Question Wireless Speaker Intermittently Disconnects

[BrickStation]

I use a Bose Soundlink Mini II speaker for my desktop audio. While watching videos on YouTube, the playback intermittently cuts out, and I usually have to plug the Aux cable back in to restore sound. This issue occurs regardless of whether the speaker is plugged into power or not.

The Soundlink requires a 3-band Aux cable for stereo output, I am using one, and the cable quality doesn't seem to affect the issue. It's plugged into the rear audio port of my PC because the same problem happens when connected to the monitor in which audio plays through my Nvidia card. Lately, this issue has been happening more frequently, which is becoming quite annoying.

Playback from other sources, such as MP3 files played through VLC, seem to be fine. The problem seems to occur only with YouTube videos or while playing games. For example, in Fallout 4, the audio cuts out doing simple things like walking or building settlements, but returns when using weapons or activating certain things. I can't recall if this occurs with other games.

Using wired headphones with a 4-band cable in the same port works perfectly fine. Bluetooth on the speaker works when I use my phone, but I don't have Bluetooth on my PC. Aux cable works from my phone as well.

I tested my desktop audio with the same aux cable through a set of stereo speakers that use AC power, and audio playback works perfectly. I tested the Bose speaker on another computer and monitor, and it also cuts out while using an aux cable.

The firmware for the speaker is up to date, and the drivers for Realtek High Definition Audio and Nvidia are also up to date. I'm running Windows 11, if that matters.

The question is why is my speaker frequently and intermittently dropping desktop audio but not while using my phone? Let me know your thoughts and thanks for your replies.

 

[Lutfij]

When posting a thread of troubleshooting nature, it's customary to include your full system's specs. Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.

The question is why is my speaker frequently and intermittently dropping desktop audio but not while using my phone?
The issue is your PC, it's audio drivers or the OS or both. Realtek has had a couple of issues in the past with Windows 10 and with Windows 11, as of recent.

You might want to set your default audio output to Realtek audio if your audio is outputted by your discrete GPU.

 

[dwd999]

You could open up the Device Manager app and check the Properties, Power Management settings for all related devices to see if Windows has accidentally checked the "Allow the computer to turn this device off to save power" box and if necessary UNcheck it. You could also check the Control Panel Power Options to ensure that all power saving options are disabled.

 

[BrickStation]

List the specs to your build like so:

Here's my main PC:
CPU: Intel Xeon W-2135
CPU cooler: Lenovo ThinkStation Heatsink and Fan Assembly 01EF049
Motherboard: ThinkStation 00FC987 Motherboard, Lenovo Model 1036
Ram: Two Samsung M393A2K43BB1-CTD 16GB 2666Mhz DDR4
SSD/HDD: Crucial CT240BX200SSD1 (OS), WD Blue WD10EZEX-00WN4A0 (Storage), Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ152 (Storage), WD_BLACK SN850X 2000GB (Games, mods)
GPU: PNY GTX 1070 XLR8 OC (VCGGTX10708XGPB-OC)
PSU: ThinkStation 5P51D77002 (900W)
Chassis: Lenovo ThinkStation P520 Desktop Chassis
OS: Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
Monitor: Samsung 32" Odyssey G3C32G35TFQN
Age of PSU: PC built in 2018 - 6 years old
BIOS: LENOVO version S03KT66A 3/19/2024


Here's a basic summary of the other computer:
CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1225 V3
CPU cooler: HP 711578-001
Motherboard: HP Z230 SFF mATX board
Ram: Four 4GB Crucial DDR3 1600mhz
SSD/HDD: Hitachi HTS545050B9A300
GPU: ASUS GT 1030
PSU: HP 702307-001
Chassis: HP Z230 SFF Workstation
OS: Endeavour OS_Gemini-2024.4.20.iso, Wayland (Arch Linux)
Monitor: Viewsonic vx2452mh
Age of PSU: PC built in 2013 - 11 years old

And if it matters, my phone is a Samsung Galaxy Note 9.

 

[BrickStation]

The issue is your PC, it's audio drivers or the OS or both. Realtek has had a couple of issues in the past with Windows 10 and with Windows 11, as of recent.

You might want to set your default audio output to Realtek audio if your audio is outputted by your discrete GPU.

I will look into that. I had an issue with Realtek on my older PC, though I can't recall what it was about.

 

[BrickStation]

You could open up the Device Manager app and check the Properties, Power Management settings for all related devices to see if Windows has accidentally checked the "Allow the computer to turn this device off to save power" box and if necessary UNcheck it. You could also check the Control Panel Power Options to ensure that all power saving options are disabled.

I went into Device Manager and into properties but the power management tab for everything in the audio inputs and outputs tree as well as the sound, video, and game controllers tree is missing. If I navigate over to the properties for my keyboard, the power management tab is there. The "Allow the computer to turn this device off to save power" box is greyed out, however.

I also went into the advanced power options from control panel and my power plan is still on High Performance. The only thing that seems incorrect was the setting Allow hybrid sleep that was set to on.

 

[BrickStation]

It seems that turning off hybrid sleep in the settings has fixed the intermittent sound issue. I've had YouTube audio playing through the speaker for an hour without any problems, for now.

Thanks for your thoughts.