fought with no audio configuration on Arch Linux with connected devices only to discover my Pixel 4 had captured the audio endpoint first.   In any event, this is not your problem right now.

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

kermit63

Member

Registered: 2018-07-04

Posts: 196

Re: Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

The headphones were last paired with my phone ...

One thing I noticed with my bluetooth headphone is if I used it on another device, I need to to pair it again with my computer to get it working. There is an article in the wiki to make the computer remember the pairing, but I never bothered to implement it.

fopdudel

Member

Registered: 2021-02-12

Posts: 17

Re: Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

The headphones were last paired with my phone ...

One thing I noticed with my bluetooth headphone is if I used it on another device, I need to to pair it again with my computer to get it working. There is an article in the wiki to make the computer remember the pairing, but I never bothered to implement it.

Hm, I've tried pairing it again just now (had already tried re-pairing several times) and it seems to be pairing normally in blueman now, no longer getting the error message I was getting before, and my Waybar bluetooth module continues to show my headphones being connected.

However it is still not outputting audio, and pavucontrol does not show the headphones as an option for an audio output

fopdudel

Member

Registered: 2021-02-12

Posts: 17

Re: Bluetooth headphones not recognised as audio output

The headphones were last paired with my phone ...

One thing I noticed with my bluetooth headphone is if I used it on another device, I need to to pair it again with my computer to get it working. There is an article in the wiki to make the computer remember the pairing, but I never bothered to implement it.

Hm, I've tried pairing it again just now (had already tried re-pairing several times) and it seems to be pairing normally in blueman now, no longer getting the error message I was getting before, and my Waybar bluetooth module continues to show my headphones being connected.

However it is still not outputting audio, and pavucontrol does not show the headphones as an option for an audio output

So it seems I get this error message every time I disconnect and reconnect, but unpairing and re-pairing works as above in the quote.

I tried in the command line and got this output:

$ bluetoothctl disconnect [mac address] && bluetoothctl connect [mac address]
Attempting to disconnect from [mac address]
Successful disconnected
Attempting to connect to [mac address]
[CHG] Device [mac address] Connected: yes
Failed to connect: org.bluez.Error.Failed br-connection-canceled
[CHG] Device [mac address] Connected: no