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bkummel
Newcomer
January 15, 2025
Question

Zoom bluetooth audio crippled

  • January 15, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 75 views

Hi,

 

I have this issue where during a Zoom meeting, the audio suddenly starts to sound crippled. On a level that I can barely understand what others in the meeting are saying. This only happens when I use a bluetooth headset. At first I thought the headset was the issue. I got it replaced by a headset from a different brand, but the issue remains. I don't have crippled sound when using the headset for e.g. listening to music. It also does not happen always. I can get the sound back to normal by disconnecting the bluetooth and then connect again. I hear from colleagues that they experience the same with different headsets and also only with Zoom.

 

Does anyone else recognize this problem? Is there a way to prevent the crippling from starting? It's really annoying to have to disconnect the headset in the middle of a meeting!

2 replies

storyhub
Community Super Champion | Customer
storyhub
Community Super Champion | Customer
January 17, 2025

Audio is very complex on computer systems and depends upon many factors. You have not stated what device and OS is being used which further complicates the possibilities.

As a best guess I would guess that you did not connect to the device using the bluetooth connect feature of Zoom.

B
Newcomer
bkummelAuthor
Newcomer
January 17, 2025

Hi @storyhub ,

Thanks for your reply. I run Zoom on a MacBook air (M2, 2023) running macOS 15.1. I've updated to the latest version of Zoom.

Can you elaborate more about the bluetooth connect feature? As far as I'm aware the bluetooth connection is the responsibility of macOS. But let me know if there's another way to connect, happy to try!

storyhub
Community Super Champion | Customer
storyhub
Community Super Champion | Customer
April 17, 2025

Apple devices are very complicated when it comes to audio because Apple wants to try to control everything without giving the user much choice. Apple is very picky about integrating hardware it does not sell.

First be sure you have installed the CORRECT version of Zoom "for apple silicon". If you installed the Intel version it will not work with the headset.

Uninstall Zoom then follow:

https://support.zoom.com/hc/en/article?id=zm_kb&sysparm_article=KB0062643

Make sure that the Sony headset has been CONFIGURED as I mentioned earlier. If it is configured for music that is the WRONG setting.

Be sure that the headset is connected in Zoom's audio settings.

Be sure that all OS permissions are set for using that audio device.

Be sure that the OS audio is set to the bluetooth headset.

You may also want to try the headset on other Apple devices such as iPad or iPhone to see if it works with those devices. Be sure that all other devices have bluetooth turned off or disconnected from this device.

B
Newcomer
bkummelAuthor
Newcomer
January 17, 2025

Thanks for you reply, @storyhub !

 

I'm running Zoom on a MacBook air (M2, 2023), running macOS 15.1.

 

Can you elaborate more on the "Bluetooth Connect" feature you mentioned? As far as I'm aware, the only way to connect a bluetooth device is through the macOS bluetooth menu.

storyhub
Community Super Champion | Customer
storyhub
Community Super Champion | Customer
January 18, 2025

Apple devices have very complex audio management requiring permissions and special devices that follow all of Apple's requirements. If the device connected only supports 44.1K sample rate that can lead to issues. If the device connected is a bluetooth speaker and a mic that device may not work as a speaker device for shared audio because it is a bluetooth device. Bluetooth is not a well established standard and is not a recommended technology in the pro audio world because of many incompatibility situations. If your bluetooth headset was not produced by Apple then incompatibility is an expected issue. Additionally, bluetooth has significant latency that will throw lip sync off. As an audio engineer we avoid bluetooth devices because of all these issues. On iPads and iPhones Zoom has a separate bluetooth connect function as a part of the speaker function. A bluetooth device that works on an iPad or iPhone with Zoom may not work on a PC with Zoom even when it APPEARS to be properly connected. If you want to use Apple devices and their airplay technology it is highly recommended that you ONLY use Apple bluetooth devices. Apple does not give out all the compatibility rules to other manufacturers to force users to use only Apple devices. If you want to use non Apple devices it is best to use USB or analog technology.

    B
    Newcomer
    bkummelAuthor
    Newcomer
    January 23, 2025

    Mac OS and ARM processors are still very picky about hardware. Listening to music is not a VALID test for Zoom because it typically uses 44.1K sample rate and uses only the speakers (headphones - one way communication). Zoom uses speakers and Mic of the bluetooth device (2 way communication). The Sony headset has 5 mics in an array and noise cancellation built-in that can cause interference (turn off noise cancellation to see if that changes the sound you hear from Zoom) if settings or hardware design are not compatible.

    The Sony headset needs to be configured differently to work with Zoom (vs music) so take a look at the following about CONFIGURING THE SONY HEADSET. Which states "When you make a video call on your computer, select calling connections (HFP/HSP) and not music playback connections (A2DP). If you select music playback connections, a video call may not be available. "

    https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/wh1000xm4/v1/en/contents/TP1000003512.html


    All the info you link to seems to be outdated:

    • I don't see any reference to A2DP nor HFP/HSP in my Sony Sound Connect app. I've checked all settings in the app. 
    • I don't see different stereo and hands-free devices listed in Zoom, nor in the Bluetooth menu of macOS. I only see one single WH-1000XM4 entry. I believe I read in some firmware update release notes that they had removed that, but I can't find those release notes anymore now.

    However, the Sound Connect app let's me change a setting where I can choose whether the head set should prioritize sound quality or connection stability. Since I've set it to prioritize connection stability, the situation has improved a bit: I still hear some artifacts in Zoom calls, but not to the point where I can't understand what's being said anymore. 

     

    It's not clear to me what exactly this setting does, but it might be that it selects HFP/HSP under the hood. 

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