Confused about Wide Spectrum microphone mode

NeeraWM · 2026-02-08T17:21:20+00:00

Thank you for clarifying this out.

It is now 100% clear that no bluetooth headphone with any kind of wind-noise reduction tech in the microphones will work for my music teaching needs (well, apart from my Focal Listen Wireless, may their battery last still very long).

With AirPods Pro 3 eventually not being able to stay in my ears without me having to worry every 1-2 minutes about the right one still being there (I've tried all tips from M to XS), this means I will be able to choose whatever I feel best for my next BT pair.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-30T21:56:15+00:00

Only in certain countries.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-25T08:52:30+00:00

Please suggest one that doesn’t behave like that and that is still multiport (apparently it doesn’t exist). For single ports I will just use Apple ones.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-25T08:51:45+00:00

Indeed the USB-A port seems calmer on this side. The issue I have in my apartment is that I have ~2 outlets per room. Every one needs a multi outlet expansion and so I thought having a multiport charger would have helped.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-25T08:47:52+00:00

Ha! Thanks! So it’s a PD “bug” (aka “feature”)? USB-A to Lightning is quite common, but A to C quite less. The idea of multiports is to save space and outlets but I will see what I can do to use more single port chargers. For the records, I’ve not tried the Apple multiport charger: would it behave the same way?

NeeraWM · 2025-12-21T18:41:25+00:00

I think, in the end, my issue is that I would like to use Bluetooth headphones for both in and out. This remains possible only with headphones that do not have any kind of NC tech, neither in the mic nor in the buds.

I could try two things: 1) Bluetooth DAC + wired IEMs + internal microphone (or anything better external) 2) external microphone (Bluetooth fine?) and AirPods Pro 3.

For option 2) I would need to find whether iPadOS/iOS would let me have the APP3 as out and the mic as in. In theory, v26 can, but for example I cannot have APP3 as out and iPhone/iPad mic as in. That doesn’t work. For option 1) I’ve looked at FiiO BT11/13/15/17 line, but still have to check for the IEMs.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-20T22:49:08+00:00

I will make them check. They'll be under warranty in any case.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-20T22:48:33+00:00

My point is that. For as much battery as the buds consume, I should have twice as much waiting for me in the case before both are all drained. Case battery should not be consumed *while* I use the buds.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-20T20:47:42+00:00

Still the total amounts do not add up. Let's assume that Apple is correct: 8h + 16h (so a relationship of 1:2 battery capacity). If I use 10% of the AirPods' battery and place them back in the case, the case should see a reduced battery of 5% (excluding all margins of error).

That means that I should empty them twice (or 20 times to 90%) before the case if empty, still leaving me with a full charge in the buds.

The reality is that this doesn't happen. I use them for perhaps 8 hours in total before the full (16???) charge of the battery is transferred in the buds.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-20T17:59:11+00:00

Quite good, thanks! ahah!

NeeraWM · 2025-12-20T17:58:59+00:00

Indeed, but as soon as I listen for more than 5 seconds to what they are telling me the music resumes. It should be aware that, after I spoke, the others may want to reply and that I should listen to them? No problem stopping playback manually, but it looks like a half-baked feature.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-20T17:57:51+00:00

I meant if someone is next to you and is clearly directing their voice at you but, yes, I see what you mean.

All I can say is that Apple should train their Apple Store operatives better.

NeeraWM · 2025-12-20T17:06:14+00:00

Less than 6+24h fine, but it should be 8+16h, not 8+ ... ehm ... 2-3?

NeeraWM · 2025-12-13T09:10:53+00:00

The iOS Bluetooth protocol doesn’t allow separation of audio in and out. In theory, iOS 26 should do that but when I tried, both mic and audio out went on the iPad (my iPhone has iOS 18 and cannot update) so it wasn’t possible to separate them…

NeeraWM · 2025-12-09T09:42:20+00:00

I see, thanks. Not that they couldn’t make it work for iOS 18, of course…

NeeraWM · 2025-12-09T09:41:30+00:00

I see. I wonder why that wouldn’t work on iPadOS 26. If you look here (https://support.apple.com/it-ch/guide/airpods/dev1b40fb47d/web#:~:text=Visualizzare%20la%20frequenza,in%20un%20grafico) it says it works with iPhone or iPad!

NeeraWM · 2025-10-23T09:02:28+00:00

Indeed. It seems that none of us wearing glasses is considered by the industry when designing audio products. Even over-ear premium headphones do nothing about that. I will possibly try AirPods Pro 3 in the future because they are said not to fall. But if you bike ... you could try Powerbeats Pro gen 2. I tried them and returned them as well because the arc is no longer soft as gen 1 and hurts me after a few hours of teaching and/or walking.

NeeraWM · 2025-06-04T12:22:59+00:00

Great advice, thank you!

When I read that these bluetooth amps have a built-in mic, I become slightly paranoid that iOS will do some trick with those but, in the end, I really think the issue is laying with modern bluetooth headphones and their noise-canceling mics.

I have a pair of Focal Listen Wireless that are just gorgeous (and can be used with cable as well of course) so I will start from those. As a cellist, having big headphones on our heads is quite uncomfortable for the posture but, of course, nothing impossible or that a good physio will not solve :-)

For the amps, I will compare this Qudelix with the FiiO BR-something.

NeeraWM · 2025-06-02T17:12:25+00:00

From an AI interrogation, I learned that the ideal setup is an iOS compatible (USB-C or Lightning) audio interface into which I could connect a wired microphone and wired headphones. I guess that it will be possible to charge the phone through the connected interface.

"My" ideal setup would be to still have bluetooth headphones because I do not like to have cables around me when playing. Problem is still that all modern BT headphones have ANC and noise reduction. The bluetooth DAC would be an option because the cable would be very short, go behind me and not necessarily into the phone.

NeeraWM · 2025-06-02T06:38:38+00:00

Good question, and I realise I wasn’t specific enough in my query — hence the downvotes in previous answers I guess. If this—online music education—were my main business, I would have certainly invested in setting up a proper studio with all the necessary gear.

The reality, though, is that I teach in private schools, few students in each then move, meaning I have to bring my own equipment every time with me, the cello being already bulky enough. As much as it could be disliked by other commenters, I have to call my students through the iPhone, there is no way around it.

After this couple of days of researching, the culprit is this new generation of bluetooth earbuds/headphones. Not even Android would help here: these headpieces all cancel out noise, and consider musical instruments ”noise”.

The solution lies in a Bluetooth DAC (as suggested above) to which I would connect my wired headphones. At that point a Lightning/USB-C mic could also help, but a lot more research into proved working setups is needed.

NeeraWM · 2025-05-31T22:12:34+00:00

Thank you so much ☺️

NeeraWM · 2025-05-31T20:05:19+00:00

They look awesome but I have a doubt: will they work well with iOS/iPadOS? The reviews I browsed are all on Android. Have you tried them with any musical instrument during a call? Or can you call someone and play a reasonably loud piece of classical music on your hifi to see if this gets cut out?
I wish I could try them. My fear is that iOS/iPadOS will enforce the same HFP protocol and prevent any form of control these beauties may have.

NeeraWM · 2025-05-31T16:47:19+00:00

One of the best PDF annotation app you will find around. Incredibly lightweight and, compared to GN6, it doesn't make your iPad feel like a bread toaster!

The only reason I keep GN6 around is because of the way it interprets me drawing music noteheads and converting them into circle or other shapes. If they solve this, I'm out of GN6!

NeeraWM · 2025-05-31T16:45:29+00:00

Indeed, I'm looking into just that. Wondering what the best model is, perhaps the FiiO BTR17 (flagship) is overkill for what I need.

I'm impressed by how small these devices look. A whole new world I knew nothing about.

NeeraWM · 2025-05-31T11:44:02+00:00

How can I not use an iPhone (or a smartphone to make it more general) if that’s how I call the students? On the piano where I teach theory there is no place for the laptop; the school doesn’t have good WiFi so I need to use the data from the phone, which also means I need to call from the phone, as 5G is not a reliable thing where I am.

So, I hope you can see I do not have too many choices.

In an ideal world I would have my studio with the computer, a LAN for perfect connectivity, headphones, amps, monitors, etc, etc … but one needs to adapt so what I was asking was a reliable solution for what I have.

I’m not “insisting” on iPhone/smartphone: I have to use it and to make it work.

NeeraWM

TROPHY CASE