If you've ever used a Bluetooth headset (a device which has both a microphone and one or more speakers and communicates wirelessly over the Bluetooth protocol), you'll know that you have two basic options: either you can get high-quality (stereo, CD-quality) audio playback to the speakers, but with the microphone disabled; or, you can get extremely low-quality, telephone-grade audio in both directions, playback and capture. This low-quality audio is "monaural" (mono), meaning only one channel, in each direction, and uses an obsolete codec that was invented for the telephone system more than 20 years ago.
Proprietary digital audio wireless protocols other than Bluetooth have existed for a long time. Many of them support "duplex" (simultaneous playback to the speakers/headphones and microphone capture/input) mode with high-quality, multi-channel sound. Popular products from brands such as Sony, Sennheiser and SteelSeries offer CD-quality (or better) audio in both directions with at least two channels for playback. However, the Bluetooth standards have lagged behind in this area.
As of February 2017, there is no standards-based way to transmit digital audio in a high-quality, modern lossy codec with CD-quality audio in both directions (playback and capture). Bluetooth is ideally positioned to be the solution, but the Bluetooth SIG must draft and put into effect a standard version that specifies the parameters of such a design.
This petition is to encourage the Bluetooth peripherals vendor and OEM industry, and the Bluetooth SIG leadership, to immediately begin research and development on a Bluetooth standard for multi-channel, CD-quality duplex audio. The adoption or modification of pre-existing standard profiles such as A2DP could hasten the development; for instance, A2DP's existing playback implementation could be used for the stereo playback. But it would need to be modified to support simultaneous audio capture from a microphone or other input source from the same Bluetooth peripheral.
The purpose of standardization is the same reason that Bluetooth is standardized at all: to allow consumers to mix and match devices from their preferred brand and have it "just work". Right now, to achieve duplex stereo audio, consumers are limited to a small number of proprietary, vendor-specific solutions, and if the consumer does not like the particular design, comfort or acoustic properties of a vendor's headset, they cannot simply swap it out with another vendor's competing headset and continue to take advantage of the same duplex protocol.
With Bluetooth, cross-vendor support from transceiver to peripheral is a major success story of standardization. Let's take it one step further and remove what has long been a holdout proprietary-only feature of wireless audio.
If you have noticed this remarkable lack of support for this functionality which has very obvious and widespread use case scenarios, please vote up this petition. The petition will be emailed to the Bluetooth SIG, as well as ten to twenty active developers of Bluetooth audio solutions, including, but not limited to, Sennheiser, Bang & Olufson, Creative, Sony, Microsoft, Samsung, Apple, and Qualcomm.
Updates
March 14, 2024
Seeing 500 people agree that Bluetooth audio needs a serious upgrade is honestly overwhelming. I started this because I was just frustrated with my own headset, and I never imagined so many of you felt the same way. This momentum is entirely because of you.
Reached 500 supporters
March 13, 2024
February 13, 2024
I am honestly overwhelmed by how many people feel this frustration with current audio standards. This momentum is entirely because of your interest and your willingness to speak up for better quality.
February 17, 2019
I honestly never thought this issue would resonate with a hundred people. Seeing so many others frustrated by the same audio limitations is truly humbling and this momentum belongs entirely to you.
Reached 100 supporters
February 15, 2019
196 Comments
I'm trying to setup my homebrew headphones with the best audio quality possible, the current Bluetooth standards, but for duplex and one way are the bottleneck for me. Its really time for a new manditory replacment for the sbc codec that can do almost losses audio and duplex. Maybe a replacment for a2pd if nessesary
This makes bluetooth completely useless for me. PLEASE SUPPORT IT! Its 2023 and there are tons of wireless protocols that support duplex, like every gaming headsets. Cant be so hard...
this is a seldom recognised issue. When a headset wants to transmit microphone audio, it enters the handsfree profile. audio bandwidth is significantly reduced. One is forced to choose between using the microphone or having high-quality audio over A2DP.
I recently purchased a Bluetooth headset and am shocked to find that high quality stereo output does not work at the same time as the microphone. This is a much needed feature for video calling and working from home.
I cannot believe that all the e-shops are selling BT Headphones without big red bold warning that "Playing music (stereo) and using microphone (headset mono) at same time is not possible". This is ridiculous.
I have many clients that cannot do the BLS due to eye issues and sound is the best option for them.
I have trouble with hearing, audio processing, and find conference calls very hard. It would be much easier if spacial sound was possible for these calls.
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If you've ever used a Bluetooth headset (a device which has both a microphone and one or more speakers and communicates wirelessly over the Bluetooth protocol), you'll know that you have two basic options: either you can get high-quality (stereo, CD-quality) audio playback to the speakers, but with the microphone disabled; or, you can get extremely low-quality, telephone-grade audio in both directions, playback and capture. This low-quality audio is "monaural" (mono), meaning only one channel, in each direction, and uses an obsolete codec that was invented for the telephone system more than 20 years ago.
Proprietary digital audio wireless protocols other than Bluetooth have existed for a long time. Many of them support "duplex" (simultaneous playback to the speakers/headphones and microphone capture/input) mode with high-quality, multi-channel sound. Popular products from brands such as Sony, Sennheiser and SteelSeries offer CD-quality (or better) audio in both directions with at least two channels for playback. However, the Bluetooth standards have lagged behind in this area.
As of February 2017, there is no standards-based way to transmit digital audio in a high-quality, modern lossy codec with CD-quality audio in both directions (playback and capture). Bluetooth is ideally positioned to be the solution, but the Bluetooth SIG must draft and put into effect a standard version that specifies the parameters of such a design.
This petition is to encourage the Bluetooth peripherals vendor and OEM industry, and the Bluetooth SIG leadership, to immediately begin research and development on a Bluetooth standard for multi-channel, CD-quality duplex audio. The adoption or modification of pre-existing standard profiles such as A2DP could hasten the development; for instance, A2DP's existing playback implementation could be used for the stereo playback. But it would need to be modified to support simultaneous audio capture from a microphone or other input source from the same Bluetooth peripheral.
The purpose of standardization is the same reason that Bluetooth is standardized at all: to allow consumers to mix and match devices from their preferred brand and have it "just work". Right now, to achieve duplex stereo audio, consumers are limited to a small number of proprietary, vendor-specific solutions, and if the consumer does not like the particular design, comfort or acoustic properties of a vendor's headset, they cannot simply swap it out with another vendor's competing headset and continue to take advantage of the same duplex protocol.
With Bluetooth, cross-vendor support from transceiver to peripheral is a major success story of standardization. Let's take it one step further and remove what has long been a holdout proprietary-only feature of wireless audio.
If you have noticed this remarkable lack of support for this functionality which has very obvious and widespread use case scenarios, please vote up this petition. The petition will be emailed to the Bluetooth SIG, as well as ten to twenty active developers of Bluetooth audio solutions, including, but not limited to, Sennheiser, Bang & Olufson, Creative, Sony, Microsoft, Samsung, Apple, and Qualcomm.
Updates
March 14, 2024
Seeing 500 people agree that Bluetooth audio needs a serious upgrade is honestly overwhelming. I started this because I was just frustrated with my own headset, and I never imagined so many of you felt the same way. This momentum is entirely because of you.
Reached 500 supporters
March 13, 2024
February 13, 2024
I am honestly overwhelmed by how many people feel this frustration with current audio standards. This momentum is entirely because of your interest and your willingness to speak up for better quality.
February 17, 2019
I honestly never thought this issue would resonate with a hundred people. Seeing so many others frustrated by the same audio limitations is truly humbling and this momentum belongs entirely to you.
Reached 100 supporters
February 15, 2019
196 Comments
need this ability even more now during the pandemic in order to utilize the latest treatments for trauma treatment using EMDR therapy which at times needs bilateral auditory tones! Considering all therapy is most remote, this is crucial
I'm trying to setup my homebrew headphones with the best audio quality possible, the current Bluetooth standards, but for duplex and one way are the bottleneck for me. Its really time for a new manditory replacment for the sbc codec that can do almost losses audio and duplex. Maybe a replacment for a2pd if nessesary
This makes bluetooth completely useless for me. PLEASE SUPPORT IT! Its 2023 and there are tons of wireless protocols that support duplex, like every gaming headsets. Cant be so hard...
this is a seldom recognised issue. When a headset wants to transmit microphone audio, it enters the handsfree profile. audio bandwidth is significantly reduced. One is forced to choose between using the microphone or having high-quality audio over A2DP.
I recently purchased a Bluetooth headset and am shocked to find that high quality stereo output does not work at the same time as the microphone. This is a much needed feature for video calling and working from home.
I cannot believe that all the e-shops are selling BT Headphones without big red bold warning that "Playing music (stereo) and using microphone (headset mono) at same time is not possible". This is ridiculous.
I have many clients that cannot do the BLS due to eye issues and sound is the best option for them.
I have trouble with hearing, audio processing, and find conference calls very hard. It would be much easier if spacial sound was possible for these calls.
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need this ability even more now during the pandemic in order to utilize the latest treatments for trauma treatment using EMDR therapy which at times needs bilateral auditory tones! Considering all therapy is most remote, this is crucial