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
    2021-05-14T17:21:35+00:00

    I've been trying to get Microsoft to fix this problem for over 12 months. Bluetooth headsets on Windows 10 are terrible quality. If Apple and Android can get it right, why can't Microsoft?

    I've had arguments with Microsoft employees with ridiculous responses from them like "disable the microphone" or "it's a bandwidth issue not a problem with Windows".

    It's 2020 and you can't use a bluetooth headset on Windows because the audio quality is very poor.

    It isn't a ridiculous response, unless they didn't elaborate, because it is indeed a bandwidth issue -  a Bluetooth bandwidth issue with carrying audio along with mic. Better Bluetooth tech is coming that will fix this. In the meantime the best option if you want to use airpods for conferencing etc. is use stereo mode and use something else for a mic. I use a Blue Yeti for the default mic so it works fine this way for me but I know not everyone will want to do that. Just saying it is a Bluetooth problem not a Windows problem. Hope that helps a little at least.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-01-28T02:58:02+00:00

    Basically, if you want to use AirPods, you either need to set them to Stereo mode and use a separate mic or deal with the low quality until Microsoft, Apple, or Bluetooth comes out with a piece of hardware that allows “Hands Free” mode to sound good.

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-12-27T08:51:17+00:00

    That is exactly the right question. 

    There are situations with different BT headsets, that provide acceptable Mic quality together with good Audio sound - but not with my AirPods and my Windows 10 (Lenovo notebook).

    All workarounds with external (USB) Mic are not suitable for me.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-12-14T06:58:52+00:00

    no, not a solution, simply because the input of the AirPods Pro can only be configured on low quality: 1 channel, 16 Bit, 8000Hz, which results in very poor audio quality for the audio input.

    For example, an external Mic (tbone SC 420 USB) can be configured in 2 channel, 16 Bit, 48000Hz or to stay wireless, a Plantronics BT600 headset is configured in 1 channel 16 Bit, 16000Hz, which is fully acceptable.

    I still do not understand why different deviced are treated differently and the user has simply no choice but take the setting Windows (?) chooses.

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