Jabra denies support for Elite 85t Bluetooth earbuds on computers
220 comments
I have the Elite 85h, and it has the same problem, as well as about a dozen other problems when you connect it to a computer. Same response. But the sales letter for the product makes it clear that they do support computers.
My last email to Jabra was ignored:
The message that computers are not supported devices on the Jabra Elite 85h was a very upsetting response to receive, so I didn't respond for quite a while. It's quite frustrating to hear that expensive bluetooth headphones designed to connect to 8 devices are not meant to work with computers. If that were the case, I would expect the Jabra site to say that computers are not supported in BIG letters, as I imagine a lot of people, like me, would expect their computer to be one of those 8 devices.
However, this statement about computers not being supported cannot be true. On the Jabra site for this product, it says: "no need to plug your headphones into your computer." It also has a picture of the product beside a Macbook. I've included screen shots of the product page that show these two points that clearly indicate computers are supported. I've heard this issue of the Elite 85h not being compatible with computers before from Jabra support, but it seems so implausible that Jabra would make bluetooth headphones that don't support computers, and equally implausible that they would mislead people into buying them on their site by suggesting that computers are supported if they are not.
I'm still hoping to get solutions to all the problems I'm having connecting my Jabra Elite 85h to my MacBook Air. Currently it's unusable and I'm going to have to buy another headset to replace them, which is much more wasteful than I would like.
My last email to Jabra was ignored:
The message that computers are not supported devices on the Jabra Elite 85h was a very upsetting response to receive, so I didn't respond for quite a while. It's quite frustrating to hear that expensive bluetooth headphones designed to connect to 8 devices are not meant to work with computers. If that were the case, I would expect the Jabra site to say that computers are not supported in BIG letters, as I imagine a lot of people, like me, would expect their computer to be one of those 8 devices.
However, this statement about computers not being supported cannot be true. On the Jabra site for this product, it says: "no need to plug your headphones into your computer." It also has a picture of the product beside a Macbook. I've included screen shots of the product page that show these two points that clearly indicate computers are supported. I've heard this issue of the Elite 85h not being compatible with computers before from Jabra support, but it seems so implausible that Jabra would make bluetooth headphones that don't support computers, and equally implausible that they would mislead people into buying them on their site by suggesting that computers are supported if they are not.
I'm still hoping to get solutions to all the problems I'm having connecting my Jabra Elite 85h to my MacBook Air. Currently it's unusable and I'm going to have to buy another headset to replace them, which is much more wasteful than I would like.
I use my Jabra headphones to connect to all 8 of my cell phones. I'm sure that is the use case they were built for.
Aaand now you're on the watch list
Good heavens, why on earth do you have 8 cell phones??? I hate life with just 1
8 different cell phones?
I'm pretty sure it's just a joke
I was making a very obscure reference to Office Space, oops.
> However, this statement about computers not being supported cannot be true. On the Jabra site for this product, it says: "no need to plug your headphones into your computer." It also has a picture of the product beside a Macbook. I've included screen shots of the product page that show these two points that clearly indicate computers are supported. I've heard this issue of the Elite 85h not being compatible with computers before from Jabra support, but it seems so implausible that Jabra would make bluetooth headphones that don't support computers, and equally implausible that they would mislead people into buying them on their site by suggesting that computers are supported if they are not.
Yeah, like... this is exactly how you get yourself sued, so if that's what they're hoping for...?
Yeah, like... this is exactly how you get yourself sued, so if that's what they're hoping for...?
Well, computer is a wide term.
My Jabras work well on Linux with custom bluetooth profile. It took some tinkering, and getting good quality for both mic and speakers was achievable.
But they should not advertise like this…
I also have the 85h and I managed to find an unofficial solution:
The Jabra Link 370 usb dongle. The headphones will then pair with the Jabra software on PC.
That said, I haven't had issues pairing the 85h with a MacBook Pro without the dongle.
And finally, it's ridiculous that Jabra doesn't support this or any other solution.
The Jabra Link 370 usb dongle. The headphones will then pair with the Jabra software on PC.
That said, I haven't had issues pairing the 85h with a MacBook Pro without the dongle.
And finally, it's ridiculous that Jabra doesn't support this or any other solution.
Thanks.
Unfortunately, that's $94 CAD on Amazon, and more money to Jabra to get these headsets to work as advertised. I'm going to save my pennies and get the new Sony WH-1000XM5.
Unfortunately, that's $94 CAD on Amazon, and more money to Jabra to get these headsets to work as advertised. I'm going to save my pennies and get the new Sony WH-1000XM5.
Also, I had no trouble with pairing the 85h with a MacBook, until I did. For example, it doesn't work with Zoom, but works for other things. And, it kept making my MacBook forget it has internal speakers. I documented and submitted about a dozen problems.
[deleted]
When I receive a call, my Bose SoundSport headphones randomly ring at max volume, with audible clipping. This happens when the iOS ring volume slider is set to the middle and hearing protection is enabled at 75dB. The sound is shockingly loud, especially when listening to an audio book at low volume. There was a multi-year megathread about it on the Bose forums before the company removed the forums entirely.
I chatted with five different Bose Support staff and they all refused to file a bug report. They are happy to send me a third pair with the same problem.
How can we get companies to respect their users?
I chatted with five different Bose Support staff and they all refused to file a bug report. They are happy to send me a third pair with the same problem.
How can we get companies to respect their users?
> How can we get companies to respect their users?
Stop buying their broken products.
Stop buying their broken products.
Well, Jabra and Bose are both shipping some arguably “broken” products (though frankly I find “broken” to be a tad flippant of a description.) That does leave some alternatives. How are people buying bluetooth earbuds supposed to know that buying flagship products from some of the most reputable companies in the field would lead them here? Honest question. I don’t think it’s reasonable to ask everyone in the world to try to blast past the reams of SEO and fake reviews to try to find the random users in Reddit and support forums suffering from serious, poorly-documented limitations and awful bugs.
In my mind, something must be systemically wrong here.
In my mind, something must be systemically wrong here.
Most reputable often just means ones with the largest marketing budget.
> In my mind, something must be systemically wrong here.
It is. Three things are at play here: The power of consumer protection agencies is way too low, the standardization group (=Bluetooth SIG) doesn't give a fuck, and the Bluetooth standard itself is a horrible mess dealing with a lot of historical baggage.
In an ideal world, cases such as "won't operate with a standard-issue Mac" would cause an investigation by a consumer protection agency and the party found to be at fault by violating the specification would have to remedy the issue and/or face substantial fines (obviously, the larger the company the bigger the fines).
It is. Three things are at play here: The power of consumer protection agencies is way too low, the standardization group (=Bluetooth SIG) doesn't give a fuck, and the Bluetooth standard itself is a horrible mess dealing with a lot of historical baggage.
In an ideal world, cases such as "won't operate with a standard-issue Mac" would cause an investigation by a consumer protection agency and the party found to be at fault by violating the specification would have to remedy the issue and/or face substantial fines (obviously, the larger the company the bigger the fines).
> The power of consumer protection agencies is way too low
In the UK, if they advertise them as working with / connecting to a computer, there's no way you aren't getting your money back.
Consumer protections in this country are pretty solid for this sort of thing (thought sadly not the case for new expensive things like cars, new build homes, etc).
I had PC World try to screw me with the old display panel switcheroo on a first gen flat screen Samsung LCD in the 2000s, a £1000, 32" screen which was supposed to have a "new" chevron pattern to the sub-pixels. Store display and review models had it, and it was all over their advertising, mine were plain old squares.
Trading Standards / Citizen's Advice Bureau had them practically begging me to take a replacement mere hours after an outright refusal to replace a TV I'd been using for a year already.
In the UK, if they advertise them as working with / connecting to a computer, there's no way you aren't getting your money back.
Consumer protections in this country are pretty solid for this sort of thing (thought sadly not the case for new expensive things like cars, new build homes, etc).
I had PC World try to screw me with the old display panel switcheroo on a first gen flat screen Samsung LCD in the 2000s, a £1000, 32" screen which was supposed to have a "new" chevron pattern to the sub-pixels. Store display and review models had it, and it was all over their advertising, mine were plain old squares.
Trading Standards / Citizen's Advice Bureau had them practically begging me to take a replacement mere hours after an outright refusal to replace a TV I'd been using for a year already.
Consumer protection is much better in Europe than in US, that is a problem for USA.
It's not about getting your money back. Consumers are lazy and usually don't care, which is why companies get away with so much bullshit - they just price in the amount of defects and returns instead of taking care to deliver a tested, high quality product.
Would even a single consumer claiming issues open up a company to severe fines, we'd see a lot less bullshit.
Would even a single consumer claiming issues open up a company to severe fines, we'd see a lot less bullshit.
Depending on your country and consumer protection laws, you just buy one and if it has a critical bug you walk back to the store and swap it for a different pair.
Stop putting your trust in popular brands. They spent so much money trying to reach you they need to cutback in other areas to hit their target stock prices.
It's completely reasonable that you need to ignore the ads and do serious research. Sometimes that involves asking friends/family/workmates or listening when they complain. The easiest research involves searching the internet. If you expect google to present you with the best product for you as the first three results you will be disappointed. Go to customer reports, read amazon reviews, read reddit reviews, checkout videos / blogs or try the product out first.
It's completely reasonable that you need to ignore the ads and do serious research. Sometimes that involves asking friends/family/workmates or listening when they complain. The easiest research involves searching the internet. If you expect google to present you with the best product for you as the first three results you will be disappointed. Go to customer reports, read amazon reviews, read reddit reviews, checkout videos / blogs or try the product out first.
It's not called Buy Other Sound Equipment for nothing.
Of all the budget audio companies, I keep buying BOSE ignoring the dumb memes because the companies "audiophiles" tend to recommend aren't much better. They might sound better, but are less comfortable or still break after one year.
Meanwhile all my BOSE IEMs have been the most comfortable I've ever bought, with the best seal compared to anybody else's, and I love my pair of QC II.
Meanwhile all my BOSE IEMs have been the most comfortable I've ever bought, with the best seal compared to anybody else's, and I love my pair of QC II.
Ouch. I'm not sure if this fixes your problem, but on Android I like to enable developer options and disable absolute volume to decouple the phone and speaker/headphone volumes, so I can use the device itself to turn down the peak volume (and hopefully noise floor) no matter how loud of a sound the phone tries to output. This might help ringtones, but probably not sounds generated by the headphones. Unfortunately this doesn't seem to be exposed by Apple for iPhones.
> How can we get companies to respect their users?
Stop giving them money unless they provide source and schematics and unlockable bootloaders and put things together with screws rather than glue.
As long as you the public at large keeps taking abuse and keep handing over more cash, they'll keep doing it.
Stop giving them money unless they provide source and schematics and unlockable bootloaders and put things together with screws rather than glue.
As long as you the public at large keeps taking abuse and keep handing over more cash, they'll keep doing it.
I'm like 50% suspicious that Apple is doing this on purpose to get you to buy Air Pods.
newsclues(2)
So then install Android-x86 on your laptop. Use it for a bit, verify the mic fails.
Call them up and tell them that you're performing a hardware compatibility evaluation to the same standard of due-diligence that would be used ahead-of-time in any competent enterprise-scale hardware accessory rollout - and that a prerequisite step in this process is to validate candidate accessories on Android in unusual environments, to exhaustively verify interoperability considering the known variability of the Bluetooth landscape (on both sides of any given connection).
"But that's a computer."
"Yes, running Android, an OS explicitly supported by logos on your packaging, specific instructions in the user manual and support in the official app."
"Using this hardware on a computer is not supported."
"Your official product communications clearly convey that you unilaterally support Android regardless of device type. The type of Android device I am using here is an x86 laptop, precisely to facilitate wide-range compatibility testing, and to catch potential compatibility issues early on. I'm interested in using this hardware, but after only 20 minutes of testing I've found I experience dropouts while using the officially supported app and running on an officially supported operating system."
I would be very interested to know how the conversation would continue...
Sadly this would be one of those Weird Thing In Instruction Manual-generating events ("why does this say it's not compatible with Android on PC???") but it might work.
(And if the person on the other end of the phone is mostly listening for keywords and they actually think you might be doing some sort of enterprise rollout (*cough* and want to buy a lot more hardware *cough*)... they might suddenly be very interested...)
Call them up and tell them that you're performing a hardware compatibility evaluation to the same standard of due-diligence that would be used ahead-of-time in any competent enterprise-scale hardware accessory rollout - and that a prerequisite step in this process is to validate candidate accessories on Android in unusual environments, to exhaustively verify interoperability considering the known variability of the Bluetooth landscape (on both sides of any given connection).
"But that's a computer."
"Yes, running Android, an OS explicitly supported by logos on your packaging, specific instructions in the user manual and support in the official app."
"Using this hardware on a computer is not supported."
"Your official product communications clearly convey that you unilaterally support Android regardless of device type. The type of Android device I am using here is an x86 laptop, precisely to facilitate wide-range compatibility testing, and to catch potential compatibility issues early on. I'm interested in using this hardware, but after only 20 minutes of testing I've found I experience dropouts while using the officially supported app and running on an officially supported operating system."
I would be very interested to know how the conversation would continue...
Sadly this would be one of those Weird Thing In Instruction Manual-generating events ("why does this say it's not compatible with Android on PC???") but it might work.
(And if the person on the other end of the phone is mostly listening for keywords and they actually think you might be doing some sort of enterprise rollout (*cough* and want to buy a lot more hardware *cough*)... they might suddenly be very interested...)
This fails at the “call them up” step. Nobody you get on the phone is going to understand or care about any of this.
They might, best-case-scenario, just be listening for keywords, and actually think I want to do a rollout. It's kind of sad one has to think this way, and I wouldn't push things to the point of actively deceiving, but what if something like the above worked?
I admittedly don't care about any of it either. My goal would be to introduce chinks in the armor in the arguments presented and try and carry that as far as possible in the hope a solution presents itself. The idea in the GP popped into my head as one entirely-throwaway potential solution to that bigger-picture problem. It's quite possible a different approach may work better.
I admittedly don't care about any of it either. My goal would be to introduce chinks in the armor in the arguments presented and try and carry that as far as possible in the hope a solution presents itself. The idea in the GP popped into my head as one entirely-throwaway potential solution to that bigger-picture problem. It's quite possible a different approach may work better.
You don't tell them it's Android-x86 until you get escalated, I suppose.
At which point they'd say "Android-x86 is not Android" and hang up.
Ironically, AOSP has an x86 build target.
Here's the thing: what does "it might work" result in? 'Cos I can't see a version of this that ends up with you having a pair of working Jabra 85 earbuds.
OP said the mic stopped working properly after a macos update. So the mic will probably work using Android-x86
I think the only thing they'll find interesting would be a letter from a lawyer
Yeah, I got burned by this "philosophy" when I found their Elite 85h full headphones wouldn't play with anything but a very specific subset of my devices (my Android phone, amusingly, not among them) and tried to complain.
They do sell a dongle to make this work, and more generally I have heard you can use things like the Creative BT-W2/W3 to make Bluetooth devices that don't play well with whatever chipset/driver mess you have play well - because they just show up to the OS as a generic soundcard and don't mention the word Bluetooth to anything the OS can see, and their implementation, unlike many software/hardware vendors', _works_ robustly. But I have not personally tried it, yet.
(I'm still using the 85h for some things because the set of {USB-C charging, good noise cancelling, does not break with strange bugs in a week} headphones is much smaller than you might hope, but not for more general use.)
They do sell a dongle to make this work, and more generally I have heard you can use things like the Creative BT-W2/W3 to make Bluetooth devices that don't play well with whatever chipset/driver mess you have play well - because they just show up to the OS as a generic soundcard and don't mention the word Bluetooth to anything the OS can see, and their implementation, unlike many software/hardware vendors', _works_ robustly. But I have not personally tried it, yet.
(I'm still using the 85h for some things because the set of {USB-C charging, good noise cancelling, does not break with strange bugs in a week} headphones is much smaller than you might hope, but not for more general use.)
Creative BT-W3: I have one and it works exactly as it says on the tin. The only slightly annoying thing is that, once a headset is paired to the dongle, it is like The Highlander. There can be only one. It will snatch the connection to your headset before anything else can.
The remedy is to unplug the device from USB and then connect your headset device elsewhere.
A great feature is the light which will tell you what codec you’re connected with. An even greater feature is to press the button on the dongle and switch the codec. AptX-LL (low latency) is really nice for video games or videos generally. AptX-HD is acceptable for music if you’re not wed to lossless.
The remedy is to unplug the device from USB and then connect your headset device elsewhere.
A great feature is the light which will tell you what codec you’re connected with. An even greater feature is to press the button on the dongle and switch the codec. AptX-LL (low latency) is really nice for video games or videos generally. AptX-HD is acceptable for music if you’re not wed to lossless.
And then people keep asking me why I have trust issues with wireless tech. A 3.5mm jack just works, with everything, every time, all the time, regardless of any outside factors.
Tell that to my linux desktop which keeps losing track of the 3.5mm jack audio output.
I keep having to reset it and fiddle with it every reboot.
I keep having to reset it and fiddle with it every reboot.
I take a guess that you are using an HDA based sound chip? If yes, have a look at [1]. Can't help you out more than that though, it's been years since I was forced to deal with that crap on Linux.
If it's any consolation... I recently came across an ASUS all-in-one PC where it was not enough to install the Realtek Windows HDA driver, no... that would have been too easy. You also needed to install a tiny extra driver that wasn't visible by default on their driver list in the Audio driver section. The entire audio world is utter, utter madness.
[1] https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/sound/hd-audio/notes....
If it's any consolation... I recently came across an ASUS all-in-one PC where it was not enough to install the Realtek Windows HDA driver, no... that would have been too easy. You also needed to install a tiny extra driver that wasn't visible by default on their driver list in the Audio driver section. The entire audio world is utter, utter madness.
[1] https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/sound/hd-audio/notes....
Huh. No issues like that at all with any of my Linux desktops and analog jacks (mostly Devuan). They all seem to detect and maintain sources fine.
The problem I personally have (if there are any pulseaudio experts out there) is it continually re-enabling ephemeral audio sources like HDMI and bluetooth when they are plugged back in, even if I'd set them to "off" before unplugging them - fortunately since I set the analog to default it usually doesn't mess anything up, but it's a bit untidy, and also annoying for the one USB webcam that has a mic plugged in, where I get a surprise input if I don't watch it.
It'd be great to have it persist settings for identically named sources even after they are removed.
The problem I personally have (if there are any pulseaudio experts out there) is it continually re-enabling ephemeral audio sources like HDMI and bluetooth when they are plugged back in, even if I'd set them to "off" before unplugging them - fortunately since I set the analog to default it usually doesn't mess anything up, but it's a bit untidy, and also annoying for the one USB webcam that has a mic plugged in, where I get a surprise input if I don't watch it.
It'd be great to have it persist settings for identically named sources even after they are removed.
Try removing pulseaudio, if only temporarily. I know pulseaudio is one of the few linux things that actually does things based on headset jack detection. For all I know the driver on your system might be broken, or sending spurious inputs.
Also had that issue. The 3.5 would work if it was plugged in just the right amount. If it was bumped it would disconnect. In a similar issue, my Nintendo switch controllers often disconnect while in the plugged in mode because the connectors just lose contact sometimes. I wish I could tell it to use them in bluetooth mode and charge only over the connector because bluetooth is pretty much flawless.
The jack works fine.
The shitty mux connected to the jack on the other end is the problem there.
The shitty mux connected to the jack on the other end is the problem there.
Sounds like you pushed the wrong button. If you can't even keep your 3.5mm audio running there's little chance you can work Bluetooth with all its foibles.
Same here. I just need to change the audio output to sth. else and back, and it works. Not a big issue for me though.
I have the same issue if I unplug/replug my headphones, only a reboot will fix it.
grishka(1)
>regardless of any outside factors
There is at least one relevant "outside" factor. While the connector is standardized, the housing end of the plug does not seem to be. As soon as a phone is in a case, the case's hole for the 3.5mm connector is too small to accept the housing of a normal 3.5mm plug. That's true even for the shell the active3 tab comes with, not only some cheap after-market. It still works with the connector not fully in, but not reliably.
Maybe my 3.5mm connectors are all too old and I should try to find a replacement with a more narrow housing. Or a 3.5mm male/female "adapter" with a narrow housing.
There is at least one relevant "outside" factor. While the connector is standardized, the housing end of the plug does not seem to be. As soon as a phone is in a case, the case's hole for the 3.5mm connector is too small to accept the housing of a normal 3.5mm plug. That's true even for the shell the active3 tab comes with, not only some cheap after-market. It still works with the connector not fully in, but not reliably.
Maybe my 3.5mm connectors are all too old and I should try to find a replacement with a more narrow housing. Or a 3.5mm male/female "adapter" with a narrow housing.
If you have a drill and a small bit, you can open up the external case's hole quite easily. It's an unfortunate task compared to the more universally sized options, but the trade-off is there if you want.
It indeed is something easily fixable. The one thing I dislike about wireless communication is that, besides relying on software that (hopefully correctly) implements scarily complex specifications, it uses invisible radio waves. For wired connections, you can see and touch the thing that connects your two devices. Thus they're much easier to troubleshoot.
Given that bluetooth still sucks for mic input, I wanted to find headphones with usb-c charging, bluetooth and noise cancelling but also a wired mode, with a boom mic being a nice-to-have. As it turns out, none of the main options (Airpods Max, Bose and Sony) have a mic that works over the wired connection. I ended up getting HyperX Cloud Mix, but it doesn't have usb-c charging (I hacked this in) or noise cancelling.
USB works pretty flawlessly too and can deliver more power. I used a $20 Logitech USB headset for a long time.
Right until the spring wears out.
I don't understand what this means. I've used dozens of wired 3.5mm devices for decades and have never had an issue with a spring. I have headphones from the early 2000s that still work and only needed replacement ear-cup foam.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio)#/media...
The spring is that bent metal piece. As you push the plug in it initially pushes by the spring and then it catches in the narrow section of the plug to hold it in.
#/media/File:Jack-plug--socket-switch.jpg){kind=link}
The spring is that bent metal piece. As you push the plug in it initially pushes by the spring and then it catches in the narrow section of the plug to hold it in.
I can't find any evidence that this is common on 3.5mm jacks. If it is, it must be an incredibly reliable design, because I've never heard of a 3.5mm audio port breaking.
There are multiple examples online. Jacks which no longer do stereo but only one channel, or that require "fiddling" with the connection or rotating the plug, or the risks of leaving a plug inside a socket for a prolonged period of time, etc.
And it is really problematic since it is the jack which wears out, which is usually hard to replace; soldered to expensive equipment.
So again: I can't find any evidence that the 3.5mm size of the connector has a spring. The bigger sizes does, but there is nothing online mentioning a spring. Please link to someone with a broken 3.5mm connector due to a spring, if you can find it. I can't.
Also, "there are examples online" != "this is a common thing". I have used dozens of 3.5mm and Bluetooth devices, and I've never had a Bluetooth device that 100% worked and I've never had a 3.5mm device that didn't work.
There are counterexamples in both categories, but my sample size is big enough now that I am willing to bet that the 3.5mm connector is just very well-designed and difficult to damage.
Also, "there are examples online" != "this is a common thing". I have used dozens of 3.5mm and Bluetooth devices, and I've never had a Bluetooth device that 100% worked and I've never had a 3.5mm device that didn't work.
There are counterexamples in both categories, but my sample size is big enough now that I am willing to bet that the 3.5mm connector is just very well-designed and difficult to damage.
> I can't find any evidence that the 3.5mm size of the connector has a spring
????? I guess I may be using the incorrect word. How do you refer to what keeps the audio circuit closed when no plug is inside the jack, opens it when the plug is inserted, and generally holds the plug inside the jack?
> Please link to someone with a broken 3.5mm connector due to a spring, if you can find it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZIWvvl_O7M -- first DDG result. Almost anyone suffering from a loose connection, losing one channel, sound continues to go to the speakers, etc. is suffering from either dust or this.
_In this very article_ there is someone complaining about the plug detect misbehaving which is actually something sensed by the spring (which opens a circuit when the plug is inserted -- on a classic TV this actually opens the normal audio circuit so that you don't hear anything on speakers, on a modern smartphone it just signals the OS).
> There are counterexamples in both categories, but my sample size is big enough now that I am willing to bet that the 3.5mm connector is just very well-designed and difficult to damage.
My dislike comes from a period when I was doing tech support some decades ago. People complain about broken microUSB connectors and the like, but now microUSB is something well designed, since it usually breaks at the cable side (i.e. the cheap side; for example the springs are on the plug). The 3.5 jack is not well-designed since it is usually the jack which wears (at the expensive side).
Keeping something 24/24 7/7 plugged in usually starts to kill the plug in a couple years. E.g. I'm hard of hearing, so I have to keep my headset plugged in all the time in the TV, and a after a couple years of this I start having problems where I suddenly lose one channel and have to go around the TV fiddling with the plug. Eventually this kills the jack (sound always goes to speakers or viceversa), which I've already replaced a couple times...
????? I guess I may be using the incorrect word. How do you refer to what keeps the audio circuit closed when no plug is inside the jack, opens it when the plug is inserted, and generally holds the plug inside the jack?
> Please link to someone with a broken 3.5mm connector due to a spring, if you can find it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZIWvvl_O7M -- first DDG result. Almost anyone suffering from a loose connection, losing one channel, sound continues to go to the speakers, etc. is suffering from either dust or this.
_In this very article_ there is someone complaining about the plug detect misbehaving which is actually something sensed by the spring (which opens a circuit when the plug is inserted -- on a classic TV this actually opens the normal audio circuit so that you don't hear anything on speakers, on a modern smartphone it just signals the OS).
> There are counterexamples in both categories, but my sample size is big enough now that I am willing to bet that the 3.5mm connector is just very well-designed and difficult to damage.
My dislike comes from a period when I was doing tech support some decades ago. People complain about broken microUSB connectors and the like, but now microUSB is something well designed, since it usually breaks at the cable side (i.e. the cheap side; for example the springs are on the plug). The 3.5 jack is not well-designed since it is usually the jack which wears (at the expensive side).
Keeping something 24/24 7/7 plugged in usually starts to kill the plug in a couple years. E.g. I'm hard of hearing, so I have to keep my headset plugged in all the time in the TV, and a after a couple years of this I start having problems where I suddenly lose one channel and have to go around the TV fiddling with the plug. Eventually this kills the jack (sound always goes to speakers or viceversa), which I've already replaced a couple times...
Why would it wear out? I'm not an expert on material science, but this metal piece is not permanently bending, its just springing back which should just last forever.
not parent, but it's often plating related.
The part is made with a specific dimension when plated; the plating wears off -- this produces an undersized spring component and results in a sloppy/loose fit.
it happens more with headphones with a very heavy wire or jacks that get plugs swapped very often.
it can be fixed by carefully using a pick to deform the spring further out, so people tend to think that if that's the case then it must be the spring itself getting lazy.
The part is made with a specific dimension when plated; the plating wears off -- this produces an undersized spring component and results in a sloppy/loose fit.
it happens more with headphones with a very heavy wire or jacks that get plugs swapped very often.
it can be fixed by carefully using a pick to deform the spring further out, so people tend to think that if that's the case then it must be the spring itself getting lazy.
Bought Airpod Pro on heavy discounted price, I've been using them for more than a year worked with both Android phones I've had, osx, windows everywhere with no issues.
I chose them because they were the smallest and most discreet ones and I'm glad for once to have Apple's quality.
I chose them because they were the smallest and most discreet ones and I'm glad for once to have Apple's quality.
There's a good answer below about how to disable this feature in Chrome.
An alternative to starting it with the experiment flag is to use the "Disable Automatic Gain Control" Chrome extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/disable-automatic-...
I've been using it for a while with an 85h and it at least removes _that_ part of the failure. The stupid things keep rebooting themselves randomly while I'm on calls, however - I will never buy another Jabra product again.
(there was a discussion about this a while ago on reddit where folks identified these workarounds): https://www.reddit.com/r/Jabra/comments/qikzif/elite_85h_spo...
An alternative to starting it with the experiment flag is to use the "Disable Automatic Gain Control" Chrome extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/disable-automatic-...
I've been using it for a while with an 85h and it at least removes _that_ part of the failure. The stupid things keep rebooting themselves randomly while I'm on calls, however - I will never buy another Jabra product again.
(there was a discussion about this a while ago on reddit where folks identified these workarounds): https://www.reddit.com/r/Jabra/comments/qikzif/elite_85h_spo...
That's such shit. Companies that pull nonsense like this shouldn't be allowed to market their products. If you're in the US, try contacting the FTC.
I have the Elite 85t and it works fine with my Android phone and both my Dell Win 10 machines, so it may be a Mac issue. No excuse for their shitty behavior, but I'd research Mac-specific BT fixes.
Or it could be an issue with the button functionality. Try disabling button actions for calls in Sound+.
I have the Elite 85t and it works fine with my Android phone and both my Dell Win 10 machines, so it may be a Mac issue. No excuse for their shitty behavior, but I'd research Mac-specific BT fixes.
Or it could be an issue with the button functionality. Try disabling button actions for calls in Sound+.
I'd hope they lose the Bluetooth label and certification for this kind of crap, but we know nothing will happen.
Come on; bluetooth is in year ~20 of public alpha test. No certification would mean a thing besides, "Bluetooth: it could work!"
That's a pretty good slogan. I vote for a duel between Bluetooth and USB-C marketers as to who can use it.
EDIT: the idea of tunneling USB-C ports over Bluetooth (like the wireless USB standard that I never quite saw take off) just occurred to me while writing this comment. What fresh hell.
EDIT: the idea of tunneling USB-C ports over Bluetooth (like the wireless USB standard that I never quite saw take off) just occurred to me while writing this comment. What fresh hell.
You'd have to prove that they're the ones with the faulty Bluetooth implementation, not the PC hardware, drivers, or OS.
Not when they're the ones claiming they don't want to interoperate with stuff that does have Bluetooth certification (e.g. Apple hardware).
Who exactly certifies MacOS (or any OS) for Bluetooth compliance?
It's usually not about the OS but the BT controller (hardware) itself.
No, both the OS and the hardware are certified by the Bluetooth SIG. An example: https://www.collabora.com/news-and-blog/news-and-events/pipe...
I've just initiated a within-30-days return for a full refund of my new Jabra Evolve2 75 headset. It comes with a USB dongle so they definitely won't be claiming it doesn't support PC use, but I don't trust a company that makes such scammy claims and I've tweeted them to say just that.
Ah well, I thought I was enjoying my third Jabra product and it turns out I won't touch them with a barge pole again, unless and until they publicly retract and apologise for this behaviour.
Anyone have recommendations for a good on-ear headset for (mostly) work calls?
Ah well, I thought I was enjoying my third Jabra product and it turns out I won't touch them with a barge pole again, unless and until they publicly retract and apologise for this behaviour.
Anyone have recommendations for a good on-ear headset for (mostly) work calls?
Bose QC 35 headphones work reasonably well, good noise cancelling, good enough mic for calls. I hear the Sony NC headsets getting better reviews in the last couple years on at least their NC functionality.
I’ve found the mics in QC35 don’t work in an office btw (and I have to be careful at home) - they sometimes pick up people talking quietly at the other side of the room and amplify them because it thinks you are just speaking quietly in my experience (when really you aren’t saying anything). I think it’s to do with how they volume adjust the mics dynamically or something.
I use my QC35s all the time but switch to a jabra wired headset for calls as got lots of complaints with the QC35s and kept being told to go on mute.
I use my QC35s all the time but switch to a jabra wired headset for calls as got lots of complaints with the QC35s and kept being told to go on mute.
Headsets without a boom microphone only work in the quietest of environments, the Bose is not really a suitable replacement for the Jabra model mentioned above.
Tell them that Bluetooth is Bluetooth and all implementations should interoperate. Or that's how it should be, and although there's plenty of stories about it not working with specific combinations of devices, "on computers" is such a ridiculously vague excuse.
After updating Macos to Monterey
On the other hand, if I were you, I would suspect that first and go after Apple before blaming Jabra. (Maybe the latter knows that Apple broke something in its BT implementation, and this is their excuse?)
Perhaps someone with this same environment and knowledge of (or is willing to learn) the BT specs/details can try debugging the problem and determine the ultimate cause and possibly come up with a fix. I'd love to read such an article and I suspect many others on HN would too.
(I use BT devices very rarely --- and so far all the ones I did use, seemed to work OK; even the generic Chinese ones with the infamous voice prompts.)
After updating Macos to Monterey
On the other hand, if I were you, I would suspect that first and go after Apple before blaming Jabra. (Maybe the latter knows that Apple broke something in its BT implementation, and this is their excuse?)
Perhaps someone with this same environment and knowledge of (or is willing to learn) the BT specs/details can try debugging the problem and determine the ultimate cause and possibly come up with a fix. I'd love to read such an article and I suspect many others on HN would too.
(I use BT devices very rarely --- and so far all the ones I did use, seemed to work OK; even the generic Chinese ones with the infamous voice prompts.)
>> After updating Macos to Monterey
> On the other hand, if I were you, I would suspect that first and go after Apple before blaming Jabra.
This also seems odd to me. I'm still on Big Sur, my Jabra Elite 65t (different model than OP) are working perfectly fine.
> On the other hand, if I were you, I would suspect that first and go after Apple before blaming Jabra.
This also seems odd to me. I'm still on Big Sur, my Jabra Elite 65t (different model than OP) are working perfectly fine.
> Bluetooth is Bluetooth and all implementations should interoperate
Just like USB-C is USB-C I guess. ;)
Just like USB-C is USB-C I guess. ;)
USB3 is USB3, usb-c is only a connector. If a device advertised being compatible with USB3 you'd expect all of USB3 to work and it always has in my experience. Alt modes and thunderbolt are something else which is usually advertised. If a laptop advertised thunderbolt and didn't have that, you'd be right to complain.
I'm not aware of any features of BT which are tied to the host being "a computer" or not, however.
Yeah, but that’s a less clear argument to make than “everything Bluetooth should always be interoperable”. Since Bluetooth isn’t universally interoperable (e.g. depending on the supported Bluetooth profiles), it’s not a priori clear that “doesn’t work with PC audio” may not be a reasonable technical restriction. Of course we know it isn’t in this case, but it’s not as simple as “it says ‘Bluetooth’ so it should work”.
I'm wondering if they could technically lose their ability to display or market their devices as bluetooth-compatible if they don't follow the specs.
This is a blatant abuse and they should be sued and shut down. This is beyond unacceptable. There is no reason to do this kind of thing.
So if you sell a bluetooth device, it is legally required to work properly with every other bluetooth device on earth? I don’t see how that will fly.
The obvious reason for doing this kind of thing is their target market & 99.9% of sales are to people using them with phones, so Jabra has no business reason to spend money providing customer support for PC interoperability.
The obvious reason for doing this kind of thing is their target market & 99.9% of sales are to people using them with phones, so Jabra has no business reason to spend money providing customer support for PC interoperability.
> So if you sell a bluetooth device, it is legally required to work properly with every other bluetooth device on earth?
It actually is. If you use either the Bluetooth patents or trademarks (e.g. logos and names), not only you must pass a certification that ensures this, you must also "maintain a level of quality that meets or exceeds industry standards", and this evidently doesn't.
It actually is. If you use either the Bluetooth patents or trademarks (e.g. logos and names), not only you must pass a certification that ensures this, you must also "maintain a level of quality that meets or exceeds industry standards", and this evidently doesn't.
Does the Bluetooth trademark owner have a place to report violations of the spec? It's their brand to protect, not yours.
[deleted]
Consumers can pursue false advertising claims in addition to whatever goes on between the Bluetooth org and their licensees.
Well, I've never got any non-Apple phones/computers to work with Apple phones/computers using Bluetooth.
Extremely bold claim there.
I definitely use my macbook with non-apple hardware. From headphones to laptops to android phones.
My first Macbook used to pair with a Nokia E72 to get internet via the GSM modem, I used it every day on the train.
Two weeks ago I connected an old Oneplus One via bluetooth to my macbook (2020 mbp) to get some old photos from its internal memory.
What doesn't work?
EDIT: actually, I'm not sure I ever connected a laptop to a macbook, but I have a linux laptop so I can try it if you want.
I definitely use my macbook with non-apple hardware. From headphones to laptops to android phones.
My first Macbook used to pair with a Nokia E72 to get internet via the GSM modem, I used it every day on the train.
Two weeks ago I connected an old Oneplus One via bluetooth to my macbook (2020 mbp) to get some old photos from its internal memory.
What doesn't work?
EDIT: actually, I'm not sure I ever connected a laptop to a macbook, but I have a linux laptop so I can try it if you want.
I couldn't get file transfers to work. It was a while ago so there might have been a Bluetooth version mismatch or something. I didn't bother troubleshooting it much because WiFi is more convenient for me anyway. I'll give it another try.
How many have you tried?
I’ve never had any non-Apple phones/computers not work with Apple phones/computers using Bluetooth.
I’ve never had any non-Apple phones/computers not work with Apple phones/computers using Bluetooth.
Quick aside: there are a lot of wireless headsets that simply suck on MacOS. I have a pair of Sony XM4s that I can run with 990kbps audio on Linux that are stuck at 330kbps, barely connect half the time and auto-open Apple Music every time they connect for some godawful reason. I think Apple's desktop audio experience is getting really so-so. Pretty much their only advantage is CoreAudio at this point, and even that's shaky when you compare it with the likes of PipeWire...
Then again from their marketing perspective properly supporting computers on all devices would likely be smart. It is not like they don't have the expertise with their other product lines. This sort of stuff eventually reflects badly on those too.
this is a"feature" added to the OS in Monterey that applies to bluetooth headsets - it will auto-mute you when input volume drops to zero, and, AFAIK, many video conferencing clients (zoom, google meets, etc) use this feature to help deal with background noise.
- Zoom instructions to disable dynamic input volume - https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/432445/bluetooth-h...
- google meet instructions (when run via Chrome) - there's a flag you can add when starting Chrome, --force-fieldtrials='WebRTC-Audio-AgcMinMicLevelExperiment/Enabled-20' , that will fix the issue. For ease of use, create an AppleScript file, convert it to a shortcut, and launch Chrome from it.
edit - formatting
- Zoom instructions to disable dynamic input volume - https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/432445/bluetooth-h...
- google meet instructions (when run via Chrome) - there's a flag you can add when starting Chrome, --force-fieldtrials='WebRTC-Audio-AgcMinMicLevelExperiment/Enabled-20' , that will fix the issue. For ease of use, create an AppleScript file, convert it to a shortcut, and launch Chrome from it.
edit - formatting
No, this happens on Windows too, and it’s not related to auto mute or anything like that. The audio stream just drops for a second, like if there was interference or buffer issue.
Had the same issue with my 75t Elite on OSX with Slack Huddles. It seems like the root cause was the "Enable automatic gain control", or something along those lines.
It was super annoying, as they kept muting me mid-sentence, but since turning this option I haven't faced this issue anymore.
It was super annoying, as they kept muting me mid-sentence, but since turning this option I haven't faced this issue anymore.
(OP) That's what on the Reddit post indeed, but unfortunately this option isn't available everywhere, and it doesn't always work :/
My Jabra Elite 85h over-ear headphones suffer from the same issue. These are Wirecutter's suggested Bluetooth headphones, which is why I bought them. I wonder if they still would be if it was widely known that these headphones are not meant to be used with computers.
> These are Wirecutter's suggested Bluetooth headphones
I stopped trusting Wirecutter a long time ago when they "recommended" powerline adapters that sucked. After buying some and doing my own testing I realized the whole product category sucks unless you're super desperate with no other options.
Of course instead of saying that Wirecutter happily gives the best piece of garbage 8 or 9 stars. That's the problem with affiliate marketing blogs like Wirecutter. They'll happily do relative rankings of pure crap if it means you'll buy something for them to get the affiliate revenue.
We need a new generation of review sites and reviewers.
I stopped trusting Wirecutter a long time ago when they "recommended" powerline adapters that sucked. After buying some and doing my own testing I realized the whole product category sucks unless you're super desperate with no other options.
Of course instead of saying that Wirecutter happily gives the best piece of garbage 8 or 9 stars. That's the problem with affiliate marketing blogs like Wirecutter. They'll happily do relative rankings of pure crap if it means you'll buy something for them to get the affiliate revenue.
We need a new generation of review sites and reviewers.
Powerline networking is a great example of where review sites totally fall down; it's amazing in most cases, providing great bandwidth and very low jitter and packet loss. Then for no reason*, it will absolutely suck for some people. The only way to find these kinds of problems is to survey every situation and test each product in all of them, which is clearly impossible.
People will hear this and go, "aha! Crowd sourcing!" The issue with that is that with modern technology the problem is overwhelmingly user error (or to be generous, perhaps UX). So you will spend essentially all your time chasing down people who don't know how to charge their product, or have their powerline adapter hooked up upstream of a UPS, etc
Your wiring is to blame. Maybe some staple missed and nicked the wire, maybe you have something leaking EMI, maybe you just have dirty power.
People will hear this and go, "aha! Crowd sourcing!" The issue with that is that with modern technology the problem is overwhelmingly user error (or to be generous, perhaps UX). So you will spend essentially all your time chasing down people who don't know how to charge their product, or have their powerline adapter hooked up upstream of a UPS, etc
Your wiring is to blame. Maybe some staple missed and nicked the wire, maybe you have something leaking EMI, maybe you just have dirty power.
IIRC their tests were over a short, direct run of wire. I tested them using different lengths of runs, across circuits, and in different houses. The Wirecutter test setup was the most ideal environment possible. It was as if a manufacturer dictated the setup.
To their credit, I think they updated their test setup to be more realistic.
> Your wiring is to blame.
That’s quite the assessment for the info given. Lol.
To their credit, I think they updated their test setup to be more realistic.
> Your wiring is to blame.
That’s quite the assessment for the info given. Lol.
> The Wirecutter test setup was the most ideal environment possible. It was as if a manufacturer dictated the setup.
The thing with comparison tests is, you have to use a reliably reproduceable, documented testing environment. Everything else just ends up with nasty letters from lawyers complaining about the test being unfair or whatever.
Your uncle's shoddy 1960s-era farmhouse wiring may be the ultimate stress test for a powerline adapter in real life, but no way you can use that house as any basis for a comparison test looking like resembling science...
The thing with comparison tests is, you have to use a reliably reproduceable, documented testing environment. Everything else just ends up with nasty letters from lawyers complaining about the test being unfair or whatever.
Your uncle's shoddy 1960s-era farmhouse wiring may be the ultimate stress test for a powerline adapter in real life, but no way you can use that house as any basis for a comparison test looking like resembling science...
I have several college friends who made serious money during COVID "fixing people's Zoom dropouts" by installing MoCA adapters. They installed them for hundreds of people during the last two years, and some of those installs had issues. They ended up getting testing gear to look into the issues and be able to give people a definitive answer for why. Every single time, it came down to something wrong with the wiring. Maybe you're special, but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...
Dirty power and poor wiring are terrible for many things. It's not a surprise it might cause issues with this too.
Yeah, this is sketchy behavior for a premium brand. They really seem to need you to run their mobile app. It's hard to tell from their advertising that it covers more than iPhones... although it does say it works with Google Assistant.
The only info I found about supporting other laptops (it mentions phones, tablets, and mobile devices?) was in their help faqs:
https://www.jabra.com/supportpages/jabra-elite-85t/100-99190...
Which basically says it won't fully function... but it might work with MS teams?
I wonder what data they're collecting with the mobile app, whether it's being monetized to support development, or simply that they don't care about a fairly common use case.
The only info I found about supporting other laptops (it mentions phones, tablets, and mobile devices?) was in their help faqs:
https://www.jabra.com/supportpages/jabra-elite-85t/100-99190...
Which basically says it won't fully function... but it might work with MS teams?
I wonder what data they're collecting with the mobile app, whether it's being monetized to support development, or simply that they don't care about a fairly common use case.
That's different than OP was implying. They're saying that a lot of the playback and volume controls may not work as expected, not that you won't be able to hear and speak.
Honestly, I don't care about the problem itself that much. I mean, I'm used to constant problems with pretty much all audio-devices on my linux laptop (even when they work fine on Windows, which seriously makes me angry — when it was supposed to be the fucking year of linux on desktop?), my Elite 65t's are no better nor worse, I did use them on the laptop a couple of times and they worked somehow.
But the response is infuriating. I wouldn't really expect anything else from something like Xiaomi, but Jabra? Don't they care about their reputation at all? I mean, they could at least pretend they care. Refunding a single customer is cheap as fuck, even if he is not really in the right. Well, I don't know, but I suspect this thread may already cost them more than fucking $150 or whatever it is Jabra Elite 85t costs now.
However, to be completely honest, I'm not sure what my next wireless earbuds manufacturer should be. I bought 65t's a long time ago (obviously), and I'm pretty sure nothing could really compete back then, all things considered. I don't know about now.
But the response is infuriating. I wouldn't really expect anything else from something like Xiaomi, but Jabra? Don't they care about their reputation at all? I mean, they could at least pretend they care. Refunding a single customer is cheap as fuck, even if he is not really in the right. Well, I don't know, but I suspect this thread may already cost them more than fucking $150 or whatever it is Jabra Elite 85t costs now.
However, to be completely honest, I'm not sure what my next wireless earbuds manufacturer should be. I bought 65t's a long time ago (obviously), and I'm pretty sure nothing could really compete back then, all things considered. I don't know about now.
I have the same issue with Elite 75t. It seems to be the result of the microphone volume adaptively creeping downwards. When it gets too low, Jabra auto-mutes.
You can bump the volume up to the midpoint in your audio settings and it will take about another month to re-occur. Sorry this isn't a better solution.
You can bump the volume up to the midpoint in your audio settings and it will take about another month to re-occur. Sorry this isn't a better solution.
Surely anything that supports bluetooth is by consequence "a computer"?
What is a good alternative for a USB/Bluetooth office/WFH headset with a noise canceling _microphone_ (no background voices/noise), especially one that would also work on Linux?
Jabra Elite2 40 for example looked almost perfect, but was almost unusable on Linux/without their custom software.
Jabra Elite2 40 for example looked almost perfect, but was almost unusable on Linux/without their custom software.
I was going to recommend the Sony WH-1000XM4 (which are more expensive). But I wanted to Google Linux support first and I ran into this discussion on Reddit [0], it sounds like the issue is not with the headphones (any BT headphones you choose) but with Pulse Audio.
https://www.reddit.com/r/sony/comments/jght5s/sony_wh1000xm4...
https://www.reddit.com/r/sony/comments/jght5s/sony_wh1000xm4...
A problem with Linux support for Bluetooth audio? Say it isn't so! I don't understand why people are surprised that using Bluetooth devices on Linux frequently requires "their custom software". This is why.
On the flip side, Linux audio supports things that MacOS and Windows do not. Do you have 990kbps LDAC running on your desktop? Probably not if you aren't on Android or Linux. With PipeWire, I feel pretty comfortable saying Linux has Mac and Windows beat with wireless audio compatibility. Yes, Pulseaudio/ALSA and Jack kinda suck. That's a pretty dead horse to beat when you consider the offerings on... other platforms.
Of course I do, I wanted to be sure for myself that the difference is inaudible on Windows like it is on Android. I bought an adapter which supports it and confirmed it was transmitting it, then did my a/b/x testing.
It sounds like you agree with me, the default Linux support for Bluetooth audio is bad and requires custom workarounds to fix. That's exactly what I said.
It sounds like you agree with me, the default Linux support for Bluetooth audio is bad and requires custom workarounds to fix. That's exactly what I said.
What workarounds are you talking about? Pipewire is stock in distros, and you don't have to configure anything.
I'm not sure what you meant by "stock in distros", but I hope you don't mean it comes installed and configured out of the box on all distros, as that is emphatically not the case:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1399464/cant-install-pipewir...
https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-pipewire-on-ubuntu-li...
https://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2022/04/pipewire-replac...
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1399464/cant-install-pipewir...
https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-install-pipewire-on-ubuntu-li...
https://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2022/04/pipewire-replac...
It is stock in Fedora, and it's the "driver" in Ubuntu just that apps are using ALSA/Pulse emulation libs, not the native ones. This has no effect on the BT support. Also, it's just Ubuntu being weird again.
Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distro. If Ubuntu requires workarounds to get audio working, then Linux requires workarounds to get audio working. No whatabouts, no "it just needs one quick thing", if it doesn't just work then it doesn't just work.
PipeWire supersedes Pulseaudio. End of discussion. This position is like arguing that Windows 11 isn't the future because most people are still on Windows 10; it's most definitely wrong and relies on circumstance.
You really want to get pedantic? "Linux" isn't Ubuntu, nor is it Fedora nor Arch nor Debian or any of those distros. Linux is a kernel, and it supports several audio backends (or none at all). If we're comparing with Darwin/NT, neither of them "just work" with audio since none of them ship with it. If we're comparing OSes, then we're talking about Monterey vs Windows 11 vs Linux With The Latest Tech. Not Windows 10 just because more people use it. Not Monterey just because it was better.
That's a disadvantage for Linux in most respects since the new "solutions" for desktop Linux are pretty awful (Wayland, Flatpak, GTK4/Libadwaita, etc). Let it be known that desktop audio is not one of those issues anymore, though.
You really want to get pedantic? "Linux" isn't Ubuntu, nor is it Fedora nor Arch nor Debian or any of those distros. Linux is a kernel, and it supports several audio backends (or none at all). If we're comparing with Darwin/NT, neither of them "just work" with audio since none of them ship with it. If we're comparing OSes, then we're talking about Monterey vs Windows 11 vs Linux With The Latest Tech. Not Windows 10 just because more people use it. Not Monterey just because it was better.
That's a disadvantage for Linux in most respects since the new "solutions" for desktop Linux are pretty awful (Wayland, Flatpak, GTK4/Libadwaita, etc). Let it be known that desktop audio is not one of those issues anymore, though.
This entire post is completely missing my point. I am, and have been been for the entirety of this discussion, talking about what the situation is today. Today, audio is broken on desktop Linux. Other OSes might have the same problem or they might not. Tomorrow might be different. I'll even go so far as to say it will probably be different.
But today, if you download the most popular Linux distro from Canonical and install it on your PC, you are going to have audio issues out of the box. Saying anything else is gaslighting, and it is the main reason desktop Linux fails. People are told "it's good now, trust us!". So they install it, their headphones don't work, they roll their eyes and say "Linux gonna Linux" and go back to their previous OS.
But today, if you download the most popular Linux distro from Canonical and install it on your PC, you are going to have audio issues out of the box. Saying anything else is gaslighting, and it is the main reason desktop Linux fails. People are told "it's good now, trust us!". So they install it, their headphones don't work, they roll their eyes and say "Linux gonna Linux" and go back to their previous OS.
You're also missing the other side of that coin: that's not my problem. I don't care how you're coping with getting things configured or set up correctly, I sure as shit don't care if people aren't getting it working on their box, and I definitely don't care about how "other people" view Linux. Why should I be afraid of anecdotal desktop Linux failures if it works fine for me?
Linux is not a desktop operating system. By default, it has no audio configuration. Distros package whatever software is considered "current" at the date of their LTS cutoff; Ubuntu is one of them. Ubuntu is using outdated software, and will be stuck that way for a couple years. Currently, Linux audio is fine. You're the one using broken software and blaming others.
Linux is not a desktop operating system. By default, it has no audio configuration. Distros package whatever software is considered "current" at the date of their LTS cutoff; Ubuntu is one of them. Ubuntu is using outdated software, and will be stuck that way for a couple years. Currently, Linux audio is fine. You're the one using broken software and blaming others.
don't move the goalposts, commenter above was comparing situation to major desktop OSes, which require even more obscure stuff so they don't work even more than Linux "does"
I was replying to you. You said "...and you don't have to configure anything". That is incorrect.
I've used the Poly Voyager Focus, Poly Voyager 6200 and Shokz OpenComm (with Avantree DG80 dongle) with good results. They don't require custom software, but they do require using the provided dongle (or 3rd party dongle for the OpenComm) because PulseAudio doesn't support wide band speech. Installing PipeWire is another option (or waiting for your distribution to switch to it).
With a 3rd party dongle like the Avantree DG80 you can use any bluetooth headset and don't need to worry about the Linux support part. The main disadvantage I found is that you have to manually switch between headset mode and HiFi headphones mode.
I also have the Poly Voyager 8200, but I haven't used it as a headset enough to give a definitive assessment, but based on what I've tried and the results from the other Poly products I expect it to be good.
I also tried the Poly Voyager 5200, but I didn't like the speaker sound quality with it being a single ear device.
With a 3rd party dongle like the Avantree DG80 you can use any bluetooth headset and don't need to worry about the Linux support part. The main disadvantage I found is that you have to manually switch between headset mode and HiFi headphones mode.
I also have the Poly Voyager 8200, but I haven't used it as a headset enough to give a definitive assessment, but based on what I've tried and the results from the other Poly products I expect it to be good.
I also tried the Poly Voyager 5200, but I didn't like the speaker sound quality with it being a single ear device.
Thank you for all the suggestions, your answer is exactly what I was hoping for!
It sounds like Avantree DG80 might solve my issues on Linux, I never realized I could outsource the entire Bluetooth audio headache to a generic dongle and get regular audio out of it.
It sounds like Avantree DG80 might solve my issues on Linux, I never realized I could outsource the entire Bluetooth audio headache to a generic dongle and get regular audio out of it.
I don't know about noise-cancelling, didn't even know there were headphones doing that.
But I have the Jabra Engage 75 (not Engage2) and I'm very happy with them. The mic doesn't pick up other voices in the house, since it sits 1 cm from my mouth and is fairly directional.
Also, the phones and base don't seem to communicate over Bluetooth because the range is great: more than 10 m through a thick house wall. I also don't notice the lag. The base is connected to the PC via USB. It also supports BT for connecting to a phone. And the volume controls on the phones affect the volume reported by Pipewire. The only thing that doesn't interact with PW is the Mic mute button. I don't have any kind of Jabra software installed - and there isn't any for Linux (they only have an SDK).
My only gripe with them is that they always prioritize my phone, so whenever I get a random notification they will cut the audio from the conference on the PC in order to play the "ding".
But I have the Jabra Engage 75 (not Engage2) and I'm very happy with them. The mic doesn't pick up other voices in the house, since it sits 1 cm from my mouth and is fairly directional.
Also, the phones and base don't seem to communicate over Bluetooth because the range is great: more than 10 m through a thick house wall. I also don't notice the lag. The base is connected to the PC via USB. It also supports BT for connecting to a phone. And the volume controls on the phones affect the volume reported by Pipewire. The only thing that doesn't interact with PW is the Mic mute button. I don't have any kind of Jabra software installed - and there isn't any for Linux (they only have an SDK).
My only gripe with them is that they always prioritize my phone, so whenever I get a random notification they will cut the audio from the conference on the PC in order to play the "ding".
There's always the slight possibility that this might be a bug in the macOS Monterey bluetooth stack ? Hardware interoperability is quite complicated, but the device did work with the previous version of macOS (presumably the one Jabra had to test before shipping).
Indeed. There are 100s of complaints on Reddit about Bluetooth devices being broken on Monterey, including Apple peripherals: https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/search?q=monterey+bluetooth&r...
I just want to stress that while Jabras statement sucks, you really should be reaching out to Apple.
Have the same issue on my MBP with Sennheiser Pxa550. With Monterey I actually had to install a plug-in for Chrome that keeps my volume at max during meet calls.
List of my issues: - audio doesn't work - audio doesn't switch from call mode to HiFi mode - if I have a call running, it will not switch or work via my headphones - audio balance switches to right headphone ....
I tried every recepie and thread I found online. Nothing.
Apple sucks.
Funny thing tho, I actually have a pair of Jabra 75t. And they seem more stable than Pxa550.
Again - direct hate towards Apple. I'm guessing all works with Apple headphones, as they sprinkle that secret sauce in their drivers that nobody else has access to.
Have the same issue on my MBP with Sennheiser Pxa550. With Monterey I actually had to install a plug-in for Chrome that keeps my volume at max during meet calls.
List of my issues: - audio doesn't work - audio doesn't switch from call mode to HiFi mode - if I have a call running, it will not switch or work via my headphones - audio balance switches to right headphone ....
I tried every recepie and thread I found online. Nothing.
Apple sucks.
Funny thing tho, I actually have a pair of Jabra 75t. And they seem more stable than Pxa550.
Again - direct hate towards Apple. I'm guessing all works with Apple headphones, as they sprinkle that secret sauce in their drivers that nobody else has access to.
I think computer BT announces many more features, and they weed out problematic BT implementations much better.
I'm running an old Philips SHB3075 with my MacBook Air M1, and it has no problems whatsoever. The connection takes a bit longer compared to my iPhone, but I think it's negotiating a lot of things over the air during that connection.
I've attended half day long meetings, and join 2 meetings on average over zoom and Skype. Nothing shifts, nothing drops.
So, BT is a complicated protocol with a lot of baggage and layers, and proper debugging is much better than finger pointing.
Jabra can update the firmware on the device, but they're lazy or there's something wrong with hardware. I own a 45 (previously called Stealth), and the family got 5-6 software updates over the years.
I'm running an old Philips SHB3075 with my MacBook Air M1, and it has no problems whatsoever. The connection takes a bit longer compared to my iPhone, but I think it's negotiating a lot of things over the air during that connection.
I've attended half day long meetings, and join 2 meetings on average over zoom and Skype. Nothing shifts, nothing drops.
So, BT is a complicated protocol with a lot of baggage and layers, and proper debugging is much better than finger pointing.
Jabra can update the firmware on the device, but they're lazy or there's something wrong with hardware. I own a 45 (previously called Stealth), and the family got 5-6 software updates over the years.
I've the same headphones, and the two problems I've had with them were:
1. Mic auto-muting during meetings. The fix here was to disable automatic mic gain or whatever
2. Headphones not always properly playing music from my phone when also being connected (but not used) to my laptop. Fix was to turn off Bluetooth on my laptop.
In both cases, it seems to be purely an issue with macOS and Apple software, as I've never had a single issue when using windows or my Android phone. For the second issue when I researched it, the conclusion was that apple just regularly does poorly with BT devices connected to multiple sources as why would you use something other than your apple product?
In both cases, it seems to be purely an issue with macOS and Apple software, as I've never had a single issue when using windows or my Android phone. For the second issue when I researched it, the conclusion was that apple just regularly does poorly with BT devices connected to multiple sources as why would you use something other than your apple product?
I have Jabra elite 75t I can most of the times use them with my Linux laptop.
BUT ...
If I want to use only one at the time, it's only possible to use the right one.
If using them the whole day and re-charging one at the time or if I'd like to use the left one while driving so I can hear the family that don't work.
When I bought them it was promised it would be fixed with a software update, but no.
https://mobile.twitter.com/we_are_jabra/status/1244383330302...
BUT ...
If I want to use only one at the time, it's only possible to use the right one.
If using them the whole day and re-charging one at the time or if I'd like to use the left one while driving so I can hear the family that don't work.
When I bought them it was promised it would be fixed with a software update, but no.
https://mobile.twitter.com/we_are_jabra/status/1244383330302...
Website says requires Bluetooth 5.1 but macOS only supports Bluetooth 5, right?
And yet I'm quit sure this is just yet another Bluetooth 2.0 A2DP device, rather than something running LE Audio which would require BT 5.0.
Search for "false advertising lawyer". This is a good case for a class action. Provable misrepresentation, deep pocket company. You may not get much out of it, but you can apply some pain to Jabra.
Honestly; Jabra should be responsive; but i put significant blame on Apple.
For whatever reason they seem to have little issue breaking third party devices. Pre-pandemic; i had a nice usb-hub I used at work. No issues for years on my maxed 2017 rMBR. Paperweight when I finally made it back to the office (though working fine on other machines). Same with a number of misc usb-c hubs/adapters I used fine until an OSX update.
Seriously annoying.
For whatever reason they seem to have little issue breaking third party devices. Pre-pandemic; i had a nice usb-hub I used at work. No issues for years on my maxed 2017 rMBR. Paperweight when I finally made it back to the office (though working fine on other machines). Same with a number of misc usb-c hubs/adapters I used fine until an OSX update.
Seriously annoying.
Have you tried it with the Jabra Link USB dongle? Yeah it’s pricy if it’s not included (it was with my Evolve2 65), but while using it I never had any issues, as the computer sees it as a USB soundcard (which works pretty well on Win/Linux/Macos).
Unfortunately, I never had any luck with any Bluetooth audio device of any manufacturer on computers (as opposed to phones/tablets).
Unfortunately, I never had any luck with any Bluetooth audio device of any manufacturer on computers (as opposed to phones/tablets).
Reason #329 that I don't buy Bluetooth stuff. The OP's description above sounds like a good day using Bluetooth, in my experience.
I'm currently struggling to find usable bluetooth earbuds. One pair that I found comes flying out of my ears when I moved my head at all. Another is dangerously loud even on the lowest volume setting. The third came with a nonstandard (and therefore essentially useless) charger. It really seems like the entire market is flooded with garbage.
There's a reason Apple has sold over 300 million pairs of AirPods, even though they are expensive.
What device was connected when the sound was too loud? Both iOS and Android have the ability to adjust volume limits to minimize this.
Have you tried Samsung Buds+ or the new Galaxy buds? They have incredible battery life and decent microphones. Unfortunately they don't fit my ears so I'm using Airpods 3.
Have you tried Samsung Buds+ or the new Galaxy buds? They have incredible battery life and decent microphones. Unfortunately they don't fit my ears so I'm using Airpods 3.
This is iOS. I haven't been able to find the ability to lower the minimum volume, and based on posts in the support forums, this seems like a common complaint that has yet to be addressed by Apple. That said, if you happen to know something that I don't, I'd be delighted to hear it.
Settings, Sounds, Headphone safety, reduce loud sounds, adjust the slider accordingly. I had to turn this on because my IEMs were way too loud on the lowest setting.
I had that on the lowest setting already, it doesn't make a difference. I suspect that iOS already thinks its playing music quite softly and therefore won't know to down correct.
Have you tried Sony WF-1000XM4? I currently have them and have had 0 issues with them so far. Bluetooth connectivity is great and i regularly switch them between a linux laptop (used for meetings, slight media) and android phone (calls, music).
Thanks for the recommendation! I'll definitely look into them.
+1 for the Sony XMs, doubly so if you're on a Linux machine. These things "just work" as well as the Bluetooth adapter you have on the other side. Connection is easier than literally any other Bluetooth peripherals I've used.
How's the mic on those? I have the WH-XM3s and boy do they suck. I've never managed to get good audio from their mic, be it on Linux, macOS, or iOS.
I bought them for listening to music, so I don't really mind, and for this they are absolutely great, even on Linux.
Never had any issues with them and didn't have to jump through any hoops.
I bought them for listening to music, so I don't really mind, and for this they are absolutely great, even on Linux.
Never had any issues with them and didn't have to jump through any hoops.
Wouldn't know, I literally never use it. Got a Shure SM57 I use for remote meetings.
I recently had a problem with one of my Jabra earbuds dying. They claimed it was no longer under warranty (even though their website promised a year or two under warranty and it had been only about 8 months). I eventually just gave up and got new earbuds. It pretty much destroyed my view of the company.
I have a eerily similar problem with my Galaxy Buds+ on my macbook. 15-20 minutes into a Zoom call and suddenly my audio doesn't work and neither does the mic, I have to ditch the headphones and use the laptop mic + speakers.
Going to guess it's a macOS bug given that other headphones are showing the same behavior
Going to guess it's a macOS bug given that other headphones are showing the same behavior
After updating Macos to Monterey
Apple has strong financial incentives to have its headphones be the preferred option across its product lines.
Considering that Jabra is getting the blame here, Apple has little financial disincentive against breaking changes to its software.
Good luck.
Is this section of Jabra's FAQ new? https://www.jabra.com/supportpages/jabra-elite-85t/100-99190...
I don’t trust Bluetooth for video conferencing.
Having everything hard-wired is much more reliable. It’s why work from home video conferences are janky in a way that in-office VCs weren’t. If you can get a dedicated microphone or webcam and combine it with wired headphones or speakers.
There's probably a lot of people that have worked from home for the last couple of years without even realizing their bluetooth mic sounds terrible. It's also hard to find bluetooth headsets with mics that work in wired mode.
I own the Evolve2 65 and had issues at first but a firmware update on the app fixed a ton of issues. Been going strong using the Bluetooth directly on my MacBook running Monterey. I would not use the included dongle if possible. It’s UC adapter is absolutely terrible on macOS.
I bet your credit card or merchant will provide a refund.
Which is too bad because the only thing I don't like about my Jabra 65t s after probably 1k hours of use is they don't get quiet enough, but :shrug:.
Which is too bad because the only thing I don't like about my Jabra 65t s after probably 1k hours of use is they don't get quiet enough, but :shrug:.
> I bet your credit card or merchant will provide a refund.
After 2 months? I guess it depends on the merchant, but I think my credit card requires that I dispute a charge within 30 days.
After 2 months? I guess it depends on the merchant, but I think my credit card requires that I dispute a charge within 30 days.
Bought them after reading good reviews on r/audiophile and r/jabra and after some use they have this bug of one of the headset lowers the volume without fix. Last time i buy from them.
I bought them and then stopped using them. They're junk.
Why? There's always something, some reason why they're not ready to go when I need them such as when someone calls.
.
It could be that Jabra isn't the actual manufacturer of the headphones and it's just a rebrand and the actual manufacturer doesn't give a crap to resolve the issues.
I'm on my third pair of elite active 75ts. Love em, but they're a little delicate. Good warranty support tho. They work ok, but not great, on my Asus ubuntu laptop
To be fair, the Mac bluetooth stack is a dumpster fire. Not sure that works as an excuse given that everyone else's headphones seem to work on Mac.
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This kind of shit is why I just went with AirPods Max.
Complain to the ftc and your local attorney general.
today i bought 9$ wired 3.5mm jack headphones (noname) better than 90$ sony and 300$ bose
everything is a scam
everything is a scam
What does it even mean they don’t support “computers”? Bluetooth doesn’t distinguish between computers and mobile phones.
This is a lesson in not buying from sketchy companies unfortunately.
They don't, as far as I am seeing, advertise PC compatibility. So you are out of luck there.
Return them if you can and buy something better.
They don't, as far as I am seeing, advertise PC compatibility. So you are out of luck there.
Return them if you can and buy something better.
Jabra is an old, well-known brand.
Well-known to be the bane of meetings in offices everywhere.
Why anyone would buy their garbage is beyond me, not that that excuses how they treat their marks^Wcustomers.
Why anyone would buy their garbage is beyond me, not that that excuses how they treat their marks^Wcustomers.
We exclusively used Jabra speakerphones at my last few offices and I have a few at home. They work very well and I've never seen them have a single problem.
Same. They also regularly win recommendations from a variety of review sites.
Now question really should be all they better or worse than the alternatives? Haven't used their product overly much, but never truly had issues.
It's a brand I would expect my 70 year old mom to buy because she remembers it from 15 years ago.
I've never heard of them. I'm 56.
Sketchy? Jabra is arguably the industry leader in hands-free audio, producing this stuff since 1983. It was the brand you buy to use with your phone when driving a car before "true-wireless headphones" was even a thing.
They also don’t advertise supporting phones…
The thing is, Jabra or GM NetCom are bot sketchy vo.paniea. GM NetCom is a global leader in hearing aids.
I wouldn't call it sketchy. It says right on the product page what connectivity the device supports. https://www.jabra.com/bluetooth-headsets/jabra-elite-85t##10...
They don't attempt to mislead at all.
They don't attempt to mislead at all.
> It says right on the product page what connectivity the device supports.
I don't really see anything there beyond "bluetooth support", and it seems to me that expecting very common systems such as macOS and Windows would work is pretty reasonable.
I don't really see anything there beyond "bluetooth support", and it seems to me that expecting very common systems such as macOS and Windows would work is pretty reasonable.
There are two "Connectivity" sections. :/
It mentions in the second one that it's for mobile devices.
It mentions in the second one that it's for mobile devices.
It just says "devices". Turns out there's a second section on that chaotic page which mentions "mobile". I did check this before, and it's not mentioned anywhere else, including in the datasheet and specifications PDFs. It's only in one of the "connectivity" section with a vague unclear ambiguous singular "mobile device" mention, which contradicts other parts of the same site.
I don't think they're trying to fool customers on purpose, but it's extremely unclear what exactly you're buying and many sections would lead you to believe that it will work on any Bluetooth-capable device, just like pretty much all Bluetooth devices do. I think this is basically false advertising due to incompetence.
I don't think they're trying to fool customers on purpose, but it's extremely unclear what exactly you're buying and many sections would lead you to believe that it will work on any Bluetooth-capable device, just like pretty much all Bluetooth devices do. I think this is basically false advertising due to incompetence.
This is not an isolated case, users have been complaining about it. For instance on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Jabra/comments/qjwxdu/muting_during_slackzoom_calls_on_mac_elite_85t/
On this post, official Jabra Support declares: "We do not support the use of the Jabra Elite 85t on computers" I also reached out to their support per email, and after a few back and forth and reaching their Lead, the answer is the same. They won't provide a refund nor solutions.
This limitation isn't advertised on the official Amazon offer nor on their official website. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jabra-Wireless-Bluetooth-Earbuds-Titanium/dp/B08HR78C46/ Official website: https://www.jabra.com/bluetooth-headsets/jabra-elite-85t
In the absence of advertised limitation, shouldn't the mic work (without dropping) with every device supporting the adequate BT profiles? How is a user supposed to know they don't support computers?