Arch Linux

calef13

Member

Registered: 2007-06-10

Posts: 142

QC35 over Bluetooth with microphone [Solved]

So I have had a pair of QC35's for a while now, and audio works well enough over Bluetooth. The issue I have is with the microphone.

In order for it to work, I first need to change the audio profile from "High Fidelity Playback (A2DP Sink)" to "Headset Head Unit (HSP/HFP)". However, the audio quality is not acceptable on the latter.

My question is, why is it that my Android phone, and Windows 10 on the same laptop, works fine with calls including audio, and Arch doesn't? I don't doubt I can get things working well, I just don't know enough about Bluetooth to figure out what I'm missing.

I imagine this old HSP standard is from when bluetooth headsets first came on the market. Windows/Android and presumably MacOS are doing something different, since I never get the telltale static and terrible audio + voice quality that I get when I use HSP on Linux. It seems they manage to get input from my microphone as well as good quality audio.

Is there some configuration for Bluetooth or a driver I'm missing?

Or does this require proprietary drivers?

I'd be grateful for any advice or recommendations, since the Arch Wiki doesn't really have much on this issue.

Last edited by calef13 (2021-01-27 23:04:22)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 21,736

Re: QC35 over Bluetooth with microphone [Solved]

It requires proprietary codecs that haven't been implemented as such under linux yet.

Work is currently underway https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/pulseaud … quests/254 but from what I'm seeing there are also a few kernel specifics that are lacking, so it isn't just userspace that has to develop more.

calef13

Member

Registered: 2007-06-10

Posts: 142

Re: QC35 over Bluetooth with microphone [Solved]

Ah right that makes sense. Thanks for the explanation and the link! I'll just need to be patient then.