Galaxy Note 3 Bluetooth Audio problems

[Aquineas]

The phone paired with no problem, always seems to update my contacts if they've changed, and answers calls while displaying the call notifier on the DIS screen. The problem is that for some reason I sometimes (more often than not, actually) can't hear the audio over the speaker.

Perhaps related to this, I've found that when listening to Spotify (just tried playlists so far) over Bluetooth the audio will start slowing down, as if someone was gradually increasing friction to a record player until it stops completely.

I'm running Android KitKat.

I'm sure others are running Galaxy Note 3s with no problem, but I thought it couldn't hurt to verify.

 

[ZoggyBottom]

I have been using a Galaxy Note 3 without any problems, but I am not using Spotify, just making calls.

 

[Aquineas]

Thanks Zoggy!

 

[DavidA5913]

I just went from a Note 3 to a Note 4 and neither had any problems. You can adjust the volume once connected to the caller using the volume rotation knob on the left side. The volume bar shows the level changes on the top of the radio when you rotate the level.

 

[Aquineas]

Yeah I'm afraid mine is a hardware (or software) problem. My wife has a Note 3 so I'm going to try hers.

 

[ZoggyBottom]

Good luck!

 

[Aquineas]

So it's definitely not limited to Spotify. I tried playing a local playlist today from the standard Samsung music player and got the same effect. Next step is to try my wife's Note3.

 

[putputput]

Try the google music app. I dont prefer it but its the only app that works best with bluetooth on the genesis. I still cant get it to auto play but i start it manually and then it works right after that. I'm on kitkat too.

BTW turn off download contacts in the car's bluetooth options because the genesis pops up the top bar notification while your reversing and it blocks the camera view everytime. I think it downloads contacts anyway because android asks for permission still. But my contacts dont change much so im not certain. Anyways it gets rid of that blockage

 

[Aquineas]

It's not a problem with my phone; I was able to reproduce it with my wife's phone. Next thing is to try the apps on my wife's Acadia, which also supports Bluetooth streaming.

 

[Aquineas]

No problem streaming Spotify (or anything else) off my Ipad. I'm homing in on you Android...

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[CtK]

I have a Note 4 as well and when its paired to my 3.8 Ultimate. I do not get notifications sounds through the cars speakers. When I use Waze, the voice only comes out of the phone it wont go through the cars speaker either.

In my moms 2014 Mazda 3, everything goes through the cars speaker.

Is there a fix for this??

 

[jpstyle99]

I have an iPhone 6 and I have the same problem of not being able hear the voice on the other side. They can hear me, but I can't hear them. I'm planning to take it to the dealer soon.

 

[Aquineas]

Update. So apparently there are problems with Bluetooth 4.0 (which the Galaxy Note 3 uses) and 4G LTE, particularly on my carrier (Verizon; I'm a grandfathered unlimited data user so I'm stuck with them for a while). It appears as though Bluetooth 4.1 fixes that.

Anyway, I've decided to abandon the Samsung with all its bloatware and the Verizon bloatware which ships on top of that, and get a Nexus 6. If this doesn't work, I'll send it back and get an iPhone 6.

All this because I want to reliably stream music via Spotify on my phone.

 

[Monolith2001]

We've been rolling with Note 3s for nearly a year and half and had both paired with the Genesis since purchase without issue. We are both on AT&T and I use a custom ROM while my wife has a rooted OEM software load.

 

[Aquineas]

Both my and my wife's Note 3 paired with no problem, and even loaded contacts and I could occasionally hear calls over BT. It's when I've tried to stream music it would have a problem, and occasionally having a voice conversation. Even with streaming music, the first song or two would work and then it would fail. It could be unique to CDMA or it could even be some of the Samsung/Verizon crapware. I'm allergic to AT&T (I had the misfortune of being an AT&T customer for 10 years when the iPhone came out and suddenly I couldn't stay on a phone call for more than 2 minutes because of a business decision they made to not build out their network).

In any case, it could still be a Genesis issue, so I'll know soon enough. On my 2012, I had absolutely no problems making/hearing phone calls with my Galaxy Note 3, so I'm not declaring victory until I witness it working firsthand.

 

[Aquineas]

Update: so I bought a Google Nexus 6 and am running Android 5.1 on it (I had to manually install 5.1 on it; the OTA updates didn't work; I'm using Verizon as a carrier.) This is a bare-bones phone, no Samsung or Verizon crapware on it (getting a barebones Nexus 6 activated on Verizon was an adventure in and of itself: Verizon couldn't activate the phone because they didn't recognize the IMEI. I couldn't use my existing Galaxy Note 3 sim card because the Nexus 6 requires a Nano Sim. I ended up having to physically cut my Galaxy Note 3 sim down to size to get my phone working).

In any case, just like with the Note 3, my Nexus 6 pairs fine with my Genesis, but when I received a phone call today I couldn't hear anything. Music over bluetooth is the same (or slight variations of the same) problem; connects okay but can't hear anything.

At this point I'm beginning to believe the problem is with the Genesis (or with my Genesis in particular). I'm going to try it out at the dealer the next time I go. Note even with my Note 3, I had no problems hearing calls with my first generation Genesis.

 

[Iostream]

I am guessing this is a problem with your Genesis. I have used a Nexus 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4 with mine so far, both have been perfect in streaming audio from any app I tried (spotify, pandora, poweramp) and with phone calls (once I remembered to turn up the volume in the car).

 

[Aquineas]

I went to the dealer today and paired my Nexus 6 with one of the cars they had on the lot with no problem, so yes, it does look like it's a problem with my car. They ordered a new head-unit under warranty (retail price would be $3800 if I had to pay out of pocket).

 

[DRS]

I have a Note 4 as well and when its paired to my 3.8 Ultimate. I do not get notifications sounds through the cars speakers. When I use Waze, the voice only comes out of the phone it wont go through the cars speaker either.

In my moms 2014 Mazda 3, everything goes through the cars speaker.

Is there a fix for this??

Question. You using the car USB to power the phone? If so, you will not get the WASE or email notification sound unless your audio head end is selected to "Bluetooth" for music playback as source for your speakers. And are listening to music on Bluetooth audio or have paused device. It thinks you are connected to USB for music, and it does not play those notification sounds I have observed with my iPhone 6. If it is not connected to USB plugged into car, I get Escort Live alerts and voice through the Bluetooth speaker output, even while listening to XM or other inputs. Try mixing and matching combinations of how it is connected or what source you have selected to play through speakers.

 

[DRS]

Question. You using the car USB to power the phone? If so, you will not get the WASE or email notification sound unless your audio head end is selected to "Bluetooth" for music playback as source for your speakers. And are listening to music on Bluetooth audio or have paused device. It thinks you are connected to USB for music, and it does not play those notification sounds I have observed with my iPhone 6. If it is not connected to USB plugged into car, I get Escort Live alerts and voice through the Bluetooth speaker output, even while listening to XM or other inputs. Try mixing and matching combinations of how it is connected or what source you have selected to play through speakers.

We have a 2014 Mazda 3 and it seems to act similar when plugged into its USB input for charging. Play audio I'm Bluetooth mode, all the notice sounds come through, use the USB source to play audio, no notice sounds except through phone itself.