Bluetooth audio quality issues!!

[HarkersIslandGirl69]

First of all, even though I have had some issues with my Note 8 since I got it in February, I still love it. my most recent issue has to do with the audio quality when played through my Philips headphones & multiple wireless speakers! The most recent speaker I have tried is the JBL Flip 4. Before we purchased this one I researched online to see the best bluetooth waterproof speaker for the Note8. you assume that the people who wrote the article did their research beforehand. my stupidity for believing it or there is something wrong with my phone. I first realized I had this issue when I paired it with my Philips headphones. After researching I found out that the reason for the poor audio quality was because the headphones are v4.0 version & the Note 8 is v5.O & not backwards compatible!! I gave up trying to research & make them work together. I bought a Comiso waterproof bluetooth speaker from Amazon & had the same problem. Now, the Flip 4 is awful. I just looked it up & saw this speaker is v4.2! Grrr! I am very frustrated at this point cause I trusted the article. Has anyone else had this problem? Does anyone know if Samsung has released a fix to make it backwards compatible? Is there a way to make them work together like they should? Is there a way to reset the audio to their original settings without resetting the whole phone ?

 

[B. Diddy]

Can you give more details about the poor audio quality? Is it distorted? Too quiet? Poorly balanced treble/bass?

If the phone has any EQ settings turned on, try turning the equalizer off.

 

[HarkersIslandGirl69]

The sound is very distant. Not really sure how to describe it. I have played around with the settings E cannot get it to sound any better. It may sound slightly different. I have played around with the audio settings so much, especially when I couldn't get it to work good with the headphones, that I thought that maybe the setting needed to be reset back to the original but not sure how to do that without resetting the whole phone. I have a tower bluetooth speaker that the phone sounds great on but thats the only thing it works good on.

 

[HarkersIslandGirl69]

I just connected them both again... to best describe the quaility, it sounds muffled, like the speaker is laying under a bunch of blankets. Frustrating! I have read so many articles about all of the bluetooth issues people are having with the Note 8! Why has Samsung not made the phone backwards compatible like the S8 & S8+?!!! Stupid move Samsung!!!!! I know next time I need a new phone I will definitely be hesitant about buying their products!!!!

 

[B. Diddy]

Can you try booting the phone into Safe Mode and then connecting the speaker again, in case some 3rd party app is causing problems? https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-36242

Also, is there a way to turn the Equalizer option off completely? You can do that in the Google Play Music settings, but I'm not sure about in other apps.

 

[HarkersIslandGirl69]

Thank you for replying B. Diddy. Before I got to read your reply I went by my local Best Buy where I bought my phone & had them help me. There were 5 guys, 2 of them from the Geek Squad, trying to figure the issue out. Finally, a Geek tech noticed that my phones audio setting was set to in-call volume somehow. After that the speaker worked perfect. And I came home & was able to connect to my Philips Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, that I was thought was now un-usable, with good sound quality. Evidently, the in-call volume had been messed up for a few months even though I had good audio quality when connected to my car, boat radio & my home tower speaker. Anyway, wanted to let you know in case someone else has this issue. Just glad it is resolved!!! Thanks again!

 

[Laura Knotek]

Thank you for replying B. Diddy. Before I got to read your reply I went by my local Best Buy where I bought my phone & had them help me. There were 5 guys, 2 of them from the Geek Squad, trying to figure the issue out. Finally, a Geek tech noticed that my phones audio setting was set to in-call volume somehow. After that the speaker worked perfect. And I came home & was able to connect to my Philips Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, that I was thought was now un-usable, with good sound quality. Evidently, the in-call volume had been messed up for a few months even though I had good audio quality when connected to my car, boat radio & my home tower speaker. Anyway, wanted to let you know in case someone else has this issue. Just glad it is resolved!!! Thanks again!

I'm glad you got it sorted, and thanks for sharing the solution in case other members have the same problem.

 

[Super Dave426]

Where is this setting located? I noticed mine is low and once after getting off a call it got loud.

 

[HarkersIslandGirl69]

I could only get the setting to show when I was making a call. It's stupid that Samsung has it like this. Make a call to a friend then you can change the setting. I hope this helps your issue.

 

[Devhux]

Also, just to clarify, Bluetooth 5.0 is backwards compatible with older Bluetooth standards - otherwise few (if any) Bluetooth devices would even work, as there's not much out there for Bluetooth 5.0 devices yet.

 

[HarkersIslandGirl69]

With all the research I did when trying to get my Philips headphones to work I was told & read that Samsung Note 8's Bluetooth 5.0 was not backwards compatible. Not sure if that was true.

 

[bbgpsuser]

With all the research I did when trying to get my Philips headphones to work I was told & read that Samsung Note 8's Bluetooth 5.0 was not backwards compatible. Not sure if that was true.

That would be a stupid thing for any manufacturer to do.
http://blog.bluetooth.com/why-apple-and-samsung-are-using-bluetooth-5

 

[HarkersIslandGirl69]

Here is where I read that:
http://piunikaweb.com/2017/11/07/sa...ection-issue-to-upgrade-other-devices-really/
I hope the link works. My Note 8 would not paste the link when I copied it no matter how many times I tried.

 

[bbgpsuser]

Here is where I read that:
Galaxy Note 8 users reporting Bluetooth issues, Samsung says update devices you're pairing phone with - PiunikaWeb
I hope the link works. My Note 8 would not paste the link when I copied it no matter how many times I tried.

Very strange. My Note 8 with Oreo connects to all of my Bluetooth devices. My devices are not brand new either. I have a car from 2010 and one from 2011 which connect with no problems. Multiple headphones, keyboard, mouse, etc.

 

[HarkersIslandGirl69]

I know it is strange why some people have issues & some dont. Maybe it depends on the date the phone was manufactured.

 

[Davidkings]

Hello dude. I found the solution. You have the move the options in bluetooth->turn on->click in more options-> media volume sync and turn off or turn on (depends your case) this how I fixed the problem to my Note 8. Appearenly this is occasionated because you connect two bluetooth devices and one has less volume and the Note configured to this volume... I hope all of you can fix the problem.

 

[Super Dave426]

With all the research I did when trying to get my Philips headphones to work I was told & read that Samsung Note 8's Bluetooth 5.0 was not backwards compatible. Not sure if that was true.

My earbuds are Bluetooth 5.0 and work great with my Note 8.