- Microsoft is improving sound quality for Bluetooth headphones
- This will allow high quality audio on Windows 11 while using a microphone, benefiting players who often use chat in the game with a headset
- However, the PC and headphones must admit Bluetooth to audio and run the latest version of Windows 11
Microsoft has announced that it is giving a great boost to the sound quality of the Bluetooth headphones in Windows 11.
As Microsoft explains in a blog post (highlighted by Neowin), it is replacing the current way of facilitating wireless headphones, Bluetooth Classic Audio, with Bluetooth audio on Windows 11.
Bluetooth Classic Audio is a quite clumsy beast in which it has two modes of operation, none of which offers a complete solution for sound and microphone. With the advanced audio distribution profile (A2DP), you get complete quality audio, but there is no capacity to use a microphone, which could be a problem if, for example, you are playing and want to use the headset microphone for the chat in the game.
The alternative hands -free profile (HFP) gives you support for the microphone, but at a cost, that is, a lower audio quality. In fact, you do not get stereo with HFP, only mono audio reproduced in both ears. That has serious limitations in terms not only of poor sound quality: Microsoft compares it with listening to the AM radio, in the face of the quality of the CD with A2DP, but there is also a lack of spatial effects (which require stereo for their virtual positioning).
Bluetooth Audio solves these problems at once, offering the same CD quality audio as A2DP, but also allows the use of the microphone at the same time. In fact, this new way of working at Windows 11 offers ‘super wide’ audio with a sampling frequency of 32 kHz, which means even better voice quality.
ANALYSIS: It’s time, frankly
This is a welcome impulse on the audio front, although in reality, it is more about making Bluetooth work properly, as it should, instead of a great step forward for Windows 11. Not having stereo reproduction if you want to use the microphone is a great disappointment, but unfortunately, this is the case for most people in Windows 11 at this time.
What do you need to benefit from this new technology, then?
As already mentioned, its wireless headphones must admit Bluetooth Le Audio, and its Windows 11 PC must also admit the audio. Keep in mind that it is not enough for your PC to admit Bluetooth Le, but specifically, you will need audio LE. Microsoft explains how to verify if your Windows 11 device has this function in a support document here.
If you have the audio, compatible with your headphones, as well as a PC, you will also have to run Windows 11 24h2 updated to the latest version (the August update).
In addition to this, you will need a Bluetooth audio controller with support, and Microsoft points out that at the end of this year, “some existing PC models will receive updates from the manufacturer’s controller to admit the function.” Therefore, you may have to be patient for a time yet.
Microsoft also tells us that most new laptops that will be launched at the end of 2025 should have this baked support and be well from the beginning with this improved Bluetooth sound.
