(Workaround on pg.1) Monterey on 2020 Intel MBP - Bluetooth Audio Issues (Crackling, cut outs)

[Mochi_D]

EDIT: Please see the suggestion from alump to disable Airplay Receiver under "Sharing" in your settings as a temporary workaround.

Hi everyone, I'm trying to verify if this is a problem with only my install/accessories or if others are experiencing similar issues after upgrading from Big Sur to Monterey regarding Bluetooth audio devices.

Every 2 - 5min while using my MB the audio stream will completely cut out, then return, crackle, and finally stabilize again. It seems to be triggered when there is a spike in CPU load or activity on my machine. Though I can't consistently replicate it so I'm quickly running out of idea for troubleshooting. I am using a pair of Soundcore Liberty Air 2's so it may only be non-Apple audio devices.

 

[vitamanic]

Having a similar issue on my 16 inch Intel model and a Sony XM4. Seems exclusive to Safari as far as I can tell, audio will cut out for a second or so, return and be completely out of sync until I fully quit Safari and restart it.

 

[Mochi_D]

Having a similar issue on my 16 inch Intel model and a Sony XM4. Seems exclusive to Safari as far as I can tell, audio will cut out for a second or so, return and be completely out of sync until I fully quit Safari and restart it.

I'm not having the de-synced audio problem which is odd but it's reassuring to hear it's not just me. I've tried another browser (FireFox) and it seemed to still occur, however it is only occurring when using the PiP modes...odd. Will keep seeing what triggers it.

 

[BugHunter]

Having a similar issue on my 16 inch Intel model and a Sony XM4. Seems exclusive to Safari as far as I can tell, audio will cut out for a second or so, return and be completely out of sync until I fully quit Safari and restart it.

I have the same MacBook, headphones and problem - "glad" to see I'm not the only one.
I'll try switching to Chrome for a bit.

 

[BugHunter]

And within 30 seconds of me saying that, I got the same problem in Chrome.
Silence for about 0.3 seconds a tiny bit of audio, silence for another 0.3 seconds - then audio resuming but being out of sync.
No issues at all like this using the same computer on previous OS.

(I knew the gamble I was taking when I upgraded to Monterey on day 1. You don't win them all.)

 

[J.J. Sefton]

Same for me on a 2019 16" MBP. Sony XM4 headphones. The problem is system wide for me.

 

[alump]

MBP16 2019, Sony XM4 ... same issue, application doesn't matter. Testing other Bluetooth audio devices now.

EDIT: As my next message went to review (reddit source link)... Try to disable "Airplay receiver" under "Sharing", it fixed the issue to me.

 

[alump]

I would recommend to try to disable "Airplay receiver" option under "Sharing". So far no issues since I did that. Source

 

[Mochi_D]

I would recommend to try to disable "Airplay receiver" option under "Sharing". So far no issues since I did that. Source

Thanks for the suggestion alump, giving it a try now, will report back.

EDIT

I am happy to report that this has completely stopped my audio artifacting and dropped connection entirely. Not a single dropout today once I disabled "Airplay Receiver". Not a huge loss to disable it as needed either temporarily. Very easy workaround for now.

 

[zarathu]

Never never never upgrade to the first version of any system, unless you are buying a new mac with it installed. Sane sage advice since 1988. Additionally, and I hate to say this, but no one with an Intel mac should be upgrading to monterey until .3 or .4. Monsteray is designed for the M1 chips, and has an overlay so it will function on the Intel models. This happened before for those of you old enough to remember it when Apple went from the Motorola 68000 to the Power PC in the early 90’s, and again in 2006 when they transited to the Intel chips. In each case, their design goals could not be accomplished with the chip they were using.

 

[Mochi_D]

Never never never upgrade to the first version of any system, unless you are buying a new mac with it installed. Sane sage advice since 1988. Additionally, and I hate to say this, but no one with an Intel mac should be upgrading to monterey until .3 or .4. Monsteray is designed for the M1 chips, and has an overlay so it will function on the Intel models. This happened before for those of you old enough to remember it when Apple went from the Motorola 68000 to the Power PC in the early 90’s, and again in 2006 when they transited to the Intel chips. In each case, their design goals could not be accomplished with the chip they were using.

Well this much is obvious and we're simply troubleshooting here, small hiccups like this are to be expected. Nice assumption at the end there as well though. Cheers for the contribution nonetheless.

On another note, those of you here to do more than a trite "I told you so" and actually work towards a solution I am happy to report back the the solution suggested by alump to disable Airplay Receiver has worked flawlessly. See my edit in my prior response. Big thanks to him and the original poster who suggested it to him elsewhere!

 

[Traverse]

I'm on a 27" iMac from 2017 and I've had nothing but bluetooth issues since upgrading. AirPods skip and lag and earlier today bluetooth literally just stopped working (no mouse, trackpad, keyboard, headphones, etc.) I had to use my keyboard and trackpad plugged in from the lightning cable.

Apple usually fixes these by the x.1 or x.2 release. I got a bit too excited for Shortcuts and updated day 1 and now I remember why I've held off on th last three OS versions.

 

[krendel]

Thanks for the suggestion alump, giving it a try now, will report back.

EDIT

I am happy to report that this has completely stopped my audio artifacting and dropped connection entirely. Not a single dropout today once I disabled "Airplay Receiver". Not a huge loss to disable it as needed either temporarily. Very easy workaround for now.

It worked for me too, thanks a lot!

 

[Dot_Fig]

EDIT: Please see the suggestion from alump to disable Airplay Receiver under "Sharing" in your settings as a temporary workaround.

Hi everyone, I'm trying to verify if this is a problem with only my install/accessories or if others are experiencing similar issues after upgrading from Big Sur to Monterey regarding Bluetooth audio devices.

Every 2 - 5min while using my MB the audio stream will completely cut out, then return, crackle, and finally stabilize again. It seems to be triggered when there is a spike in CPU load or activity on my machine. Though I can't consistently replicate it so I'm quickly running out of idea for troubleshooting. I am using a pair of Soundcore Liberty Air 2's so it may only be non-Apple audio devices.

Hi there,
Any workaround for the devices that don't have the "AirPLay receiver" option please? I understand this feature is only available for devices starting with 2018, but i'm encountering the same problems with the audio stutter on any connected headphones to my older (2016) Macbook Pro. Never had such an issue with Big Sur, it started only with Monterey update. The headphones (airpods/Bose QC35II) dont have any connection issues with my other devices (iphone/ipad)

 

[pierrespartan]

Hi there,
Any workaround for the devices that don't have the "AirPLay receiver" option please? I understand this feature is only available for devices starting with 2018, but i'm encountering the same problems with the audio stutter on any connected headphones to my older (2016) Macbook Pro. Never had such an issue with Big Sur, it started only with Monterey update. The headphones (airpods/Bose QC35II) dont have any connection issues with my other devices (iphone/ipad)

Hello! Same issue for me, on a 2015 MBP model. Hope you guys have a workaround on such models without the AirPlay receiver option.

 

[divalasvegas]

Hello! Same issue for me, on a 2015 MBP model. Hope you guys have a workaround on such models without the AirPlay receiver option.

Same issue here. iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2017) ... So frustrating! I hope there is a workaround for pre-2018 models.