topic Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX in XPERIA archive

Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

milm81 — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 18:10:08 GMT

Hi,

I tried pairing my new Xperia Z3 compact to a Loewe Speaker2Go bluetooth speaker and even though I can get the phone to send music to the speaker I cannot control the volume from the phone. Also the default volume the phone is set to is very high. Has anyone else experienced bluetooth sound volume control problems?

Many Thanks,

Milos

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

Thommo — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 18:24:14 GMT

The volume should be able to be controled from the speaker and if you have you volume on your phone set high then that is what it will be - Once conected and music etc is been deemed as throwed then you should also be able to use the side volume keys

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

milm81 — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 18:59:46 GMT

Hi Thommo,

Thanks for the reply.

The volume can be set on the speaker but that kind of defeats the purpose of having a Bluetooth speaker. Volume control used to work perfectly with a HTC One X+ and this same speaker and you could set the phone sound volume and speaker volume independently. This meant I could set the speaker volume to a desired level and then manipulate the volume from the phone as well.

I really hope Sony fix this soon and that this is not some kind of inherent problem with their kernel as this is one of the main reasons I bought the phone.

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

Thommo — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 19:07:15 GMT

Like I said you should be able to after you have connected and thrown your music as it's called - You can then use the volume keys on the side of your phone to control the volume

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

milm81 — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 19:20:42 GMT

I seem to be "throwing" music already (I cannot connect via bluetooth if the throw feature is not enabled). I have tried controlling the music volume from Sony apps (Walkman) as well as Spotify and TuneIn Radio and cannot. Is there some kind of setting I need to enable for this to work?

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

Thommo — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 19:27:02 GMT

When you connect your speaker and start playing music you should have an option in the notification bar to throw the music - Selecting that opens a window in which you would select a paired device that is connected - once done the side volume keys will control the volume on your speaker

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

gtop — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 19:52:45 GMT

First, OP should note that this problem has also been reported by users of the Z1C and certain Bluetooth devices:

/t5/Xperia-Z1-Compact/Xperia-Z1-compact-bluetooth-volume-control/td-p/668075

Second, Android KitKat changed how volume control was handled - no longer the separate volume levels for speaker & phone (but also note that HTC use their own custom Bluetooth stack anyway):

/t5/Xperia-Z1-Compact/Can-t-control-volume-via-bluetooth-on-JBL-Charge-portable/td-p/798975

Third, I've certainly noticed with some devices (like Jaybird Bluebuds X) that, while the Bluetooth volume slider on the phone starts in the middle of the scale when you connect, this is already very loud by default and close to the device's max, so you can only really adjust *down* below the midpoint. This isn't very intuitive.

The KitKat Bluetooth stack is still quite flakey, IMHO, and testing is not what it should be.

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

milm81 — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 19:53:40 GMT

Unfortunately not, the volume controls seem to be completely messed up when using the z3c. I just tried pairing the speaker to a Samsung s3 mini and it works as expected (independent volume control from both speaker and phone).

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

gtop — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 19:56:35 GMT

Again, just toconfirm: independent volume control was removed in KitKat Bluetooth stack; if you have it, you're either not on KitKat or the OEM is using a custom stack.

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

milm81 — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 19:58:03 GMT

Thanks gtop, I did find the issues with the z1c but did not realise it's a Android 4.4 problem. That is a shame... Not quite sure why Sony don't do something about this in the same way HTC have

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

gtop — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 20:10:06 GMT

Btw, I certainly don't think Sony should be let off the hook here. HTC made the effort to ensure that Bluetooth worked properly for their users by proper testing (of the AVRCP profile implementation in this case), and so should Sony. But we know from frequent buggy updates that this is one of their weak points ...

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

Kulveer_Singh — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 05:45:51 GMT

I have z1 and Philips Bluetooth speaker same problem here, after pair speaker plays sound in full volume, when I press volume up or down buttons on mobile, volume slider control comes on screen and only slider moves but has no effect on volume level. Speaker plays only in full volume. Then I paired these speakers with xperia sp and xperia mini then volume control works well. So that is kitkat problem.

I wrote my problem to Sony cutomer care but they reply, they only solve original Sony accessories not any third party.

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

milm81 — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 11:15:52 GMT

I contacted Sony about this and, as expected, they just said this is how it works atm. I really don't see how this is acceptable. Is this a problem with only some devices? Are there any devices out there that this particular implementation works with correctly?

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

shethsa — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 17:09:35 GMT

When i pair with my Bose Soundlink mini, I do not get any volume at all despite setting both the speaker and phone volume on full. It does show that it's paired, but not sound at all. Wonder what's going on here.

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

euitdebos — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 07:00:27 GMT

I have a Z1 Compact with the same issue and while browsing the net for answers I ran into a couple of interesting threads. Other brands have had this issue, as it seems to be something introduced by a change to bluetooth volume handling in 4.4.

The result with my APT-X Creative T4 Wireless v2 speakers is that the absolute lowest volume setting on the speakers is a bit louder then what I would prefer. If I turn the volume 1 click lower, volume is muted/off.

Motorola fixed it: https://forums.motorola.com/posts/210f1c3347?page=2

Some other major brands don't have the issue.

Throwing music doesn't seem to make any difference. Or maybe I don't understand what is meant by throw music. To me it looks like throw music just connects to the speaker. Or disconnects if I want that. Nothing else.

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

milm81 — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 19:32:25 GMT

Quick update: I've just been to a hi-fi store and tried pairing the phone with a number of Bluetooth aptX speakers, including AudioPro T9, AudioPro T10, Marshall Stanmore and the Sony SRS-X9 and with all these devices I could control the volume from the phone as well as from the speaker. So it seems to be an issue with the Loewe speaker and not the Z3C. I would have to try with another device running 4.4.4 to see if this is a problem. Or it could be the aptX implementation

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

Deekie — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 19:58:30 GMT

I've just discovered Z3 Compacts inability to drive my Bose Soundlink Mini independently from manually having to change the speaker. My previous Galaxy S4 mini gave me no problems here at all.
This is the second, separate, issue I have found today. I am really starting to doubt my reasons for acquiring this phone and going back to Samsung.

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

Deekie — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 16:55:44 GMT

Just a quick update on the above. Finally managed to get my Z3 Compact and Bose Soundlink Mini to talk. However, I had to turn the sound right up on the former to hear anything. I was then able to manipulate the sound from the phone, but only down as I was as I already at maximum. It was then back to the external device. This is just way too complicated, my previous S4 Mini made a straight Bluetooth connection and sound control worked.

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

oksony — Wed, 20 May 2015 00:38:26 GMT

I agree, my Z2 worked just fien before Lollipop, now I cannot adjust the volume on my bluetooth speakers at all. It is set to 100% and that is it.

Pointkless to have "bluetooth wireless speakers" if I have to walk up to them every time I need to adjust the volume... I hope sony/Android fix this.

Alsom my FM radio stoped working when I enabe the "OK Google" voice option on any screen... geeze...

Re: Volume control problems when using bluetooth aptX

Giamby — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 14:57:40 GMT

Hi,

I had exactly the very same problem with a "Etekcity® RoverBeats Unify" bluetooth 4.0 receiver. It works correctly when paired with other android devices based on either lollipop or kitkat.

Volume is very high (and hence audio is distorted) and volume control does not take any effects but some beeps.

So I suspect it is due to some bug of sony bluetooth software stack, but I have no idea about how to raise a software defect to them.