Is there any way to output sound to Sony SRS-XB43 Bluetooth speaker

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As my Acer laptop treats my Sony SRS-XB43 as both a speaker and microphone, I am guessing this device is like a smart speaker.
Has anyone out there worked out how to make FxSound output music/sound to one of these Bluetooth speakers?
Thanks and cheers!

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Good afternoon Tim,
I hope you don’t mind if I ask you a couple of questions…
Where were you on the night of November 2nd?
(Just kidding… :disguised_face:)
Sony’s website says the SRS-XB43 is a mobile speaker, controlled by two mobile apps, but does also explicitly mention the ability to connect to Windows devices via jack, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.
It further reads: “the Sony Music Center app allows you to browse and play music on your devices from a wide range of apps, USB devices, and other audio sources, by connecting via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.”
So first of all, I was wondering if you’ve managed to successfully connect the speaker to your Windows computer/laptop, and if so, via which connection methods?
Second question: (when) does the Sony SRS-XB43 show up in your Windows Sound Settings?
And third question: (when) does the Sony SRS-XB43 show up in FxSound’s drop-down device selection menu?
Then, if your guess is that the microphone is causing the problem: I have a submenu in my Windows Sound Settings for Recording Devices, which lists all connected microphones, the mic could probably be disabled via this menu quite easily.
But the safest method of disabling the microphone would probably be through the Bluetooth connection dialogue box, which allows you to select the connection parameters; for example, I can access this box through Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers, by right-clicking on the device, and selecting “Control:”

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Bluetooth948Ă—728 155 KB

And finally, here are the points on my standard troubleshooting list most relevant to your case:

  • Install all available updates for your Windows computer/laptop;
  • Check the Help section of FxSound’s Settings and make sure it is updated to v1.1.20.0;
  • Update the Sony SRS-XB43’s firmware and its accompanying apps as well;
  • Try completely removing the Sony SRS-XB43 through Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers, and then re-adding it;
  • Try a different connection method (jack / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth);
  • In the General section of FxSound’s Settings menu, try changing the setting for automatic switching and see if this improves anything;
  • Try running FxSound as Administrator;
  • In Windows Sound Settings, make sure all your devices match at the same setting, with “24 bit 48000 Hz” being the maximum supported by FxSound;
  • In Windows Sound Settings, make sure FxSound is set as the Default Device;
  • You could also try setting FxSound as the Default Communications Device, this actually sets FxSound as both the Default Device Ă nd the Default Communications Device simultaneously, but only shows it as the Default Device;
  • In Windows Sound Settings, disable all Enhancements including Loudness Equalization for all devices including the Sony SRS-XB43;
  • In Windows Sound Settings, disable Exclusive Mode for all devices including the Sony SRS-XB43;
  • In Windows Sound Settings, disable Hardware Acceleration for all devices supporting this option (can usually be found in the Advanced tab);
  • In Windows Sound Settings, under the Communications tab, select “Do nothing” as the response to Windows detecting communication activity;
  • In Windows Sound Settings, disable all the devices you don’t need, including the hidden ones;
  • Try uninstalling and reinstalling FxSound;
  • Try downloading the program from a different source and installing that version instead (e.g. if you’ve downloaded from fxsound.com, try downloading from the Microsoft Store and vice versa);
  • As a last resort, you could try performing a manual driver uninstall (since the FxSound driver can be removed with relative impunity).

I hope this helps, feel free to share your results after trying these tips!

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Hi doolhoofd
Yes, I stayed at home on the night of November 2, and locked all the doors and windows. Thanks for asking, and thanks for all the advice too.
I initially connected the Sony speaker to the Acer via Bluetooth. The sound quality was very temperamental. That’s nothing to do with FxSound; it will be a hardware issue in the Acer laptop (as it does the same thing with my other SRS-XB43 speaker).
The reason the Acer thought that speaker was a smart speaker was that I was using 3.5 mm audio cable with microphone support. (The computer would have detected the additional channel). I bought a standard 3.5 mm audio-only cable today, and now it all works! What a miracle! So the Sony speaker plus the FxSound equalization / enhancement makes all my music sound brilliant!
And thanks for reminding me about the Sony app that can update the speaker drivers! Now, they are sounding awesome.
Thanks again! And cheers!
Tim

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Nice! I’m glad to hear that. :+1:
Thanks for letting me know.