Airpods Pro: very bad quality in Headset mode on Windows 10

Anonymous
2020-04-02T12:50:11+00:00

Dear all,

I've got my new Airpods Pro, they work well with my iPhone.

Also on Windows 10 via bluetooth, sound quality is good when using the "Airpods stereo" mode.

However, in the headset mode ("Airpods Hands-Free AG Audio") sound and especially microphone quality is extremely bad. I tried to change the default format (see screenshot, it's only 8000Hz), but I cannot change it as it's grey. Any advice to get a better microphone quality?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2022-01-17T19:57:00+00:00

According to this post it should be fixed already in Insiders Build (currently Dev Channel only).

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-02-22T04:00:19+00:00

    As far as I understand, it is a bandwidth issue. There is not enough throughput available in the Bluetooth connection for both audio and mic.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-02-22T05:23:33+00:00

    As far as I understand, it is a bandwidth issue. There is not enough throughput available in the Bluetooth connection for both audio and mic.

    that's not correct. if it were a bandwidth issue, then Android and Mac would have the same problem but they don't. this is a problem with Windows which they could fix but some reason have chosen to ignore it.

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-02-22T07:23:33+00:00

    It is definitely not a bandwidth issue.

    Here is another BT connected headset which uses "Hands-Free AG Audio" profile with acceptable mic audio quality: Valco VMK20:

    Image

    Sound quality using the MIC: very good (9 out of 10)
    (offtopic: this Valco headset does a very good job as BT headset anyway :) ).

    1 channel with 16 Bit and 16000 Hz is totally ok ... but still there is no user choice to select the quality.

    The easiest way for Microsoft to solve this issue would be to allow the user to select the quality, as it is possible with other profile types.

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-02-26T20:32:24+00:00

    I have read the whole thread, and was wondering if a software update would be able to fix the sound quality issue, or does it not work like that?

    I have Air Pod Pro's and when selecting the stereo option the sound is great, but you cannot use the microphone, as you have all mentioned above.

    When in the headset mode the sound quality is unbearable, I'm not talking about a little interference or white noise, it literally sounds like the sound is cut in and out every second with a gargling type noise. It is just not usable.

    I have tested on my Windows 10 HP Spectre and my Macbook Air, I undertsand people are saying the Mac deals with the auto swap way better than the manual capabilities on the Windows 10, but what I can't understand is why the quality is unusable in headset mode on the Win 10 machine, but OK on the Mac.

    Just as another side note, people have said that I sound better on the Win 10 over the Mac ....... but I just cant bear to use on the Win 10.

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