Soundcore Life Q20 Windows 10 No Sound in Headset mode

#1

My Soundcore headphones work fine with an iPhone 8+ and sound perfect via Bluetooth. I can connect to Windows 10 using a Bluetooth 4.0 or 5.0 adapter. If I select headset mode, I can hear audio, but it’s distorted and garbled. If I select headphone mode, I get no audio at all. The headphones stay connected to my Windows 10 PC and I can even use the buttons to turn volume up/down as well as pause/play music. I just can’t hear anything connected to Windows.

I’ve installed Realtek Bluetooth drivers for Windows 10 and I can use other Bluetooth earbuds flawlessly. I’ve tried removing/re-pairing the Soundcore headphones, resetting the Soundcore via power + volume up. Nothing works for me to get audio on my Windows 10 PC.

Any help would be appreciated as the headphones work fine with an iPhone. And my Windows 10 Bluetooth connection works fine with other 5.0 earbuds. I just can’t get good audio in headphone mode.

3 Likes
#2

Having the same problem I hope we can get a solution for this

#3

Ditto - having the same problem. Tech support has not advised a fix…

#4

I performed a few more tests:

  • Using a different BT 5.0 USB adapter on my Windows 10 PC, I get the same error as before.
  • Trying two different Windows 10 PCs, I get the same error, no sound on my headphones
  • Using either BT 5.0 USB adapter on a Windows 10 LAPTOP, however WORKS. So the BT adapters work with the Soundcore Life Q20 headphones just fine on a laptop but not my desktop PC.
  • The laptop is an older Intel i7, while both of my Windows 10 PCs are AMD Ryzen 1700 or 3600 CPUs with B450 motherboards

I don’t know if it’s an issue with laptop vs. desktop, Intel i7 CPU vs. AMD Ryzen, or Windows 10 versions on laptop vs. desktop.

Still no luck on my PCs, but at least I know it does work on some combination of Windows 10 hardware + BT 5.0 adapters.

#5

Same here. In headphone mode the audio is ok but in headset mode it is distorted.
Headphone mode is working with Spotify but not with Teams.

#6

Headphone mode is stereo and won’t work with any video calling app from what I’ve experienced. Stereo is meant for Youtube and other things you do normally and headset mode is when your mic can work so specifically for video calling. Audio in headset mode should not be distorted (at least not on video calling apps)

#7

Exactly the same problem here. Any chance of a reply on this, Anker?

#8

Hi!

I HAD the same problem, but updated my bluetooth drivers on my laptop and this fixed the problem at least for me. I know hear quality sound through the “headphones” output.

Hopefully you guys get a fix too. Cheers!

#9

I have this same problem. Just to note, I have installed and reinstalled all up to date drivers (my wifi chip is the Intel 8265). WOuld be interesting to know what wifi chips others have to see whether it is a particular problem.

#10

My USB Bluetooth 5.0 adapter uses the Realtek RTL8761b chip.

The BT adapter does not work with the Anker headphones on my two AMD Windows 10 PCs. But, the same bluetooth adapter and Anker headphones works perfectly on an Intel Windows 10 laptop.

Not sure if the incompatibility is with components on my PC or software/windows-related.

#11

Interesting, do the headphones work with the internal bluetooth on your laptop?

#12

I don’t have access to the laptop at the moment, but I was able to do two more tests. I installed the same USB Bluetooth 5.0 adapter that I tested with previously on 2 PCs and the laptop. This time, I installed the Bluetooth dongle on my kids’ Intel i7-based Windows 10 PC as well as another AMD Ryzen 1700 Windows 10 PC. Surprisingly, both PCs worked fine. The AMD Windows PC in particular is very similar to one that failed in my previous test. The difference between the working AMD vs. non-working AMD is that it’s one of my boys’ PC, so it doesn’t have as many devices or software installed. It also run the standard release of Windows 10. My work PCs run developers’ preview copies of Windows 10 as well as having a lot more drivers and devices.

Hopefully, I’ll eventually narrow down the cause of the incompatibility, but it’s going to take trial and error to remove devices and drivers or switch Windows OS versions.

#13

Last message on this subject for me:

I’ve given up trying to make the Soundcore Life Q20 work on my Windows PC. I was able, though, to get a Soundcore Life 2 and that headset paired and worked immediately to the same PC. So the error is something specific to just the Q20.

#14

I’m having this issue as well. Running Win10 on a B450 Pro mobo, Ryzen 5 2600. Headphones mode works great, but if I bring up anything that uses the mic, my sound cuts out. Switching to Headset output brings the sound back, but it’s hot garbage as far as quality goes. Mic sounds like crap too, but /only/ on my PC. Paired it to my phone (Moto g7 Optimo Maxx), mic and sound are fantastic. Problem is, I bought these specifically for games streaming. On-board and USB bluetooth adapters both give me the same problem, updating Bluetooth drivers did nothing to fix. I got this headset off Newegg for Black Friday, so it’s not like I’m out a ton of money on this, but I’d still like a fix. Should I refund, or just get a standing mic?

#15

I had the same problem with my soundcore 2.

I resolved it by doing the following in no particular order:

  1. setting the sound device (click: taskbar sound icon) to “speakers (soundcore2/yourdevice stereo)”
  2. Check “settings” > “bluetooth and other devices” > check if your device is in “Audio” and not in “other devices” (that may take a moment after connecting, as it first is in the “other” section but then switches.

That fixed it for me. BUT … i also was clicking around at the same time looking at the no. 3 but i don’t know if this had anything to do with it:

  1. go to “control panel” > “view devices and printers” > “right click soundcore” > “services” > “uncheck the headset option”

cheers. Hope it helps. :slight_smile:

1 Like
Windows 10 and Soundcore thread
Problems connecting my Q30s to windows after firmware update
#19

Well this is a very old conversation which I found via google trying to solve this issue, and I think I have a fix along the lines of the last reply before me.

Go to Devices and Printers > right click Soundcore Life Q20 > Sound Settings > Right click Headset & Disconnect

Immediately allowed me to hear through headphone mode in perfect sound! Hope this helps someone.

1 Like
#20

I’ve been dealing with this for months and your comment solved it for me, thanks :slight_smile: