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Help troubleshooting issues with Sony WH1000MX5 playback (lemmy.ml)
submitted 1 year ago by cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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This is not strictly a Linux-issue as I reproduce this issue under Windows 10 as well (but can not reproduce under Android or macOS), but I will be using Linux for any troubleshooting and I wasn't sure where else to post this.

I have a pair of Sony WH1000MX5 that acts like an expensive piece of garbage so far. I will eventually (usually within 2-10 minutes usually) hear crackling noises when using the headset via Bluetooth in high-fidelity mode on my Linux machine (and as mentioned above, this is reproduced on two other machines running Windows 10). The crackling noises are there regardless of whether active noise canceling is active or not. It is not constant, but it is enough to significantly reduce the listening experience, especially for tracks where not too much is going on, such as quiet piano pieces.

On my Linux machine, I can choose between three codecs: SBC, SBC-XQ and LDAC. It tends to be less pronounced using the LDAC codec over SBC (right now I've had a longer period with no issue). SBC-XQ also seems better. However, I have experienced it for all choices of codecs before. Also, under Windows (which I must use for work), this does not seem to be a choice at all. But I wonder if the problem lies here? I don't know much about Bluetooth codecs.

Ideally, as in addition to these issues, they are not very comfortable, I would like to return them and get a refund (should be possible under local laws), but I am having some issues with the retailer claiming they can't find anything wrong with them after two trips to a repair shop. The first time they factory reset it and updated the firmware, the second time they did nothing. I don't think local Sony support will be of much help, and the local laws relate to to the buyer/seller contract, so for the refund or repair they will anyway refer me to the retailer.

So I am trying to get a better understanding of the issue before pursuing this further, and if I fail to get a refund, I would like to fix the issue if possible. So if anyone is familiar with this and could help point me in the right directions to fix these issues, I would be very grateful.

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[–] Urist@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

IIRC LDAC mode does not support microphone input. Still, if you want high sound quality, which you do, you need to use LDAC. I had some issues with my wh1000xm2 defaulting to SBC even though I specified LDAC. Disabling microphone input helped keep it consistently in the right mode. In KDE my settings working fine are the following:

[–] cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (3 children)

That looks very similar to mine, except I don't have AAC and aptX. I guess the WH1000MX5 only supports SDC and LDAC? As far as I know, I need to use the Headset Head Unit to get microphone input. After a system update some time back, it would switch automatically if I e.g. was on a Signal call. Prior to this, I would have to switch manually to get microphone input.

By the way, I am not entirely sure if I am running PulseAudio or PipeWire, as I get the confusing output below, but it seems to be PulseAudio. Is it likely to improve things if I were to switch to PipeWire?

$ pactl info | grep "Server Name"
Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.80)

As for my Windows issue, it seems LDAC is not natively supported in Windows 10, so I guess it is using SDC. Could my problems simply be that I am trying to stream a too high bitrate? I will need to recheck my settings for stream quality.

[–] Tibert@jlai.lu 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The mx5 only support sbc (minimum to support) aac and LDAC. They dropped aptx to only use their own high latency (and not that much better) codec. The headphone has BT 5.3, but does not support LC3 (an extremely good, low latency codec integrated in base bluetooth).

If you want to check what codec is used in windows, or change, there is a tool : https://www.bluetoothgoodies.com/a2dp/

Not sure if it's free or free trial. But they also have a software allowing to check what is currently in use which is a free trial.

[–] RedWeasel@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You have pipewire. It is compatible with pulseaudio. I find it very surprising that you don’t show aac. I am not familiar with sbc-xq, but Apple products don’t support ldac and my understanding is sdc is not useful for audio listening, but rather calls. My M4s work fine on my desktop with an intel ax201 Bluetooth chipset. I have been using aac there, but ldac worked I think. I had problems with the usb BT adapter before that though.

[–] cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hm, yeah. Just checked in macOS, and it is using AAC there. So lack of AAC on my Linux device would mean it is not available here for some reason then I guess, and not an issue with the headset?

I can't seem find a way to check the same on Windows 10 without using a third-party tool, and since this is a work computer, that is not an option for me. My guess is then that it uses SDC. Seems like AAC is supported natively in Windows 11 though, and the device is scheduled for a Win 11 install soon. Hopefully that will resolve the issue for me during work hours.

For now it seems to work better under Linux with LDAC though, which is my main use case. I swear I've had issues with this before, but I just streamed an entire album of high-bitrate FLAC tracks without issue now. Hopefully it stays this way.

[–] RedWeasel@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I would assume either the way it was packaged for your system or some missing package.

Don’t you love when you give in and go to get help for something and you can no longer reproduce it after you ask?

[–] cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Don’t you love when you give in and go to get help for something and you can no longer reproduce it after you ask?

It's almost like it's a law of nature...

[–] Urist@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

It seems from your pactl info like you are running PipeWire, though I am by no means any expert on this. I think I read something a while ago that LDAC is not supported on Windows.

[–] turkalino@lemmy.yachts 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Have you ruled out interference? Are you near something like a WiFi router? Bluetooth uses 2.4 GHz, same as older WiFi-enabled devices.

As for comfort, I have the previous rev (WH1000MX4) and they are very comfortable, although the noise cancelling isn't as great as my AirPods Pro

[–] cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It happens in my home office, my living room and my actual office. So where I spend 95% of my time with them. So if that were the case, I'd be very disappointed.

As for comfort - I find they are too tight and my head will start hurt (on top) after some time. Loosening them alleviates this somewhat, but they will drag more down on my ears which I find uncomfortable.

[–] turkalino@lemmy.yachts 1 points 1 year ago

If you do find it's interference, you can alleviate it by switching WiFi devices to the 5 GHz band if possible

[–] d3Xt3r@lemmy.nz 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No such issues here with my XM5, been using mine for over an year. Are your devices on at least Bluetooth v5.2? All of mine are either 5.2 or 5.3 and I've not experienced any issues. I use my headphones with Android, Linux, Windows 10 and macOS. Even multipoint works fine.

As for the head comfort, you could get a headband cover/cushion, such as the ones made by Geekria.

[–] chrismit3s@feddit.de 1 points 1 year ago

+1, no problems at all so far, been using them almost daily for a year now on both linux and android.

[–] Max_P@lemmy.max-p.me 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What Bluetooth controllers are you using? Is the Linux/Windows machine the same machine?

Not all bluetooth cheaps are equal. My phone will do Bluetooth all the way at the end of my back yard, but my desktop's Bluetooth doesn't even reliably reach the next room over.

I doubt it's the headset, unless it's defective and you need a replacement, those are pretty well regarded. I have a cheaper model and it's been a flawless experience for years.

[–] cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

Tested with four different machines, one running Linux, two using Windows 10 and one with macOS. Seems to be a codec issue where Linux and Windows defaulted to SBC and macOS to AAC (where it did not occur). Changing to LDAC on Linux helped, although I am certain I had issues with this before with that codec. On Win10 I have no wiggle room as it is my work machine, and I seem to need third party software installed to change.