Why are my Bluetooth headphones disconnecting while in armband case?

[rjv]

Bluetooth headphones disconnecting while in armband case

I use a pair of JayBird BlueBuds X (bluetooth headphones) every day with my Galaxy S6. It works great on my commute to work (when my phone is in my pocket). However, when I put the device into an armband case, the headphones will get disconnected intermittently. At first I thought it was RunKeeper that was interfering somehow, but then I started to notice that it happened even while it wasn't running.

Here's a typical scenario: I will be listening to audio via Pocket Casts. I'll be jogging for 10 minutes (this can vary), and randomly the audio will stop playing. If I wait it out, my headphones will eventually disconnect due to the lack of audio. However, if I press the action button on headphones, it will immediately re-establish a connection and I can press play again. I say it's intermittent because sometimes I can go 30-40 minutes without this happening, while other times it happens a lot more often.

My first line of thought was maybe there's something going on with the proximity sensor (due to the fact that the case wraps around the entire device), but then I remembered that this never happens when I carry the phone in my pocket. I've also tried two different armbands, and had the same result on both.

Has anyone encountered similar issues? It's rather difficult to reproduce in a predictable manner. Anyone care to bounce some ideas off of me?

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Bluetooth headphones disconnecting while in armband case

Bluetooth for headphones is a VERY short distance signal - 1-3 feet with nothing intervening. (Put an earphone in your left ear and your phone in your right pants pocket and your body might absorb enough power that it doesn't work.) Find the "working" part of the earbuds - the Bluetooth radio part. (It's probably where the power switch is.) Make sure that's on the same side as the armband. The thickness of your chest could be absorbing enough signal to disconnect them. (I had the same thing with an earphone I could get about 30 feet from, if it could "see" the phone. Left ear, phone in right pants pocket didn't work.)

 

[rjv]

Re: Bluetooth headphones disconnecting while in armband case

I appreciate the feedback, but I haven't encountered those distance limitations you described with the BlueBuds X. In fact, I can easily walk around my apartment with my phone in a separate room and still get perfect audio, so I don't think it's reasonable to assume that distance is the culprit. And like I had mentioned - when my phone is in my pocket, everything works perfectly. The distance between my pocket and my ear is greater than the armband and my ear.

 

[toddersv]

Re: Bluetooth headphones disconnecting while in armband case

I'm having a similar issue with my BlueBuds X. Audio cuts out every couple minutes and bluetooth disconnects. Only at the gym though and I just have my phone sitting on the elliptical. No issues at all at home. I'll have to do more testing at the gym to see what's causing it to cut out.