Technology · Advice & Questions · Oct 17

Why does my Bluetooth headset sound fine for music but worse during a call?

Technology

My music sounded clear until I joined the lesson on my Mac. Then the backing track went thin and fuzzy. The tutor asked whether my headset was broken.

I use the headset's microphone so the flat stays quiet. After the call, the music sounded normal again. A friend suggested buying a better headset; another suggested a separate microphone. I was about to order one when I realised we had not compared any settings.

Apple describes reduced playback quality when an app uses a Bluetooth headset's microphone on a Mac. That sounds relevant, but it is not a diagnosis of my exact combination. [Apple's explanation](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102217).

What should I test before replacing anything? I need to hear the track and speak clearly during the lesson. Wonderful music playback afterwards does not quite answer that requirement.

Discussion

2 community replies

@MorganSays

Try a short comparison using the Mac's built-in microphone while keeping the headset as output, if your setup permits it. Apple identifies headset-microphone use as a trigger for this kind of change. Treat the result as evidence about your combination, not a promise that every separate microphone will fix it. [Apple guidance](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102217).

@TheoInTransit

Ask the tutor whether your voice was unclear too, or whether the problem was only what you heard. Those are different parts of the lesson. You might otherwise buy a microphone to address playback without checking that the tutor could already hear you adequately.

Why does my Bluetooth headset sound fine for music but worse during a call?

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